March 1, 1902.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
629 
NUWARA ELIYA DISTRICT PLAN- 
TERS' ASSOCIATION. 
ANNUAL REPORT. 
The Past Year has not been au eventful one as 
far as this Association is concerned, and consequently 
it has not been necessary to call many meetings. 
The Number of Members who have paid subsciip- 
tions individually or on account of estates ia 18. It is to 
be regret' ed that one estate has withdrawn its sup- 
port, but another has joined which leaves the num- 
bers the same as last year. 
The Annual Official Estimated Tea Crop for 
1902 is as follows : — 
Total Bearing 
Estates. Acreage. Acreage. Crop. 
Nuwara Eliya 
Ramboda ... 26 6,696 6,569 3,065,000 
New Galway 
Kandapola ... the yield beirg at the rate of 466 lb. 
per acre. 
The Season for the district generally has been a bad 
one both sa regaids crop and prices. A good many 
estates were thort of their estimates for the year, due 
no doubt partly to finer plucking, but mainly to che 
less favourable weather which prevailed throughout 
the year. Prices for high-grown teas have suffered a 
set back, and have not participated in the market 
average of the past 6 months. 
Tataparai Coolt Depot and Registration Scheme 
which was inaugurated by Government is now com- 
plete, and your Committee trusts that Superintendents 
will give it a fair trial, as it promises to be of great 
service both to the coolies and the planting community. 
The hearty thanks of the latter sre due to the 
Hon. Mr. Ellis for the trouble be had taken in the 
matter. 
Coolies have been sufficient for requirements and 
their health has been satisfactory. This district does not 
seem to have suffered to any great extent from bolting 
coolies, but it is considered desirable that steps should 
betaken to prevent the evil which certainly does exist, 
and this Association awaits witii interest the recom- 
mendation of the sub-Oommittee appointed by the 
Parent Association. Advances stand at about the 
same figure as last year. The price of rice continues 
rather high. 
The construction of the Nanuoya-Udapussellawa 
Light Railway is progressing on the Nanuoya-Nuwara 
Eliya section, and in parts the sleepers and rails have 
been laid. A certain amount of masonry and earth 
cutting has been done along the Kandapola plains. As 
the railway runs parallel to and crosses the road oiany 
times, it is hoped that adequate protection to prevent 
accidents will be afforded to those who have to use the 
road for riding and driviug. 
Planters' Benevolent Fund. — Your Committee 
would draw your attention to the useful work done by 
this fund and urge all members of this Association 
who are not already subscribers to become so. 
Obituary. — Your Committee with regret have to 
record the death of Mr J B S D'Aguilar, a member of 
this Association. 
The Finances are satisfactory and show a credit 
balance of R85'76 against a balance last year of R68 tH^ 
COLOMBO TEA TRADERS' ASSOCIATION. 
ANNUAL REPORT. 
The following is the animal report of this 
Association : — 
Your Committee have now the pleasure to present 
their Report for the year ended December 31st, 1901. 
Tea Sales. — Owing to the growth of Catalogues, It 
was resolved at the last General Meeting that Auc- 
tions should commence at 11 a.m. instead of 11-30. 
Rs in the past. This rule has since been adhered to. 
Conditions of Sale. — For the same reason, viz.) 
the increasing number of lots offered for local sals, 
a new Rule was adopted, whereby the limit for 
'j Large Breaks" was fixed at 1,C00 lb instead of the 
700 lb formerly recognised as constituting a "large" 
break. This arrangement, though at first criticized, 
has greatly facilitated the work of the Selling Broker, 
and sales usually fiuish in reasonable time. 
(2.1 An alteration was made in Rule 1, which now 
reads— "The highest bidder to be the purchaser, and 
any dispute that may arise to be settled by the 
Selling Broker who is not to declare the name of 
the buyer until after the lot is knocked down, unless 
in his opinion there may be any uncertainity as to 
the bidder." 
(3 ) Rule 7 also was altered to read as follows : — 
" No teas shall be catalogued until they have arrived, 
and all catalogues shall be closed by 4 p.m. on Friday. 
Samples and Catalogues to be delivered by 10 a.m. 
on jflonday for the following Wednesday's sale." 
Tea Packases. — The recommendation of the Special 
Sub-Committee appointed to report on this subject 
was adopted at an Extraordinary General Meeting, 
and it is now a Rule that all teas offered for local 
sale, packed in "patent" or "metal" packages, 
— i.e., packages other than ordinary wooden packages 
with 4 oz lead lining — must be so declared by the 
Selling Broker in his Catalogue or previously to his 
putting the lot up for sale. It was thought inadvisable 
to attempt to discriminate further between the various 
descriptions of packages offered. 
Australian Import Duty on Tea. — In October last, 
the Tea Trade experienced considerable alarm owing 
to the reported intention of the New Federal Gov- 
ernment of Australia to impose a uniform tax upon 
Teas, whether Ceylon, Indian, Japan or China, oild 
per lb plus 20 ^ev cent ad valorem. The prospective 
damage to all British-grown teas and the corresponding 
advantage to Chinas and Japans were immediately 
recognised, and the Chamber of Commerce took 
vigorous measures, both by communicating with the 
Indian Tea Association and making ui-gent representa- 
tions to the Ceylon Government, to obtain a recon- 
sideration of the matter from the ^ ustralian Gov- 
ernment. Thanks to the energy of all concerned, and 
especially to the prompt action of His Excellency 
the Governor (to whom this Association hereby 
acknowledges its indebtedness), in cabling to Lord 
Hopetoun, the Federal Government have amended 
their tarriff to a uniform duty of 3^^ per lb on all 
imported teas. The further tax of Id per lb upon 
teas packeted out of Australia remains a fact, and 
it was considered inadvisable to call in question the 
imposition of this protective measure. 
Green Teas. — During the year prospects from Ameri- 
ca and Canada have been more encouraging to grow- 
ers, and with experience in manufature coupled with 
more knowledge of the most saleable article, this 
new branch of the tea industry may become an 
important factor iu Ceylon's exports. There ia 
no doubt that Ceylons are gradually gaining favour 
in green-tea-drinking countries, which fact it is hoped 
may later on help to decrease excessive exports of 
black teas and thus help to relieve our regular markets 
of over-supply. 
The total exports for the year were, as per Chamber 
of Commerce returns ; — 
1901, 
United Kingdom 
Australia 
Russia 
America 
Other Countries 
105,734,570 
20,641.184 
9,653,896 
4,502,331 
5,767,237 
1900. 
113,760,193 
17,606,912 
8,917,185 
3,980,680 
4.166,669 
Totals.. .146,299,018 148,431,639 
Totals for 1899 and 1398 ■.—1899—129,894,156 an^ 
1898-119,769,071, 
