Notes on Agriculture Abroad. 



1049 



human consumption, 79 million cwt. in the starch and alcohol industries, 

 108 million cwt. for seed, and 374 million cwt. for feeding animals, 

 leaving a surplus of 98 million cwt., valued at ^6,000,000. The actual 

 amount of the surplus naturally varies from year to year, according 

 to the size of the crop, but the fact that the alcohol and starch fac- 

 tories had apparently reached their maximum production made it very 

 necessary to find some profitable outlet for the surplus in order to 

 avoid a decrease in the acreage. A further impulse was given to 

 the potato drying industry in 1909 by the increased taxation of brandy, 

 which, it is estimated, decreased the consumption of this spirit by 

 22 million gallons per annum. 



Many systems of drying potatoes have been invented suitable for 

 the manufacturer as well as the small farmer, but the methods generally 

 in use produce either dried potato slices (Kartoffelschnitzel or Kartoffel- 

 scheiben) or dried potato flakes (Kartoffelflocken). 



Experiments with these dried potato foods (see Journal, July, 191 1, 

 p. 332) have shown that they form an excellent feeding stuff for all 

 kinds of stock, and may with advantage be used in preference to raw 

 potatoes when the latter have sprouted or are otherwise of inferior 

 quality. The price of these potato flakes is stated to be about 75. or 

 Ss. per cwt. 



The following particulars relating to the statistics of potato drying 

 in Germany are given in the Mitt, der Fachberichterstatter des K.K. 

 Ackerbauministeriums (Austria) No. 1, 1912 : — 



There were on July 1st, 1910, 257 potato-drying factories in Ger- 

 many; 65 were owned co-operatively or by companies; steam drying 

 apparatus was in use in 209 factories, and hot air in 45. Unskinned 

 potatoes were mostly used, peeled potatoes forming the raw material of 

 only eight factories. 



During the year 6,546,000 cwt. of potatoes were dealt with. The 

 dry products amounted to 1,723,000 cwt., including flakes 1,374,000 

 cwt., and slices 314,000 cwt. The total production in 1^09-10 was 

 almost double that of 1908-9. The industry is said to have had a 

 steadying influence on prices by giving farmers an alternative market. 



Estimated Export of Siberian Butter in 1912. — A memorandum by 

 Mr. Cooke, Commercial Attache" to H.M. Embassy at St. Petersburg, 

 states that, according to the official Commercial Gazette of St. 

 Petersburg of February 14th, the export of butter from Siberia in 19 12, 

 as estimated by the Conference of Exporters meeting at Omsk on 

 January 28th and 29th, will be about 72,400 tons, or 5 per cent, increase 

 over the export in 191 1. It is also estimated that about 82 per cent, 

 of this total will be exported during the summer season. 



Dry Farming in Russia.— The following account of dry farming as 

 practised in Russia is taken from the report of H.M. Vice-Consul at 

 Kharkoff :— 



Large tracts of fertile soil in Russia lie in a semi-arid zone, where 

 the rainfall between spring sowing and harvest is very small, and the 

 excessive heat and winds rapidly dry the soil. The proper development 

 of the grain largely depends upon the possibility of retaining the 

 moisture in the soil or of drawing upon the reserve of water below 

 the surface. 



4 c 



