March 1897.] 



THE HAY CROP OF 1896. 



361 



appearance in British markets. From and after that date the 

 supply fell off again as prices dropped, as will be seen from the 

 following statement of the imports in periods of six months : — 



Years. 



First 

 Six Months. 



Second 

 Six Months. 



Total. 









Tods. 



Tons. 



Tons. 



1892 - 







26,046 



35,191 



61,237 



1893 - 







62,738 



200,312 



263,050 



1894 - 







184,735 



69,479 



254,214 



1895 - 







43,070 



75,725 



118,795 



1896 - 







49,049 



58,864 



107,913 



The imports of the second half of 1894 fell rapidly away, 

 and the trade with those distant countries which found it profit- 

 able to send hay to this country between June 1893 and July 

 1894, so far from developing into a continuous business, was 

 speedily checked by the return of prices to the former level, 

 and the import statistics of the past year give no indication 

 that the reduced home crop of 1896 has revived importation 

 from these quarters. 



The source of the hay imports has indeed reverted even 

 more completely than before 1893 from countries which then 

 contributed so largely to our supplies to our more immediate 

 continental neighbours. This may be shown by separating the 

 receipts of each year into two categories of origin, as under, for 

 each of the past five years : — 



Years. 



From 

 Europe and 

 Mediter- 

 ranean 

 Countries. 



From 

 America and 

 other 

 Countries. 



From 

 all Countries. 







Tons. 



Tons. 



Tons. 



1892 - 





35,222 



26,015 



61,237 



1893 - 





70,211 



192,839 



263,050 



1894 - 





68,156 



186,058 



254,214 



1895 - 





63,793 



55,002 



118,795 



1896 - 





96,350 



11,563 



107,913 



The quantity of hay now received from across the Atlantic has 

 been reduced to only about two- fifths of what it was in 1892. 

 Of this the United States and Canada sent only 8,200 tons, 

 against 24.700 tons in 1892 : the nearest European countries 

 have, however, considerably increased their supplies in this 

 interval. 



