420 Fruit and Potato Crops in Germany, [aug., 



reports agree that the yield of the hop-fields in this district in 1909 

 will prove very much smaller than in 1908, during which year about 

 22,000 acres in Oregon produced 92,000 bales (152,000 cwt.). It is 

 reported that there are about 5,000 acres less in cultivation, and the 

 estimates of the crop are generally 60,000 bales (99,100 cwt.) in Oregon, 

 and 20,000 bales (33,000 cwt.) in Washington. Heavy frosts in the 

 autumn and winter killed many of the roots, and many old yards are 

 dying out, not having been renewed. Market prices have advanced, 

 and from ^d. to $%d. per lb. has been paid recently for 1908 crop. Con- 

 tracts for 1909 crop have been made as high as 6f<2. Shipments from 

 Oregon from December to May have been 93,332 bales (154,148 cwt.), 

 while during the same period of 1907-8, shipments were 135,922 bales 

 (224,514 cwt.). 



Hop Crop of the World. — Messrs. John Barth and Son, of Nurem- 

 berg, in their Report of July 28th, state that the present state of the 

 hop plantations in all the hop-producing countries is very unfavourable. 

 In Bavaria the condition in the Hallertau and Spalt districts is good, 

 but unsatisfactory in the mountainous and country districts. Wiirtem- 

 berg, Baden, and Alsace-Lorraine are bad, whereas Posen promises a 

 good result. In Austria-Hungary only a small medium crop is ex- 

 pected, while Belgium, France, England, and the United States form 

 no exception to the generally unfavourable outlook. Messrs. Barth 

 and Son accordingly anticipate that the forthcoming crop will be one 

 of the smallest during the past twenty years. The stocks in brewers' 

 hands in the whole world are, however, very considerable, while the 

 consumption of beer has declined in most countries, so that prices are 

 not likely to reach the level which, in other circumstances, would be 

 justified by the small harvest. 



The Board have received, through the Foreign Office, a despatch 

 from Mr. Consul-General Schwabach, dated 8th July, 1909, dealing 

 with the fruit prospects for the year 1909 in 



Fruit and Potato the Berlin Consular District. 



Crops in Germany. The prospects of the fruit and potato crops 

 in the Berlin Consular District for the year 

 1909 are, on the whole, favourable. The following results are ex- 

 pected in the province of Saxony, which is primarily concerned in the 

 exports to Great Britain : — A good crop of pears, gooseberries, sweet 

 and sour cherries, plums, and greengages ; a satisfactory crop of 

 apricots, peaches, apples, and walnuts, and a small crop of straw- 

 berries, raspberries, and currants. In some parts strawberries and 

 raspberries suffered considerably in the winter, and apricots and 

 peaches have also been affected by the cold. Currants were in several 

 places attacked by frost while blossoming. While, therefore, the 

 prospects of the berry crop are unsatisfactory in the province of Saxony, 

 expectations in the other parts of the district, principally the province 

 of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Anhalt, rule considerably higher. 

 Anhalt is, for instance, looking forward to a very good crop of goose- 

 berries and currants, and the province of Brandenburg to a good one ; 

 and the other kinds of fruit are also promising in these parts. Potatoes 

 are chiefly grown in Brandenburg, and good results are anticipated. 



