696 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April 1.189&. 
Ml?. R. H. ELLIOT AND THE 
CURRENCV QUESTION. 
We fear Mr. Elliot — for whose letter 
(see page 711)— will be too late to appear 
before the Currency Commission, as his 
intention, when he wrote to us, was to 
remain in Cairo until about April 24th. 
Howevei', he had been in correspondence 
with the Committee, and it is possible that 
a written statement may be accepted from 
a gentleman who occupies a peculiarly repre- 
sentative position in reference to the planters 
of Mysore and of Southern India generallj*. 
It is evident that Mr. Elliot is very sound 
and strong in his views on the side of the 
producing mterests ; and we sincerely trust 
his opinions will be carefully considered by 
the Committee. 
As regards the abandonment of poor, non- 
paying tea and coffee fields, Mr. Elliot will 
be interested to learn the ivason given by 
an experienced Ceylon Manager for, in some 
Cases, retaining fields in cultivation which 
yield little or no profit, namely that they 
afford work for coolies who nmst be kept 
ready for the rush of fiush which conies 
over ijaying fields in the best months of the 
year. So long as the poor fields pay expenses, 
they make it easier to keep and work a largo 
labour force. 
THE VOGAN TEA COMPANY. 
THB EEPORT. 
The Direetora have pleasure in subniittiiig their 
Report and Accounts for the year ended 3lst De- 
eomber, 1898, which they trust the Shareholders will 
consider satisfactory. 
The total crop secured for the year was as follows: — 
Vogan . . 227,8i8 lb as against 223,825 lb in 1S97 
Iddngodde.. 125,989,, „ 105,849,, 
Bought Leaf 30,929 „ „ 8,208 „ ,. 
Stamford Hill& 
Barkindale 100,712 „ „ 95,860 ,. „ 
485,478 „ 433,742 „ 
Considering how short the crop has been on the 
majority of Estates in the island, it is satisfactory 
to note that there is a total increase (exclusive of 
bought leaf) over Estimates of 14,549 lb from the 
Company's properties. 
On actual estate account Vogan and Iddagodde have 
given 23,837 lb over estimate, whilst Barkindale and 
Stamford Hill shew a short-fall of 9,288 lb. 
Iddagodde again shews a most encouraging ira- 
provement, and has given 630 lb per acre ofl the tea 
in bearing, or nearly double what it was giving when 
the Company bought it three years ago. 
For the purpose of comparison, the following figures 
•hewing the cost and average of the Company's Tea 
in Colombo (including bought leaf) for the past two 
years will be found interesting and may be con- 
aidered very satisfactory ; — 
Estate. 
r-l ^ B 
c bo 
cts. cts. cts. cts, ots. 
Vogan and 
Iddagodde 22'97 20-45 20-22 19-21 37-85 
Stamford Hill * 
Barkindale 32-26 27-67 25-58 22-60 44-99 
> 00 
<J r-l 
CCR. 
34-0 
43-9 
During the year under review, it was fonnd neoet- 
sary to increase the Factory accommodatios o 
Vo(<an twtlve months earlier than was anticipated, 
and also to erect a new Roller and btrocco, and thia 
necessitated, inclndiog the cost of npkeep of yonng 
tea, and the payment of a balanoe to complete the 
bnildings on Stamford Hill, an exnenditnre on Capital 
Account of R'i5,o7l-70. 
No further extensions to Factories or Macbioery 
are anticipated for some time to come, bat probably 
when the 1896 and 1897 cleaHnge on Togan and Id- 
dagodde come into bearing, a small addilien to the 
Vogan Factory will be required. ' 
Extraordinary general meeliags of Sharebolder* 
were held on the 12th and 36tb of November, and 17th 
December last, when the Directors were aaiborieed 
to spend a sum of R5,000 io prospecting for Plum- 
bago. Up to the end of December, R3,425 had beea 
spent on this account, which has been carried to 
a suspense account in the meantime, pending the 
completion of negotiations which are being carried 
OB for the leasing of the Pit, and which it is hoped 
may be brought to a satisfactory conclusion ere long. 
After paying interest on debentures, namely 
R6,676-3j, the amount at credit of profit ana loss is 
R60,4% 96, which is equal to 8 40 per cent on tb« 
Oasital of th« Company. 
The Directors recommended that tbie sum be 
apportioned as follows :— 
K c. 
By the paymvntof a dividend of 5 per 
cent for the year 36,000 00 
l y the payment of a Bonus to the 
Vogan Superintendent .. 750 00 
By the payment of a Bonus to the 
the Stamford Hill and Barkin- 
dale Superintendent 500 00 
By placing to Depreciation Account 10,.W3 71 
By Placing to Reserve Fund .. 12,500 00 
By carrying forward to the next 
Account . . . . 393 !5 
R60,496 96 
Mr. Tisdall, Superintendent of Vogan estate, has 
been allowed three months' leave to proceed to 
Australia for the benefit of his health, which broke 
down, on full pay for the first and half pay for 
the other two months. 
The estimate of crop for 1899 is at follows :— 
lb. 
Vogan and Iddagodde 
Stamford Hill and Barkindale 
375,000 
100,000 
The acreages of Company s properties is as 
follows ; — 
Vogan and Iddajedde. 
Tea in full bearing ... Acres 590 3 23 
Do do paitial bearing „ 78 2 SO 
Do not in bearing HJ o 10 
Stamford Hill and Barkindale. 
Tea in full bearing . . „ 220 0 00 
Total in tea, Acres.. 1,008 2 23 
Vogan and Iddagodde, Jungle, 
*c. .. .. 540 2 10 
Total Acreage . . 1,549 0 33 
In terms of the articles of Association Mr G E 
Woodman retires from the Board of Directors ba 
being ehgible offers himself for re-election. 
^ ^ necessary to appoint an Auditor 
for 1899.— By order of the Board of Directors. 

FRUi-r.--Has anyone ever gone carefully into 
a calculation ol the profits of shipping fruit 
from Brazil to Europe ? Pineapples are now go 
cheap, that they could not fail to yield a profit. 
And the production seems to be increasing : Surely 
the mail steamers would be only too willine t« 
fat up cold-au chambers for fruit, were r«3ponMbIe 
parties to undertake shipping the bmt.—Bw Nem 
