July i, 1891.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
47 
CKYLON UPCOUNTIJY PLANTING KEPORT. 
WEATHERAND LABODR- TAMIL I.F.ITERa AND PObTAL 
ADTHCRITIKb— BCCITISU IMPKIUAL INSDRANCE OPM- 
PANY AND TEtIPERANOE — A LITTLE OIHL’s BIMPLIOIIV. 
May 26th. 
At present one has little else to think of than 
the weather. It is in evidence everywhere, out- 
side and inside, and its eileots are visible in leaf 
tint won’t wither, short musters in the morninii, 
roifs that will let rain through, clothes that don’t 
dry, boots that will grow tuncus, and general dis- 
oomtort and unpleasantuess. Work falls back and 
back, for when an estate has barely enough of coolies 
to get on with in normal tiin s, to have the added 
horror of the wind and the rain fighting against 
you is a serious handicap. Still, with it all, it is won. 
derful how things are kept straight. 
We are all in hopes too of reii.foroemtnta to 
our labour force, for you hear of the coming of the 
new gang, long before they put in an appearance : and 
some of ns would even willingly see a slacking nil 
of flush — high treason though the thought may bo 
— just to get our feet oleared and wipe oil arrears 
of work, and then begin again. 
How is it that Tamil letters get so often miscar- 
ried ? 80 long, of course, as the letter roaches, Kama 
Sami cares not, ns a rule, whether a week or a 
month has been lost in the transit, and if the letter 
disappears altogeth r and ho hears that one has 
been written, he would be the last to blame the 
postal authorities. He would treat the story of the 
writing rather as a romance. It is a wonder to me 
however what little care these coast letters get. One 
comes up in your tappal box, every now and again, 
which should never have been sent, as it is in- 
tended for another estate altogether. It makes the 
round of the estates’ ksnganies, and goes back after 
some delay to the Post Office as a derelict, to 
wander away, after that goodness knows whore. Very 
likely shoved into the first handy tappal box to 
try its luck there, and as likely as not a blind 
shot again. Of oourao the Tamil address is often 
a thing of voluminous vagueness and it would need 
an inspired genius always to hit on the letter’s 
destination. Still so many Tamil letters intended 
for some estates find their way into the wrong 
tappal box, that one is impressed with the idea that 
a little more care and attention would result 
in better delivery. The knowing ones who go 
to the coast carry away with them properly ad- 
dressed envelopes, as I suppose they find that 
the English characters have more respect pa'd to 
them than is usually awarded to tho Tamil cnes, 
and are sure. 
I have received a oopy of the [ rOEpeclus of the 
Scottish Imperial IiiEurance Company of which Mr. 
W. D. Gibbon is cgi nt. This Iiuuranco Company 
has a provision, which I am not aware that any 
of tho other OompanleB represented in tbe island 
has ; that is a separate Eoctiou open for abstainers. 
The prospectus Bays that “The profits ccrued 
from the premiums of such assurers are aRcertnuied 
separately, so that abstaiuers have tbe full b nefil 
to be derived Ironi suoh a olassifioation." The 
prospectus gives no hint as to what this advai tigo 
amounts to ; being a comparative young ollic.', it 
may not yet feel justified in tabulating itsaliaady 
ascertained results : but other offices do, Pethaps 
the oldest company ti nt has subdivided its lives in 
this way is the United Kingdom Temperance and 
General Provident Institution ; and over a seventeen 
years period, the deaths in the geucr.'il srotion 
were but s ightly below the expectancy, whereas 
in the Temperance section a little over seventy 
per cent wore all that died. This of course means 
a very oonsiderable bonus to the abstainer and 
those who go in for insurance and who are ab- 
stainers should see that the advantages of the 
longevity oi the class to which they belong are 
wholly scoured to themselves. 
The “ Scottish Imperial " still sticks however to 
an extra ten shillings per annum for every £100 
assured as a Ceylon risk. No doubt Aseuranoe 
companies are slow to move in matters of this 
kind, but that there should be an extra risk for 
Ceylon, shows either a grasping disposition, or 
an innequainlance with the conditions of Coylon 
life. When we have Companies at homo open to 
proposals without a medical examination at all ; 
and others which allow residence abroad at the 
home rates, the Companies that trade with Ceylon 
ought not to be behind the foremost. That life 
has more risks hero than it has in the old country 
is very muoh open to doubt : indeed it is all the 
other way if anything like ordinary care is observed. 
In due time this will come to be recognised, and 
it is for local men like the agent of the “ Seottish 
Imperial ’’ to press this fact on his Company’s 
directors, so that extra premiums which covet 
fanciful risks, may disappear, and tbe Ceylon 
insurer may have bis business done on tbe beat 
terms. 
A little five year old girl was having a story 
read to her the other day, when the sentence 
ooourred, “And hs eye fell upon the page.’’ 
“ Did it really tumble out ? ’’ was the question she 
immediately asked. 
I began my letter with the weather, and am 
constrained to end it with tho same theme. There 
is a good deal of monotony in it, and the eon- 
slant rain gets very tiring. We will all be pleased 
to see a change which would suit planter and 
cooly alike, and give something brighter to write 
about. Pepperoobn. 
THE SCOTTISH CEYLON TEA 
COMPANY. 
Mr. H. L. Forbes report on his recent trip to 
Ceylon to his Company’s Board is mainly as fol- 
lows : — 
Tbe Board called upon me to make no epecia! report 
on any particular estate or poseehsiou of our Company, 
If, however, I had contidered auoh necBesary, I should 
have done so, bat I have pleasure in s'ating th.st I 
could furnish no more elaborate or truthful reports on 
tho Oompauy’s intcrestsiii Ceylon, than those supplied 
us by our Geylon Managi-r, so, therefore, men Iv take 
the Estates generally. In company with Mr. Kerr, 
and the respective Siiperiiitondeuts, I have inspected 
each and ail of tho Company’s properties in tbe inland, 
and can corroborate Mr. Kerr's reports furnished tom 
from time to time thereon, in every detail. From my 
intimate knowledge of all tho eetatee I was in a posi- 
tion to notice progrcBsion or othorwiee. In everytbiug 
1 saw I c .uld mark muoh improvement iD'growMi„and 
nature has been assisted byitbo mosr'oaroful hiiobandry. 
The Company’s propenioB, during the two years which 
the Company has held them, have immensely improved 
in value, not only from their natural increase 
in age (being young when purchased), but from iho 
jiidioious cate bo.<towed upon them, the capital put 
into them, and the generally improved prospects of 
Ceylon as a Tea producing country, and I t’link it is nni- 
vorratly acknowledged, by those who ongbt to know, 
that the yield of up-conntry estates, such as ours, will 
be considerably greater than was ever anticipated. 
As this date, I have every reason for stating that I 
consider the Company’s properties hava increased in 
value to the extent of 30 per cent on tho prioe at 
which they were acquired by the Oompaiiy two years 
ago. Ten per cent was put into them in hard esh 
by the sbaroholtiers tbeiuselves at our general meeting 
of 18i)0, and quite 20 per cent has been added to them 
dating the two years of possessicii, by oiroumstaucea 
over which had and had not oontrol. 
