764 



Notes on Agriculture Abroad. 



[DEC, 



subscription for each person or representative being 20 pesetas (or 

 approximately 165.). Applications for admission, which must be made 

 before March 15th next, should be addressed to the Secretaries of the 

 Organising Committee of the Congress at the Offices of the Society of 

 Spanish Agriculturists, 12 Campoamor, Madrid. 



Cattle Raising in Panama. — Cattle raising is the principal industry 

 of the country, and the animals are all sent to Panama to be killed 

 for consumption. It is often recommended 

 on that pedigree animals from abroad should be 



Agriculture Abroad. introduced to improve the local stock, and the 

 improvement in Argentine stock by the introduction of British breeds is 

 pointed to, but few cattle-raisers are affluent or far-sighted enough 

 to follow this course. In 1906 the sum of £2,000 was voted by the 

 National Assembly for the introduction of foreign pedigree stock. 

 The stock bought was sold at public auction and the money used to 

 procure more. At present about ^800 is in hand for the purpose. 

 In connection with the proposed agricultural experimental station, it 

 has been suggested that the Government should import high-class 

 animals from abroad and allow stock-owners their services against a 

 nominal fee. An agricultural fair, the first to be held in the country, 

 will be held in 191 1 at Anton, a town with a population of about 5,500. 

 (Foreign Office Reports, Annual Series, No. 4571.) 



Opening for the Importation of Manures, &>c, into Finland. — 

 H.M. Consul at Helsingfors (Mr. C. J. Cooke) reports that a firm at 

 that place desire to obtain the representation of British firms exporting 

 artificial manures, all kinds of fodder, &c. H.M. Consul remarks that 

 the present is the best time of the year for selling such goods. The 

 name of the firm may be obtained by British firms on application to 

 the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73 Basing- 

 hall Street, London, E.C. Any further communications regarding the 

 inquiry should be addressed to the British Consulate, Helsingfors. 

 (Board of Trade Journal, November 17th, 1910.) 



Possibilities of Wheat Production in Manchuria. — H.M. Acting 

 Commercial Attache at Peking (Mr. H. H. Fox) has forwarded a precis 

 of an article on the subject of wheat growing in Manchuria, by Mr. 

 E. C. Parker, Chief of the Bureau of Agriculture at Mukden, from 

 which the following information is extracted :■ — - 



The area of Manchuria is approximately 360,000 square miles, with 

 an estimated population of from 10 to 12 millions. The present annual 

 production of wheat is about 10 million bushels, which might be 

 increased, Mr. Parker thinks, to from 300 to 400 million bushels, even 

 with the primitive methods of native cultivation. 



The soil and climate are as favourable for wheat production as in 

 the valley of the Mississippi. The native wheats are chiefly of the 

 bearded and smooth chaff type ; but Fife, Blue Stem, and Canadian 

 Club types are also seen. Though the region is naturally favourable 

 for wheat production, the crop has never been extensively grown, 

 chiefly because the yield of wheat is less per unit of land than that of 

 millet, sorghum, or maize, and these foods are better adapted to the 

 standard of life and the purchasing power of the Chinese family. Of 

 late years, however, there has been a noticeable growth in the consump- 



