THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[July  i,  1895. 
23 
Colombo  oflice  expenses  ami  bad  left  a consider- 
able margin  over,  and  be  did  not  see  why  that  prolit 
should  not  increase.  Ijooking  at  the  whole  position, 
it  was  a matter  of  extreme  satisfaction  to  sec 
that  the  success  he  had  always  looked  forward  to 
was  within  measurable  distance,  and  they  were  justi- 
fied in  hoping  for  better  things  than  they  had  even 
yet  accomplished,  f Applause.) 
^Ir.  Mkiuuck  asked  if  it  was  not  possible  to  raise 
an  amount  at  four  per  cent,  to  pay  off  the  deben- 
tures. He  would  also  like  to  kuow  if  the  accounts 
could  not  be  stated  under  separate  heads,  and  why 
the  meeting  had  not  been  held  earlier. 
Mr.  T.  A.  Weltux  said  he  had  received  the  balance- 
sheet  with  the  greatest  possible  pleasure.  Hav- 
ing had  something  to  do  witli  the  original  formation 
of  the  company,  he  had  never  hoped,  in  the  time 
which  had  elapsed,  that  so  good  a result  would  have 
been  reached.  The  balance-sheet  was  particularly 
worthy  of  confidence,  because,  owing  to  the  peculiar 
articles  of  the  company,  there  was  not  the  least  induce- 
ment for  the  directors  to  spare  in  the  matter  of  deprecia- 
tion, to  attempt  to  over-value  stocks,  or  anything  of  the 
kind.  The  balance-sheet  was  a most  severely  true 
one,  and  the  profits  earned  were  excellent,  consider- 
ing the  difficulties  in  the  last  few  years  in  making 
headway  in  almost  all  departments  of  industry.  (Ap- 
plause.) 
The  Ch.ui!M.\n  said  that  the  board  would  not  lose 
any  opportunity  of  getting  money  on  the  best  terms, 
but  it  should  be  remembered  that  this  company  had 
no  uncalled  ca])ital,  and  its  property  was  not  situated 
in  Kngl.-uiil.  .\s  to  putting  the  accounts  under  three 
heads,  t('a,  coffee,  and  coCf>a,  there  was  only  one 
ailiclc  of  an)  ini])ortance  at  pr(!sent  viz.,  tea.  The 
meeting  laid  boon  held  as  soon  as  possible  alter  the 
auditing  of  the  accounts,  but  Haster  })Ossibly  had 
made  it  a little  later  this  year. 
The  motion  was  then  [lut  and  carried  unanimously. 
The  Cn.uR^i.^N  proposed  the  re-election  of  the  re- 
tiring directors,  Mr.  Norman,  Mr.  Clrieve,  and  Mr. 
David  Keid. 
Mr.  (J.vJiEKoN  seconded  the  resolution,  which  was 
also  agreed  to. 
Mr.  Ueii)  returned  thanks,  and  said  that  it  was  a 
matter  of  satisfaction  to  have  been  connected  with 
this  company,  which  had  from  its  inception  made 
such  steady  progress.  The  first  balance  sheet  showed 
a balance  of  profit  amounting  to  TKii'),  while  this 
year,  after  paying  the  full  amount  of  debenture  in- 
terest, they  were  able  to  show  a balance  of  f2(),t>hh, 
although  the  averitgo  price  of  the  tea,  which  was 
Is  per  pound  in  1SS8,  was  now  only  8.Jd.  In  1S8P  the 
company  had  no  reserve  fund,  while  they  now  pos- 
sessed one  of  tT(),(JOO.  Much  was  due  to  the  ability 
■ of  their  able  managing  director,  Mr.  Cameron,  who 
h.ad  watched  most  diligently  over  the  business  from 
the  commencement.  (Applause.) 
The  auditors,  IMessrs.  ^Velton,  .Jones  and  Co.,  w'ere 
next  reappointed. 
On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Mkuhick,  a cordial  vote  of 
thardvs  was  pas.sed  to  the  chairman  and  directors,  and 
the  meetiirg  separated. 
TEA  I»ATENT,S. 
‘20,1)07.  October  Jl,  1 SOIL  T’ea  rolling.  Sutton, 
L.  H.,  Hrant  Hronghton,  noiir  Newark,  Tnncoln- 
sbire. 
'I'lie  ho|)per  as  well  as  the  tabl(>  b.as  .a  rotary 
motion  imparted  to  it.  by  spur  gearing  on  tin' 
shaft  in  order  to  impart  a closer  twist  to  the 
leaf.  Tlie  ho])per  and  table  are  mounted  eccen- 
trically, and  they  may  be  rotiiteil  in  t lie  same  or 
in  ojiposite  directions  by  the  bevel  gearing  shown. 
The  interior  of  the  hopper  is  ribbed  for  the 
purjiose  of  checking  the  leaves,  and  ))roducing  a 
more  uniform  action  upon  them.  d'he  ribs 
sei  ve  also  as  guides  for  the  weighteil  head-piece 
whicli  is  lowered  upon  the  lea  by  a hand-wlu'el 
ami  is  rotated  with  the  hopper  through  the  lihs. 
Thesaihlle  is  pivoted  at  one  side,  and  is  swung 
iiside  when  the  head-piece  is  in  jiosition.  'I'he 
riUs  maybe  disjienscd  with  when  it  is  desired  that 
the  head -jiiece  should  not  rotate  with  the  hopper, 
and  arms  which  come  in  contact  with  the  saildle 
are  provided  to  jirevent  rotation. — Patent  Jonrnal. 
HOOMING  COFKKE. 
“ To  all  who  are  seeking  health  oi‘  wealth,  pleasure 
or  profit,  to  the  artist,  tourist,  investor,  botanist, 
agriculturist,  mineralogist,  and  arclneologist.  Mexico 
oners  the  finest  fruit  districts,  the  most  fertile  agri- 
cultural districts,  the  richest  mineral  districts  and 
the  most  nutritious  grazing  districts,  in  addition  to 
being  an  ideal  summer  resort,  as  well  as  being  an 
unexcelled  winter  resort,  with  homes  for  thrifty 
settlers  and  fortunes  for  investors.”  This  is  pleasant 
reading  if  you  happen  to  be  a landed  proprietor  in 
itfexico;  but  if  you  are  not,  you  may  he  a little 
sceptical,  may  reach  for  the  salt-cellar  or  think  about 
general  Wcadcierand  General  Choke.  J'’or  the  foregoing 
is  an  extract  from  a Philadelphian  pamphlet  entitled 
“ Important  facts  about  coffee  : Its  plautm"  and  profit 
in  the  republic  of  INIexico.”  Throughout  the  civilised 
world,  wc  are  told,  there  is  at  the  present  time  a 
rapid  and  constant  increase  in  the  consumption  of 
coffee,  and.  although  there  has  been  a very  marked 
increase  in  the  production  of  this  new  necessary 
article  of  diet  in  Central  and  South  America,  the 
still  rising  prices  lor  the  commodity  indicate  that 
the  supply  does  not  begin  to  keep  pace  with  the 
constantly  increasing  demand.  These,  it  is  said,  are 
now  wcll-establisbod  facts.  Are  they  indeed  t We 
venture  to  doubt  their  accuracy  nevertheless.  But 
let  us  SCI'  how  they  cultivate  colfee  in  IMcxico.  The 
altitude  best  adapted  to  coffee  culture  in  that  country 
ranges  from  I.OOU  to  :!,(H)0  feet  abo\e  sea-level,  which, 
wo  arc  assured,  insures  freedom  from  malaria  and  all 
diseases  that  visit  the  coast  sections,  and  is  well  suited 
to  persons  accustomed  to  living  in  temperate  cli- 
mates. '■  The  preparation  of  the  land  for  a coffee  plan- 
tation is  f/ioVe  simple,  consisting  merely  of  a partial 
clearing  ot  the  virgin  forest  tliat  covers  the  ground 
and  the  digging  of  holes  one  foot  square  and  six 
feet  apart  and  one  foot  deep  into  which  the  young 
plants  are  ))laced  as  they  are  brought  from  the  nur- 
series. If  the  soil  be  rich  and  deep,  ,SU0  trees  to 
the  acre  is  a sufficient  number,  as  results  with  this 
number  have  been  found  more  satisfactory  than 
with  a greater  or  less  number  per  acre.”  The 
italics  are  ours,  (juite  simple  as  the  preparation  of 
the  land  is,  the  method  of  cultivation,  we  gather, 
is  even  simpler.  The  work  is  all  done  by  women 
and  children,  so  it  is  very  cheap,  and  it  consists 
entirely  of  weeding.  The  planter  in  Mexico  ap- 
parcutly  occupies  bis  times  tiffing  on  a fence, 
whittling  sticks,  picking  his  teeth  and  waiting 
for  the  third  year.  ‘‘During  the  third  year  the 
plantations  yield  sufficient  coffee  to  cover  all  ex- 
penses, the  cost  of  jiroducing  every  lUO  pounds 
of  coffee  prejiared  ready  for  market  not  exceeding  Sh 
])er  lUO  pounds  as  a maximum,  the  market  price  of 
which  at  the  present  prices  for  coffee  averages  |‘20 
pci‘  too  pounds.”  Appended  to  the  pamphlet  is  “a 
careful  and  conservative  estimate,  showing  the  cost 
and  profit  of  a 100  acre  coffee  plantation.”  \\  here 
is  the  planter  who  is  not  only  too  familiar  with  these 
“careful  and  conservative  estimates'.’  ' It  works  out 
so  beautifully: — “Thus  the  investor  receives  back  by 
the  end  of  the  fifth  year  nearly  five  times  the 
amount  of  his  original  investment  and  is  the  owner 
of  a iiroperty  valued  at  iji‘20.000.”  M'hat  a glorious 
prospect!  Only  five  years  planting,  and  then  breaks 
a golden  dawn  and  a perennial  stream  of  silver  dol- 
lars rolls  rippling  in.  Will  any  bird  be  caught  with 
such  chaff  V Working  on  just  the  same  lines  we  are 
prepared  to  prove  quite  as  convincingly  that  there 
18  no  more  profitable  investment  or  healthier  life 
for  persona  with  weak  lungs  than  the  cultivation  of 
Dead  Bea  apples  in  the  desert  of  iSabara. 
In  this  panqdilct,  which  by  the  wav  is  being 
sc.atteied  broadcast  throughout  the  worlcl.  there  is 
just  one  |ioint  which  calls  lor  soiious  consideration. 
Anoug  the  causes  cuumernted  why  the  small  cajii- 
talist  should  invest  his  money  in  a Mexican  coffee 
plantation  is  the  following 'I'lie  decreased  and 
constantly  decreasing  supplies  received  from  Jav:>. 
