952 



Agricultural Labour in January. [feb., 



and linseed harvests which had begun in the north of the Republic, 

 were normal, although hailstorms had done some damage. 



The Ministry of Agriculture has estimated the area under maize 

 at 7,941,000 acres, as compared with 7,422,000 acres in 1909-10. The 

 largest increase is one of 39*2 per cent, in the Province of Cordoba;; 

 Santa Fe also shows an increase of 10 per cent., while Buenos Aires 

 shows a slight decrease, which must be principally attributed to the 

 drought in the south. In the event of further rains there was every 

 prospect of a good maize crop. 



A later despatch, dated January 4th, states that it is generally agreed 

 that the linseed and oats crops have failed, whilst opinions are divided 

 about the wheat crop, which will probably prove rather better than last 

 year. Much anxiety is expressed about the maize crop, and the drought 

 is being seriously felt on the grass lands. Large numbers of cattle have 

 died, and so have increased the shortage in the supply. 



Wheat in India. — The First General Memorandum on the wheat 

 crop issued at the end of December states that the area sown with 

 wheat, in the districts from which returns had been received, was 

 23,431,000 acres, as compared with 22,664,000 acres in the previous 

 year, or an increase of 3*3 per cent. This is stated to be about 85 per 

 cent, of the total area under wheat. The condition of the crop was. 

 reported to be generally good. (Indian Trade Journal, December 29th, 

 1910.) 



Canada. — The Census and Statistics Office of Canada, in the Census 

 and Statistics Monthly for December, 19 10, gives the area and yield 

 of the principal crops as follows : — 





Wheat. 





ts. 



Bai 



ley. 





Area. 



Yield. 



Area. 



Yield. 



Area. 



Yield. 



1910 



1909 

 1908 



Acres. 

 9,291,800 

 7,750,400 

 6,610,300 



Bushels. 

 149,989,600 

 166,744,000 

 1 12,434,000 



Acres. 

 9,864. IOO 

 9,302,6co 

 7,94I,IOO 



Bushels. 

 323,449,000 

 353,466,000 

 250,377,000 



Acres. 

 1,834,000 

 1,864,900 

 1,745,700 



Bushels. 

 45,147,600 

 55>398,000 

 46,762,000 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries have been furnished by the 

 Board of Trade with the following report, based on returns from corre- 

 spondents in various districts, on the demand 

 Agricultural Labour for agricultural labour in January :— 



in England Employment was generally regular, except 



during January. for a few days in the early part of the month, 

 when some men who were not attached to the 

 staffs of farms lost time on account of rain. It was somewhat difficulty 

 however, for these extra men always to obtain employment in a large 

 number of districts on account of the slack season of the year, and an 

 excessive supply of men was reported in many instances. What demand 

 there was for these men chiefly arose from such work as threshings 

 hedging, ditching, and carting and spreading manure. Some scarcity 



