March 1895.] EXTRACTS FROM DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR 341 



REPORTS. 



machines, but the wheat and barley did not thrash out well. 

 There was a great deal of tail corn, and the weight of almost all 

 the grain was considerably below the average ; this, with dis- 

 colouration, reduced the price of the wheat and barley very much 

 as an export article for Western European consumption, though 

 there will be an ample supply for home use. 



In Kieff. and some of the more northern provinces, a fair 

 harvest was obtained, but in the southern provinces, especially 

 near Odessa itself, the harvest was much below the average. 



At the prices at present prevailing in Russia, the farmer 

 receives about 12s. a quarter for his wheat, which means ruin in 

 a country where labour is comparatively highly paid, and where 

 the taxes are considerable. 



A smaller area was sown with wheat in the south of Russia in 

 the year 1894 than in previous years. Every sort of crop is 

 being tried by the better class of cultivators to recoup them- 

 selves for the losses on the ordinary grain crops of wheat, barley, 

 rye, and oats. Oil seeds of all descriptions, especially sunflower 

 seed, have been tried, and so far with fairly good results, but 

 undoubtedly within a few years, as the area of land under these 

 crops increases, the price obtained for oil seeds must fall. 



Colonel Stewart states, also, that the low price of wheat, which 

 sells in fact at much less than it takes to grow it, has proved 

 disastrous to most of the tenant farmers, who find themselves in 

 great distress, while it is simply a question of time as to how 

 long landowners will be able to hold out. It is, therefore, not 

 surprising to find that the acreage of wheat is yearly decreasing, 

 and in the Governments of Kiefl" and Podolia it would be difficult 

 to find an estate where the decrease was less than 50 per cent., 

 while on others wheat is no longer [sown. In place of wheat, 

 beans, peas, lentils, sunflower, poppy, rape, hemp, and flax are 

 being sown ; but the question'arises : how long will present prices 

 for these products remain remunerative when the acreage is so 

 largely increased ? 



A large number of landowners have found it absolutely 

 necessary to reduce rents of farms from 10 to 30 per cent, in 

 order to retain tenants. One large estate, as good land as is to be 

 found in the Kieff Government, has lately been let at 5s. 4(i. per 

 acre. Three other estates have been thrown on the proprietors' 

 hands, because the present rents of 6s. Sd. and 7s. per acre could 

 not be reduced. 



The acreage of farms rented by peasants varies considerably 

 as the harvest may be good or bad, the area being increased 

 after good, and reduced after bad harvests. In 1891, they 

 rented 167,750 acres, in 1892, 132,000 acres, and in 1893, 

 143,457 acres. The rents ranged from 6s. to 13s. per acre for 

 good winter crop land, and 4s. 6d. to 8s. 6d. per acre for spring 

 crop land. 



