184 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTUKIS  T 
[Sept,  i,  1896. 
Ao/e.— Perhaps  some  of  our  Darjeeling  subscribers 
could  kindly  forward  the  required  information.  Tlie 
JluckUaulia  seed,  so  far  as  we  know  it,  is  very  small. 
\ve  think  it  would  have  much  too  heavy  a foliage 
and  be  too  shady  for  planting  in  tea.— Hon.  Ed.— 
Indian  Porctster. 

THE  YATADEULV  TEA  COMPANY  OF 
CEVl.ON,  LTD. 
An  exLraordin.ary  general  meeting  was  held  on 
the  15th  Ang.  at  12-30.  Present: — Messrs.  H.  V. 
Maselield  (in  the  chair),  John  H,  Starey,  D. 
Fairweatlier  (Directors),  D.  G.  L.  Bremner,  Secre- 
tary ; C.  M.  Gawtkin  and  J.  A.  Martin,  and  by 
attorney  O.  11.  Warren,  W.  W.  Clmrcli  and  A. 
11.  Dingwall. 
The  Secretary  read  the  notice  convening  the 
meeting.  It  was  proposed  by  the  Cliairinan  and 
seconded  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Martin  : — “ That  an  ad- 
interim  dividend  of  12i  per  cent  for  the  lialf- 
year  ended  30th  June  1890  as  recommended  by 
the  directors  be  declared  and  made  jiayable 
forthwith.” 
The  Managing  Director,  speaking  to  the  reso- 
lution, said  tliat  first  of  all  he  had  to  point  out  a 
misprint  in  the  last  annual  re()ort  where  the 
cost  of  the  tea  for  1895,  inclinling  everytliing, 
was  stated  at  25’9  cents  instead  of  20’51  cents 
per  ib.  This  error  did  not  all'ect  the  accounts 
or  results  in  any  way.  Up  to  30th  June  last 
about  40  jicr  cent  of  tiic  crop  estimate  for  tl. 
year  bad  been  secured,  while  pruning  was 
rather  in  advance  of  Last  year.  He  hail  visited 
the  estate  this  week  and  had  found  it  in  good 
order,  and  managed  with  the  usual  good  care, 
llalher  liner  plucking  is  being  tried. 
After  a few  ipiestions  had  been  answered  the 
Kcsolntion  was  nut  and  carried  unanimously. 
- - 4-  — 
yr.  IIELIEIFS  TEA  COMPANY,  LTD. 
A meeting  of  the  .shareholders  of  this  Company 
was  held  in  the  ollice  ot  the  agents  and  secretaries 
(Messis.  Hois  Bros.  & Co.)  on  the  15th  Aug.  The 
Directors’  report,  which  is  appended,  was  adojited 
and  its  recominendalioiis  given  ellect  to  : — 
The  Directors  herewith  have  the  pleasure  to  sub- 
mit their  Fourth  Annual  Report,  wtiich,  they  trust, 
will  be  considered  satisfactory  by  the  Bhareholders, 
shewing,  as  it  does,  a nett  profit  of  about  2(>  per 
cent  on  the  year’s  working. 
The  crop,  which  was  estimated  to  be  05,000  lb.  of 
made  tea  to  HOth  June,  has  turned  out  98,371  lb.,  and 
has  realised  an  average  price  of  15-88  cents  per  lb. 
The  cost  of  the  tea  in  Colombo,  exclusive  of  the  sum 
of  K052‘‘2'2  expended  on  a now  clearing  of  29  acres, 
works  out  at  2101  cents,  showing  a margin  of  prolit 
of  21-81  cents  ))er  lb.,  which  may  be  looked  upon  as 
very  satisfactory. 
The  total  acreage  under  tea  is  now  220  acres  m 
bearin|,  21  acres  1 year  old,  and  29  acres  being 
*^'^he  Directors  make  the  following  recomuionda- 
That  a final  dividend  of  15  per  cent  should  be  de- 
clared, which,  with  an  interim  dividend  of  1.0  per  cent 
already  paid,  makes  a total  for  the  year  os  25  per 
cent  leaving  the  sum  of  ll887-i)7  to  be  carried  forward 
to  next  account. 
Mr  Stanley  Bois  retires  from  the  board  by  rota- 
tion- but,  being  eligible,  offers  himself  for  rc-election. 
The  sliarebolders  will  also  have  to  elect  an  Auditor 
for  season  189l>-97 . 
INDIAN  PATENTS. 
Vniilications  in  respect  of  the  und.  rnieiilioncd  iii- 
Uions  have  heen  filed,  durmg  tho  week  cmlmg 
h July  i89C),  under  the  provisions  of  Act  V ot  1888. 
mproveiiieiits  in  apparatus  f^or  packing  tea  or 
lor  Bubstaucos.  No  255  of  189(i.-,Samuol  Clelaud 
Davidson,  merchant,  of  Sirocco  works,  Belfast,  Ireland, 
for  improvements  in  apparatus  for  packing  tea  or 
other  substances. 
Improvements  in  tho  manufacture  of  tea  chests. — 
No.  250  of  1896. — John  Goryton  Roberts,  planter,  of 
16,  Cromwell  Grove,  West  Kensington,  in  tho  county 
of  London,  for  improvements  in  the  manufacture  of 
tea  chests  and  other  packing  cases  or  boxes. — Indian 
and  Eastern  Egineer,  Aug.  8. 
INDIA  AND  CEYLON  OUSTING 
JAPAN  TEA. 
As  already  mentioned  in  these  columns,  the  de- 
pression in  the  tea  market  has  resulted  in  many 
tea-growers  resolving  to  abandon  this  year  the  pick- 
ing of  second  crop  leaves.  Such  a resolution  on  the 
part  of  manufacturers  is  said  to  be  inevitable,  for 
present  quotations  really  entail  loss.  A report  for- 
warded from  a district  in  Shizuoka  in  the  middle 
of  last  month  to  the  Central  Guild  iu  Tokyo,  puts 
tho  situation  thus  : — 
ESTIMATED  COST  OE  MANUFACTUUE  PER  KWAMME. 
Sen. 
Raw  loaves,  1 hwamme  . . . . 792 
Pickings  expeuse.s  . . . . . . 372 
Cost  of  curing  , , . . . . 680 
Total  yen..  1-821 
Tea  of  a given  quality  is  now  quoted  at  1'50  yen 
or  so,  hence  in  manufacturing  one  Icwaininc  of  this 
tea,  manufacturers  are  actually  losing  -321  yen. 
In  a previous  issue  we  noted  how  markedly  the 
quantity  of  tea  exported  has  fallen  this  year  com- 
pared with  last  season.  The  Kohmiin  says  that  the 
attention  of  the  authorities  has  been  drawn  to  tho 
matter,  and  they  have  caused  inquiries  to  be  made 
into  the  subject.  According  to  their  investigations, 
one  of  the  causes  that  has  i-esulted  in  the  diminution 
of  export  is  believed  to  be  the  over-abundant  stock 
held  in  New  York  and  Chicago.  Another  is  the 
gradual  encroachment  iu  the  American  market  of 
the  Indian  teas.  British  tea-merchants  iu  India 
are  sparing  no  pains  to  push  their  product  in 
America.  Iu  the  press,  iu  social  conversation, 
and  in  almost  every  conceivable  way,  the 
-British-Indian  merchants  are  speaking  ill  of 
Japanese  tea,  and  are  doing  their  utmost  to  ex- 
pel it  from  the  markets  of  Ameuhxt'  Japanese  tea- 
men are  entirely  indifferent  to,  or  ignorant  of,  these 
things.  Tho  moment  they  deliver  goods  to  resident 
merchants  in  Yokohama  or  Kobe,  they  consider  their 
iutenst  closes,  and  they  do  not  even  take  the 
trouble  to  ascertuin  the  destination  of  their  goods, 
or  whether  they  are  favourably  received  or  not  iu 
foreign  conutiics.  Under  the  ciicnmstances,  tho 
gradii.ii  ousting  of  Japanese  tea  by  Indian  in  the 
maikct')  of  America  i-i  not  strange.  Another  point 
wliicli  Japanese  tea  iiiereliants  and  ni'anufaclurcrs 
ought  to  bear  in  mind,  is  this.  Tliey  must  dis- 
tinctly understand  that  cheapness  is  the  only  quality 
that  recommeuds  Japanese  tea  to  American  con- 
sumers. Theroforo,  when  Formosan  or  Indian  tea, 
which  generally  command  higher  prices  in  theAmeri- 
ean  market,  can  be  sold  as  cheaply  as  .Ta)iaiieso  tea, 
the  middle  and  lower  classes  of  America,  thejniiici- 
p.il  buyers  of  Japaiieso  leaf,  at  unco  transfer  thoir 
patioiiago  to  the  products  of  India  or  Formosa.  In  this 
repoct,  Japanese  tea-growers  are  placed  iu  a very  pain- 
ful situation  this  year,  for  while  the  cost  of  production 
has  risen  considerably,  market  values  have  moved  in 
a contrary  direction.  Any  temptation  towards  dete- 
rioration in  quality  must  ho  resolutely  faced,  other- 
wise Japanese  tea  will  bo  speedily  driven  from  Ame- 
rica by  its  Indian  and  Formosan  rivals,  and  then  its 
fate  will  he  sealed.  The  prospect  of  tho  election  of 
Mr.  McKinley  a.-i  I'rrsidciil  of  the  United  States,  must 
place  .lapaiiese  Loa-grow i is  more  on  the  alert,  for, 
with  Ills  election  aiui  the  imposition  of  a higher  pro- 
tective tariff,  the  inspection  of  imported  tea  will 
become  more  str-ingcut. — Japan  Weekly  Mail,  July  11 
