134 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Aug. 1, 1903. 
the bogah'antalawa district tea 
compajsy, limited. 
Directors :— Messis. Henry Bois, Charlea Fetheis- 
touhaugh, John Geoffrey Fort and Alfred Tabor. 
Agents in Colombo. — MessiB. J M Bobertson & Co. 
Agents and .Sscretaries.— Messrs. Roberson Bois 
& Co. 
HKPOH.T. 
To be preseutod at the Sixth Ordinary Annual 
General Meeting of the Company, to be held at the 
Ofi&co of the C3mpany, on Wednesday, the lat July, 
1903, at Twelve c 'clock noon. 
The Directors have the pleasure to submit the 
Balance Sheet and Accounts of the Gompany for 
the year ending 31st March, 1903. duly audited. 
The yield of tea was afiected by the unfavourable 
weather which prevailed during the last six months 
of the season, but the reduced shipments from 
Oeylon strengiiieaed the market, and a better 
average pjice was obtained for the tea than in the 
two preceding years. The cost of production was 
much the same as usual and, having regard to the 
present high state of cultivation, is as low as can 
be expected. The total yield was 1,116,637 lb. tea 
plucked off 2,135 acres, being at the rate of 511 lb. 
per acre all round, costing free on board at 
Colombo 24 cents per lb. The gross averago price 
of the 1,102,07'1 lb. sold in London was 7-77d per lb. 
The crops for the current season are estimated at 
1,180,000 lb tea, The gross average at which drafts 
were negotiated was 1/4J per Bupee agaisfc 1/4 3-16 
in the previous season. The Directors desire to 
place on record their appreciation of the services 
of their Manager, Mr A C Bonner, and his staff 
n Ceylon, 
STATEMENT SHEWING Kl.SULTS OF WORKING FOR 
THE FOUR YEARS ENDING 31ST MARCH, 1903, 
Dividends. 
It is Proposed— 
To pay a Final Dividend of 4^ per 
cent on the Ordinary Shares, 
making 6 per cent for the year, 
which will require, less Tax 
To transfer to Reserve (increasing 
this account to i;6,O00J 
And to carry forward to next year 
the balance of 
04 
Acres. 
2,185 
2,185 
2,185 
2,186 
The 
So 
o <u 
ft, 
0 
eg 5^ 
P3 
lb. 
1,209,451 
1,236,272 
1.134, 6 
1,116,637 
lb. 
Shh- gg p 
O OH -iJH Oh O 
d. d. 
Season.— 1890-1900. 
.553 3.69 7-98 1/4 5-16 6 7| 
Season.— 1900-1901. 
565 3-93 7-51 l/4i 6 6 
Season,— 1901 1902. 
519 4-00 7-22 1/4 3-16 6 4 
Sea8on.--1902-1903. 
511 3-93 7'77 1/4 3-16 6 
Profit for the year amounts to £13,159 
To which has to be added Interst 193 
And the Balance from last 
year of .. ... 502 
6 
18 2 
2 1 
6 0 
£13,855 6 3 
Interest on the Mortgage Debentures 
has been paid less Income Tax . . 393 15 0 
Dividends o.j the 6 per cent Pre- 
ference Shares for the 12 months 
were paid on the 8th October, 1902, 
and 1st April, 1903, Zesji Tax 5,231 5 0 
An Interim Dividend ef IJ per cent 
on the Ordinary Shares was paid, 
less Tax, on the 14th Jan., 1903 . . 1,406 6 0 
Income Tax to April 191*3, has been 
paid ..■ .. .. 814 12 6 
4,218 15 0 
1.000 0 0 
790 13 0 
£13,855 6 3 
The Director retiring on this occasion is Mr. 
John Geoffrey Port, and being eligible he offera 
himself for re-election. 
Messrs. Whiuuey Smith and Whiuuey, who were 
appointed Auditors in the place of Mr. John Smith 
retired, offer themselves for re-election. — By order 
of the Board, 
Robertson, Bois & Co., Agents and Seeretaries. 
12, Fenchnrch Street, London, B.C., 20th June, 1903. 
SCHEDULE OF THE COMPANY'S ESTATES. 
Estates. 
Kirkoswald 756 
Bridwell 382 
Elbedde 705 
Bogawana 342 
o o 
35 
36 
26 
o 
74 
35 
27 
44 
13 
5 
15 
a 
ee 
o 
15 
6 18 
Total. 
877 
473 
747 
436 
Total 2,185 97 180 38 
38 2,533 acres 
Mate Tea and the Native Argentines. — 
The native Argentines indulge frequently in mate 
tea. It is drunk as a beverage between meals, 
and does not at all displace coffee or wine. The 
mate is put into the bottom of a gourd, boiling 
water is poured on it, and it is drunk through a 
long silver tube circular at the end, so that only 
the liquid is drawn up. After a few sips each 
one of the company passes it on to his neighbour. 
W hen the lirst brew is exhausted, more boiling 
water is added, and the circulation goes on.— 
BomTmy Gazette July 13. 
Tea in the Trans Caucasus.— AVe learn that 
the cultivation of the Tea-plant in the southern 
Trans Caucasus, principally in the vicinity of 
Batoum, is making great strides. Only nine years 
have elapsed since the first attempt in Tea culture 
was made on the Black Sea coast.and though looked 
upon with great scepticism, it is- now evident that 
the cultivation can be advantageously entered 
upo;). The managers of the Imperial Domains 
now have in hand from 500 to 600 acres under 
Tea, and during 1902 the crop has exceeded all 
expectations. One desscotine - 2'7 acres, has on 
an average yielded 720 lb avoirdupois, which at 
1 rouble per pood has brought in nearly £30 an 
acre. Owing to the satisfactory results obtained, 
the Kussian Minister of Agriculture is about to 
adopt a series of measures to encourage the culti- 
vation by the smaller peasant class, and printed 
instructions are being freely circulated among 
these people. There is now every reason to 
believe that the cultivation and manufacture of 
Tea will be one of the most prospeious and pro- 
fitable agricultural pursuits in the Trans-Caucasus. 
—Gardeners' OhronicU, June 13. 
