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THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
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■14 
THE 
N I'M' A HA  EM^A 
CUMI’.VN'V,  UM 
'I'l'iA  E.STATES 
ITED. 
This  i 
is  tlie  title  of  tl 
le  l.umlon  Cuiiii 
lan  y 
W Ilifll 
lias  just 
r ])iuvl 
laseil  the 
I’cdro, 
I’ortswoi 
ml,  L 
o\er'.s 
l.Oiip,  Koimi!ir(!,  Tmiiinagoiig,  aiid  ( 'oiicurdia 
e.-itate«  in  tlio  Nmvava  Kliya  dislricl,  'I'lie  Com- 
pany has  a oaidtal  of  i'ldUjUUn,  and  tlie  direc- 
tors arc  Messrs.  C-  A.  \V.  Cameron  (Messrs. 
Fritli,  Sands  &•  Co.),  Wiiicliester  House,  0!<1  Jiroad 
St. , JjOiidoii  ; Charles  1{.  Kol)son,  ISatchacre  Hall, 
Newport,  Salop  ; and  H.  .1.  St.  J.  ( )sear  Thomijson, 
(Messrs.  M .,  J.  and  H.  d’liompson.  Mincing  Lane). 
The  Ijankers  are  the  National  Haul;  of  India  ; 
the  solicitors  Messrs,  h'reslilield  and  Mdlliams,  o 
Hank  Huildings ; the  secretaries  arnl  managing 
agents  in  London,  Messrs.  Lrith,  Sands  N'  Co.’, 
Winchester  Honse,  Old  Hroad  Street  ; Ceylon 
agents,  Messrs.  Leechman  Co.  ; and  Ceneral 
Manager  of  e.states  in  Ceylon,  Mr.  Mk  Megginson. 
The  lirst  issm;  of  shares  lias  alnvidy  hcim  snh- 
scribed  and  allotted,  while  the  sei'oml  issue 
lias  heen  fully  a|)plicd  for,  and  there  are 
no  shares  .available  foi-  snbserijition  in 
Ceylon,  'riiere  has  been  a good  deal  of  e.xagger- 
ali'on  in  the  rejiorts  thati  have  g.ained  currency 
as  to  the  sum  paid  for  the  properties,  end  we  are 
able  to  state  authoritatively  that  the  jirice ]>aid  is 
.t)Sd  lOs  ))<'r  acre  of  tea  all  round.  \Vith  ri'gard  to 
the,  idler  for  i'klinbnrgh  and  linerness  estates, 
whiic  we  are  not  in  ajiosilion  to  give  the  e.xaet 
lignres,  we  are  assured  on  authority  that  the 
price  is  considerably  less  per  acre  than  that' paid 
iui  thy  tU  iibovc-uiuitioucd  ystules. 
NATAL  TEA. 
During  tlie  past  few  years,  the  cultivation  of  tea 
in  Natal  has  made  rapid  strides,  the  acreage  now 
reaching  four  figures  and  the  output  si.x.  These 
tigiires,  at  first  glance,  will  not  appear  very  formi- 
dable to  Indian  planters,  for  an  area  of  but  2,000 
acres,  and  a produc.ion  amounting  to  something  like 
t)00,t)00  lb.,  represent  but  a bagatidle  when  co.mparcd 
with  our  local  figures.  Where  the  interest  for  the 
Eastern  producer  comes  in,  however,  is  in  the  fact 
that  the  Nutalian  infant,  under  the  healthful  influ- 
ences of  congenial  climate,  carvfui  sustenance,  and 
attentive  nursing,  is  annually  verging  towards  robust 
youth,  and  gives  promise  of  developing  into  an 
exceedijigly  healthy  and  powerful  adult.  Last  sea- 
son's crop  was  an  advance  of  about  twenty  per 
cent  upon  the  production  of  tlie  preceding  year — a 
progress  of  most  appreciai)lo  dimensions,  and  the  pre- 
sent conditions  of  the  trade  indicate,  still  more  rapid 
advances  year  by  year.  The  cultivation  of  coffee 
has  practically  given  way  to  the  sister  indu.stry,  and 
even  sugar — Natal’s  premier  product — is  experiencing 
the  slight  of  defection  on  the  part  of  some  of  its 
erstwhile  adherents  in  favour  of  tea.  Advocates  of 
the  tea  industry  in  Natal  claim  as  one  of  its  chief 
advantages  over  the  growth  of  coffee  the  comparatively 
small  risk  of  destruction  by  hail ; v.  her'eas  tea  is 
continually  manured  and  gathered,  tiu  whole  crop 
of  coffee  must  stand,  till  it  is  ripe  for  the  pluckers, 
a probable  victim  to  a single  heavy  hailstorm,  and 
the  Colony  knows  only  too  W'ell  how  it  can  hail 
periodically.  A tea  garden  attacked  by  a hailstorm 
would  present,  it  is  reasoned,  but  one  fiush  to  the 
destroyer,  representing  but  a portion  of  the  crop, 
and  this  would  not  necessarily  be  devastated.  In  the 
c.tse  of  coffee,  the  elements  would  enjoy  an  un- 
restricted walk  over,  wreaking,  not  only  incal- 
culable damage  on  the  sticks,  but  perhaps 
wrecking  the  heart  of  the  victimized  planter. 
Then,  as  regards  its  merits  over  sugarcane  cultivation, 
it  is  pointed  out  that  there  is  no  risk  from  fire,  and 
cane  fires — accidents  sometimes  but  most  often  the  act 
of  a revengeful  or  discharged  coolie — are  the  nightmares 
of  the  sugar  planter.  Again,  it  is  claimed  that,  where- 
as coffee  has  suffered  from  the  borer,  Hcmileia  mstaliir, 
and  short  rainfall,  and  sugar  by  excessive  expenditure 
for  mai-.liim'ry  and  ntlier  drawback's,  tea  has  expe- 
rienced inimunity  from  pest  or  serious  disease,  and 
cheap  female  and  juvenile  cooly  labour  can  be  uti- 
lized in  its  production.  The  yield  per  acre,  too,  in  the 
Colony  is  estimated  to  be  considerably  in  excess  of 
that  of  India,  nnd  equal  to  the  best  Ceylon  gardens. 
Cooly  rabour  there  is,  of  course  dearer  than  on  its 
native  soil,  but  only  about  half  the  number  of  hands 
are  found  necessary,  and  the  market  returns  so  far  have 
afforded  ample  recommendation  to  planters  to  prose- 
cute the  industry.  The  rainfall,  an  average  of  about 
Ifl)  inches,  though  necessarily  less  than  the  humidity 
of  more  tropical  climates,  is  steady  and  gradual, 
and  perhaps  more  effectual  than  torrential  down- 
pours, and  for  comfort  in  Avorking  in  the  gardens 
Natal  claims  favourable  comparison.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  that,  from  the  Colonial  cultivator's  point  of 
view,  the  industry  offers  much  encouragement,  and  one 
is  not  astonished,  therefore,  at  the  leaps  and  bounds 
by  which  the  production  is  progressing. 
The  principal  tea  district  is  situated  a few  miles 
to  the  north  of  Durban  on  the  coast,  close  to  the 
village  of  Stangor,  on  the  main  road  to  Zulu- 
land,  about  2‘)  degrees  south,  but  at  intervals  all 
along  the  co.ast  small  areas  are  under  cultiva- 
tion, and  at  all  these  gardens  convincing  proof  bus 
been  afforded  of  the  suitability  of  climate  and  soil 
for  the  plant,  specimens  of  which  close  upon  forty 
years  old,  can  now  be  seen  enjoying  a perennial 
youth.  .South  coast  planters  have  also  latidy  been 
juishing  forward,  and  extending  their  o])crations  in 
the  cultivation  of  tea,  and  already  several  limited 
liability  companies  have  been  establi.shed  in  the 
country  for  a more  widespreading  prosecution  of  the 
industry.  “Natal  tea"  is  used  pretty  extensively 
locally,  and  commands  a considerable  trade  in  tlie 
Cape,  Transvaal,  and  other  States  of  South  Africa, 
and  now  that  railway  extension  in  that  continent 
liuij  been  pushed  forward  to  liuhtij  hitherto  only 
