482 Weather and Crops in Europe in 1904. [nov., 



7,400,000 qrs. compared with 1 5,862,000 qrs. in 1903. The root 

 and fodder crops were also very unsatisfactory, and it was 

 expected that there would be a serious deficiency in cattle food. 

 In anticipation of this a decree was issued on August 10th last 

 prohibiting the export from the whole Customs Union of Austria- 

 Hungary of molasses, maize, horse-beans, lupins, vetches, pota- 

 toes, fresh and dried fodder-grasses {i.e., clover, hay, &c), straw, 

 chaff, bran oil-cake, grains, &c. 



In Roumania, all the crops have suffered materially from the 

 absence of rain, and the failure of the maize crop, which is not 

 expected to yield more than one-third or one-fourth of an 

 average crop, led to the total prohibition of the export. The 

 duration of this prohibition, which was dated 4th August, has 

 been extended to 15th October, 1905. The failure of this grain 

 crop is of special importance from the fact that it forms the 

 principal cereal food of the rural population, and the distress 

 caused in some districts threatened to be so severe that the 

 Government found it necessary to take steps to supply that 

 cereal on easy terms to the poorer peasants. A sum of ;£ 140,000 

 was placed at the disposal of the Ministry of Finances for this 

 purpose. 



The absence of rain interfered in the same way with the 

 growth of grass ; and in view of the probable want of fodder, 

 the exportation of cattle food, viz., hay, straw, oats, bran, and 

 the residue arising from the manufacture of alcohol, sugar, beer, 

 and vegetable oils, was prohibited from August 6th, 1904. The 

 preliminary estimate of the crops published by the Ministry 

 of Agriculture is as follows : — 



(In Thousands of Bushels). 



1904. 1903. 



Wheat 52,085 71:422 



Barley 11,207 28,798 



Oats 12,223 ... ... 3Q,435 



Maize ii,ood 77,791 



In Servia also the present year has been an exceptionally bad 

 one for agriculture ; the continued drought burnt up the maize, 

 ruined the plum harvest, and prevented the second growth of 

 hay. The poorer class of peasants, it is stated, are likely to 

 experience a difficulty in feeding their catttle until the spring, 



