758 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[May  I,  1896. 
CnAi  RMAN  expressed  his  pleasure  that  the  subject  should 
have  been  introduced  by  a sliareholde'r,  as  tiio 
Directors  had  considered  the  matter  and  had  pro- 
posals to  make. 
Mr.  Melvillk  White  also  sought  information  in 
regard  to  items  of  annual  accounts,  management, 
&c, ; and  Mr.  H.  A.  TipruF.  in  reference  to  shadi* 
trees,  manure,  &c.,  elicited  expression  of  opinion 
and  statements  of  much  interest  to  the  shareholders, 
in  which  Mr.  Voelaii  also  gave  the  benefit  of  his 
experience,  and  Mr.  Vollau  led  a discussion  as  to 
the  coconut,  their  condition,  age,  planting,  bearing, 
&c.,  and  referred  to  the  recent  census  of  coconut 
trees  in  bearing  at  Delgolla  and  spoke  generally  of 
the  future  prospects  of  this  cultivation,  which  offers 
to  atone  in  time  for  the  present  disappointment  in  the 
returns  from  cacao. 
Mr.  PypEU  proposed  the  adoption  of  the  Keport, 
and  Mr.  T.  B.  Bishop  seconded. 
Mr.  E.  S.  Fox  was  re-elected  Director,  and  Mr. 
Guthrie  auditor. 
TEA  FACTOllIES  IN  THE  KELANI 
VALLEY. 
Tea  factory  building  in  the  Kelani  Valley 
has  of  late  been  going  on  vigorously  to  meet 
the  demands  of  a district  which  is  steadily 
developing.  A new  factory  on  Weoya  has  just 
been  completed.  This  factory  which  has  abno.st 
unlimited  water  jiower  is  entirely  driven  by 
tliat  agency.  I'lic  installation  of  machinery 
consists  of  a “ Dessicator’'  and  :i  large  Paragon” 
drier  with  the  customary  complement  of  rollers 
and  sifters.  The  accommodation  and  ])Owcr  of 
tlie  factory  are  equal  to  turning  out  from  half 
a million  to  000,000  lb.  of  tea  annually.  The 
new  factory  on  Mahaoj'a  completed  recently 
has  just  got  into  working  order.  The  macldnery 
in  it  is  driven  by  water  power  though  a steam 
engine  from  the  old  factory  on  tlie  top  of  the 
bill  has  been  installed  as  a sort  of  stand  by. 
'When  woi’king  at  full  capacity,  the  factory  wliicli 
“makes”  the  leaf  grown  on  "Walpola  and 
Mahaoya  will  be  capable  of  turning  out  quite 
half  a 'million  lb.  annually.  A new  factory  has 
also  been  started  on  Ivies  estate,  near  Yatiyan- 
tota.  The  factory  is  a very  compact  one. 
Steam  power  is  employed  and  the  installation 
of  machinery  consists  of  a coujde  of  Jackson  s 
economic  rollers,  a driver  of  the  “Dessicator”  type, 
a Michie  roll  breaker  and  sejiarator  and  a Miclde 
tea  sifter.  Tnqiortant  extensions  .are  at  present 
in  progress,  on  Yataderin  factory  which  when 
completed,  will  give  the  premises  a capacity  for 
turning  out  fully  three  quarters  of  a million  lb. 
per  annum.  The  additions  to  the  buildings  are 
considerable,  and  in  addition  to  other  machi- 
nery we  hear  that  a laige  turbine  has  been  in- 
dented for, 
A new  tea  factory  is  about  to  be  erected  on 
Sarnia  Estate,  Badulla.  The  new  factory  will 
also  serve  Dotlands  Estate. 
« 
Secretauies  and  Ofeice  : — Lyall,  Anderson  & Co., 
B),  Philpot  Lane,  E.C. 
The  Directors  have  pleasure  in  submitting  to  the 
shareholders  the  report  and  accounts  of  the  Com- 
pany for  the  past  season. 
Tile  total  acreage  of  the  Comiiany’s  Estates  re- 
mains unaltered,  but  in  addition  to  the  clearings 
planted  last  year,  which  are  doing  well,  about  05 
acres  of  jungle  have  been  felled  on  Degalessa  and 
will  be  planted  this  year. 
The  total  crop  secured  from  the  four  estates 
amounted  to  5‘.)7,185  lb.,  against  an  estimate  of 
5'J5,000  II).,  and  showed  an  increase  compared  with 
that  of  f8'.M  of  180,538  lb.  of  tea. 
During  Mr.  Mitchell’s  absonca  on  furlough  Mr. 
Tait  had  charge  of  Degalessa  and  Dover,  and  the 
thanks  of  the  Directors  are  due  to  him  and  to  the 
Managers  of  ihe  other  estates  for  their  efficient  work- 
ing of  the  properties. 
In  consequence  also  of  Mr.  Mitchell's  absence, 
considerable  additional  work  was  thrown  upon  Mr. 
Porter,  to  whose  careful  management  the  shareholders 
are  much  indebted. 
The  factories  and  machinery  continue  in  efficient 
order,  but  the  directors  have,  as  on  previous  occa- 
sions, written  10  per  cent  oiT  their  cost  for  depre- 
ciation, and.  the  amount,  £678  4s  4d,  appears  in  the 
accounts. 
The  mortgage  over  ‘Wereagalla  for  .£1,000,  which 
fell  duo  on  the  31st  December  last,  was  paid 
off  on  that  date,  and  the  directors  propose  towards 
meeting  this  payment  that  £2,000  of  the  year’s 
piotitsbe  transferred  to  a special  account  to  be  after- 
wards dealt  with. 
The  Company’s  net  prolits  for  the  year,  after 
deducting  the  sum  of  £678  4s  Id  written  off  for 
depreciation,  amount  to  .£4,385  11s  Id,  which  with 
.£571)  8s  Id  brought  forward  fiom  last  account, 
ittaves  £1,964  19s  2d  to  bo  now  dealt  with,  and  this 
it  is  proposed  to  appropriate  as  follow's  : — 
Amount  as  above  . . , . .£4,964  19  2 
Interim  Dividend  of  5 per  cent 
paid  in  September  ab- 
sorbed ..  £813  5 0 
It  is  now  proposed  to  pay 
a final  dividend  of  10  per 
cent  (free  of  Income 
Tax),  making  15  per 
cent  for  the  year  . . 1,626  10  0 
To  pay  bonus  of  24  per 
cent  for  the  year  (also 
free  of  Income  Tax)  ...  406  12  6 
And  to  place  to  special 
account  . . 2,000  0 0 
4,816  7 6 
Leaving  a balance  to  carry  forward  of  .£118  11  8 
In  accordance  with  the  articles  of  .Association,  Mr. 
D.  A.  C.  Scott  retires  from  the  Board,  and  being 
eligible  offers  himself  for  re-election. 
Mr.  J.  B.  Laurie,  C.A.,  also  olfers  himself  for 
re. election  as  Auditor. 
G.  W.  Paine,  Chairman. 
16,  PhilpotLane,  London,  E.C.,  25th  March  1896. 
THE  “IRRIGATION  STATES”  OF 
NORTH  AMERICA. 
THE  KELANI  VALLEY  TEA  ASSOCIA- 
TION, LIMITED. 
REPOKT  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 
Incorporated  under  the  Companies  Acts, 
1862  to  1883. 
Directors  George  W.  Paine,  Cotswald  Lodge, 
Upper  Norwood  (Cliairman)  ; Donald  Andrew,  16, 
Philpot  Lane,  E.C.  ; Leopold  F.  Davies  (Gow,  ''.Vil- 
son  & Stanton),  13,  Rood  Lane,  E.C.  ; Dudley  A.  C. 
Scott,  45,  Eaton  Square,  S.'W. 
Managinu  Director  Robert  Porter,  Midlothian 
Estate,  Ceylon.  , , n 
Bankers: — The  National  Bank  of  India,  Limited, 
4 7,  Thrcadueedle  Street,  E.C, 
The  Centuri/  Maijazinc  for  IMarch  contains  a history 
of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  “irrigation  farms” 
of  the  arid  belt  of  North  America.  The  writer,  Mr. 
'William  Smythe,  describes  nothing  less  than  a re- 
construction of  agriculture  on  a new  basis.  It  is  no 
longer  confined  to  certain  valleys  of  California  and 
Colorado,  but  has  spread  over  the  whole  length  of 
the  United  States,  from  the  Canadian  lino  in  Mon- 
tana to  the  “staked  plains”  of  Lower  Texas,  which 
the  W'aters  of  Iho  Pecos  llivor  are  now  turning  into 
a garden.  In  a few  yeiiis  hence  a legiou  ten  times 
greater  than  Lower  Egypt,  worked  by  prosperous 
Anglo-Saxon  freelioldcrs,  iiml  irrigated  by  dams, 
canals,  and  more  commonly  liy  windmills  st. Hiding 
on  the  faniis  themselves,  from  the  drainage  of  the 
Rocky  iUomitains,  will  be  added  to  the  productive 
