4o6 Crop Prospects in Great Britain. [oct., 



standard varieties of vegetables and flowers. In 1898, however, 

 ;^4,ooo was voted for the purpose of obtaining from abroad 

 varieties of plants adapted to conditions in the United States, 

 thus bringing back this work to its original purpose. 



Among the crops which have been introduced at different 

 times through the agency of the Department may be mentioned 

 sorghum, which is at present grown throughout the United 

 States ; kafir corn, largely grown in the semi-arid South-West ; 

 durum wheat, recently introduced as a crop for growth on land 

 too dry to grow other wheats ; Japanese kinshu rice, the intro- 

 duction of which has resulted in a large increase in the rice 

 crop in Texas and Louisiana ; as well as Swedish oats, white 

 Schonen oats, chevalier barley, and Fultz wheat, which were 

 introduced some thirty years ago. 



At the present time an endeavour is being made to find a 

 disease- resistant variety of cotton, while great attention is given 

 to the introduction of grains suitable for the arid and semi-arid 

 regions extending from North Dakota to Texas, and for the 

 high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains. Other experiments 

 are concerned with disease resistant potatoes and water-melons, 

 the cultivation of cassava, the vanilla bean, the mango, and other 

 tropical fruits, and of the date-palm. 



In a memorandum issued by the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries on 24th September it is stated that further reports 

 from the Crop Estimators of the Board 



Crop Prospects ^^^^ confirm the expectations formed 



Great Britain. ^^^^ month as to the prospects of all the 

 principal crops with the exception of roots 

 and potatoes. The corn harvest is for the most part over, and 

 the exceptionally favourable weather has generally enabled the 

 crops to be quickly secured in excellent condition. On the 

 other hand, the prolonged drought has had a detrimental effect 

 upon potatoes and roots, and upon the second growths of grass 

 in nearly all divisions of England. 



Wheat, which was represented in August as being probably 

 5 per cent, over-average, has declined to the extent of about one- 



