Reports on Foreign Grqps. 



without it the out-turn was not expected to exceed 50 per 

 cent. of a normal crop: In the northern and eastern districts 

 of the Central Provinces the cultivation had increased, and 

 the condition of the crop was generally good, but in the 

 south, where more rain was urgently needed, the condition 

 was poor. ,. ; , 



Crops in France. 



The French Ministry of Agriculture have compiled from the 

 reports of the several departmental professors of agriculture, 

 a tabular statement respecting the acreage and condition of 

 the crops of wheat and rye in France in January last, the 

 information being made public in the Jour7ial Officiel of the 

 5 th February. 



The acreage sown to wheat is stated to be from 6 to 10 per 

 cent, higher than last year in two departments; twenty 

 departments have increased their acreage by 5 per cent, or 

 less ; forty-eight departments have the same acreage as last 

 year; while in the remaining seventeen the decrease in 

 acreage varies from i t o 13 per cent. The condition of the 

 growing crops is described as very good in thirteen depart- 

 ment, good in sixty-seven, and fairly good in seven. 



The acreage under rye is reported to be less by i to 20 

 per cent, than last year in thirty-one departments ; in fifty- 

 three departments the acreage is the same ; and only one 

 shows an increase (of 20 per cent.). In, twenty-one depart- 

 ments the condition of rye was reported as very good, in 

 fifty-seven as good, and in seven as fairly good. ; 



Harvest of 1898-99 in New South Wales. 

 The Government statistician of New South Wales has 

 recently published his estimates of the area under crops in 

 New South Wales in 1898-99, and it w^ould appear that the 

 steady increase in the cultivated area, which has been 



