Nov. 1, 1898.J THE TKOPICAL AGRICULTUEIST. 
315 
THE CRISIS IN TEA 
is the heatlingof an article in the Indian Planters' 
Gazette, in which we aie tokl that as an average 
to cover expenses alone, the Indian tea crop would 
require to realize 6^ annas for Calcutta-sold teas 
and 6^ annas for London ones. Then comes an 
estimate of average prices got :— 
Annas. Pie. 
Assam . . • . 7 8 
Darjeeling •• 9 ^ 
Cachar and Sylhet .. 6 0 
Dears and Terai . . 6 C 
Thus we say that even with last year's prices, the 
margin of profit in the case of the D.ioars, Sylhet, 
Cachar and Terai gardens is very small and this is fully 
borne out by the printed reports of many of the com- 
panies of these districts, and what is it likely to be with 
the prices ruling in 1898 ? Have our agents and 
planters yet brought themselves to face the grim facts? 
The market this year i^, we should say, quite an anna 
worse than last year, an that means an average 
price of 5 annas. To convince our readers we might 
arrive at the results here foreshadowed in another way. 
The average yield put down in the official paper refer- 
red to above, is — 
Per Acre, 
lb. 
Brahmaputra Valley .. 388 
Burma Valley .. .. 435 
For the whole province . . 408 
which is just over 5 maunds per acre, or, if turned into 
rupees, Bs. 137.8-0 per acre for the Surma Valley and 
Rs. 157-8 for the Brahmaputra. In this calculation, of 
course, we have taken into consideration the fall of one 
anna per pound in price this year. Now it is quite 
pretty well-known axiom, tliat bushes will not j ield 
unless liberal cultivation is given, more especially in the 
poorer soils of the Surma Valley, so that it is impossible 
to econoirase in this direction ; and given this ordinary 
cultivation, we do not think we are erring on the side 
of extravagance if we put local expenditure on gardens 
in the Surma Valley at Rs. 110 per acre, and in the 
Brahmaputra we require to enhance that to Rs. 125. 
We are not very sure if there are many gardens that 
work to the above figures. That it can be done is in- 
stanced by more than one company's published ac- 
counts and those who cannot do it, will have to make 
room for those who can; but that is beside the question 
at present, althjugh we may avert to it at some future 
date. Deducting then Rs. 110 from the result of tea 
Bold in the Surma Valley, we find a balance of Rs.'i7-8 0 
left per acre to meet Calcutta, or Calcutta and Lon- 
don, charges, as the case may be ; and, in the case of 
the Brahmaputra Valley, a balance of the same. In 
onr preliminary examination we said that 25 to S9 per 
cent was considered a fair calculation for the item, and 
this is exactly what is left in the case of both Valleys, 
but what is the shareholder to get ? With regard to 
the Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling, the conditions are so 
different, that we cannot well compare them with these 
Assam tea-producing districts. The labour question is 
quite on a different footing. In the case of the Dooars, 
the average pay of coolies is so much higher, that prob- 
ably the increased yield is swallowed up in meeting 
this item, while the same may be said of the Terai. 
In Darjeeling the yield is very much smaller, and the 
labour conditions so different that comparison is hardly 
possible, although we believe the results will work out 
pretty much the same. We have purposely kept our 
figures of expenditure -very low, and have, wa think, 
erred on the side of caution, but let us hope we are 
wronc and have exaggera,ted these; for in this case 
there°might be a bone to throw to the poor shareholder, 
although an extremely Bm.iU one. Meantime, let us 
glance through the weekly sales and see how many 
figure in the four-anna column. As shown above, this 
is bound to leave a heavy 1»S8 behind it. We do not 
wish to take too pessimistic a view of tea as an industry, 
but it is at present in the throes of a crisis that will 
shake it to its foundation, and it behoves those inte- 
rested to try and put their houses in order. Economy 
piuatbe enforced, both iu Cal^u^a iu districts 
generally, and there must be no sentimental feeling 
allowed to stop tlie process. The days of rupee or even 
eight-anna averages are gone never to return we are 
afraid, and the only thing to do is to look round and 
see where economy can be introduced without sacrific- 
ing efficiency. 
THE ELLA TEA COMPANY. 
THE DIRECTOES' KEPORT 
is as follows : — 
The Directors have to subn\it their Report and Ac- 
counts for the year ending 30th .June 189S. 
The Crops on both Kanangama and Eila Estates 
were considerably short of the estimate, partly on ac- 
count of the unfavourable season which has been gene- 
rally experienced since the beginning of the year, and 
on Eila Estate partly owing to an easier treatment of 
the bushes being adopted than that which had hitherto 
prevailed. 
Daring the past year the remaining debentures were 
paid off and a sterling loan of £7,000 carrying interest 
at 6 per cent per annum was negociated with the 
Standard Life Assurance Company on the primary 
mortgage of the property of the Eila Company. This 
loan was negotiated in order to pay off the debentures 
and provide funds for the working of the Estates. It is 
to bs repaid in yearly instalments of £500. 
The average price realized for the Tea after estimat- 
ing the value of that unsold was for the two Estates 
28'5S cents per lb. as against 32 C6 cents for last season. 
Every efforts has been and is being made to improve 
the quality of the Tea and it is hoped that more success 
will be attained in the coming season than has been 
the case so far. 
The net profit for the past season after writing off 
depreciation on buildings and machinery was only 
R3,03S 77,to which must be added R2,4i3 09 the balance 
from last season making up a total of R5,481 86. 
In view of the fact that the Company has to pay off 
£500 of the Sterling loan on 1st April 1899 the Directors 
regret that they are unable to recommend the payment 
of a dividend and they propose that the balance of 
R5,481-86 be carried forward to season 1898-99. 
The Estates on June 30th 1898 consisted of : — 
Eila — 459 acres Tea 5 years old and upwards, 
195 do 4 do do 
62 do 2 do do 
90 do under 2 years, 
240 do forest, 
956 acres 
Kanangama — 215 acres Tea 5 years old and upwards. 
108 acres forest, etc. 
823 acres. 
During the year Mr, H, G. Bois was elected to the 
Board of Directors in the place of Mr. F. W. Bois who 
has left the island, 
Mr. P. Bois retires in accordance with the Articles of 
Association, but being eligible offers himself for re- 
election. 
The Shareholders will also have to appoint an 
Auditor for season 1898-99. 
By order of the Board of Directors, 
J. M. Robertson & Co., Agents and Secretaries. 
Colombo, Sept. 3rd, 1898. 
Quinine Manufacture in Java is the subject 
of an interesting report bj- Mr. Van Prelin, who 
seems to have been the founder of the first 
manufactory in Java, that of Bando-ng. The trouble 
a'lcl disappointment attending its inauguration 
;ue forcibly related — see page 303. Now the pro* 
1 0 al is to enlarge anil improve the Factory, so 
as to make it turn out a better article au4 so prov^ 
Uuancially successful, 
