522 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Feb. i, 1898. 
Mr. M. B. Wepley called attention to some points 
in the Balance Sheet, noting that he had accounted 
for all the funda at the Company's disposal, -s^ith 
the exception of a sum of £350 and asked if the 
Ghaii man could offer any explanation on the subject. 
The Chaieman replied that the £350 to which Mr. 
W.esley had referred was the sum mentioned in the 
Prospectus as the cash consideration for the benefit 
of the Option for the Land, since exercised, and 
fof the Patent Rights. Although not specifically 
mentioned, it was actually included in the balance 
sheet and accounted for to the satisfaction of the 
Auditors. He then asked Mr. F. L. Shand, if he 
could give the meeting any information as to Gem- 
mining in Ceylon. 
Mr F. L. Shand. on rising, said he had spent 15 
yea.rs in Ceylon, and knew the district in which the 
Company’s estates lay thoroughly. He had been 
engaged in gemming on lands immediately contiguous 
to -them and, referring to the map orr the wall, he 
pointed to “ Golden Grove,” “Everton” and ‘‘Ran- 
weltenna ” as properties well woifh the Company's 
attention, and he said that it W'ould be important to 
ascertain whether the surface ilium or gem-bearing 
gravel, which existed there and was very rich, ex- 
tended over the Company's land. He believed it did. 
This gravel bed was well known in the district to be 
very rich. The best gem-bearing gravel is usually 
found in level country, and not where you have 
abrujit hills. He instanced a case in which he fouird 
a small patch of the surface ilium which had escaped 
denudation on the hill-side owing to its being pro- 
tected by the roots of a few tea-hnshes, out of which 
he w'ashed gems to the value of 530 rupees. He would 
like to know what reports cn the Company’s pro- 
perty had been obtained, he, how’ever, bad no doubt 
■ that, situated as it was, the ilium there irright be 
valued at fully 10s per ton. He had knowir £7,000 
worth of stones sold at one time as the result of 
three rrrciiths’ ordinary basket washing in this district. 
The beautiful gems in the case on the table were, he 
could see, Rakwana stones and of high value. He 
had once picked up a gem in the district, by the road 
side, which rold for 5C0 rupees, and he had sold other 
Rakwana Sapphires at £10 per carat, 
The Managing Dieectoe said that he was parti- 
cularly pleased with the remarks which Mr. Francke 
had made as to the advisahihly of roinmeircing work 
orr a large aird comprehensive scale, and with regard to 
» the machinery he was well satisfied that it would 
aCcompli.Tr the work necessary to ensure the success 
of the Cernpany’s operations. Eeferrirg to Mr. Sharrd's 
remarks, he said that the Cernpany’s ground had once 
heerr the bed of a lake, and was quite flat. It was 
well known that lay’ers of rich ilium existed in it, and 
the alluvial had been piroved to a depth of 138 feet by 
a shaft sunk by tire former proprrietors. In reply to 
the question that Mr. Shand had put as to the Com- 
pany’s piroperiy, the most convincing report possible 
was the case of beautiful cut stones which Ire held 
■ in bis hand, and would pass round for the inspec- 
tion of the Shareholders. These, and many more 
like therrr had been found duriirg the sinking of the 
shaft referred to. Sapphires of such quality were 
very scarce in the market arrd never commanded 
belter prices than at the present time. As to the 
question of working the ilium, it was rrot his in- 
tention to do mirclr in the way of selection of 
the ground, hut to pass everything that came to 
bund rapidly throngli the machinery.- His experi- 
ence in actual gem-mining, was that valuable gems 
were coirstanlly found irr ground adjacent to the 
recognized gem-heds, and he had found it most eco- 
nomical to take the ground very much as it came, 
provided opierations could be conducted on an exten- 
sive scale. 
The Chaihman then announced that the adoption of 
the Report and Balance Sheet bad been proposed 
and seconded, and he put the Resolution to the 
meeting. It was carried unanimously. 
Mr. Fhancke then proposed the re-election of the 
/l.tiditor.s, Mfevsrs. Ball, Baker, Deed, Cornish t& Co. 
for the ensuing year. This w’as seconded by Mr. Pal- 
lett and duly passed. 
A vote of thanks to the Chairman for presiding at 
the meeting, was proposed by Mr. Edwd. J. Saigeant, 
and seconded by Mr. E. “Wright, and the proceeclioga 
terminated. 
AIDS TO AGKICUJ/rUKE IN CEYLON. 
In commenting lately on the vast in- 
crease there would he in the production of Coco- 
nuts— valued at from Iil,4U0,U0U to 112,100, WO a 
year, — if tlie average on 200,000 acres be increased 
only by 5 nuts per tree, per annum, we declared 
that neither tlie Government nor the public had 
ever awakened to a jnoper sense of the import- 
ance and capiahilities of the meat Coconut Plant- 
ing Enterprise of the Colony. By tlie public we 
meant, of course, the public as it wi.ole; for 
individual members of the community — now an 
upcountry planter, then a Colombo meicliant; 
now a lowconntry planter, then an enlightened 
retired Sinhalese juihlic servant — as our columns, 
and specially the pam|)hlet on salt we lecently 
published, .show, have fully leaiised the im- 
mense gain there would he to coconuts speci- 
ally and to the country generally, if salt were 
lendered available for agiicnltural purposes. 
I'heir efforts to move the Goveinment were, 
however, unsuccessful ; and it is not alone in 
connection with the question of salt that local 
authorities liave tailed to apjireciate fully the 
importance of agriculture to the weltare of the 
whole country. This island is essentially agri- 
culinral, wliether we recard the indigenons 
po|iulalion, who have, from time immemoiiaJ, 
considered the cultivation of the soil as the most 
honourable industry, or the colonist, who has 
hronglit capital into the country to lest its 
capabilities lor collee, cinchona, caieiamoms, cacao, 
tea, rnbl.ier, and other products. Agriculluie, 1 licie- 
fore, is the mainstay of the island, the- backbone 
of its pro.sjierity ; ar.d yet, lioiv giudgingly dots 
tlie Government extend any help to theagiicul 
tural interest ! We by no means assert tJ.at ihe 
planter, whether European 01 native, should be 
legarded as <a disinterested philanlhiopisl, and 
that lie should be aided at every turn irom the 
pul'lic funds, instead of being exj/eeled to help 
liimself in the royal way w Inch ensures a blessing. 
But what tlie Government too olten foigets is that 
the planter — we use the word in a sense to 
include every agriculturist — is a public benefactor, 
in that, while he benefits liiniself, be in some 
way, and generally according to the measure 
of bis success, benefits the country ; that there 
are directions in which the Government can 
aid him, almost without any etiort and 
almost at no cost to itself ; that tliere are 
circumstances under which its help becomes 
an urgent duty, especially under conditions in 
wbicli its influence and lesouices can command 
scientific knowledge and ex| eiience not readily 
available to the individual. We can recall 
the refusal of our Government a few jears 
ago to avail itself of Mr. Ernest Green’s 
services for work specially lecommtnded by tlie 
Planters’ Association ; and it was lather giudg- 
ingly that, recently, oflicial 1 ecogiiition wa.s given 
to the same genthman wiili a certain status as 
Honorary Government Eniomologist, as if, in a 
little colony like this, eveiy encouiagtmenl should 
not be accorded to those who deveh.p a most 
uncommon, and yet most useful, aptitude for 
