191 2.] Notes on Crop Prospects Abroad. 



1053 



The Crop Reporters of the Board, in reporting on agricultural con- 

 ditions during February, state that the mild, though generally wet, 

 . . , weather that prevailed after the first few days 



« •% • , • . of the month, has been favourable to the 



Conditions in . , «. , 1 , • 



... . winter crops, which are mostly looking 



Great Britain in vigorous and are well forward. The severe 

 r ry. frosts during the first week, however, appear 



to have done damage in some districts, notably in the midlands, where 

 both winter oats and beans suffered. A few cases are also mentioned 

 where some re-sowing will have to be done owing to low-lying land 

 having been flooded. 



The rather persistent wet weather has nearly everywhere kept the 

 land in a moist condition, and comparatively little progress has accord- 

 ingly been made with spring sowings. 



The lambing reports are not quite so unsatisfactory as last month, 

 and it would appear that the earliest flocks have given the poorest 

 results. In the midland and eastern counties, so far as lambing has 

 taken place, the fall is, upon the whole, not more than average, but 

 reports state that the lambs are healthy and more numerous than was 

 the case last month, though cases of loss are frequently mentioned. 

 Towards the north of England, where lambing had only just begun, 

 reports are better ; but in Scotland the very few lambings reported have 

 been disappointing. 



In certain districts sheep have suffered somewhat from the sharp 

 weather in the early part of February, and losses of hoggs are recorded 

 from the midlands ; but stock began to show improvement towards the 

 end of the month, although they are generally bare of flesh and back- 

 ward in condition. The mild weather has allowed of their being turned 

 out, and a further saving of the scanty stores of roots has consequently 

 been effected. Turnips which had not been stored were in many cases 

 damaged by the frosts at the beginning of the month. 



The Bulletin of Agricultural Statistics for February, 1912, issued 

 by the International Institute of Agriculture, shows that, after the 

 inclusion of the latest harvest figures for 



flj A'fpc ATI 



Norway, Sweden, and Canada, which were 

 Crop Prospects published in the January bulletin, the total 

 Abroad. production of wheat in 191 1 for the following 



countries in the northern hemisphere : — Eurape (excluding Portugal 

 and countries south of the Danube other than Bulgaria) ; Canada, the 

 United States; India, Japan, Asiatic Russia; Algeria, Egypt, and 

 Tunis, amounts to 394,184,000 qr., as compared with 398,084,000 qr. 

 in the previous year, a reduction of 1 per cent. 



If to this total be added the production in the four countries of the 

 southern hemisphere, Argentina, Chili, Australia, and New Zealand, 

 for which figures are available, the total production amounts to 

 430,547,000 qr., as compared with 432,551,000 qr. in the previous year, 

 or a reduction of A per cent. 



Sowing of Winter Cereals. — The areas estimated to have been 

 sown with wheat up to December 31st, 191 1, compared with the areas 

 sown during the corresponding period of 19 10, expressed as per- 

 centages, are shown for the following countries, in addition to those 



