1912.] 



Notes on Agriculture Abroad. 



959 



The total value of pedigree stock of all kinds imported in the ten 

 years was ^'2,187,454. 



Agriculture in Siberia. — An account of agriculture in Siberia is given 

 in a report by H.M. Vice-Consul at Omsk (F.O. Repts., Annual Series, 

 No. 4801). 



Cereals. — The future of Siberia is considered to lie in the export 

 of dairy produce rather than grain. Although, owing to the large 

 immigration, more land is coming into cultivation yearly, and the pro- 

 duction is increasing, the export of cereals does not increase in pro- 

 portion, as the home demand also increases, some parts of Asiatic 

 Russia consuming more than they produce. A result of the increased 

 immigration is that the Russian peasant is no longer able to take up 

 fresh land every year, and it now happens that the same crop is 

 grown on the same land year after year, with moderate results if the 

 summer is wet, but with poor results if the summer is dry. It seems 

 to be the general opinion that the grain export will not have any very 

 great future, because freight on the railway and cartage for long 

 distances to the railway, prohibit the grain being sold otherwise than 

 at a loss to the farmer, and, in consequence, he sells only in those 

 years in which he has an excess. It is probable that, in the near 

 future, all grain not required for home consumption or for seeding 

 will be used for feeding cattle or pigs. 



Butter. — The principal export from Siberia is butter. Most of the 

 butter is exported through foreign firms, who have either their agents 

 or their own branches in the butter-exporting districts. Several 

 attempts at exporting have been made by syndicates of dairy associa- 

 tions, but these have not been able to compete successfully with 

 private exporters. The quality of Siberian butter, according to reports, 

 is improving, owing to more careful grading on the part of the ex- 

 porters, and dairy owners are endeavouring to obtain good dairymen, 

 in order to reap the benefit of the higher prices paid for butter ot 

 superior quality — the more so as the demand for second- and third- 

 class qualities is greatly decreasing, not only from the United Kingdom 

 and the Continental countries, but from European Russia also. 



The exports of butter are chiefly to the .United Kingdom and 

 Germany, these countries having taken nearly one-half and one-third 

 respectively of the total exports, both in 1909 and 1910. The demand 

 from European Russia and the Far East is steadily increasing, however. 



Live Stock. — Cattle in Siberia are principally bred for dairy purposes, 

 but on the Steppes the Kirghese breed cattle for food. This business 

 has very little interest for people abroad, as practically all cattle 

 slaughtered are for local consumption. 



The export of pigs is increasing, and it is believed that the figures 

 for 19 10 would be about 50,000 pigs. 



The quality is not first class, a fair proportion being apparently 

 good secondary, the rest poor ; but the high prices for bacon which 

 existed in the United Kingdom during 19 10 have been a great help 

 to a young industry. However, with lower prices abroad and a crop 

 failure in Siberia during 191 1, the business will be thrown back for 

 a time. 



Undoubtedly when the breed of pigs improves, as it will do 

 in Siberia, in the same way as in other countries, and with normal 

 prices, there will be a great export, and people interested in the 



