April i, 1891.] 
THE TROPICAL AtJRlGULTURlSr, 
689 
carbonio acid which they have been compelled to 
breathe in the mines will have their deatlis attributed 
to natural causes, and were inquiry made, it might be 
found that these would be a larger factor than is gener- 
ally supposed. 
In recommending official interference, we do so ad- 
visedly, as we feel sure that Government will not 
make any regulations other than those necessary to 
keep the mines in a safe nod healthy condition, and for 
a small sum the ventilation necessary can be very 
simply applied by using a very small air propeller 
worked by hand, or where two shafts have been sunk, 
by having a small furnace at the bottom of one of them. 
In such mines simple contrivances of this kind would 
be, we feel sure, quite sufficient to meet the approva 
of a Government Inspector. — Csj/fon Advertiser. 
♦ 
THE TALGASWELA TEA COMPANY OF 
CEYLON, LD. 
Eeport of the Manaoino Uirector. 
I visited this estate on May 7th 1890, and submitted 
to the Directors a confidential report, having previously 
not made a personal inspection since the land was 
cleared. In January, 5th and 6tl), 1891, I made my 
second visit and have to report to the shareholders as 
follows : — 
Acreage. — The estate oousists of 716 acres cultivated, 
of which 510 acres were planted with tea in May to 
July 1888, and are now 2J years old and 206 acres were 
planted in 1889 and are now li years old. 
There are large ravines and swamps about the clearings 
which Wrre planted with tea, but iu which it can never 
be expected to grow, the subsoil being stiff and damp, 
whilst there is not sufficient fall to admit of efficient 
drainage. These swamps are now being planted with 
arecas, and their area will be surveyed, but roughly 
speaking they are about 35 acres in extent, and reduce 
the tea clearings to 485 acres, and 196 acres respec- 
tively. 
Situation.— This estate i.s situated between the Gindu- 
ra and Bantota rivers, the pi eoeut outlet is by the former 
from which the factory is distant about 2 mites. About 
15 miles of water carriage brings the produce to Badde- 
gama, which is 6 miles from Hikkatluwa on the Galle 
road where the Railway will scon be available. An out- 
let by the Beutota river to Beutota could be made avail- 
able, this river being five miles distant from the e.sbate. 
Rainfall in 1888 was 178'20; in 1889 241T3, falling 
on 158 days, iu 1890 100 93 falling on 153 dajs. The 
past year has been a bad one for rainfall at Talgaswola 
as at many other parts of the country, the S.-AV. mon- 
soon months were abnormally dry, and the yield of tea 
suffered in consequence. 
The lay of land is mostly very good for tea, 
being of a gently undulating character, with 
a few steep faces ouly here and there. All the 
opened land was originally virgin forest. 
The Soil is on the whole fairly good, most parts of 
the estate shewing a really good tea soil, ironstone 
gravel is very abundant, and experience in the low- 
country has shewn that this soil is suitable for tea. 
Roads aud Drains are well cut, and in good order, 
and all the clearings shew signs of careful work, and 
have evidently been well opened. I consider that the 
clearing works reflect credit on the Manager. 
The 2^ years old tea is jilanted in 5 clearings of 
about luO acres each, separated by belts of forests 
No. 1 is a very fine field of tea, a large portion of iu 
is Manipuri indigenous, which is covering the ground 
well. No. 2 is also a good field. No. 3 is the poorest 
of the old clearings, as it was chielly planted at stake, 
and the jat is inferior to the rest of tho estate. It has 
been pruned low, however, and has improved greatly iu 
appearance during the lust six months. No. 4 is a good 
field. No. 5 is fairly good but there are a few bad 
patches in it. 
The years old tea is divided into 2 clearings of 
about 100 acres each, numbered 6 and 7. No. 6 is 
almost entirely Manipuri iudigenous, aud is remarkably 
regular aud vigorous. It was planted with trans- 
planters, which have proved a marked success. In No. 
7 I regret to say that about 40 acres were again planted 
at stake, aud the original planting was an almost 
entire failure. About CO acres of it planted with stumps 
from an old nursery i.s most sucoes.J'ul. The first sup- 
plying during 1890 was very unsuccessful, owing to 
the partial failure of the B. \V. Monsoon. Recent 
supplyings were more successful, but this work will have 
to be careluUy gone over again this year. 
Nurseries are being made in each clearing for 18 
maunds seed from Kelvin and Seaforth, and the sup- 
plying will all be done with trausplanters. 
Buildings consist of a well built manager's bungalow, 
an assistant’s bungalow, aud various lines, built of cheap 
materials but sufficient for present purposes as the 
labour is not resident on the estate. 
The Factory i.s a well built permanent building of 
brick and timber with an iron roof, 60 ft. long and 40 ft. 
wide with two withering lofls above the ground floor, 
one end is temporarily boarded up so that the building 
can be extended if desired. The machinery at present 
consists of an “ eoouomio roller, and a double de- 
siccator, but a “rapid” roller, tea sifter and a roll 
breaker will have to be erected at once. The total 
cost of this building, (lam ho,, has been R16,017'66. The 
work has been well done, but I do not con- 
s.der that economy has been studied as it should 
have been, nor was it necessary to erect tats last year 
for about 6,000 lb. leaf when only a few hundred 
pounds daily were expected. No proper estimates were 
made in advauca for the various works connected 
with the factory, aud higher expenditure than was ever 
anticipated has been the result. 
AVater Supply. — This has proved most disappoint- 
ing. The streams in field 3 which we were led to expect 
could not have been diverted into the lake, and 
which were relied on by tho engineer, BIr. Lament, iu 
his report of October 1888, cannot be rendered avail- 
able without flooding a large acreage ol valuable tea, 
and prohibitive cost ; aud the attempt to divert them 
into the lake has been a failure and has been finally 
abandoned. During October ihe head of water iu the 
lake tell from the normal amount, 5 ft. 3 in., to 9 
inoues, with the result that the area of the lake was 
reduced by gvd through sloping of the banks, aud the 
Superintendent was unable to roll tho 300 to 400 lb, 
of leaf that was then coming in as thoroughly as he 
would have wished, the available power being insuffi- 
cient for the “ economic ” roller alone. This was duo 
to an abnormally dry season, the rainfall to October 
21st being 100 inches less in 1890 than in 1889, but 
such circumstances may occur again, and it would not 
be wise to trust to the chance of a wet season to carry 
us through the new year. I am therefore of opinion 
that the immediate erection of on engine is necessary, 
to supplement ttio water power. The cost of the 
fepairs to dam, sluice, water wheel &o. amount 
to 2.478, and to this lias to be added about 
R500 for belts, shafting &c. to connect the water 
wheel with the main driving shaft, or say R3,000 in 
all. I do not consider that the water power reudored 
availabla is in any way proportionate to the money 
spent, end am of opinion that it would have been more 
advisable to have erected an engine at once. 
The Present site of the Factory is a moat incon- 
venient one for the working of the estate. It is out- 
side the lea fields, and transport of green leaf to it, is 
expensive. Tne chief fuel supply is also at a distance 
from it. A most convenient central situation for the 
factory could have been chosen near the outlet towards 
Beutota, giving a shorter transport to the Railway, 
couveuiout for the transport of green leaf to the fac- 
tory, aud close to the largest fuel reserves. In view 
of tho cousiderablo expouso of rendering the water 
I available, and its small and unreliable power now that 
I it is available, 1 am strongly of opinion that a mis- 
take was made iu choosing tho present site at all- 
On the dtito of my visit tho head of water iu tho 
lake was 2 feet 6 inches, and the amount flowing 
ill only Rupplied the lo.“s by evaporation during 
the day. In tho opinion of tho Manager 
this water will last for 10 days, with 500 lb. leaf per day 
to manufaciuie, and unless rain fills up the lakQ mean- 
