i 9 o8.] 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



759 



The World's Rye, Barley, Oats and Maize Crops.— Estimates of the production 

 of these crops in various countries are given in Dornbusch's List (19th February and 

 22n d February), for 1907, and seven previous years. 

 Notes Oil Crops The crop of rye in the past year is put at 

 Abroad. 183,942,000 qrs. as against 171,064,000 qrs. in 1906, 



and an average of 188 727,000 qrs. in the five years 

 1901-05. The crop of barley amounts to 151,357,000 qrs. compared with 

 152,614,000 qrs. in 1906. The yields in these two years appear to have been much 

 above the average of 1901-05, which only amounted to 134,636,000 qrs. Oats were 

 also a fair crop, the production reaching 387,682,000 qrs. against 376,136,000 qrs. in 



1906 and 373,397,000 qrs. in 1901-05. Maize is estimated to yield 389,379,000 qrs. 

 compared with 455,333,000 qrs. and 360,338,000 qrs. 



France. — The preliminary estimate of the area sown with the principal crops in 

 France, which has been published by the Ministry of Agriculture (fournal Officiel, 

 9th February), shows a diminution in the wheat area of nearly 100,000 acres, from 

 ^jSSSjOOO acres in January 1907 to 15,456,000 acres in 1908. Oats on the other 

 hand have increased by rather more than the same amount, from 1,812,000 acres in 



1907 to 1,914,000 acres in 1906. The average condition of the wheat crop is repre- 

 sented by the figure 73 (100 = very good, 99 to 80 = good, 79 to 60 = fairly good). 



French Cider Production of 1907 '. — The past year has been a remarkably unsuc- 

 cessful one for apples, and the production of cider is officially given by the Ministry of 

 Agriculture {Journal Officiel, 9th February) as 60,261,000 gallons as compared with 

 477,716,000 gallons in 1906. This is a much lower figure, than has been recorded for 

 very many years. 



Grasses for Bowling Greens. — A useful grass for lawns in or near large towns is 

 Poa annua (Annual Meadow Grass). It is necessary, however, that the lawns should 

 be regularly mown and watered, as Poa annua is the 



Miscellaneous Notes. first grass to suffer in times of drought " For Bowling 



Greens a mixture of grass seeds is to be preferred, and 

 the following may be recommended : — Crested Dogstail 



{Cynosurus cristatus) = t?, Wood Meadow (irass (Poa nemoralis) — \, Fine-leaved 



Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovitia tenuifolid) — \. 



Trees for Side Walks. — A correspondent enquires what are the most suitable trees 

 for side walks in a parish near Stockport, Cheshire. It is necessary to be well 

 acquainted with local conditions before it is possible to recommend suitable trees with 

 any confidence, but the following would be likely to succeed : — Cornish Elm, 

 Wheatley's Elm, Norway Maple, Purple Sycamore, Robinia Pseud-acacia, Tilia 

 Euchlora. For smoky districts, the Plane (Plat anus acerifolia) is exceptionally fitted, 

 but Stockport is probably too cold and northerly for it to succeed there. Holes eight 

 or nine feet in diameter and two feet deep should be prepared for each tree, while 

 new and good soil should be given if needed. It is certainly advisable to have an 

 open grille round the base of each tree, both for the purpose of watering and for root 

 aeration. All wounds over 1 inch in diameter made by pruning should be coated 

 with coal tar. 



Export of Butter from Siberia. — The quantity of butter exported from Siberia 

 in the first nine months of 1907 amounted to 1,015,000 cwts. The number of 

 refrigerating wagons employed was 1,270, and it is reported that except from one 

 district no difficulties in transportation occurred. The railway administration have 

 declined tc undertake the erection of refrigerating chambers at the local stations, 

 and in consequence the Congress of butter producers and exporters at Omsk has 

 decided to put them up, and charge a rate of one copeck per pood for their use. (Land. 

 Beilage der Nachrichten fiir Handel, nth December, 1907.) 



