Sept, 1, 1898.] 
THE TKOPICAL 
AGRICULTUPJST. 
159 
AGEICULTt"RAL CHEMIST. 
Submitting the follov.-iiig report received from the 
sub committee appointed lo consider the advisability of 
securing the services of an Agricultural Chemist with 
instructions to confer with representatives the 
Chamber of Commerce and Managers of Companies, 
viz.: '■ The sub-committee in conference with repre- 
sentatives of the Chamber of Commerce and .ilanagers 
of Companies u- animously recommend that the 
Thirty Committee should approach Government for 
sanction to the necessary disbursements at the rate 
of a thousand pounds stg. per annum in securing the 
services of an analytical Agricultural Chemist for 
the ijurnose of investigating Ceylon Tea and in 
finding out sli information as to various chemical 
changes which occur in the process of Tea cultivation 
and manufacture with an Bnalysis of soils the sub- 
committee being of opinion that this step is of para- 
mount importance at this critical time in order to 
safeguard the position Ceylon Tea lias held in the 
past and to ascertain how strength and flavour can be 
maintained." Eesolved : — That the report be adopted 
and that it be ferwarded to the Thirty Committee for 
approval and action thereunder, 
Kead letter from Mr. A. Baur, and submitted the 
chairman's memorandum on the subject appended. 
MEMORANDUM KEGAEDIXG THE ANNEXED COPY OF 5IIKUTE 
AKD EESOLUTION PASSKD BY THE CC5IJIITTEE OF THE 
PLAKTEHS' ASSOCIATIOK CN THE SUE.JECT OF AX 
AGEICULTUr.AL CHEMIST. 
With regard to the resolution I proposed relative to 
the appointment of a Sub-Committee of the Planters' 
Association and Chamber of Commerce to consider 
the question of seeming the services of a!i Analy- 
tical Agricultural Chemist. — I would suggest that a 
Guarantee Fund should be started of E20 per Estate, 
which would raise a sufficient capital sum to pay a 
really good Scientist, who would (sp.yfor six to nine 
inonihs) devote his entire time to finding out all 
iuformaticu as to the various chemical changes which 
occur in the process of tea cultivption and manu- 
facture, I would suggest his first finding cut the 
special chemical advantages which exist on those 
E-tates \\hich are known to corrmand high prices in 
the London or Colombo Markets, and v, hen once he 
has fully ascertained what particular chemical con- 
stituents exist on these Estates, he will then be able 
to compare witJi analyses of the teas and soils of 
those Estates, which only command medium and low 
prices. 
My contention is that Estates in the same dis- 
tricts, equally found in Factoiy and Machinery, shew 
such divergence in price, that it is self-evident, that 
11 great deficiency exists in some very essential chemi- 
cal ingredient, which only a Scientist can find out 
— and at this present critical position of Tea culti- 
vation it is verj' important that an Agricultural 
Chemist should be secured, who must go thoroughly 
into the matter and help in maintaining the posi- 
tion Ceylon Tea has held in the past, by endeavour- 
ing to find how strengih and flavour can be maintained. 
The Guarantee Fund would thus be utilized in 
paying for the Agricultural Chemist during the early 
Btages of his investigations, and after he was in a 
position to explain the diificullies which exists, his 
services would then be available to those who wish 
individual Estates visited, and analyses taken. A 
table of fees would then have to be arranged for by 
the Sub-Committee, which would he paid by the 
Estates visited by the Scientist, F. G A. Lase, 
Kandy, 81st May, 1S08. 
Minute and Resolution referred to. 
The question of an Agiicultural Chemist was in- 
troduced by the Chairmnn. 
Resolved : — That a Sub-Committee be appointed to 
consider the advisability of secuiing the services of an 
Agricultural Chemist with instructions to confer with 
representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, and 
Managers of Companies, and that the following mem- 
bers be requested to serve.— The Hon. Mr. J, N, 
Campbell, Messrs, .John H Starey, H V Masf field, T 
C Huxley George Greig, the Chairman, Planters' 
^MQcidrtiQUi thd Secretary, FUnters' Associftliou, 
THE EADELLA ESTATES CO., LD. 
The annual ordinary general meeting: of ilie 
Sliaiehoiilers of the Kadella E.states Co., Ltd., was 
held recently at Kand.y, when report of the 
Directors (Mes.*r.«. ^Y. D. Gibbon, A. Mehille 
AVhite and Frank M. Laurie) for tiie year ending 
.SOtli June and the stateineut of accounts were 
submitted and passed. 
Tea.— The estates have yitlded 13.92i lb. made tea 
against an estimate of 110,000 lb. There has been 
leaf purchased ] 1,803 lb , and the average price of the 
tea sold has been 30--1S cents per lb. 
Cocoa. — 149 cwt. 0 or. 18j lb. were secured against an 
estimate of 1,50 cwt. 
Coffee. — 37 bushels of Liberian parchment coffee 
was obtained against an estimate of 100 bushels. 
The balance of profit and loss account is R6,"i 68-18. 
The new branch road involved a heavy contribution 
which was not included in the original estimate. 
AVhen completed, as expected in a few months time 
this rosd will be of very gre.-it advantage to the es- 
tate«, besides relieving the labour force from ail 
heavy t.aiispo-t and making the carriage between 
factory and railway stations much easier and cheaper. 
Coconut Nuesekies are very fine and are ample to 
supply both clearings and to plant up some of Les- 
moir estate. 
Tea Nubseries for supplies are also successful. 
The c .coa clearings are bef inning to bear and may 
be expected to yield a little crop in 1898-99. They 
are reported upon as being perfectly healthy an^ 
without any appearance of disease at all, as d pro- 
mise to be very shortly a most valuable addition 
to the Company's property. 
Advances. — It has been necessaj-y to increase the 
amount. The Yjsicing Agent reports the question of 
labour [at the root of all the diiSculties upon these 
estates, -and now that this is on a better footing and 
prvuing can be effected at proper period there is 
every season to expect a much increased yield o£ 
tea in the coming season. 
Area. 
221 Tea approximate 
98 Cocoa a'ld cofiee approximate 
102 Cocoa and coconuts 
50 a. 4 years old and 52 a. 3 years old 
1.51 Forest 
Total 572 acres. 
The DntECTOEATE.— Mr. W. D. Gibbon was re- 
elected a Director. 
Auditoe.— Mr. John Guthrie was re-elected Auditor 
for the Company, 
The Import Duty on quinine and its salts 
ill Portugal is now 8,000 reis (about 86s) per 
kilo. (2 1-othIb '.—Brittsh and Colonial Drxqqist, 
July 1, ■ 
Ladv-bird Beetlfs.— In tlie face of wliat he 
lias tolfl us of the lantana bug attacking his 
own tea and the difticulty attending its destruc- 
tion, we are surprised at the modest and moder- 
ate tone of ^Ir. E. E. Greeirs latest coniniuni- 
catiou to [he Planters' Association in regard to 
the iutroductioii of Lady-bird beetles. Tlie intro- 
duction to our inind should be regarded as 
'■ urgent." Perhaps thougii, tliis may arise 
from there being a doubt as to whether Oi fJi zUt 
in if/nis would be dealt with by the Lady-biid 
beetles? Even if there be such a doubt, we sliould 
say the case is one for immediate action. It is 
absurd to talk of tlie expense— at most a very 
few thcasarid rupees — when the interests at stake 
are considered. We shall be much disaiijioiiittd 
if the F.A. leaders do not decide to share in 
Mr. Jsewton's mission or to start an intlepeiideiit 
one, looking to Goveniiuent for a moietj- oi tL| 
iei[uired uuila^, 
