452 



Crop Prospects Abroad. 



[SEPT., 



quarter of the corn is still in the field, being apparently considerably later than Kent. 

 In Kent and Sussex the plum crop is good. Apples of most sorts a good crop, but 

 recent heavy gales have made a large number of plums and apples fall and caused 



great loss to the grower." 



The reports received from the Crop Estimators of the Board on the condition and 

 prospects of the principal crops on 15th August indicate that the most marked feature 

 of the previous month was a general absence of sufficient 

 AllgU^t Report Oil ra * n ' °^ wn * cn tne root crops are more particularly stated 

 to stand in need. 



Crop PrOSpeCtS. The cerea i crops a pp ea r to have slightly improved 



since mid-July ; although, except in the case of barley, 

 which is one point better, the improvement is not sufficiently great to alter the figures 

 that represented their condition a month before. Wheat is still the best of the three,, 

 being about average for the time of year, and oats are the worst ; as in July, also, the 

 promise in the north is considerably better than in the south. Harvesting is in full 

 swing in most districts of England, and the general fine weather allows of good 

 progress without undue expense. Straw is generally short, and the plant thin, but 

 the ears are frequently reported to be full. 



Potatoes have made a very satisfactory improvement, and at present look like 

 being the best crop of the year ; disease is comparatively rare. Roots, on the other 

 hand, show considerable deterioration ; mangolds, as might be expected, suffered 

 much less, if at all, from the dry weather, whereas turnips and swedes are backward 

 and require rain badly. Instead of an over-average crop, as indicated by the July 

 conditions, the prospects for roots as a whole are now rather below the normal. 



The yield of hay was above the average, and generally secured in good condition \ 

 but the pastures and aftermath have been rather seriously affected by want of 

 moisture, so that " grass " of all kinds cannot be said to be so satisfactory as in July. 



Fruit prospects are very variable : plums appear to be moderately plentiful in 

 many places, but only half a crop in others : the reports concerning them are 

 somewhat more favourable than in July. Apples may prove to be nearly average. 



Hops promise to be a good crop, and they seem to be unusually free from vermin. 



Labour is generally sufficient, the demand perhaps not being so great as last year, 

 the favourable weather allowing of the freer use of machinery, in distinct contrast to 

 the conditions prevailing last summer. 



Summarising the reports, and representing an average crop by 100, the appearance 

 of the crops in mid- August gives prospect of yields which may be represented by the 

 following percentages : — Wheat, 100 ; Barley, 98 ; Oats, 96 ; Potatoes, 105 •>. 

 Roots, 99 ; Grass and Hay, 102. 



The World's Grain Crops. — The Hungarian Minister of Agriculture, on 31st 

 August, estimated the wheat crop of the world this year at 388,340,000 qrs. compared 

 with 391,200,000 qrs. in 1907. The other principal crops 

 Notes Oil Crop are given as follows : — Rye, 181,670,000 qrs. against 

 PrOSpeetS Abroad. I96,99°> 000 qrs. ; barley, 189,076,000 qrs. against 

 177,444,000 qrs. ; oats, 422,787,000 qrs. against 

 387,494,000 qrs, ; and maize, 1,915,100,000 cwts. against 1,782,500,000 cwts. in 

 1908 and 1907 respectively. 



According to Dombusch? s List (28th August), the total wheat crop of the world is 

 estimated at 382,100,000 measured qrs. as against 386,250,000 qrs. last year. This is 

 a lower total than in any year since 1901, when the estimate stood at 357,455,000 qrs. 



Ger?7iany. — According to the report issued by the Imperial Statistical Bureau on 

 the condition of the crops in the middle of August, the harvesting of the winter-sown- 



