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Crop Conditions on June ist. 



[JUNE, 



The Crop Reporters of the Board, in reporting on agricultural 

 conditions on the ist June, generally state that the crops have done 

 well during May ; the first portion of the 

 Crop Conditions month was everywhere very beneficial, but 

 on June 1st. the dry weather was lasting too long, and 



rain is now anxiously looked for. Wheat has 

 made good progress, and has generally improved, being a strong and 

 healthy plant ; still, however, with the same exceptions of patches 

 sown late in the autumn. Barley and oats are also both doing well, 

 .but now stand in need of rain, especially the oats, which are perhaps 

 the less satisfactory of the two. Some fields of barley are looking 

 yellow owing to the dry weather. The total area under barley would 

 seem to be slightly less than last year, that under oats being slightly 

 greater ; so that the total acreage under cereals in Great Britain would 

 seem to be somewhat larger than in 19 10. Beans and peas are generally 

 doing well, though the former are mostly short in the haulm. 



Potatoes are generally coming up well ; here and there some early 

 pieces have been damaged by frost. The area under this crop is 

 estimated to be a few thousand acres above that of last year. 



Mangolds are generally fairly satisfactory, although, like everything 

 else, they stand in need of rain. Turnip-sowing, in many districts in 

 the south, had hardly commenced, the land being too dry, and this 

 operation was generally backward. In the north, on the other hand, 

 and particularly in Scotland, turnip-sowing was much more advanced 

 than usual. Where the plants were up, they had been very generally 

 attacked by the fly, and, failing rain (which is, of course, everywhere 

 required), much re-sowing will be necessary. 



"Seeds" hay promises rather better than meadow hay, although 

 reports from different districts vary considerably. In Norfolk, Lincoln, 

 the East Riding, and parts of the South-West of England and in 

 Wales, few crops are reported to be above average, but elsewhere, 

 and especially in Scotland, abundant crops prevail. Representing an 

 average crop in Great Britain by 100, the yield of " seeds " hay in 

 191 1 will probably be represented by a percentage of 102, that of hay 

 from permanent grass by 10 1 ; but while many districts will give a 

 much higher yield, many others will have poorer results. 



Large crops of strawberries and currants, good crops of raspberries, 

 and a fair (though very variable) yield of gooseberries, are indicated 

 from nearly all districts, the principal exceptions coming from 

 Worcester. Apples and cherries generally promise to be abundant, 

 though the latter are under average in Kent; plums should also be a 

 large crop (with the important exception of the Worcester district), 

 and pears above average. Generally there is much blight on the fruit 

 trees, and washing is being done on a considerable scale. 



The area under hops is probably four or five per cent, less than in 

 19 10, though the Kent acreage will probably be nearly maintained. 

 The plant is growing well, and has made rapid growth, looking strong. 

 It has already been very generally attacked by vermin, and washing 

 is general. 



Pastures, until towards the end of the month, were very full of 

 grass, but the drought is beginning to tell upon them, and they are 

 mostly beginning to get bare, although several reports still state that 



