191 1.] Notes on Crop Prospects Abroad. 
171 
The month commenced with both temperature and rainfall below 
the average, and ended with a generally high temperature and 
heavy rainfall. 
Notes on the During most of the first week (March 
Weather in April. 26th to April 1st), the weather over the 
greater part of the country was dry, and 
temperature was below the average except in Scotland N. and England 
N.W., although warmth was everywhere classed as "moderate." The 
amount of bright sunshine recorded was scanty in the eastern and 
midland counties of England. 
A heavy rainfall which occurred in the south-east of England at 
the end of the first week continued into the beginning of the second 
week. Over the whole week, however, rainfall was less than the 
average except in the English Channel. In the middle and end 
of the week, the general character of the weather was very wintry, 
warmth being either "deficient" or "very deficient," the deficit from 
the normal reaching 8° in England S.E. Bright sunshine w r as also 
less than the normal generally. 
The weather improved during the third week, and was fair to very 
fine over Great Britain generally, although a good deal of cloud 
prevailed in Scotland and the north-east of England. There was a con- 
siderable rise in temperature, unusual w T armth being experienced in 
Scotland and England N.E. Rainfall continued below the average, 
"very light" falls being recorded in the midland and north-western 
counties, and no rain falling in England S.W. Bright sunshine 
exceeded the average except in Scotland and England N.E. 
The weather during the fourth week continued fair or fine in the 
east and south of England, and over a considerable portion of the 
Midlands, but in Scotland and the western districts of England rain 
fell very frequently. Warmth was "unusual" in the eastern, mid- 
land, and north-western districts of England, and "moderate" in the 
south-eastern and south-western districts ; the excess above the average 
was as much as 5 0 in England E. and N.E. "Scanty" sunshine was 
recorded over Scotland and England N.W. and S.W., and "moderate" 
sunshine in the other parts of England. 
In the fifth week, the conditions were unsettled and showery 
throughout the country, and the sky was seldom free from cloud. 
"Very heavy " rainfall was experienced in England N.W. and S.W., 
and in Scotland W. and elsewhere the fall was "heavy." The excess, 
however, was more moderate in the east of England than in 
the rest of the country. In all districts temperature was above the 
average, although the excess was not large, and bright sunshine was 
below the average. 
The International Institute of Agriculture, in its Bulletin of Agricul- 
tural Statistics for April, 191 1, gives the condition of the autumn and 
winter sown cereals in various countries on 
Notes on Crop April 1st, 191 1, compared with the con- 
Prospects Abroad. dition on the same date in 1910, as in the 
table on the next page. 
It is explained that, although given in numerical form, these 
expressions of the conditions are necessarily only approximate, being 
