Dec.  2,  1895.]  THE  TROPICAL 
DEATH  OF  TREES  BY  SDNSTROKE. 
At  a time  wlieii  local  coconut  ])lanter.s  are  discuss- 
ing the  apparent  “ spontaneous  combustion”  of  coco- 
nut palms  due  to  the  fall  of  meteorites,  it  is  of 
interest  to  read  the  following  in  the  latest 
Gardeners’  Chronicle-.  — 
During  the  late  extraordinary  warm  spell,  the 
writer  of  this  paragraph  was  called  upon  to  see  a 
large  Sugar  Maple  tree  that  was  supposed  to  have 
been  destroyed  by  a leak  of  the  city  gas-main  at  the 
root ; but  on  examination  showed  that  the  tree  died, 
literally,  from  sunstroke.  It  is  strange  that  close 
observers  of  trees  are  unable  to  see  when  anything 
is  out  of  the  common  run  of  things,  and  conse- 
quently note  that  something  is  going  wrong.  This 
Sugar  Maple  had  been  planted  on  the  street  probably 
a quarter  of  a century  ago,  and  was  about  1 feet  in 
circumference ; but  the  trunk  was  almost  triangular, 
and  yet  this  peculiarity  seemed  to  attract  no  atten- 
tion. The  tree  was  simply  triangular  because  on  three 
sides  of  the  tree  the  bark  and  woed  had  evidently  been 
destroyed  years  ago,  while  the  outer  bark  still  con- 
tinued to  cover  up  the  injury,  and  the  only  live  wood 
was  on  the  angles  of  the  trunk.  Only  about  one-third 
of  the  trunk  was  practically  alive.  When  the  exceed- 
ingly warm  spell  came,  it  was  impossible  for  these 
limited  ducts  to  supply  the  moisture  required  for  such 
a large  surface  of  foliage,  and  the  tree,  therefore,  lite- 
rally died  from  inability  to  furnish  the  moisture  re- 
quired for  transpiration.  It  may  be  always  taken  for 
granted,  that  when  the  trunk  of  a tree  naturally  cy- 
lindrical, takes  an  angular  form,  there  is  something 
wrong  beneath  the  bark,  and  an  examination  should 
at  once  be  made.  The  flatter  portions  will  usually  be 
found  dead.  In  this  case,  the  bark  should  wholly  be 
cut  away  from  the  dead  portion,  and  the  denuded 
part  painted,  in  order  to  check  rotting  away.  In  time, 
the  healthy  wood  may  grow  over  the  wound  or  lifeless 
part,  and  the  life  of  the  tree  be  eventually  saved. 
♦ 
THE  EAST  INDIA  TEA  COMPANY 
has  been  regi.stererl  with  a capital  of  £200,000,  of 
wliicli  amount  there  will  be  a first  issue  of 
£170,000  in  £10  shares.  £85,000  of  this  amount 
will  consist  of  preference  shares  at  6 per  cent. 
The  object  of  the  Company  is  stated  to  be  the 
amalgamation  and  taking  over  as  going  concern 
certain  estates  in  India  and  Ceylon. 
The  estates  to  be  dealt  with  in  the  manner 
indicated  are  tliose  of  the  Doolabcherra,  Mook- 
hamcherra  and  Mahaousa  Tea  Companies,  be- 
sides the  .gardens  known  as  the  Blackwater, 
Hapugastenne,  and  Waladowa.  The  proj)erties 
altogether  include  about  12,660  acres,  of  which 
about  3,629  acres  are  already  planted  with  tea. 
The  prospectus  states  the  properties  in  Ceylon 
include  about  5,000  acres  that  will  be  available 
for  the  extension  of  cultivation  In  tlie  island, 
and  in  view  of  the  refusal  of  your  Coveniment 
to  put  up  fresh  land  for  sale  for  this,  this  avail- 
able acreage  will  possess  an  exceptional  value. 
A good  deal  of  the  lantl  now  cultivated  is 
said  not  yet  to  be  in  full  bearing,  but 
the  average  profits  for  the  past  three  years  are 
stated  to  have  been  £9,875,  while  those  for  the 
j)ast  years  were  £12,586.  The  price  to  be  paid 
for  the  four  estates  now  yielding  profits  will  be 
£158,000,  and  for  the  other  two  estates  £7,000, 
the  vendors  taking  as  i>art  of  the  ijurchase 
money  2,750  preference  and  2,750  ordinary  shares. 
The  list  for  public  subscrii)tion  will  close  today. 
Enclosed  with  this  I forward  to  you  copy  of  the 
advertisement  made,  wdiich  includes  the  prospectus 
of  the  new  Company. — London  Cor. 
Vanill.v.— A report  from  Seychelles  states  that 
an  abundant  flowering  of  the  vanilla  vines  is 
shown  in  all  parts  of  the  Archipelago,  and  the 
crop  for  1896  is  expected  to  be  e.xceptionallj'’  good. 
’^Colonics  and  India,  OcL  13. 
iQ 
AGRICULTURIST.  387 
THE  EAST  INDIA  AND  CEYLON  TEA 
COMPANY,  LIMITED. 
Capital  . . . . ^200,000, 
Divided  into  10,000  six  per  cent.  Cumulative  Pre; 
ference  Sliares  of  £10  each,  and  10,00  Ordinary 
Shares  of  £10  each. 
The  Preference  Shares  are  entitled  to  a cumulative 
preferential  dividend  of  6 per  cent  per  annum  and  a 
preference  in  return  of  capital. 
Issue  of  £170,000,  in  8,500  Preference  Shares  and 
8,500  Ordinary  Shares. 
Directoks  P.  R.  Buchanan,  Esq.,  45,  Leaden- 
hall-street,  E.  C.  (Chairman),  Director  of  the  North 
and  South  Sylhet  Tea  Companies,  Limited  ; S Boul- 
nois,  Esq.,  Love-lane,  E.C.,  Director  of  the 
Mahaousa  Tea  Company,  Limited  ; C.  T.  Richard- 
son, Esq.,  31,  Binswood-avenue,  Leamington,  Dircc* 
tor  of  the  Mookhamcherra  Tea  Company,  Limited ; 
A.  Bryans,  Esq.,  45,  Leadcnhall-street,  E.C.,  Direc- 
tor of  the  Chargola  Tea  Association,  Limited ; L. 
Davidson,  Esq.,  Superintendent  of  the  Gikyana- 
kande  Tea  Estate,  Ceylon  (Resident  Director  in 
Ceylon). 
Particulars  of  the  properties  to  be  acquired  by 
the  company  will  be  found  in  the  statement — ac- 
companying this  Prospectus.  They  comprise  about 
12,650  acres  of  land,  of  which  about  3,629  acres 
are  already  planted  with  tea.  (See  our  Loudon  letter). 
The  exceptionally  large  area  of  land  available  for 
cultivation  in  Ceylon,  amounting  to  about  5,000  acres, 
is  a special  feature  of  the  undertaking,  and  should 
greatly  add  to  its  value.  There  is  ample  factory 
accommodation  on  the  estates  for  all  present  require* 
ments  and  the  factories  are  supplied  with  all  necessary 
machinery.  Labour  is  plentiful,  and  an  experienced 
staff  of  managers  and  assistants  is  in  charge  of  the 
properties.  Although  a considerable  area  of  cultivated 
land  was  either  too  young  to  yield  crop,  or  only  in  a par- 
tial bearing,  the  average  profits  for  the  past  three 
years  from  the  Estates  under  cultivation,  as  will 
be  seen  from  the  Auditor’s  certificate  set  forth 
below,  amounted  to  £9,874  19s  5d.  It  will  also  bo  seen 
that  the  profits  for  the  past  year  were  £12,586 
7s  fid,  and  on  this  basis  there  would  be  sufficient 
to  pay  6 per  cent  on  the  Preference  Shares,  and  9i 
per  cent  on  the  Ordinary  Shares  now  being  issued 
in  respect  of  the  four  Estates  under  cultivation. 
The  prospects  of  the  current  season  are  good,  and 
there  was,  on  the  30th  September  last,  an  increase 
of  126,148  lb  of  tea  over  the  crop  at  the  same  date 
last  year ; as  the  new  planting  comes  into  bearing 
the  crop  should  be  considerably  increased,  and  larger 
profits  in  consequence  realised.  The  Directors  of  the 
Company  are  all  connected  with  the  tea  industry, 
and  most  of  them  have  a practical  knowledge  of 
planting.  The  Company  takes  over  the  existing  ar- 
rangements of  the  Vendor  Companies,  with  their 
several  officials  and  staff  of  employees,  and  the 
business  will  thus  be  carried  on  without  break  of  any 
kind.  The  financial  arrangements  for  working  the 
estates  now  in  force  will  also  be  continued  by  the 
Managing  Agents  in  London,  India  and  Ceylon.  Pro- 
vision of  furtlier  working  capital  is  thus  unnecessary, 
except  for  the  development  of  the  uncultivated 
lands,  which  is  provided  for  as  stated  below. 
The  properties  are  taken  over  as  from  the  fol- 
lowing dates,  viz.  ; — Those  of  the  Doolabcherra 
and  Mookhamcherra  Companies  from  the  30th 
November,  1894 ; those  of  the  Mahaousa  Company 
from  the  31st  December,  1894,  and  the  Blackwater 
Tea  Estate  from  the  30th  June,  1895.  The  several 
Vendors  will  receive  interest  at  6 per  cent  upon 
their  purchase-money  from  these  dates  until  the 
same  is  paid.  It  is  proposed  for  the  future  to 
close  accounts  on  tho  30th  November  in  each  year. 
The  price  to  be  paid  by  the  Company  for  the 
four  yielding  properties  is  £158,000.  The  price  to 
be  paid  for  the  Hapugastenne  and  Walawadow'a 
Estates  is  £7,000,  the  remaining  £5,000  of  capital 
now  issued  being  reserved  for  the  opening  out  of 
same.  The  £30,000  of  unissued  shares  will  be  avail- 
able for  the  further  development  of  these  estates,  or 
the  purchase  of  other  properties,  as  may  be  deemed 
desirable  by  the  Directors. 
