Sept. 1894.] 



CROP PROSPECTS ABROAD. 



37 



Straw was generally speaking abundant, and as the ears, 

 were for the most part long, and the grain well developed, the 

 rye harvest as a whole was expected to yield an average 

 perhaps even a good, crop. The quality of the grain was also 

 satisfactory. 



In the case of wheat, the flowering season was more propitious. 

 In the south this occurred partly before the commencement of 

 the rainy period ; in the north-west chiefly during the suc- 

 ceeding fine weather. Partly for this reason, and partly owing 

 to its thicker growth, the harvest prospects were better in the 

 case of wheat than in that of rye. Rust was said to be prevalent 

 in many districts, and blight had made its appearance in a 

 few isolated localities. Amongst pests which retarded germi- 

 nation, reference is made to the ribbon- footed corn-fly, Chlorops 

 tceniopus, which had appeared in the north-west, especially in 

 Silesia, while the Hessian fly, Cecidomyia destructor, had done 

 some damage in the west of Galicia. Under these circum- 

 stances the wheat crop in general might, with the exception of 

 Galicia, be reckoned as a good average, while in Galicia it was 

 barely up to average. In the southern districts the wheat- 

 harvest had already commenced. 



Barley and oats had upon the whole a very good ap- 

 pearance. 



Maize promised to be a fair crop, although growth was re- 

 tarded by the long spell of rain in June. As regards millet, 

 unsatisfactory accounts came from Carinthia, Bohemia, and 

 Galicia. Potatoes seemed likely to yield a good crop, although 

 they were partially injured and rotted by the wet, and the 

 disease had attacked them in many districts. Early potatoes 

 especially suflered in this way. 



In the case of roots, work had been delayed by the long period 

 of rain. 



Turnips and cabbages were, generally speaking, good. The 

 latter had suflered somewhat from cockchafer-larvae and turnip 

 flea. 



For haymaking the bright weather came exactly at the 

 right time. Consequently the hay -crop was very good in 

 most cases, while in others it was slightly damaged. The 

 quantity was upon the whole satisfactory, and even abundant, 

 especially in Steiermark, Carinthia, Carniola, and north- 

 eastern Bohemia. The clover fields also yielded a good crop 

 of hay. 



Of flax extremely good accounts came from the Alpine and 

 Western districts, as well as from Bukovina, though those from 

 the latter province were not quite so good. 



In the case of vines, flowering took place to a large extent in 

 the rainy period, consequently the vintage will not be very 

 good, especially as it has also been unduly delayed. 



Amongst fruit-trees the falling off" of the newly-set fruit con- 

 tinued throughout the period referred to in the report, so that 



