1909.] Notes on Crop Prospects Abroad. 



871 



The weather during the first week of January was, on the whole, normal. 

 In most of the western and northern districts rain was rather frequent, but 

 in the east and south several fine intervals of con- 

 NoteS On the Weather siderable duration occurred. During- the second 

 in January. week the weather was generally rough and un- 



settled. Bright sunshine, however, greatly ex- 

 ceeded the average over the eastern half of England. Rainfall was in general 

 above the average. The third week was characterised by very much the same 

 diversity of weather, but the temperature was generally below the average. 

 Very little rain was experienced in the fourth week, and at many coast stations 

 there was extremely little cloud. Fog and mist prevailed in some places, but 

 sunshine was " abundant " in England, N.E., E., S.E., N.W., and S.W. 

 Rainfall was " light " or " very light " everywhere. 



Up to this point the season was a little backward. The accumulated day 

 degrees above 42 0 for the four weeks were below the average, and those below 

 42 0 were on the whole above it. The rainfall, as well as the number of rainy 

 days, was deficient. Sunshine was, however, above the average. 



Reports from the Board's correspondents, however, are favourable. From 

 Kent it is reported that labour has been little affected by the weather, out- 

 door work being hindered only for three days, while the frost was beneficial 

 in its action on the soil. Ploughing is reported to be well forward, as are 

 also the work of pruning and digging fruit gardens. Another correspondent 

 reports that in Berkshire the wheat is looking very well everywhere, and so 

 are winter oats and beans. Farm prospects generally are good. Green 

 vegetables in the garden are, however, mucn cut up, and broccoli is practically 

 destroyed. 



Norway. — Mr. F. E. Drummond-Hay, H.M. Consul at Christiania, reports 

 on the 7th January that the spring of 1908 was cold and wet, but in the 

 subsequent months the weather was usually favour- 

 Notes On Crop able, and the hay crop was unusually large and of 



Prospects Abroad g° od quality. The total produce was 3,600,000, 18 

 per cent, above the average ; wheat, rye, barley, 

 oats, and potatoes all gave crops above the average, the quality of the potatoes, 

 however, not being so good as usual. 



Argentina. — According to a report in Beerbohm's Corn Trade List, January 

 8th, the wheat crop is now officially estimated at 21,300,000 qrs., a reduction 

 of about 10 per cent, from last year's abnormal yield. 



Canada. — The Crop Bulletin issued by the Census and Statistics Office of 

 the Canadian Government for December states that the total yield of wheat 

 in 1908 was 112,400,000 bushels, or 17 bushels per acre ; of oats 250,400,000 

 bushels ; and of barley 46,800,000 bushels. 



In Ontario dry weather in the autumn has hindered ploughing, and the 

 acreage under winter wheat will be less ; the condition of the crop at present is 

 also poor. In the Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which produce 

 three-quarters of the Canadian wheat yield, fine weather has facilitated the 

 completion of a large area of autumn ploughing. Only spring wheat is grown 

 there. 



The World's Hop Acreage.— Attention has recently been directed to the 

 world's production of hops, and a considerable amount of statistical informa- 

 tion on the subject was prepared by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 for the Select Committee on the Hop Industry, and is published with their 

 Report (213 of 1908). In continuation of this information the following 

 particulars as to the hop area of the world appears in Part iv. of the Board's 

 Agricultural Statistics for 1907 [Cd. 4445]. 



The number of countries in which hops are cultivated is small, but un- 

 fortunately the returns are somewhat incomplete. The following is a com- 



