628 



Fruit and Potato Crops in Germany. [Jan., 



The Board have received, through the Foreign Office, the following memorandum 

 dated December 16th, 1907, by Mr. Consul-General Schwabach on the fruit and 

 potato crops in the consular district of Berlin : — 



Frilit and Potato ^ e dull and rainy weather which prevailed in 1907, 

 Crops in Germany. in N ° rth German y throughout the summer gave rise to 

 most unfavourable prognostications with regard to the 

 ultimate extent and quality of the fruit and potato crops. 

 But a sudden change in the weather about the middle of September — when an 

 'unusually warm temperature, accompanied by unclouded summer sunshine, was 

 •experienced — caused a more hopeful view of the prospects for the harvest to be taken, 

 although expert opinions vary greatly as to the probable yield of garden and field 

 fruit. For this reason it is impracticable to express a definite opinion until the entire 

 harvest has been gathered in. 



Fruit Harvest. — This year's fruit harvest in the Province of Brandenburg may be 

 designated a fairly average one, the quantity being slightly greater than that of last 

 year. The total harvest of apples, pears, plums, cherries, gooseberries, and currants 

 is computed at 50,000 tons, but, as far as can be ascertained up to the present, no 

 appreciable quantity thereof will be available for exportation to the United Kingdom, 

 as growers are finding a ready market for their produce in Berlin. 



In the Province of Saxony there was a good yield of cherries, gooseberries, currants, 

 and pears, a fairly good harvest of apples, but an indifferent one of plums. Most of 

 the hard, late cherries — of which large quantities were exported to England in 

 former years — burst when nearly ripe owing to' the continued heavy rains. With the 

 exception of sweet and sour cherries, gooseberries, currants, and pears, the produce 

 of which has been, generally speaking, very satisfactory, this year's harvest of most 

 kinds of fruit is considered to be inferior to that of the preceding year. 



The prices ruling at Berlin — the most important fruit sales centre in Germany — 

 are shown in the tables on the next page. 



Potato Crop. — In the Provinces of Brandenburg and Saxony this year's potato crop 

 ■was worse than in 1906, although the crops from the lighter soils are said to have been 

 satisfactory. Exports to the United Kingdom will probably not be so considerable as 

 they were last year, as, owing to the total failure of the potato crops in East Prussia, 

 it is expected that large quantities will be required for consumption in that province. 



In spite of the damp and cold weather, the potato crops in the Duchy of Anhalt 

 and the Principalities of Schwartzburg seem to have been of the same quality and 

 quantity as those of the preceding year. The total production is estimated at 

 500,000 tons, an abundance likely to allow of some exportation to England. The 

 following table shows the average prices at the more important centres. 



Average Prices of Edible Potatoes in Marks per 1,000 Kilos. (2,2041b.). 



Month. 



--. 



Berlin. 



Magdeburg. 



Halle-on-Saale, 



January 



45'9 



57'5 



55 



February 



80 



76-6 



7i 



March ... 



t 49-9 



62-5 



55 



April ... 



51-8 



65 



61 -3 



May ... i.. 



62-3 



65 



71-7 



June 



71*4 



72*2 



7 8-.8 



July 



86-9 



73-i 



89-2 



August 



56-5 



51*4 



62-6 



September 



56-3 



49*7 



6o-8 



October ... 



56-8 



61 -4 



60 



November 



59'5 



63-3 



65 



