1910.] Notes on Crop Prospects Abroad. 



i59 



have caused some damage, the exact extent of which cannot yet be 

 ascertained, though in any case the damage is not important. The 

 condition of the spring crops is, in general, good ; late sown barley 

 and oats also show good prospects. However, the cold weather has 

 somewhat delayed work in the fields. 



India. — The area of winter wheat sown in British India in 1909 was 

 27,699,800 acres, which is 107 per cent, of the area sown in 1908. 



Luxemburg. — The cold weather at the end of March has considerably 

 damaged the crops and delayed their development. 



Roumania. — The growth of the crops is excellent. 



Sweden. — On account of an early spring followed by hard night 

 frosts, wheat and rye, which were well developed have, in some dis- 

 tricts, begun to depreciate ; this refers especially to the northern and 

 western parts of the country. 



Switzerland. — Generally speaking, the crops have wintered well, 

 though wheat and rye have suffered slightly. Sowing of spring crops 

 was commenced for wheat, rye and barley in April. 



United States. — Winter crops sown in 1909 are as follows : — Wheat, 

 33,469,900 acres, 107*9 P er cent - of the area sown in 1908; rye, 2,154,200 

 acres, or 101*2 per cent, of the area sown in 1908. 



Argentina. — According to an article in the Review of the River Platp 

 of March nth, 1910, the Agricultural Department's estimate of the 

 crop on February 1st is as follows: — Wheat, 3,825,000 tons; linseed, 

 800,500 tons; oats, 591,000 tons. 



The British Consul at Buenos Aires (Mr. A. C. Ross), writing on 

 March 16th, says that it is stated that the yield of wheat, linseed, and 

 oats in the Province of Buenos Aires will give such poor results that 

 the product of these will barely cover the expenses of the crop. In 

 many cases the maize has been destroyed by locusts and drought. The 

 cattle also have suffered very much from the same causes. 



As the thrashing proceeds, it can be seen that not only is the quanttiy 

 of the grain small, but the quality is very poor. 



It is now estimated that the wheat available for export will barely 

 reach 2,200,000 tons, the linseed also will be of medium quality only, 

 and the balance for export will probably not exceed 600,000 tons. 



The facts above mentioned refer chiefly to the Province of Buenos 

 Aires, but in a lesser degree also to the Province of Santa Fe and 

 Cordoba, where a great deal of wheat and maize is grown. The losses 

 on stock mainly occurred in the Province of Buenos Aires. 



The British Consul at Rosario, writing on March 23rd, states with 

 regard to the wheat and linseed crops, that since the threshing of the 

 grain is terminated, the result is found to be even worse than was 

 anticipated. According to the latest reliable information, the shortage 

 of the wheat crop in this consular district, as compared with last year, 

 is now calculated at 30 per cent., and of linseed 40 per cent., while 

 much of the grain is light and of poor quality. As regards the maize 

 crop now being harvested, the yield promises to exceed by about 30 per 

 cent, that of last year, when about 1,000,000 tons were exported from 

 Rosario and adjacent ports. 



Russia. — A report, dated April 15th, issued by the Central Statistical 

 Committee and forwarded by the British Consul-General at Odessa, 

 states that the summer and autumn of 1909 were dry, and rain, though 



