3i6 
[NoV,  I,  1895. 
THE  tropical  AGRtCUl/I’URIST. 
SELANCOK  PLANTATIONS  SYNDICATE. 
The  first  ordinary  general  meeting  of  the  Selangor 
Plantations  Syndicate,  Limited,  was  held  on  Tuesday 
afternoon,  at  the  office,  147,  Leadenhall-street,  E. 
C.,  Mr.  Ludwig  Huttenbach  presiding. 
The  Secretary  (Mr.  James  Fitzpatrick)  having  read 
the  notice  convening  the  meeting. 
The  Chairman  said : Gentlemen,  as  you  have  just 
heaid  iiom  the  notice  which  has  been  read,  this  is 
the  statutory  meeting  of  the  company.  We  arc  com- 
meeting  within  four  months 
of  the  registration  of  the  company,  whether  we  have 
anything  to  say  to  you  or  not,  and  this  is  the  very  last 
1 ^ months  having  expired  today.  If 
that  had  not  been  the  case  we  would  have  preferred 
to  hold  this  meeting  a little  later,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  lay  fuller  information  before  you.  As  it  is,  we 
are  not  in  a position  to  say  very  much.  This  may 
partly  be  attributed  to  the  fact  that  our  manager, 
who  has  been  temporarily  in  Europe,  left  only  on 
August  1,  and)  consequently,  will  only  have  arrived 
out  there  about  a week  or  ten  days  ago,  and  there 
has  not  been  sufficient  time  for  him  to  send  home 
any  regular  reports.  All  arrangements  have,  how- 
ever, been  made,  so  that  iuiinediately  on  his  arrival 
out  there  the  property  would  be  transferred  to 
the  company.  As  stated,  we  have  no  recent  specific 
news  ; but,  geiicially  speaking,  wo  have  no  reason 
Whatever  to  alter  the  favourable  opinion,  which  we 
expressed  when  you  w'ere  invited  to  take  shares.  I may 
further  mention  that  although  no  formal  reports  have 
reached  the  directors,  I have  seen  from  private  ad- 
vices that  things  on  the  estates  are  in  a very  satisfac- 
tory condition.  Instead  of  going  now  into  further 
particulars,  let  me  assure  you  once  more,  in  general 
terms,  that  we  are  satisfied  in  every  respect  with  the 
state  of  affairs,  .and  that  we  feel  that  you  are  inter- 
ested in  a good,  sound,  and  promising  concern.  I 
Wish  to  emphasize  once  more  the  fact  on  which  stress 
was  laid  when  the  company  was  formed — that  Selangor 
is  under  British  rule,  aud  that  we  have  every  re  isou  to 
expect  that  we  shall  be  treated  in  all  cases  not 
only  with  ordinary  fairness  and  justice,  but,  doubtless, 
with  special  liberality  and  consideration,  as,  from  tho 
character  of  the  officials  out  tliore,  I feci  convinced 
that,  our  company  being  ulmost  tlic  first  of  any  magni- 
tude, they  will  give  us  every  possible  encouragoment. 
Knowing,  as  I do,  the  officials  out  there,  I feel  sure 
this  is  the  case,  hut  if  any  confirimitiou  were  wanted 
I may  tell  you  that  we  have  had  indications  to  this 
effect  from,  not  merely  a very  high  official,  but  the 
very  highest  offici.il  of  the  Belangor  Government. 
(.Applause.)  As  usual,  I have  kept  the  best  to  the 
end,  and  iliat  is  that' it  gives  me  special  pleasure  to 
see  that  this  whole  meeting  is  composed  of  old  friends. 
I do  not  say  this  in  order  to  mention  something 
which  may  bo  pleasing  to  yon,  but  because  this 
fact  of  our  knowning  each  other,  and  dealing  w’ith 
old  friends,  makes  it  still  more  incumbent  on 
us  to  do  everything  in  our  power,  which  can  possibly 
be  done  in  furtherance  of  your  mterests,  so  as  not 
to  forfeit  tho  full  confidence  you  have  hitherto  re- 
posed in  us,  and  which  I can  assure  you  is  liighly 
gratifying  to  us.  I don  t mind  telling  you  that  some 
people  have  expressed  tlic  opinion  that  the  anticipa- 
tions wo  have  as  regards  this  Company  have  been 
exaggerated.  Of  course,  this  may  bo  so,  as  in  agri- 
cultural eiitei'priscs  tho  possibility  of  unforeseen  con- 
tingencies always  exists  ; but  1 think  1 may  remind  you 
that  when  the  Sumatra  Tobacco  Syndicate,  was  fon'ned 
wo  were  also  ridiculed  in  some  quarters  for  holding  out 
the  probability  of  large  dividends,  and  yet  we  ulti- 
mately paid-,  as  the  result  of  one  crop,  a dividend  of  180 
per  cent.  It  has  been  lemarked  to  me  that  I per- 
sonally expressed  myself  at  the  time  as  not  satisfied 
with  this  dividend.  Well,  I frankly  admit  that  this 
was  tho  case,  and  I am  equally  frank  in  telling  you 
now  that  if  our  anticipations  as  regards  the  Selangor 
Coffee  Syndicate  arc  realised  to  the  letter  I shall 
likewise  not  be  satisfied.  I daresay  you  will,  but  I 
expect  something  still  better,  and  I beg  to  repeat  that 
our  joints  efforts  will  be  devoted  to  briiig  about  a 
perfect  success.  As  I have  mentioned,  this  is  the 
statutory  meeting  and  there  is  no  resolution  to  bo 
proj)03ed.  It  is  only  a formal  meeting,  but  I think 
there  can  be  no  harm  in  following  the  usual  custom 
of  invitiug  any  geutleman  present  to  put  any  question 
that  occurs  to  him,  and,  of  course,  if  it  is  in  our 
power  we  shall  be  only  to  happy  to  answer  it. 
(Applause.) 
No  questions  being  put,  the  Chairman  said  : The 
following  telegram  from  Selangor  has  just  come  in: 
“ The  property  is  now  in  course  of  transfer,  which 
will  probably  be  completed  in  a few  days.” 
AVheu  that  transfer  takes  place  we  shall  be  in  full 
awing— in  fact,  I might  say  we  are  in  full  swing  at 
the  present  time. 
A vote  of  thanks  to  the  Cliairmau  terminated  the 
meeting.—//,  and  C Mail,  Sept.  13. 
♦ 
PLANTING  IN  SOUTHERN  INDIA. 
Ono  of  tho  greatest  industries  of  Southern  India 
is  the  cultivation  of  tea  and  coffee,  which  thrive 
on  tho  sunny  and  rain-swept  slopes  of  the  Nilgiris 
and  other  hills  of  the  South,  and  afford  continuous 
and  well-paid  labour  to  a larvc  proportion  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  hills  and  of  tho  plains  beneath. 
A planter’s  life  is  often  considered  by  those  who 
have  no  experience  of  it  to  be  a dreary  and 
monotonous  one.  In  r-eality  it  is  anyihing  but  that. 
It  is  a life  full  of  variety  and  activity;  quite  re- 
deemed from  any  danger  of  monotony  by  the  cle- 
ment of  speculation  which  enters  into  it,  and 
which  alwaj's  brings  a certain  excitement  with  it. 
Black  care  and  smiling  hope  may  be  said  to 
hover  in  turns  round  the  path  of  the  planter, 
which  is  as  full  of  ups  and  downs,  and  as 
much  smiled  and  frowned  upon  by  fickle  Fortune, 
as  is  the  career  of  a professional  speculator.  Coffee- 
plauting,  in  fact,  may  almost  be  described  as  a fine 
gamble.  A few  years  ago  this  industry  seemed  to  be 
at  a low  ebb,  prices  being  low  and  the  tlemand  small, 
but  a turn  of  Fortune’s  wlieel  has  completely  changed 
the  position  of  affairs.  Brices  are  now  higli,  and 
all  goes  swimmingly  with  the  production  of  tho 
fragrant  berry,  which  has  risen  enormously  in  the 
favour  of  the  public. 
Ill  selecting  the  site  for  a coffee  plantation  in 
these  hills  there  are  a v.uioty  of  thiiig.s  to  con.sider. 
The  land  sliould  be  sheltered  from  tlic  wind,  and, 
if  possible,  lie  in  tho  line  of  tho  showers  that  fall 
in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  and  yet  not  bo  ex- 
posed to  the  full  fury  of  either  the  S.  W.  or  N. 
E.  monsoons,  with  their  accompanying  damp  and 
constant  mists  and  fogs.  Laud  should  also  be  cUosen 
that  is  never  affected  by  frost,  as  this  scorches 
and  blights  the  coffee  and  is  as  fatal  to  it  as  fire. 
Damp  at  the  roots  is  another  deadly  enemy,  and  nil 
land  on  which  coffee  is  to  grow  requires  careful 
drainage.  Another  great  essential  is  a stream  of 
water  which  runs  during  the  whole  of  the  crop  sea- 
son : this  is  a necessity  for  the  process  of  “ pulping” 
which  will  be  described  later.  The  coffee  range 
varies  from  300  to  -150  feet  or  even  to  (iOO  foot  011 
tho  eastern  slopes  of  the  Nilgiris.  The  most  favour- 
able site  for  a plantation  is  a sheltered  valley  with 
a riuiiiing  stream.  Coffee  is  grown  from  seed,  in 
nurseries,  i.e.,  level  plots  of  ground  carefully  pre- 
pared trenches  for  water.  In  about  eight  mouths 
the  seedlings  arc  ii-aily  for  planting,  the  host  time  for 
this  being  during  showery  weatlior,  soon  after  tho  rains 
hayetetiu.  When  the  young  plants  have  reached  a 
height  of  3-i  feet  to  4 feet,  which  takes  3i  to  1 years, 
time  greatly  depending  on  climate,  soil,  and  situa- 
tion, the  trees  require  topiiing  to  prevent  their  growing 
any  taller.  This  idea  is  tho  outcome  of  experience, 
as  in  Arabia,  tho  original  homo  of  colleo,  the  trees 
are  allowed  to  grow  to  a height  of  from  1‘2  to  ‘20 
feet,  with  a number  of  stems,  nor  are  iho  berries 
plucked  as  with  us,  but  slmken  off,  when  fully  ripe, 
into  mats  spread  underneath  and  dried  in  the  sun. 
A Nilgiri  coffee  plantation  is  a pretty  sight,  with 
its  lovely  ravines,  its  giant  trees  which  shade  tlie 
undergrowth  of  dark  green  laurel-like  slirubs,  their 
branciu's  laden  with  berries,  some  green,  some  gra- 
dually changing  colour  to  the  bright  scarlet  of  the 
ripe  ofies,  which  closely  resemble  cherries. 
