1906.] Competitions FOR Well-managed Cowsheds. 165 



feeling the effects of drought is gradually being extended. 

 Besides the eastern governments, the central black earth zone, 

 and the central Volga region, complaints of want of rain are 

 more and more heard from the Kama and Sara regions and 

 from the Upper Volga. 



According to a report from Mr. Consul-General Smith, dated 

 May loth, the conditions in South Russia have been favourable, 

 and the promise for the coming harvest seems to be extremely 

 good. Rye and barley stand very high and promise full ears. 

 They will probably begin to be cut about a month earlier than 

 usual. Wheat looks very fine and will be early. Mr. Consul 

 Medhurst, writing on the same date, says that the harvest pros- 

 pects in the Rostov-on-Don Consular District are not so 

 promising as they appeared a fortnight earlier. 



Hungary. — The official report of the Minister of Agriculture 

 estimates the probable yield of wheat at about 8f per cent, 

 higher than the final results of last years harvest ; but in the 

 case of rye, barley, and oats, these early estimates are rather 

 below the out-turn of last year. 



India. — The final official estimate of w heat crop puts the yield 

 in 1906 at 8,560,000 tons, as compared v/ith 7,1^19,000 tons in 

 1905 and 9,601,000 tons in 1904. 



A means of improving the hygienic condition of cowsheds, 

 stables, and piggeries which has proved very successful in 

 Belgium has been the institution of competi- 

 Competitions for tions among the various farms in a district, 

 i^ell-managed which prizes are awarded for the best 

 Cowsheds. , , ^ , 1 , o r^ 



kept and managed cowsheds, &c. Oppor- 

 tunities but rarely occur for the introduction of those drastic 

 improvements which would be recommended in the event of 

 new sheds being built, but these competitions, by the personal 

 interest and rivalry which they excite, encourage the execution 

 of those minor alterations which can be easily carried out, as 

 well as careful attention to cleanliness, drainage, and ventilation, 

 and cannot fail to be most valuable as object-lessons in hygienic 

 principles. 



The method adopted in Belgium is described in papers read 



