422 



Notes on Crop Prospects Abroad, [august, 



Russia. — According to a despatch from Mr. H. Cooke, Commercial 

 Attache at St. Petersburg, the official Commercial and Industrial 

 Gazette of July 2/15 states that the grain crop prospects are in general 

 above the average. Winter grain, however, promises a better yield than 

 spring. Winter wheat promises to be considerably above the average. 

 It is good or satisfactory almost everywhere, an unsatisfactory crop 

 being expected in rare cases only. Spring wheat is good in the principal 

 regions of production, but is unsatisfactory, and in places bad, in most 

 of the north-western governments, in Tchernigoff, Poltava, the south 

 -of Saratoff, and the neighbouring districts of the Don territory. In 

 •general, spring wheat promises to be above average. Oats suffered 

 •more than other grain from drought and cold in May, but the condition 

 of the crop is average, or even a little above average. The barley crop 

 also promises to be above the average. It is good in the chief regions 

 of cultivation, and in some other districts. A later telegraphic report, 

 ■of July 1/14, confirms these general indications, but states that there is 

 some deterioration in the south-eastern regions, and some improvement 

 in the north-eastern region with respect to both spring and winter 

 •cereals. 



Mr. J. P. Bagge, British Vice-Consul at Nicolaiev, reported on July 

 5th that in the district supplying that port winter wheat was very good. 

 Harvesting had then begun. Spring wheat, which occupies three- 

 quarters of the total wheat area, had been damaged by heat, and on 

 the whole the harvest was not expected to be above the average. With 

 an average harvest, however, and a large stock of grain from last year's 

 harvest left in the country, a brisk export was expected. 



Germany. — According to the report of the Imperial Statistical Bureau 

 relating to the middle of July, the condition of the crops was as follows : 

 - — Winter wheat, 2'3 ; spring wheat, 2*6 ; winter rye, 2'5 ; spring 

 rye, 2*6; barley, 2"6; oats, 2'7; potatoes, 2*5 (i=very good; 2 = good; 

 3 = medium (average); 4 = small). The month showed a great change 

 from the hot, dry weather of the previous month. Frequent rain was 

 experienced for three weeks, accompanied by low temperature, and in 

 places heavy thunderstorms. Great damage was caused by floods in 

 west and south Germany, and weeds and insect pests were encouraged 

 by the moist conditions. The prospects for the winter grain crops, 

 however, were favourable, and winter wheat was distinctly above the 

 ten-year average. Spring cereals were helped by the rain, but this 

 was hardly in time to make up for the previous drought, and the 

 prospects were hardly as good as in the previous month. Potatoes 

 showed good growth, but were beginning to suffer from excess of mois- 

 ture, while diseases of the haulm and tubers were becoming rather j 

 widespread. 



Hungary. — The report of the Ministry of Agriculture in the middle 

 of July estimates the yield of the principal crops, except in the case of | 

 oats, at a rather lower figure than in the previous month. The favour- j 

 able expectations of the wheat harvest which were entertained have 

 been lowered by the excess of rain and the low temperature, especially | 

 in the districts where the condition of the crop was most promising. 



Fruit Crops in Holland. — Mr. Henry Turing, the British Consul at 

 Rotterdam, states that the review of the Ministry of Agriculture, for 

 July, gives bad accounts of the coming crops of apples and pears, which 



