i9i t.] Crop Conditions on December ist. 787 



everywhere been rendered workable during the month, so that in very 

 few districts was the autumn work behindhand. 



As a consequence, the bulk of the wheat — about 80 per cent. — had 

 been got into the ground by December ist. In the east of England 

 probably about 85 per cent, had been sown, and about 75 or 80 per 

 cent, in the other parts of England. As compared with the same date 

 last year, the area sown appears to be about 5 per cent, greater, the 

 increase (in England) being perhaps the greatest in the south-west and 

 least in the south-east, while the great corn-growing districts of the 

 east were about 7 per cent, higher than on December ist, 19 10. In 

 Scotland the area sown was perhaps 10 per cent, less than at the same 

 date last year. 



The condition of the young wheat seemed everywhere satisfactory, 

 both as regards healthiness and general growth. 



Mangolds had practically all been lifted, and stored in good condi- 

 tion ; the quality is very generally good. The roots are nearly every- 

 where small in size. The recently published preliminary returns showed 

 that mangolds have yielded i6| tons per acre this year, the total pro- 

 duction of under 7^ million tons being nearly 2,000,000 less than in 

 1910, and the smallest total since 1903. Turnips and swedes are very 

 generally poor or bad in quality, and in many cases are not expected 

 to keep well. Large areas are, of course, being, as is usual, fed off 

 on the ground, and in some districts this practice is being extended 

 this year, partly because the turnips are often not worth lifting, and 

 partly because the roots were still growing, especially in the north. 

 The total production is estimated at 16,400,000 tons (io| tons per 

 acre only), or no less than 9,300,000 tons less than in 1910; the Scottish 

 returns being much better than the English. The yield of potatoes was 

 above the average by | of a ton per acre, the 6*7 tons per acre repre- 

 senting a total production of 3,830,000 tons, or some 350,000 tons more 

 than in 19 10. 



The Bulletin of Agricultural Statistics for November, 191 1, issued 

 by the International Institute of Agriculture, shows the production 

 of the cereal crops this year from information 

 Notes on received up to November 15th. The countries 



Crop Prospects tor w hi c h it is possible to give an approxi- 

 Abroad. mate estimate of the production of wheat, 



rye, barley, and oats are as follows : — In Europe : Prussia, Belgium, 

 Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Hungary (including 

 Croatia and Slavonia), Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Roumania, 

 Russia in Europe (63 governments), Switzerland ; in America : Canada 

 and United States; in Asia: India, Japan, Russia in Asia (10 govern- 

 ments) ; in Africa : Algeria, Egypt, Tunis. The principal alterations 

 are in the production of wheat and rye in Russia in Europe, referred 

 to below. 



Wheat. — The production of wheat in Russia in Europe is now esti- 

 mated to be 68,462,000 qr., a decrease of 759,000 qr. on the estimate 

 given in the previous Bulletin. The total production for all the coun- 

 tries this month is 386,488,000 qr., as compared with 385,818,000 qr, 



3 H 2 



