Jan. 2, 1899.] THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTUEIST. 
LANKA PLANTATION COMPANY LIMITED. 
Directors. — George Allen, Esq., (Chairman), William 
Austin, Esq., Henry Bois, Esq., and Edward 
Pettit, Esq. 
Agents in Colombo, — Messrs. J. M. Eobertaon & Co. 
Secretary. — Mr, Charles M. Robertson. 
REPORT. 
To be presented at the Eighteenth Ordinary General 
Meeting of the Lanka Plantations Company, Limited, 
to be held at the office of the company, on Wednesday, 
the 16th November. 
The Directors now submit their Report for the 
twelve months ending 30th Jnne last, together with 
the Balance sheet and accounts of the company made 
np to that date and duly audited. 
The coffee crop shipped to London was 247 owts., 
against 672 owt. last year, and realised £1,072 lis 8d 
net. The acreage under coffee alone ia nominally 
164 acres. 
The total crop of cocoa gathered on Yattawatte 
amounted to 1,509 cwts. against- 1,272 cwt. last year, 
and realised £4,806 143 lOd. During the season 34 
acres were planted with cocoa, and 18 acres of available 
land adjoining the estate have been purchased, making 
a total of 268 acres new land. The cost of the land 
and the'new planting are charged to capital account. On 
the same estate 2,125 lb. cardamoms were gathered 
realizing ^269 163 6d. 
The tea receired from the company's estates 
amounted to 731, E93 lb. and has been sold at an average 
of 7-45d per lb. net realizing £22,840 18s Id. Last year 
the company received 701,112 lb which was sold at an 
average of 7'53d. per lb. net, and realized £22,002 8s 4d. 
The cost of production has been increased by a further 
rise in the sterling value of the Rupee. 
The average rate at which drafts were negotiated on 
Account of the seasoo's crops was Is 4-3/32. per 
rupee, against Is 3d last year ; this further rise repre- 
senting a loss of about 1 per cent, on the ordinary share 
canitalof the company. 
The following statement shows the acreage and 
state of cultivation of the company's estates on the 
80th June last :— . . m - 
Estate. J . g S S| ||i I 
aSi^^^°^^ [60 414 . . 4 167 70 705 
Fruithill .. 227 .... 10 .. 287 
Pordyce, Garbawn, 
Gonagalla and 
Paramatta .. 794 .. 7 .- 135 936 
Rappahnnock .. 322 .. 31 30J 90 473| 
Rillamulle .. 232 .... 6 20 258 
Thotulgalla 114 264 .... 64 113 555 
Yattawatte . . . . *751 95 287 82 1,215 
164 2,253 751 137 564| 510 4,379i 
The net Profits for the past year amounted to 
£6,149 18s 8d, to which must be added the sum of 
£495 83 2d to the balance brought forward from the 
year 1896-7, making together £6,645 Os lid. 
Having already paid a half-year's interim dividend 
on the six per cent. Preference shares to the 31st 
December, 1897, amounting, less property tax. to 
£426 6s Od, the Directors recommend payment of the 
dividend on these shares to tlie 30th Jnne last, 
requiring, less property tax, a similar amount, and 
having deducted £1,398 23 0, being one-tenth of the 
auras charged to suspense account during the lOyears 
ending 30th June, 1897, tliey furt'ner recommend a 
dividend of 5 per share, being 2h per cent, free of 
income tax on the ordinary shares amounting to 
£3,750, carrying forward a balance of £644 63 lid to 
the next account. 
68 acres iaterliucd with Libcrian cofleo. 
58 
CENTRAL TEA COMPANY OF 
CEYLON, LIMITED. 
The following is the report of the Director.^ 
which was to be submitted at the third annual 
ordinary general meeting of shareholders to be 
held at 20, Eastcheap, E.C., on Monday, the 7th 
November : — 
The Directors have the pleasure to submit the 
general balance sheet and profit and loss account 
for the year ending 30th June 1898, duly audited. 
The nett amount at credit of £ s d £ s d 
profit and loss account, in- 
cluding the balance brought 
forward at 30th June 1897, 
and after providing for gene- 
ral expenses, Directors'Fees, 
income tax, &c., is 2,729 2 2 
Dividends on the 6 per cent 
preference shares were paid 
for 1897-8 (less income tax) 
amounting to 1,133 0 8 
It is proposed to pay a divi- 
dend of 6 per cent (less in- 
come tax) on the ordinary 
shares which will absorb 1,073 0 0 
And to carry forward to next 
yeir a balance of 523 1 6 
£2,729 2 2 
The Directors trust the results of the year's 
workings of the estates will be considered satis- 
factory by the shareholders. 
The gross average price realized for the tea 
was 7'7od per lb., as against 7'52d per lb. last 
season, and the rate of exchange Is 4d as against 
Is 3 l-32d. 
The total crop amounted to .351,646 lb. or 
409 lb. per acre of tea in bearing. 
Under clause No. 24 of the Articles of Asso- 
ciation Mr. W. H, Anderson retires on this occa- 
sion from the Board, and, being eligible, offers 
himself for re-election. 
The Auditors, Messrs. Harper Brothers, char- 
tered accountants, also retire from office, and ofier 
themselves for re election. 
At an e.xtraordinary general meeting, held in 
May 1897, it was resolved chat the share capital 
of £45,000, divided into 1,500 6 per cent prefer- 
ence and 3.000 ordinary shares, be altered to 
2,250 6 per cent preference and 2,250 ordinary 
shares. The necessary agreement drawn by the 
Company's solicitors, was .signed by all share- 
holders, and duly registered with the Eegistrar 
of Joint Stock Companies on 14th July 1897. 
157 ordinary shares were cancelled, and 157 
preference shares issued in lieu thereof. 'The 593 
unissued preference shares were offered to the 
public in December 1897, at a preniiuiu of £2 
per share. These shares were duly taken up, and 
the premiums arising therefrom, viz. £1,186, it 
ia now proposed to write off from the capital 
accounts of the estates. 
Wm. John'SOX, Secretary. 
London, October 31, 1898. 
Gkekn Teas. — A Nortii Indian correspondent 
thinks Ceylon planters have now a splendid 
oppoitunity of making a big impression on the 
.American market it they only turn out a suffi- 
ciency of well-made, natural "green" tea.s to 
oust "Japan's." We agree in tiiis proposition 
and in the wisdom of following the advice in 
this matter of Messrs. Mackenzie and Blechynden ; 
but would ask what are Indian tea planters 
ihemselves doing, to back np Ceylon in this 
effort 'i 
