102 



Reports on Foreign Crops. 



also about half a million acres smaller than the very 

 contracted area sown in 1895-96. The winter rains were, as 

 in Northern India, fairly general and well distributed, and 

 had, on the whole, done much good to the crop, but the 

 yield was not expected to be generally satisfactory. 



In Bombay and Sind the total area sown is estimated at 

 1,664,500 acres, or 36 per cent, less than the area sown in 

 1895-96, and 44 per cent, less than the average. The con- 

 traction is general, but is very marked in the Deccan and 

 Karnatak, owing to the failure of the late rains. The crop 

 on the irrigated area was reported to be fair, but the dry 

 crop was expected to give a very poor yield. In Sind the 

 area is estimated at 358,500 acres. This is 12 per cent, more 

 than 1895-96, but is 33 per cent, below the average. The crop 

 was good in Hyderabad and the Upper Sind Frontier, fair 

 elsewhere. 



In Berar the area estimated to have been sown is 356,960 

 acres, which is less than half the area of 1895 — 96, and the 

 yield was estimated at 4 annas only. 



In the Nizam's territory the area was estimated at 

 1,397,688 acres, against 1,661,698 acres in 1895-96, and the 

 yield at 6J annas, against 11^ annas in 1895-96. 



Crops in the United States. 



The condition of winter wheat in the United States on the 

 I St of June, as reported by the Statistician of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, averaged 78*5 for the 

 whole country, compared with 77-9 at the same period last 

 year. The area under the crop is returned at 21,562,000 

 acres, and the extent of land sown with spring wheat is 

 estimated at 13,000,000 acres, so that the total area under 

 wheat is 34)569,ooo acres, or 99*9 per cent, of that harvested 

 in 1896. 



The total area sown with oats is estimated at 93-3 per 

 cent, of last year's acreage, or 25,719,000 acres. The condition 

 of the crop on June ist was 89 as compared with 98*8 at the 

 corresponding period last year. 



