98 



Reports ON Foreign Crops. 



in 1896-97 (which, however, was abnormally contracted) but 

 22 per cent, less than the average. The yield is expected to 

 be middling in parts of the Deccan and the Karnatak ; but 

 elsewhere it may be taken as being fair to good. 



In Berar the area under wheat is estimated to be 

 370,000 acres, being somewhat smaller than last year and 

 57 per cent, smaller than the average. The yield will, it is 

 expected, be about 56 per cent, of the average. 



In the Nizam's territory the area sown is stated to be 

 1,091,000 acres, being 28 per cent, larger than that of 

 1896-97. The yield was estimated at about two-thirds of the 

 average, but it is apprehended that the estimate must be 

 modified in consequence of the absence of the winter rains. 



The Argentine Wheat Crop of 1897-98. 



In a note relating to the Argentine harvest of 1897-98, 

 published in the last number of this Journal, it was stated 

 that Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Rosario had estimated 

 that the export of wheat from Argentina, after allowing for 

 the home consumption and for seed, would amount to about 

 1,000,000 tons, of which about 600,000 tons would be shipped 

 from Rosario. In a subsequent report on the trade of 

 Argentina in 1897, Mr. Laing, Her Majesty's Acting Consul 

 at Buenos Ayres, observed that it was calculated that the 

 yield of wheat at the last harvest would leave a surplus for 

 export of between 1,000,000 and 1,200,000 tons. Both these 

 estimates have since been modified by a later despatch 

 received by the Foreign Ofiice from Mr. Laing, who states 

 that although the figures which are quoted above were in no 

 way excessive or exaggerated at the time they were given, 

 unprecedented heavy rains have, in the interval, caused 

 considerable damage to the crop, while it was in stack, 

 as well as after threshing had taken place, and that 

 the damage due to frost was found to be much greater than 

 anticipated. Owing to these circumstances it is now 

 estimated that the total quantity of Argentine wheat avail- 



