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Crop Prospects Abroad. [July, 



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

 prepared by Mr. Scott, Second Secretary at the Embassy, on the condition of the 

 crops in European Russia at the beginning of June. This is a summary of an article 

 in the Commercial and Industrial Gazette of June ioth. It is stated that the spring 

 of this year has been cold and late, with the result that the condition of the winter 

 sowings at the beginning of June was, generally speaking, unsatisfactory. The 

 winter-sown wheat crop is reported to have suffered to a greater extent, and over a 

 wider area than the rye crop. It appears to be especially bad in the Governments of 

 Poltava, Tchermgoff, Mohileff, Kieff, Kherson, in the south of Bessarabia, in Koursk, 

 Ekaterinoslav, in the eastern districts of Taurida and in the greater part of Smolensk. 

 It is unsatisfactory in Podolia, Volhynia, Kharkof, the eastern part of the Don 

 Cossack territory, in Grodno and in Lomza. It is satisfactory in the central Volga 

 districts, in the remaining portion of Poland, and in parts of the Baltic Provinces. It 

 is good in the Northern Caucasus. 



The condition of the spring crops, although immature in the north on account of 

 the late spring, is considerably better than that of the winter crop, and is described as 

 above the average. It is not reported as being bad anywhere, and is unsatisfactory 

 only in a few localities in the south-western Governments, in Poltava, in the south of 

 Kherson and Taurida, and in parts of the north-eastern Provinces. On the other 

 hand, the area in which it is reported to hi good is very extensive, and elsewhere it 

 is expected to yield an average crop. On the whole, given a good rainfall during 

 June, the outlook was regarded as very encouraging for spring grain. 



Turkey and Asia Minor. — The Board have received, through the Foreign Office, 

 from H.M. Consul-General at Constantinople a despatch dated 22nd June, in which 

 it is observed that Constantinople depends largely, from a shipping point of view, on 

 the harvests of Southern Russia, Roumania, Asia Minor and Thrace. The Consul- 

 General has received reliable reports to the following effect : — The harvest of Southern 

 Russia promises to be splendid, but a critical period has still to be passed before it is 

 assured. In Roumania the crops are good to medium, and reaping has already begun 

 In the northern district of Asia Minor, extending from the seaboard to Angora and 

 Eskishehir, the crops good and very good ; further south to the Taurus they vary, 

 but are on the whole average. Barley in this district is described as not being so 

 good as last year. Further south, in the Adana district, the harvest is estimated as 

 20 per cent, better than last year, and better than any for the last eight years. On 

 the north-western side the reports from the Broussa province are moderate, less seed 

 having been sown, and inundations having sterilised a considerable portion of the 

 fertile plain of Mikhalitch. It is doubtful whether there will be much grain for 

 export. In Thrace and the Adrianople district the harvest promises well, and recent 

 rains have practically assured the spring sowings. 



Syria. — The Board have received through the Foreign Office a report, dated 

 4th June, from the British Consul-General (Mr. H. A. Cumberbatch) to the effect 

 that the forthcoming crops in Syria promise, on the whole, to be much better in 

 regard to both quantity and quality than those of the preceding year. This year the 

 barley crop in Gaza promises to be above the average, the estimates varying between 

 50,000 and 40,000 tons. Deducting about 10,000 tons for seed and reserves, the 

 quantity destined for exportation may be safely calculated at between 25,000 and 

 30,000 tons. Owing to the depression in most of the Egyptian departments of 

 business, it is very likely that the trade between Gaza and Egypt will be of a very 

 limited character, and that most of the exports will be to the United Kingdom. 



The grain exported from Beirut is estimated at 40,000 to 50,000 tons, of which 

 about 30,000 tons will consist of barley and the remainder of peas, beans and wheat. 

 In Lattakia the barley crop is estimated to be about 50 per cent., and wheat about 

 70 per cent., more than last year. These grains are of rather poor quality, and are 

 largely exported to England. In the- Mersina district also the prospects seem very 

 satisfactory, and the increase in the barley and oat crop is estimated at 50 per cent, 

 as compared with last year. 



