Jan.  1,  1896.J 
TFIK  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
469 
THE  VALUE  OF  TEA  PLANTATrON.S  AND 
FORESTLAND 
on^ht  to  rise  still  fiirtlier  if  it  be  correct  that 
tlie  responsible  bead  of  a Planting  Finn,  whom 
we  welcome  back  to  the  island,  has  been  stating 
that,  in  his  opinion,  first-class  forestland  at  a high 
. elevation  suitable  for  tea  is  worth  £35  sterling  per 
acre,  and  that  lie  is  prepared  to  buy  at  that 
rate.  And  yet  with  the  statubud  of  value  already 
• set  for  tea  estate  proncrty  in  Upper  Dimbnla,  the 
Agras,  in  Udapussellawa  and  around  Nuwara 
Eliya,  of  £70  sterling  and  ui)wards  per  acre, 
who  dai’e  say  that  half  that  amount  is  too 
much  for  hrst-class  forestland  ? 
In  any  case,  it  seems  to  us  that  it  behoves 
the  Ceylon  Government  to  take  advantage 
of  the  present  full  tide  of  jjrosperity  to 
have  a certain  proportion  or  its  waste 
land  between  Dimbula  and  Haputale  utilised  for 
cultivation.  It  is  perfectly  absurd  to  have  a 
first-class  line  of  railway  running  for  twenty 
miles  through  country  that  as  yet  does  not  yield 
,i  single  ton  of  traihe ! Over  four  millions  of 
rup  :•  may  bo  said  to  be  S])ent  on  the  line 
belwujii  the  last  tea-field  in  Dimbula  and  the 
first,  encountered  in  Uva;  and  are  we  to  be  told 
that  no  trallic  is  to  be  drawn  from  the  scores  if  not 
hundreds  of  square  miles  of  Crown  lands  at  |>rescnt 
lying  unutilised  in  this  region?  The  idea  is  in- 
defensible ; and  so  is  the  old-fashioned  notion  that 
it  is  necessary  to  leave  these  higher  forests  un- 
touched on  account  of  rainfall  or  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  head-springs  of  our  rivers. 
Let  the  Government  enforce  rules  to  con- 
serve forest  on  each  side  of  streams  as 
they  please ; but  far  better  in  these  days  when 
the  value  of  quick-growing  timber  and  fuel 
trees  is  so  fully  realised,  to  laydown  regulations  for 
tlie  planting  up  of  a certain  area  in  each  lot  sold 
with  exotic  trees  which,  indeed,  would  be  done 
in  any  case  for  the  shelter  and  benefit  of  the  tea. 
There  are  besides,  patana  lands  near  Ambewella 
and  below  Horton  Plains  admirably  adapted  for  tea  ; 
and  much  of  the  Uheoya  Valley  ought  to  be 
utilised,  to  the  benefit  of  the  Railway,  of  the 
General  Revenue  and  for  the  General  I’rosjjcrity 
of  the  Colony. 
.4^ 
BEAUMONT  TEA  COMPANY  OF 
CEYLON. 
An  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  shareholders 
of  the  Beaumont  Tea  Coiu])any  of  Ceylon,  Ltd., 
was  held  in  the  oltices  of  the  yccretarics  ami 
A<mnts — the  Eastern  Estates  andProducc  Company 
Lnnited.,  on  Dec.  IGth.  Mr.  F.  H.  Wiggin  ine- 
sided,  and  there  were  ])rcscnt : Messrs.  1).  Micliie, 
F.  Liesching,  F.  S.  llashicigh,  B.  G.  L.  Brcmner, 
and  (by  proxy)  Mr.  John  Guthrie. 
The  Chairman  explained  that  the  meeting 
had  been  called 
1.  To  consider  the  advisability  of  purchasing  addi- 
tional estates  and  allotments  of  land. 
2.  To  confirm  such  purchases  as  shall  have  been 
made  by  the  Directors. 
3.  To  consider  and  pass  (if  approved)  the  following 
resolutions  or  either  of  them  (namely) : — 
(1)  That  the  capital  of  the  Company  be  increased 
by  creating  .5,000  new  shares  of  lUOO  each  and  that 
the  Directors  Ire  empowered  to  issue,  and  allot  the 
same,  or  any  of  them,  in  such  manner,  and  at  such 
time,  or  times,  as  they  may  think  expedient,  and 
at  any  premium,  and  generally  on  such  terms  and 
conditions  in  all  respects  as  the  Directors  may 
determine. 
(2)  That  the  Directors  be  authorised  to  borrow 
money  for  the  Company  on  mortgage  debentures, 
and  to  that  en  1 to  issue  debenture  bonds  bearing 
interest  at  6 per  cent  per  annum  for  such  amounts 
as  may  bo  required  for  the  purpose  of  the  Company, 
but  not  exceeding  in  the  aggregate  at  any  time  half 
the  then  issued  capital  of  the  Company. 
4.  To  ti'ausact  any  other  business  that  may  be 
brought  before  the  meeting. 
The  Chairman  explained  that  the  power  to 
purchase  ;i<hlitional  e.«tate.s  and  allotments 
of  land  was  practically  alre.ady  conferred 
by  the  Articles  of  Association,  but  they 
wished  to  put  the  matter  beyond  all  doubt. 
Mr.  RA.suLKKiu  moved  and  Mr.  Brkmnkr 
seconded  theadt)ption  of  the  motion. — Agreed. 
The  Chairm.vn  stated  that  the  Directors,  exer- 
cising what  they  believed  to  be  their  power.s, 
h,ad  arranged  to  purchase  Delta  Estate  at  a jirice 
which  he  had  every  reason  to  think  would  prove 
a satisfactory  bargain  for  the  Company.  He 
therefore  moved  that  the  arrangement  for  the 
purchase  of  Delta  estate  be  confirmed. — Agreed. 
On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Rashleigh  seconded 
by  Mr.  Bremner  the  other  resolutions  before 
the  meeting  were  passed  and  that  without  com- 
ment. 
Mr.  R.v,shleigh  asked  whether,  for  the  infor- 
mation of  the  shareholders,  the  price  and  other 
arrangements  connected  with  the  purchase  of 
Delta  Estate  should  not  be  made  public. 
The  ClLVlRM.VN  considered  such  a coiirsc  inad- 
A’isable  and  intimated  that  a valuation  of  the  estate 
can  Vc  seen  by  the  shai  eholders  at  the  oHice  of 
the  Company. 
The  proceedings  then  terminated  with  a vote 
of  thanks  to  the  Chairman. 
COCONUT  PLANTIVG  AT  HIIRIGAIIIA : 
A MODEL  PLANTATION  : No.  II. 
We  have  too  long  delayed  to  dispose  of  our  fur- 
ther reference  to  the  model  coconut  jilantation  of 
the  Mirigama  district,  if  not  of  the  whole  island. 
AVe  have  mentionetl  the  exceptionally  good  soil 
and  favourable  undulating  hay  of  land  on  which 
Mr.  AA'right  had  to  work.  Everything  in  these 
respects,  was  just  what  an  experienced  coconut 
]danter  would  desire  to  have,  and  in  the  matter 
of  ready  access  and  easy  means  of  communi- 
cation, Kandangomuwa  was  also  desirable  ; while 
the  surrounding  Sinhalese  villagers  soon  prized 
the  regular  employment  and  prompt  payment  for 
work  afforded  them  on  the  new  estate.  But  all 
these  advantages  of  soil,  situation  and  command 
of  labour  would  have  been  of  little  avail,  if  the 
utmost  pains  had  not  been  taken  in  the  selection 
of  seed  nuts,  and  in  the  various  operations  for 
nursery,  holing,  iilanting  and  care  of  the  young 
plants.  As  to  nuts,  Mr.  Wright  proposed  to 
]iay  a siiccially  increased  price  in  order  to  be 
sure  of  the  very  best  possible  article.  He  was 
alloweil  to  select  bis  own  trees  on  various  estates 
— famous  for  their  line  nuts— and  to  put  a mark 
on  the  same  to  shew  that  the  coming  crop  was 
ot  be  harvestetl  for  bim,  of  course,  paying  in 
proportion  for  the  privilege.  The  largest  and 
ripest  of  nuts  were  tlius  secured,  and  none  was 
passed  for  the  nursery  without  such  testing  as 
eye,  ear  and  hands  could  affoi'd.  We  need  not 
enter  into  tlie  further  jilanting  operations,  but 
may  hasten  on  to  the  jiresent  condition  of  the 
property  after  six  and  seven  years  of  growth 
has  covered  the  soil  with  an  umbrageous  grove 
of  iialms,  at  the  rate  of  only  66  tree  to  the  acre  — 
so  giving  an  unusual  area  to  each  ; and  yet 
their  branches  already  nearly  meet  over  the 
intervals.  The  absolutely  methodical,  systematic 
style  of  m.anagement  is  shewn  bj”'  the  whole 
e.state  being  marked  oH‘  in  different  blocks,  each 
of  which  is  indicated  by  a small  wooden  .sign 
Ixiard  itainted  white  with  the  number  of  tree- 
