2i6 



Crop Prospects Abroad. 



[JUNE, 



Germany. — The report issued by the German Statistical Bureau on the state of the 

 crops in the middle of May, states that the weather in the latter half of April was 

 unusually cold and wet, so that plants made little progress 

 Notes On Crop an ^ s P rm S planting was more or less delayed. At the 



beginning of May warmer weather with rain prevailed, 

 PrOSpectS Abroad. w hich encouraged growth very much. The condition of 

 the winter-sown crops was in general satisfactory, 

 especially winter wheat and spelt, and early sown iye, but late sown rye has suffered 

 from frost and the wet cold spring. The planting of the spring crops, including potatoes, 

 has been delayed by the weather. The numerical condition of the different crops was 

 as follows: — Winter wheat, 2*3; spring wheat, 2*6; winter spelt, 2'i ; winter rye, 

 2*6 ; spring rye, 2*3; spring barley, 2*3; oats, 2*5; (i=veiy good, 2 = good 3 = 

 medium (average), 4 = small, 5= very small). 



Hungary. — The report issued by the Hungarian Agriculture Department on the 

 state of the crops in Hungary in the middle of May, states that favourable weather has 

 been experienced since the beginning of the month. This has been everywhere 

 beneficial, particularly where there had previously been sufficient rain. Winter wheat 

 has much improved, but is still weak in many places. The condition of winter rye is 

 regarded as medium. Winter barley is excellent in many districts, while the spring 

 grain crops are generally satisfactory, except in Alfold and some districts on the right 

 of the Danube where rain is wanted. 



India. — The final official General Memorandum on the Indian wheat crop, of which 

 a telegraphic summary is given in Doriibusch (27th May), gives the area for 1907-8 as 

 21, 000, ocx) acres compared with 29,465,550 acres in 1906-7, and 25,357,000 acres the 

 average of five years. The yield is estimated at 5,750,000 tons, against 8,471,000 tons 

 in 1906-7, and 7,673,000 tons as the five year average. 



United States. — The Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Agriculture reports 

 that the area under winter wheat in cultivation on 1st May was about 29,751,000 acres, 

 showing about 4 - 2 per cent, or 1,318,000 acres of the area sown to have been 

 abandoned or given to other crops. The area is, however, 1,619,000 acres more 

 than the area of winter wheat harvested last year. The average condition is given 

 as 89*0, against 91 "3 on 1st April, 1908, and 85 '8 the mean of the averages of the 

 past ten years. Of the total acreage of spring ploughing contemplated, 66*6 per 

 cent, is reported as actually done on 1st Mayas compared with 71*5 on 1st May 

 last year. Of spring planting 547 per cent, is reported as having been completed 

 on 1st May, which compares with 47 per cent, last vear. The average condition of 

 winter wheat on 1st June was 86 as compared with 89 in May. Preliminary returns 

 make the area of spring wheat sown 17,710,000 acres, or an increase of 3*7 per cent, 

 compared with last year. 



Russia. — The Board have received through the Foreign Office a report on the 

 condition of the winter crops in South Russia at the beginning of the spring of 1 908. 

 It is stated that the autumn of 1907 was very dry; subsequently copious rain fell, 

 followed by sudden severe cold so that the sowings of winter wheat were very late, and 

 sometimes could not be made. Snow was very late and was not general. When snow 

 fell the condition of the winter crops was unsatisfactory nearly everywhere in the black 

 earth zone, but the condition did not grow worse as the winter passed. Warmer 

 weather came eaily in March, followed by cold sharp winds. This cold was prejudicial 

 to the winter crops, and also hindered spring sowings which should have been unusually 

 heavy on account of the considerable areas where winter crops had failed or had not 

 been sown. A later report taken from the Industrial Gazette (14th May) states that 

 the amount of winter grain sown in the autumn of 1907 was nearly everywhere less 

 than the average, and owing to injury in the spring, 20 to 25 per cent, had to be 

 re-sown. The spring crops are more satisfactory and may compensate for a short 

 winter crop. 



