1910.] Notes on Crop Prospects Ap>road. 



947 



During the first week in January the conditions were very mild and 

 dull, but day temperature was above the average, the difference from 

 the normal being large in most districts. 

 Notes on the Weather Bright sunshine was "scanty" or "very 

 in January. scanty " everywhere, except in England N.W. 



and Scotland E. Rainfall, however, was 

 "light" or "very light" in all districts. 



In the second week the weather became very unsettled, some amount 

 of rain in the South, and of hail, sleet, or snow in the North of the 

 Kingdom falling almost daily. Warmth was "unusual" all over 

 England except N.E., where it was "moderate," and "moderate" in 

 Scotland. The excess over the normal was considerable generally, and 

 as great as 45 deg. Eahr. in the Midland counties and England S.E., 

 and 5 deg. Fahr. in England E. Sunshine was "very abundant" in 

 England E., and "abundant" in England N.E., Midlands, and S.E. 

 Rainfall exceeded the normal in all districts except England E. 



In the third week very variable conditions prevailed, rain or snow 

 falling frequently. In most cases, however, the actual amount of 

 precipitation was slight and nearly every locality experienced some very 

 bright periods. Sunshine was, therefore, "abundant" or "very abun- 

 dant " everywhere but in England S.W. 



The fourth week was generally similar to the third week, but the 

 conditions were intensified. Temperature was much below the average, 

 warmth being "deficient" or "very deficient" in every district, and 

 rainfall and snow were frequent, yet the sky was often partly or entirely 

 cloudless, and sunshine was "abundant" all over the kingdom, except 

 in Scotland E. and England N.E., where it was "moderate." Rainfall 

 was "very heavy" in England N.E., E., S.E., and S.W., and "heavy" 

 in England N.W. and the Midlands. In Scotland it was "moderate." 



The International Institute of Agriculture, Rome, has begun the 

 publication of reports on some of Ihe principal crops — viz., wheat, rye, 

 barley, oats, maize, rice, and cotton. It is pro- 

 Notes on Crop posed to issue regularly, about the 20th of each 

 . Prospects Abroad. month, a Bulletin dealing with the crops pro- 

 gressively from the time of seeding till harvest. 

 The area sown will be given as far as possible, and a statement as to 

 conditions at time of sowing; this will be followed by statements as to 

 the condition of the growing crops, an approximate estimate of the 

 yield, and finally corrected figures of the total production. 



Owing to the wide differences in the season of sowing and harvest- 

 ing crops in different parts of the world, the countries will be divided 

 into three geographical zones, viz.— (1) Northern zone: countries of 

 North America, excepting Mexico ; Europe ; and Russia in Asia ; (2) 

 Central zone : Mexico and countries of Central America and the northern 

 part of South America; northern part of Africa; Central and Southern 

 Asia ; (3) Southern zone : all countries south of the Central zone in 

 South America and Africa; also Australia and New Zealand. 



The following information was issued on January 20th, 1910, and 

 represents the particulars which were available of the area sown in 

 the autumn of 1909, with statements as to the condition of the crop 

 on January 1st. It is necessarily very incomplete owing to the initial 

 difficulties in the way of obtaining the necessary information. 



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