62 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTDEIST, [July 1, 1903. 
shares, and from the stai't paid a dividend, thus; — 
la 1885-86 paid 8 p.c. on A. shares 
1836- 87 do do do & 2 p.c on B. 
1837- 88 do do do do do 
1888-89 do do do do do 
18SS-90 do do do 4 do do 
1890- 91 do do do 6 do do 
1891- 92 do do do 12 do do 
1892 93 do do do 14 do do 
1893 94 do do do 22 do do 
1894- 95 do do do 8 do do 
This paid up all arrears oJ dividend oa 
the B.'s ; they also paid 6 p.c. on the "C 
shares and with an additional dividend of 
2 p.c. on all shares (A. B. and C.) 
1895- 96 paid 8 p.c. on the ' A." and ' B." shares, and 
6 p.c. on the ''0," also an additional divi' 
dend of 8 p.c. on all shares. 
1896- 97 The same as in 1895-96. 
18ii7-98 do do do 
■ 1898-99 The Company was re-organised in March, 
1899, A. B. and C. shares beins? done away 
with and declared a dividend of 20 p.c. 
1899- 1900 paid 20 p.c. and a Bonus of 3 p.c. 
1900- 1901 do do do 2 p.c. 
1901- 1902 paid a dividend of 20 p.c. 
Mr. Dick-Lauder has the satisf.action 
therefore, of leaving Diyagama tea in 
splendid, vigorous health, with a fully 
equipped factory and other buildings and 
arrangements all in admirable order and 
the Company on a full tide of prosperity. 
Meantime our first visit to the Pre- 
mier Tea Plantation of Ceylon, the 
ultima thule of Dimbula and the Agras, 
ha.s been a source of instruction and of 
pleasure ; and as we crossed the bridge and 
hade Diyagama farewell on a bright sun- 
shiny morning, with the river sparkling helow 
and the cool breeze of '' incense-breathing 
morn " in our face, we could not help thinking 
of Tommy Moore and his enthusiasm when 
he sang, — 
Oh ! there's nob in the wide world a valley 
so sweet, 
As that vale in whose boaoni tha brighn 
watera meet, — 
But the hum of busy life among an array of 
tea pluckers on the hill sides, and the cheery 
salutation of tiie grand upcountry cricketer 
as he went forth to his daily round of duty 
as Assistant on Diyagama— reminded us 
that scenery and climate and delightful 
surroundings are not everything ; but that 
good crops with fine plucking and high 
prices are the goal of the successful tea 
planter, and, we are glad to say, the dis- 
tinguishing feature of Diyagama and 
" The Nkw Dimbula Company, Limited." 
in mid-dimbula. 
"Waiting for the train at Talawakelle " 
means that the Agras' coach arrived early 
and that our destination was for the 
nonce, not Colombo but Nuwara Eliya. 
The time was well-spent by an inspection 
of the Engineering establishment and work- 
shops planted so much enterprise and 
spirit by 
MESSRS. BROWN AND DAVIDSON 
in the centre of this great district and with 
the train at their orders to c-irry artificers 
or their work to Matale on the one side 
or Uva on the other. A great eco- 
nomy is effected in such a case, as indeed 
for all Factories, when water can be used 
as the motive-power, and here an ample 
supply for a turbine to drive all the 
machinery is available. Very different too 
must it ba for workmen— at forges and in 
founding casting especiality — to be toiling 
at sea-level or anywhere in the losvcountry 
(SO* to 85°) as compared with an eleva- 
tion of 4,000 feet and a temperature be- 
tween 60 and 70 degrees One would 
suppose that the work of fitting up new 
Tea. Factories was about closecl now in 
Ceylon ; but we learn differently in this 
busy scene of activity^ although from the 
number of Assistants called for by Superin- 
tendent for rejiiir of break-downs or of 
accidents to machinery, one may suppose 
that in this direction and renovations thei'e 
will be continuous work enough for all the 
Engineering establishments upcountry. Still 
there are always improvements, and tea 
estates that put up with additions to the 
old coffee store at the outset, are gradu- 
ally replacing with a proper factory. The 
most recent machinery too will always be 
aimed at, and where there* these is no 
water, oil engines are becoming more 
popular than steam ; while the inventive 
powers are always being exercised to devise 
means of saving labour and doing better 
work. Every firm in the island h.as, we 
suppose, its new line of patents, whether 
in oil or steam Engines, Water Motors, 
Rollers, Dryers, Sifters, Roll breakers, 
Packers, &., &c. We can only say it was 
extremely instructive for us to hwe a 
walk through under competent guidance, 
the busy scene of activity in the 
" TALAWAKELLE IRON- WORKS", 
if we may so dub them— from the designing 
and plans office (where we duly admired 
several designs for new Factories), through 
the wood and iron, the turning-lathe and 
fitting Departments to the foundry (a 
recent addition) and the yards, around 
which we admired flower and fruit gardens, 
more especially recent importations in 
specially grafted orange and other fruit 
trees. We had a peep to at the latest 
local institution, the 
TALAWAKELLE CLUB ROOMS 
recently built (in timber) after what we 
thought a vei'y convenient design and 
which may well prove an economical model 
for a number of districts, at centres where 
there is a chance of coming together in 
any number. We regretted we had not 
time to accompany our guide and hospi- 
table host to Hatton to learn a little of 
what is intended by the 
" SOLUBLE TEA MACHINERY INSTALLATION" 
which Messrs. Brown and Davidson are 
erecting for the Limited Company which 
has taken up the patent process of Messrs. 
Kelway-Bamber and Roger-;, All interested 
in the widest possible use of tea, must 
desire a full measure of success to this 
enterprising Company and the new process. 
