STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION. 303 



its produce it merits the premier position, not in Europe 

 alone, but throughout the whole world. 



The average yield of the Austrian hop gardens in the ten 

 years 1885 to 1894 amounted to 125,370 cwt. (W. May). 

 The production and home consumption are fairly balanced, 

 there being a margin of surplus for export in good years : — 



Austria-Hungary. 



Production. Consumption. 

 Season. Cwt. Cwt. 



1896 218,440 154,955 



1897 155,275 152,325 



According to the statistical information issued by the 

 Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, the area under hops in 

 in 1897 was 17,178 hectares (42,945 acres), or 016 per cent, 

 of the total arable land. In 1875 only 8,549 hectares (21,370 

 acres) were under this crop, the increase during the twenty- 

 four years being, therefore, 8,629 hectares (21,575 acres), or 

 100'93 per cent, (see following table). 



In Bohemia, at present, 12,575 hectares (31,437 acres) are 

 under hops, or 0"48 per cent, of the total arable land. The 

 best qualities are produced in the north-eastern districts, 

 especially in Lower Egerland and the Midland Mountains, 

 where 6,525 hectares (16,320 acres) are grown. Saaz and its 

 environs form the most wide-renowned hop-growing centre ; 

 and there none but the finest red hops are cultivated. Ac- 

 cording to locality the hops are named Saaz " town," 

 "parish," and "district" hops. In 1896 the Lower Eger- 

 land and Midland Mountain gardens produced 82,556 cwt. 

 of hops, or 5 '04 cwt. per acre, an extraordinarily high yield 

 for this district, the crop being usually not more than one- 

 half to two-thirds of this amount. 



The hill country of the Beraun district and Brdywald 

 comprises 2,632 hectares (6,580 acres) of hop land, which pro- 

 duced 33,070 cwt. of good quality hops in 1896. 



