1910.] Notes on Crop Prospects Abroad. 



245 



reported as good. In these latter districts autumn wheat is exceptionally 

 good. The sowing of spring wheat was completed towards the middle 

 of April in the Caucasus, in several Governments of the black soil 

 region, and in Poland. In other districts the sowing of spring wheat 

 is now being completed. The condition of the spring wheat is every- 

 where satisfactory or good. 



Sweden. — Very favourable weather has promoted rapid growth. 

 Only in exceptional cases has rye seriously suffered on account of the 

 rsnow. Owing to the unusually early spring, sowing was begun ten 

 days earlier than usual, and is continuing under favourable weather 

 conditions. Sowing is almost finished in the southern part of the 

 country, and has begun all over the central districts. 



Switzerland.— Generally speaking, the conditions of the crops are 

 good ; although wheat is still low and rye has suffered slightly. 



Maize in South Africa. — The Commercial Intelligence Branch of the 

 Board of Trade has received the following information from the Natal 

 Commercial Agent in London relative to the South African maize crop : — 



The latest report received from Durban of the prospects of the South 

 African maize crop for the coming season states that the weather 

 during April was particularly favourable, and the condition of the crops 

 in the Transvaal, the Orange River Colony and Natal is much improved. 

 As far as can be estimated, the reports indicate that the European crop 

 in Natal and Orange River Colony will be about the same as last 

 season, but that of the Transvaal is likely to show a considerable 

 increase. It is not expected that any great quantity of the new crop 

 will be shipped until July. 



Russia. — According to a despatch, dated May 10th, from the British 

 Consul-General at Odessa, the returns drawn up by the Central 

 Statistical Committee in St. Petersburg for 1-14 April, 1910, and from 

 later semi-official sources, it would now appear that the crops look 

 quite hopeful in nearly all European Russia, and in many parts they 

 are in better than average condition. The winter crops are fully good 

 in the southern and south-western parts of Russia, and fairly good 

 in the more central parts. With a favourable May the winter crops 

 should prove above the average. The spring crops, as far as can be 

 judged, look very well and fairly even. 



Germany. — According to the Report of the Imperial Statistical 

 Bureau, referring to the middle of May, the condition of the crops was 

 as follows: — Winter wheat, 2*3 ; spring wheat, 2*5; winter rye, 2 '6 ; 

 spring rye, 2*4 ; barley, 2*4; oats, 2*5 ( 1 = very good; 2 = good; 3 = medium 

 (average); 4 = small). Winter cereals made relatively little progress 

 during the month. No general report is available for potatoes, as they 

 were not sufficiently forward in most districts. 



France. — The Journal Officiel of 2nd June gives the following official 

 estimates of the area under crops on 1st May last : — Winter wheat, 

 iS^^' 00 ® acres; spring wheat, 614,400 acres; winter barley, 358,300 

 acres; spring barley, 1,487,100 acres; winter oats, 1,977,500 acres; 

 spring oats, 7,728,100 acres; rye, 3,066,900 acres; mixed corn, 340,600 

 acres. With respect to the condition of the crops, winter wheat is 

 stated to be "good" in twenty-six departments, representing 3,951,000 

 acres, "fairly good" in fifty-six departments, representing 11,023,000 

 acres, and "average" in five departments, with 543,000 acres. Spring 



