July 1, 1905. J THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST, 
CI 
not a ligbt one for the Manager and his 
Assistants. The experience of Mr. Dick- 
Lander is that of so many move, that coolies 
are not now what they were 10 to 20 years 
ago and that the supply has been gradually 
running short of the demand. Certainly 
laboureis could not be better taiien care of 
than on Diyagauia and, of course, there is 
a considerable nucleus, as of other work- 
men—artificers, cartmen, factory workers, 
&c.— who know no other home.* A good 
school for the children is another advantage 
and is sure to give satisfaction to kanganies 
and the more intelligent of the coolies. 
Another feature on the place are the neat 
cottages and bung.ilows, often smbowered 
in roses and creepers, provided for the super- 
vising eniployest — tea-maker, medical men, 
conductors, &c. — and annual prizes offered 
for the best-kept gardens, shows of flowers 
&e., ensure the maintenance of attention 
and emulation in one of the most desir- 
able directions. They have a splendid object- 
lesson in the 
manager's bungalow and garden 
—the latter delightfully laid out on rising 
ground overlooking an attractive section and 
bend of the Agra oya, where a deep pool en- 
closed in great boulders is succeeded by a 
series of cataracts. In tlood time tlie river, 
in passing through this rocky gorge, m\ist 
be a grand sight. The original forest left 
standing on the opposite bank contrasts well 
with the clumps of giant bamboos on each side 
of the handsome bridge and with the palms, 
cupressus, firs, eucilypts, acacias and other 
introduced trees. Fences and arbours 
covered with flowering creepers— the " tanga- 
poo " facing the river contrasting with 
the " taxonia " and ivy on the porch 
and bungalow front— while the garden 
beds, stocked with some 250 varieties 
of roses+ apirt from other flowers 
{gorgeous flowering orchids not a few) and 
grassy green lawns between as smooth as those 
* During tlie cotiee days Diyas^ania liad a grand 
supply of labour — at one time the coolies weie 14 
months out of their pay ; but when the estate 
was sold, Mr. Dick-Lauder cbiimed this and the 
eoolies never lost a day's pay! He reckons tliat a 
quarter of tlie present force were originally with 
the Coffee Company and are now tlie backbone 
of the Diyagama labour force, 
t As an inhc-ritaaee perhaps from the days of 
Sabonadiere & Co., we noticed one or two names 
among well paid Burfdier employees, which were 
familiar to us when Delta and Kothschild were in 
their prime. The present Manager lias found men 
of this stamp, trained and experienced, very useful 
in certain departments and so has required only 
two or three European Assistants. 
J That horticulture i- not neglected in our plant- 
ing districts may be jadged from this and from 
what we learned from Mr Huxley the other day 
of his garden on Old Peradeniya, where, amou}; 
other attractions, he has some 400 varieties of 
hibiscus with orchids galore. Ifc was a Yankee 
millionaire who bargained for the secret of the 
\Vadham lawns to establi--h just such another set 
at his seat on the Hudsou : — "Roll them f or a 
thousand years " was the reply I 
of the Oxford and Cambridge College ground , 
— make it all an ideal spot, with which the 
bungalow in its conception, structure (brick 
walls inside timber) and arrangements is 
quite in keeping— so that we can well 
regard a final farewell after watching the 
whole {as well as the tea fields) growing 
tmder ones hand, during something like a 
quarter of a century's residence, in a perfect 
climate averaging 60° in temperature, -4,000 
feet above the sea level, — as a severe 
wrench. But so it has ever been in our 
Ceylon hill country ! Where are the many 
who bui't cosy or handsome bnngjilows 
amidst delightful gardens, coiinnandiug un- 
equalled scenery, in the 40's, bO'?, 60's and 
s'^ on ? The Worms, Sabonadieres, Gordons, 
in Pussellawa ; Corbets and Dufft--, in Kot- 
male ; Reid, Sortain, Downall and Cruwell, 
in Uva ; Keith Jolly, in H.uitane ; Had- 
dens, in Elkadnwa ; Camerons and Roses, 
in Maturata ; the Pallisers, Hoods and 
Hunters, in Dimbula ; the Bakers in Muwara 
Elij'a— and echo answers : wlnne ': The 
Manager of Diyagama will be no ex- 
ception to the rule. After a strikingly 
varied and wandering career with experience 
of China, Austialia and its bushlife. New 
Zealand, America, South Africa and the 
Diamond fields, — he has given the best years 
of his life (27^ years— and only 15 months in 
that period out of the island) to planting in 
Ceylon and in a few weeks he quits the 
important property which has been bis care 
for some 25 years, and justiliably his 
pride for more than half that term — as he 
has seen order brought out of chaos, de- 
pression and wellnigh ruin give place to 
bright hopes and abounding prosperity. 
Poor old Frank Sabonadiere's estimates in 
1SS6 were deemed by many as far too 
sanguine* and very few, if any, anticipated 
the splendid run of dividends before 
THK NEW DIMBULA COMPANY 
which beginning with per cent for 1885-6. 
has since paid each successive year until 
20 per cent and more has been attained 
If we now recapitulate the financial results of the 
two Companies, we find that the old DiLabula Coffee 
Co., Ltd,, was started in 1874 and /round up inlSSS 
aud never paid a dividend The New Dimbula Co., 
Ltd.. started on ISIarch 15, 1885, with A. B. and C. 
* In Mr. F. Sabonadiere's Estimate we find that 
he reckoned on 1,852 acres of tea being in full 
bearing on Diyagama in 1893-4, yielding 926,000 
lb. of made tea at 500 lb. per acre. The upkeep 
aud cultivation of 1,852 acres he put 
at R40 per acre ... ... = R74.0S0 
Crop expenses 926,000 lb, at 33 cts. ... 305,580 
Total... E379,660 
Against 
Proceeds 920,000 lb. at 60 els. ... 555,600 
Profit .. R175,940 
Times are greatly changed since this estimate was 
passed in 1885 ; but it shows that the good old 
planter-merchant Colonist was not far out in his 
tea years' anticipation. 
