May 2, 1898.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
781 
still some coffee inters])ei’sed through the tea. Mr. 
Norman W. Grieve, the Director, who retires by rota- 
tion, being eligible, offers himself for re-election. 
PEPPER : GOVERNMENT ESTATES IN 
KUALA KANGSAR, STRAITS 
SETTLEMENTS. 
On the Chigar Galah pepper estate permanent 
new coolie lines and a go-down have been built 
and a tank for making white jiepper. About 
half the estate was manure I witli g\iano, with 
excellent result. The bulk of the lallang is 
now got rid off', and the whole estate is fairly 
clean. Tne crop was sent direct to London, where 
it fetched top market iniee : viz , Cgd. ])er pound 
for white and 3Jd. per pound for black pepper. The 
revenue derived by sale of pepi)er, fruit and 
young trees was §2,848-82, and the expenditure 
|2,833'45. This includes §600 stolen, and §225 
criven toSycd Musa (not a fair charge on the estate) 
while the expenditure on buildings will not recur. 
Cicily has been on our hands, and visited 
regularly until handed over toSirGi-a?me Elphin- 
stone at the end of the year for $25 per annum. 
He has since sub let it for §250 per annum, and 
he still keeps the Government i>epper gardens. 
The Kuala Kangsar gardens have been enlarged 
by a held of six acres planted with nutmegs, 
and six more acres under coconuts and other 
fruits. All the old trees have been thoroughly 
manured, and the grounds|kept up. Fruit and seed- 
lings were sold to the value of $ ,665'50, and cattle 
to the valueof $281-63. Total revenue $1,957-15. 
The herd of cattle have been improved by tlie 
introduction of i.ew blood. 
A nur.sery of Trang pepper has been )danted 
ii|) with cuttings direct from Trang, and looks 
very well. Many thousand Para gutta seeds and 
seedlings have been sold. All the Para gutta 
trees have been trapped, with good results, and 
samples sent to London are valued at 6s. 9d. to 3s. 
per pound. We did not sell any gutta in 1897, s ) 
have a lot still in store. The expenditure amjunted 
to $ 3 , 449 - 72 . -Report for 1897 hij Mr. H. Berkeley. 
THE TICK PLAGUE AMONGST HORSES. 
The most stringent regulations are in force 
in Madras regarding the quarantine of all ship- 
ments of horses from Australia, and particularly 
from Queensland, owing to the fear of bovine 
tick fever being introduced. The following is 
the text of a letter from the Government of 
India to the Madras Government upon 
the subject : The fac& that, during the last 
shipping season, a shipment of horses was landed 
at Madras, and a part of them railed to Bom- 
bay, which had been brought direct from a 
tract in Queensland, where the tick plague is 
so prevalent that the Colonial authorities do 
not allow stock from within it to cross its bor- 
ders, has directed the attention of the Govern- 
ment of India to the possibility of the new and 
virulent disease being introduced at any moment 
into India from abroad. Early measures will be 
taken to obtain the necessary legislative autho- 
rity to prohibit or control the importation of- 
live-stock from infected areas. But, in the mean 
while, it is very desirable that all shipment 
of Australian horses landed at ports in the 
Madras Presiuency should be carefully watched 
w'ith a view to minimising the danger of the 
pest being introduced into this country. Having 
regard to the terribly fatal l ature of the disease, 
and the doubts as to its existence in India and 
fis the immunity of Indian cattle, the Govern- 
ment of Madras are a.ssurcd of the cordial co- 
operation of the Governor in Council, in adopt- 
ing such precautionary measures as may he 
possible, pending the giant of ful'er powers by 
the Legislature.— 
.«. 
THE ALLIANCE TEA COMPANY. 
Yesterday morning I w'as at the annual meeting 
of the Alliance Tea Company of Ceylon. The ac- 
commodation of 9, Fenchurch Avenue, is not so ex- 
tensive as for instance at Winchester House, or 
Cannon Street Hotel, and the reduction of the divi- 
dend had the effect of bringing together sufficient 
shareholders to fully occupy the sitting accommoda- 
tion provided. I noticed Mr. Bowden, Smith, Mr. 
W. Mackenzie, Mr. E. M. Rossiter and others. Mr. 
John Bell-Irving occupied the chair, supported on 
either side by Mr. E. J. Young and Mr. R. S. Corbett. 
Mr. Bell-Irving was quickly on his feet and said : — 
The Directors regret the poor result of the season’s 
operations, but this arises from circumstances beyond 
their control, and is not in any way caused by a 
falling-off either in the crops or the quality of the 
tea produced on the various estates. In most instances 
there has been air increase in the production, but, 
whilst the estates producing high-grown teas such as 
Thornfield, Gleneagles, UdaRadella, and Calsay, have 
shewn very profitable results, Aberdeen and Luccombe 
have practically only paid iheir way, owing to the 
high exchange and the poor prices ruling last season 
for the class of teas produced by these properties. The 
estimates for the pr esent year to which reference is 
made in the r port, le-ad us to hope for good profits 
from all the estates, particularly as every effort is 
being made to keep down expenses, to increase the 
outturn, and to improve the quality of the tea. Even if 
exchange remains at its present high level, and only the 
average prices of last season are realised, there should 
be a distinct improvement in the year’s profit. You 
are aware of the issue of Debentures we have re- 
cently made. A reference to the balance sheet will 
show you that whilst we have a total capital in 
shares, premium and debentures of £105,838, the 
Capital Expenditure amounts to £112,000, and Ad- 
vances to Coolies £3,280, and it was essential, 
therefore, that additional funds should be raised 
to cover this excess. The funds thus provided, 
however, are sufficient for our requii-ements, and we 
shall not I hope, have occasion to raise further- 
money for so. lie time to come. I should mention, 
however, that the estimates for the present year 
provide for a further Capital Expenditure of about 
£1,500, and that we have had to arrange for a new 
factory for Uda R. della. These Capital outlays 
are serious items, but they are necessary for the 
proper upkeep of the Company’s properties, and for 
the increasing crops of ten, and the expenditure will, 
I think, prove to be justified by results. I might 
add that on last year’s working there was a loss 
on rice supplied to coolies of £612, which repre- 
sents almost as 1 per cent, dividend on the share 
capital of the Company. We have again been at a 
disadvantage this last y- ar in consequence of the 
high rate of exchange that has ruled throughout 
the year. As shewn in the Balance Sheet the average 
rate has been nearly Id per rupee above 1896. and 
Id in exchange makes a difference to us of 2 per 
cent on the share capital of the Company. In our 
report we give you particulars of the total aceage 
of tea in bearing, but these figures are slightly 
misleading, and we should have shewn separate 
columns of the tea in full bearing, in partial bearing, 
not in bearing, and tea clearings. These figures are 
as follows : — 
Acres. 
Total tea in full bearing . . 2,563 
„ ,, in partial bearing .. 105 
I, ,, not in bearing .. 61 
,, ,, clearings .. .. 75 
Without these details before you, s nie explanation 
would be required of the item under capital expen- 
diture of tea clearings, £612 10s 2d, this expense 
