April 1, 1899.] THE TKOPICaL AGRICULTITEIST. 
701 
per 1,000 nnta, and the remainder were made into 
•oprah, of which 493 candies were sold at an avornga 
of R44-7t) per candy, as compared with 246 candies in 
1897, which realised a nett average piioe of B39'40 
per candy. 
After making the usual provisions for depreciation of 
Buildini's an.i Machinery, the result of the year's 
working shows a loss of R3,.549 8'2. 
Mr. F. Capper retires from the Board of Directors, 
but is eligible for re-election. 
The appointment of an Auditor for the current year 
will rest with the meeting. 
THE UNION ESTATES COMPANY OF 
CEYLON, LIMITED. 
Report of the Directors. 
Directors :— Messrs. G H Alston, W D Gibbon, W 
H Figg; Estate Inspector.— Mr. W D Gibbon ; Estate 
Superintendent.— Hayes Group : Mr. T Maclachlan r 
DeaBlla: Mr. J Vanderslott. 
The appointment of an Auditor for the current yeaX 
rests with the meeting. 
By order of the Dli-ectors. 
Whittall & Co., Agents and Secretaries. 
Colombo, 10th Maich, 1899. 
THE ESTATES CO iPANY OF UVA, 
LIMITED. 
Report of thg Directoiis. 
Direc'ors :— Messrs. W D Gibbon, G H Alston, 
and W H Figg ; Estate Inspector : Mr. W D Gib- 
bon ; Est.Tte S ii peri u ten don ts : D.irameria, Mr. JB 
Cotton; B;i.ttiiw 'tte, Mr. W M K'lly ; and Gam- 
paha, Mr. F J Whittall. 
ACREAGF, : 
DaaElla 
ACREAGE 
_a 
a 
o 
1, in f 
ring. 
I not 
ring. 
c3 
O 
o 
s 
> s 
£ ® 
o 
o 
517 
11 
25 
235 
13 
91 
752 
24 
91 
25 
o 
553 
339 
1,658 
147 
2211 
486 
892 1,805 2,097 
The Directors have now to submit to the Share- 
holders the accounts of the Company for the past year. 
The Tea crop amounted to 308,025 lb. against an 
•ftimate of 360,000 lb., for which the aTcrage nett price 
realii^ed was 34 32 cents per lb. compared with 32 64 
dents in 1897, or an increase of over IJ cents per lb. ; 
149 cwt. Cocoa were sold at an average of B41 per cwt., 
ftnd there were small receipts by sale of Cardamoms. 
The shortfall in the crops must be attributed to the 
Tery dry season. 
With reference to last year's report the Directors are 
^lad to be able to announce that the road as far as 
Anuingkande has been opened for some time and that 
f(ood progress has been mado with the extension to 
Hayes Factory, and it is anticipated that this exten- 
■ion will be opened for traffic in the course of the next 
two or three months. This will increa»e the value ot 
th« Company's property very greatly, and will reduce 
tho cost of production both by cheaper transport and 
by enabling the estate to pack in full chests in^^tead 
of half chests as at present. In spite of the transport 
difficulty all the new driving machinery has now been 
erected ; apreliminary run carried out last week was satis- 
factory. The adoitionalpotver was urgently required, as 
during the last year manafacture was considerably 
hft'npertdby s oppages for repAiiing tlie •Bgine, 
The Capital Expenditure during the past year 
amounting to R29,963'28 was incurred on additions 
to machinery referred to above on Hayes and also on 
Dea Ella, in clearing and planting 25 acres Carda- 
moms on Hayes as decided on last year, .30 acres of 
Cocoa on Dea Ella, and in erection of necessary new 
line* on both places, and a Rice Store and extension 
of Factory on Hayes. 
A small sum of 1193-63, which has been charged to 
Working Account, was expended in exploring for 
plumbago on Hayes, and an arrangement is being 
made to lease tho pit to a native in return for one- 
gixth share of the output. 
The estimated crops for the current season are 
827,000 lb. Tea, 15C cwt. Cocoa and 300 lb. Cardamoms 
on an expenditure on Working Account of R97, 441 11. 
In addition a sniaU profit is anticipated from purchase 
of outside leaf and from mauufacturinf? Teas for other 
citaten. On (Japital Account 117,356 is estimated for 
completion of Machinery on Hayes and the upkeep 
of the new clearings »n both places. 
In terms of the Articles of Association Mr. 0. H. 
AUton now retires from the office of Director, but it 
elifjiblefor re-election. 
Dammeria 
Group 465 
Battawatte 
and Forest 
Hill 418 
Gampaha 332 
I'2l0 
110 
27 
H 
602 
3 T3 
O 
<y m 
1,7(58 
30 
558 
1190 
.5 
159 
755 
45 
246 
866 
80 
963 
?,81l 
Tne Directors herewith submit to the thareholders 
the accounts for the past year. 
The tea crop, which was estimated at 505,000 lb. 
only amounted to 485,712 ib., the shortfcJ! being 
altogether attributable to the unfavourable weaiber ex- 
perienced during the last few mouths of the year. 
The coffee crop however amounted to 462 bushels 
as against estimate of 120 bushels, while there were 
also crops of 89 cwt. Cocoa, 553 lb. Cardamoms 
56,632 lb. Cinchona bark, which latter was harvested 
from trees cut dov/n to improve growth of the tea 
planted underneath. During the \ear 60.6581b. tea 
were manufactured for other estntes. 
The average nett price realized for the tea sold was 
89^ cents as against an average of 41 cents b'.st rear. 
During the past yenr the aoreaga undtr tea has 
been increased to 1,768 acres by the plmtiiig up of 
41 acres in Gampaha and 8 acres on Diimnieria, 
while acres 8-1-37 of tea, an encroachment on 
Government Knd on Forest Hill, were purchased, 
and acres 4-2 32 of tea land were taken over by 
Government for the Madulsima Road, for which the 
Company received compensation. During the blast- 
ing operations on the new road the old coffee store 
which was not insured, and at the time not bein" 
used, caught fire and was burnt down; it has been 
impossible to definitely ascertain the cause of the 
fire, though it is attributed by the Superintendent 
to a pi*>C8 of burning fuse aliglitiiig among tampo- 
rary withering tats therein. The roofing was saved 
and the directors estimate the loss to the estate 
at R2,ono, whii'h fhey have written off tlie capital 
cost of the buildings. Aft«r writing off this R2,000 
and making provision for depreciation of buildings 
and machinery, and paying the expenses incurred ?n 
connection with the mortgage referred to in the last 
report, the profit for the year amounted to Rl4,C2i)-45, 
to which falls to be added the balance brought for- 
ward from 1697. 
The directors recommend the payment of of divi- 
dend of 2 per cent for the year, and that the balance 
of 119,842 10 be carried forward to the current year's 
accounts. 
The directors are glad to be able to announce that 
the road to Forest Hill ia practically completed and 
is now being made use of for transport. 
The crops for the current vrar are e.^timated at 
540,003 1b. tea, 210 bushels coffee, 600 lb. Cardiv- 
moms and 65 cwt. Cocoa, on an ixpc diturc of 
R174,4S3 on the e.<itate, while a kanall profit ie 
anticipated from manufacture ef 60,0101b. Tea for 
another tutate. 
