104 



SIBr-PJA. 



groat importance. Willi lu.. raiij sowing: "'"' .^'^'I'l >iiiii,T.> liom I'pnn;^' lnj>i>; with iw late, 

 from weeds and autumn hoar frosts. A day's diflerence in the time of sowing often deter- 

 mines a good or a had harvest. 



Tlio liold once sown is not attended to any more. Only youug spring crops, in the 

 main wheat and spring lye, have to he very frequently weeded, as often neither ploughing 

 iini JKuidwing aie capahli' of stopping the growth of weeds. The harvesting of winter grain 

 begins ordinarily at the end of July; of spring, at the beginning of August. The har- 

 vesting of all grains is concluded under ordinary circumstances at the beginning of September, 

 l)ut when the weather is unfavourable, is frequently delayed much later, sometimes to the 

 beginning of October. The grain, cut with sickle or scythe, after drying is gathered into heaps 

 on the lield and on the arrival of winter is carried on sledges into the farmsteads or to the 

 zaimkas. It is then kiln-dried in out-houses or barns, thrashed and winuowed. Next the 

 grain intended for sowing is subjected to a final cleansing by means of special instruments, 

 so-called podsievs, cylinders turning about a horizontal axis, made of sheet iron with 

 holes of various sizes. That which is intended for food or sale is subjected to no further 

 treatment. 



It is impossible to give any data on the cost of production of grain, in consequence 

 of the considerable variety in the level and the violent fluctuations in wages, which should 

 apply to the whole of Siberia or even to its agricultural region only. The cost of separate 

 operations and of the whole together, in the production of gi-aiu whether per dessiatine or 

 per poud in different localities presents very wide variations. The figures below, showing the 

 cost in some parts of agilcultural Siberia of the more important operations in the raising 

 of grain, may give some idea thereof. 



The entire cost of the cultivation of a dessiatine of land together with the harvest- 



iug of the crop and the cleansing of the grain is expressed for the same localities by the 



following figures: 



• Fallow. Stubble. 



Best localities | ^ 23 — 27 roubles 14 — 18 roubles 



> southern Tobolsk 



Worst » f 15 — 20 » 8— 9 » 



Central Tomsk 22 — 27 » 13 — 15 » 



Irkutsk 25 — 27 » 14 » 



