HARVESTS OF THE WORLD. 



377 



the best for the last seven or more years. Re- 

 ports from Scotland give the wheat as vigorous, 

 and heyond the average for quality and quan- 

 tity. Barley suffered for lack of dry and warm 

 weather. A larger than usual acreage of oats 

 was sown, and the yield is considerably be- 

 yond an average. Potatoes were fine every- 

 where, and yielded an abundant harvest. In 

 Ireland cold and damp weather diminished the 

 yield for the year. As at the blooming-time 

 the weather was cold and rainy, and as rust 

 made its appearance in many fields, the wheat- 

 crop is decidedly under average. Oats and 

 barley give a fair average, and potatoes about 

 the same. The acreage planted was one third 

 less than in 1881, which was perhaps the 

 largest and best crop ever obtained. 



SPAIN. The reports stated that the harvest 

 of oats was bad. Barley was poor on the dry 

 lands, but elsewhere good. The reason given 

 is the dry season, and the lack of water for ir- 

 rigation. For the same reason it was impossi- 

 ble to sow any wheat on the dry lands, and on 

 other lands the crop was poor. All crops in 

 this country for the year were poor, from 

 drought. 



BELGIUM. The weather and temperature in 

 Belgium were very favorable and the harvest 

 abundant. There was an average acreage of 

 wheat, and the yield was good. Oats and rye 

 were reported to be good. Barley yielded 

 well, but the color was bad and the grain 

 light. Potatoes were abundant, and no re- 

 ports are given of disease anywhere. 



HOLLAND. Elaborate tables are given of the 

 crops in the various provinces. Wheat is re- 

 ported to be good both for quality and quan- 

 tity. Rye, though poor for quantity, is very 

 good for quality. Barley, according to the re- 

 ports, varies for quantity in different prov- 

 inces, but everywhere quality is pronounced 

 good. Oats are about the same, being slightly 

 better for quality. The colza bean (graines de 

 colza) is a varied crop, as is also that of hemp 

 (graines de liri), good and bad reports being 

 about equal as regards quantity and quality. 

 Potatoes, on the whole, yielded a poor crop. 



GERMANY. Very favorable reports come 

 from Germany. The acreage sown was about 

 the same as in preceding years. Wheat, oats, 

 barley, and rye were each and all good, both 

 for quantity yielded and for quality and weight 

 of grain. The potato-crop was also good. 



ITALY. The reports from Italy on the ce- 

 reals describe them as excellent both for quali- 

 ty and weight. The yields also were satisfac- 

 tory. Wheat is reckoned as superb, and weight 

 heavy. Oats and barley were very good ; but 

 the bean-crop did not prove so abundant as 

 was hoped. 



SWITZERLAND. On the whole, the weather 

 this year was unfavorable. There was no 

 snow or severe frosts in the winter of 1881- 

 '82, it is true, but in the summer there was too 

 much rain, and before that it was far too dry. 

 Of most crops an average acreage was sown. 



Potatoes yielded a fine crop. Wheat was be- 

 tween good and middling, with rust which 

 showed itself in certain areas. Rye and oats 

 gave a good yield. 



AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. In the early part of the 

 year the weather was unfavorable, but during 

 the blooming and earing time it was very fine. 

 There was a smaller acreage under cereals than 

 usual, but potatoes and beans yielded excellent 

 crops. Wheat was good both in quality and 

 quantity, the weight being 78 to 82 kilogrammes 

 per hectolitre (i. e., 170 to 180 pounds avoirdu- 

 pois per 2f bushels). Oats are described as a 

 fair harvest, both for quantity and quality, the 

 grain showing a weight of 47 to 48 kilogrammes 

 per hectolitre (i. e., 104 to 106 pounds per 2 

 bushels). Maize yielded well. Rye was mid- 

 dling as to quantity, quality good, weight 70 

 to 72 kilogrammes per hectolitre (i. e., 154 to 158 

 pounds per 2f bushels). Barley was good, so 

 far as quantity goes, but of middling quality, 

 weight varying from 61 to 67 kilogrammes 

 per hectolitre (i. e., 134 to 146 pounds per 2f 

 bushels). 



TURKISH PROVINCES ON THE DANUBE. The 

 reports from this region are very satisfactory. 

 After seed-time the temperature was regu- 

 lar, though previously it had been very dry. 

 A larger than usual acreage was planted, and 

 the result has been excellent. Wheat is very 

 good for quantity, while the grain is of fine 

 quality and heavy. Oats are a good average 

 crop, but the acreage is a little less than in 

 1881. A good crop of maize was gathered in. 

 Rye was very good, and of a more satisfactory 

 quality than the previous year; weight also 

 good. Barley was very fine for quality, with, 

 heavy grain, though a little lighter than in 

 1881. The reports just given were chiefly 

 from Salonica. Reports from other provinces 

 agree with these in the main. In some places 

 rains caused slight damage at harvest-time, 

 but the result in substance is the same. Maize 

 and beans yielded an abundant supply. 



RUSSIA. Several reports came from Russia. 

 One from Odessa declared the harvest to be 

 generally an average one. Oats were good, 

 and wheat heavy. Rye was mostly middling; 

 in some cases bad. Barley was reported mid- 

 dling, but in many districts (Kherson and 

 Southern Bessarabia being especially men- 

 tioned) none at all is grown. Other reports, 

 however, were generally more satisfactory, 

 and one from Taganrog stated that no com- 

 plaint could properly be made in respect to 

 the harvest of 1882. 



Taking these reports altogether, it is plain 

 that never before (at least during the period 

 that these reports have been collected) has the 

 harvest in Europe been so uniformly good. 

 Usually there has been a deficiency, but in 

 1882 there is no deficiency reported, and no 

 apparent danger of lack of food-products. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Looking at 

 the country as a whole, the year 1882 has 

 proved to be one of the most abundant, if 



