^72 
Notes ox Crop Prospects Abroad. 
[MAY, 
based solely upon the appearance of the vegetation, which is sometimes 
deceptive. 
It should further be noted that, when the condition of the crop is 
expressed by, say, 120, no matter how carefully this judgment may 
be made, nor how great an expert may be the person judging the 
condition, this does not mean that an outturn greater than the average 
will be obtained, but only that the present condition is such as to predict 
a yield i above the average. The present condition may change from 
one moment to another, and the numerical expression must then also 
change. For 
examp 
e, the 
condition of a 
certain crop 
to-day 
is such 
Wheat. 
E. 
Barley. 
Oats. 
April 1 st. 
April 1st 
April Tst. 
April 1st, 
April 1st, 
April 1st, 
April ist. 
April 1st, 
1911. 
1910. 
1911. 
1910. 
1911. 
1910. 
191 1. 
1910. 
Belgium 
I05 
90 
1 10 
95 
105 
95 
Denmark 
IO4 
97 
108 
97 
Spain 
105-1 10 
105-1 10 
105-1 10 
105-1 10 
Luxemburg ... 
100 
90 
100 
95 
I02 
94 
IOO 
Netherlands ... 
108 
1 10 
1 1 1 
105 
108 
1 10 
Sweden 
IOO-IIO 
100 
95-100 
100 
Switzerland ... 
95 
96 
94 
92 
IOO 
103 
Japan 
100 
98 
IOO 
(100 = average yield of past ten years. Particulars of the areas sown in the 
autumns of 1910 and 1909 were given in the Journal for March, p. 1037.) 
as to give hope of a yield 20 per cent, above the average, and this con- 
dition is represented by 120. A fortnight later, floods or insect pests 
may make this estimate fall to 90 per cent, of an average yield, which 
means that at the end of this fortnight the condition is represented 
by 90. 
The following supplementary information as regards the condition 
of the autumn-sown crops in various countries not included in the 
above table is also given : — 
United States of America. — The following table shows the conditions 
of winter wheat and of rye on April 1st, 191 1, expressed in a percentage 
of a "normal'' condition: — 
Conditions on April ist. 
Crop. 
191 1. 
1910. 
Average 
1901-1910. 
83-3 
808 
86-9 
Rye 
89-3 
9 2'3 
90*2 
France. — Weather conditions were exceedingly favourable during the 
first three weeks of March. The spell of cold weather during the last 
days of March proved of short duration, and the crops are now 
strong enough to resist any further attack of ungenial weather. On 
