i9io.] 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



67 



ments, made respectively by the President and the Vice-President of 

 the Institute, explaining the way in which the Institute has been 

 organized, and the results that it is hoped to obtain. 



The Soy Bean Trade of Manchuria. — The following particulars have 

 been furnished to the Board of Trade by the Acting British Consul- 

 General at Mukden (Mr. R. Willis) :— 

 Notes on Up to the year 1907, so far as can be ascer- 



Agriculture Abroad. tained from the only Customs figures available, 

 viz., those for the port of Newchwang, the 

 export of soy beans from Manchuria did not exceed 120,000 tons 

 annually. During the year 1908 the export rose to approximately 

 330,000 tons; one half of this was exported from Dairen, and of the 

 remainder 100,000 tons were shipped from Newchwang and 65,000 

 went out by rail via Suifenho en route to Vladivostok. This increase 

 was almost entirely due to the demand from Europe, which continued 

 throughout 1909, and seems likely to increase rather than diminish. 

 Taking the Customs figures from October, 1908, to June, 1909, no 

 less than 660,000 tons of beans left Manchuria, 341,000 tons from 

 Dairen, 177,000 from Suifenho, and 142,000 from Newchwang. Beans 

 were still being shipped throughout July and August, so that the total 

 of last year's crop exported may be estimated as between 700,000 and 

 800,000 tons. 



At present prices — say 61. 10s. per ton laid down in London — experts 

 estimate that Europe can take annually no less than 1,000,000 tons 

 of beans, and there is little doubt that at this price the supply would 

 be available. 



The beancake exports in 1908 amounted to 500,000 tons, and from 

 October, 1908, to June, 1909 — i.e., the 1908 bean crop — the export rose 

 to 570,000 tons. The native mills, it is stated, only extract from 6 to 

 7 per cent, of oil from the raw product, and if the demand continues 

 the Chinese will find it more profitable to divert a portion of the beans 

 used in these mills to Europe. There is further abundant space for 

 development; it is estimated that not more than two-fifths of Kirin 

 province is under cultivation, and considerably less than that proportion 

 in Hei Lung Chiang. 



Sale of Agricultural Machinery in Russia. — The British Vice-Consul 

 at Kharkov (Mr. C. Blakey) reports that arrangements are being made 

 whereby Peasants' Credit Associations shall take agricultural machinery 

 from selling firms on the terms of sale or return. The Credit Associa- 

 tions would be liable for any damage done to the machines while in 

 their hands, and would receive a commission on sales effected. A form 

 of contract between Associations and firms has been drawn up, and 

 approved by the Head Administration of Small Loan Credit InstUntions. 

 This method of trade is very likely, says the British Vice-Consul, to be 

 used by German manufacturers of ploughs and drills. 



Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farming in Sweden. — H.M. Consul at 

 Stockholm (Mr. H. M. Villiers, M.V.O.) has forwarded the following 

 information regarding farming in Sweden, taken from an article in a 

 Stockholm newspaper : — ■ 



F 2 



