648 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIS  P. 
[March  i,  1897. 
Present: — Messrs.  G.  II.  Al.ston,  Cliairman, 
and  H.  Cumberbatcli  Directors,  and  by  tbeir 
Attornies  Col.  H.  L.  Brooke,  Col.  E.  Corse- 
Scott,  Major  A.  H.  MacNab,  Miss  A.  A.  Cmn- 
berbatch,  Messrs.  W.  S.  Bennett,  \\^  Bowden- 
Sniith,  A.  Fetherstonlianj^b,  ami  T.  K.  Writdit. 
The  notice  convening  the  meeting  was  read. 
The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  of  the  28th 
Februcary  1896  were  read  and  conlirmed. 
Proposed  by  the  Chairman  and  seconded  by 
Mr.  W.  S.  Bhnnett  that  the  report  of  the 
Directors  as  circulated  among  the  shareholders 
be  adopted.— Carried. 
Proposed  by  Col.  Corse-Scott,  seconded  by 
Mr.  T.  K.  Wright  That  a dividend  of  10 
per  cent  be  declared  for  the  year  1896,  payable 
forthwith.”— Carried. 
Proposed  by  Col.  Brooke,  seconded  by  Major 
MacNab  : — “ That  Mr.  .1.  N.  Campbeli  be  re- 
elected Director  of  the  Company.” — Carried. 
Proposed  by  Mr.  Fetherstonhaugh,  seconded 
by  Mr.  T.  K.  Wright  that  Mr.  Hercules  J.  Scott 
be  re-elected  Auditor  for  1897. 
A vote  of  thanks  to  the  chair  terminated  the 
meeting. 
CUMBERBATCH  lA'  Co., 
Agents  and  Secretaries. 
REPORT. 
ACREAGE. 
The  acreage  of  the  Company’s  Estates  for  the  year 
1897  is  as  under  ;— 
Tee  in  bearing 
Tea  seed  bearers 
Tea  not  in  bearing  . . 
Coffee  . . 
Cardamoms  in  bearing 
Do.  not  in  bearing 
Total  cultivated  acreage 
Forest  and  Fuel  Plantations 
Chena  and  Patna 
Acres. 
Acres. 
430 
6 
145 
.581 
55 
65 
35 
100 
736 
31 
894 
Grand  Total  ..  1,()61 
The  total  quantity  of  tea  secured  during  the  year 
was  158,919  lb.,  which  has  been  sold  at  an  average 
of  51-34  cts.  net  per  lb. 
The  total  cardamoms  picked  amount  to  7,872  lb., 
which  heve  been  sold  at  an  average  of  R2-22  per  lb. 
144  29-32nd  bushels  of  coffee  have  been  harvested 
and  realised  R2, 163-60,  or  say  1115  per  bushel. 
The  total  expenditure  amounts  to  R51, 489-03.  The 
balance  available  after  providing  for  depreciation 
amounts  to  R37,7l6-82,  and  the  directors  propose  to 
puy  a dividend  for  the  year  at  the  rate  of  10  per 
cent  absorbing  R28,000  to  place  R9,12011  to  credit 
of  extensions  account,  bringing|the  amount  at  credit  of 
that  account  up  to  R17,000,  and  to  carry  forward 
R596-71  to  next  account. 
The  wire  tramway  alluded  to  in  the  last  report 
has  been  erected  and  is  working  satisfactorily. 
During  1897  it  is  proposed  to  plant  2C  acres  with  tea. 
The  crops  for  1897  are  estimated  as  follows : — 
190,000  lb.  Tea 
6,000  „ Cardamoms 
225  bushels  coffee  (Dry  cherry) 
against  an  expenditure  of  R59,863. 
The  Directors  have  arranged  with  the  Debenture 
holders  to  increase  the  amount  of  debentures  to 
£7  000,  reducing  the  interest  from  7 per  cent  lo  6 
per  cent  from  1st  .January,  1897.  The  loan  is  fixed 
for  5 years  certain. 
Of  the  Directors  Mr.  ,J.  N.  Campbell  retires,  but 
(eligible  for  re-election. 
An  auditor  for  1897  will  have  to  bo  appointed  at 
this  meeting. 
INDIAN  TEA  SALES. 
(From  William  Moran  <fc  Co.'s  Market  Report.) 
C.MX'UTTA,  Feb.  17. 
VirtuaUy  the  last  auction  of  the  season  was  held 
on  the  11th  instant,  when  11,978  packages  were  dis- 
posed of. 
The  quality  generally  was  poor,  with  the  exception 
of  a few  Assam  invoices. 
Colonial  buyers  took  advantage  of  the  lower  prices 
ruling,  and  a fair  quantity  was  secured  for  those 
markets. 
Reuter's  Telegrams,  received  since  our  last,  report 
as  follows : — 
Indian  Tea  : — 
February  11th — Auctions. — “ Offered  40,000  packages. 
Sold  34,000  packages.  Generally  good  demand.  Com- 
mon to  medium  qualities  very  firm.  Average  price, 
9ifd.'’ 
Total  Tea  passed  through  Calcutta  from  1st  April 
to  15th  February. 
1896-97.  1895-96.  1894-95. 
Great  Britain 
Foreign  Europe 
America 
Asia 
Australia 
131,215,566 
436,2.58 
1,926,909 
4,190,289 
6,263,192 
120,223,505 
276,295 
1.080,234 
4,787,951 
6,581,356 
114,140,191 
240,254 
586,187 
3,710,311 
4,766,195 
144,062,214  13-2,949,341  123,443,138 
VARIOUS  PLANTING  NOTES. 
Tobacco. — In  continuation  of  the  discussion  as 
to  the  growth  and  preparation  of  tliis  product 
in  Ceylon,  we  liave  to  thank  “ J.M.”  for  his  very 
useful  letter  which  will  appear  infour  next  i.ssue. 
It  is  evident  that  if  tea  should  begin  to  fait 
us— s.ay  in  the  older  districts — of  whicli  there 
is  no  sign  as  yob — we  need  not  consider  “ to- 
bacco” as  quite  played  out  .in  the  bauds  of 
])lanters. 
Cacao  and  Cinnamon  in  the  Amboina 
Islands. — In  a paper  read  at  the  Colonial  Mu- 
seum at  Haarlem  on  Dec.  12,  1896,  and  printed 
in  the  Indische  Mercuur  of  Jan.  30,  1897  : — 
*'  On  the  means  of  re.storing  prosperity  to  and 
developing  the  Amboina  Islands,”  the  writer,  G. 
W.  W.  C.  Baron  van  Hoevell,  said  (we  translate 
from  the  Dutch) : — “ I must  draw  attention  to  two 
other  cultures  [besides  coffee]  for  Serau,  namely 
cacao. and  cinnamon.  The  first,  at  one  time,  tried 
on  the  little  island  of  Amboina,  gave  poor  results, 
and  a number  of  extensive  cacao  gardens  there  have 
been  destroyed  by  a disease  that  caused  the  fruiti 
to  turn  mouldy,  blacken,  and  fall  off  before  these 
were  ripe-  This  disease  could  now  easily  be  warded 
off,  as  a remedy  was  discovered  later  on  to  prevent 
it : ginger  root,  planted  round  the  stem,  is  an  excellent 
trap-plant ; and  keeps  away  all  diseases  from  the 
tree.  The  case  is  different  in  Seran,  where  I have 
seen  at  Awoya  in  the  Elpahpoetih  Bay  plantations  of 
cacao  that  were  thriving  excellently  and  had 
nothing  to  suffer  from  disease  so  far.  The  cultiva- 
tion  of  cinnamon  can  also  be  recommended.  I do 
not  mean  that  of  cassia,  the  wild  variety,  which  ii 
met  with  so  plentifully  in  the  uplands  of  Padang, 
but  the  true  Ceylon  cinnamon.  I have  seen  speci- 
mens of  it  in  the  Amboina  residency,  -which  yielded 
a cinnamon  that,  according  to  experts,  did  not  de- 
serve to  be  classed  as  inferior  to  the  best  Ceylon.” 
(4LOSETS,  Uriiials,  Night  Cominode.s,  Stables,. 
' Kennels,  should  be  lightly  dredged 
(aftcM-  cleansing)  with  (’ai.vert'.s  1.5  jier  cent 
Garholic  Powder,  to  destroy  bad  odours  and 
to  kill  or  kee])  away  insects — ’i'he  most  effective 
jirepar.-itioM.  — In  J Ih.,  lib.  and  21b.-  d red  y ms,  at 
6d.,  Is.',  & Is.  6il.  each,  from  Gbemists  ami  Stores. 
F.  C.  CALVEUTA  Co.,  Manchester. 
