Jane 1895.1 



KEPORTS ON FOREIGN CROPS, 



27 



to some extent injured by heavy rains. At the date of the 

 report the sowing of spring grains was not completed. 



Crops in the United States. 



The condition of winter wheat in the United States on the 1st 

 day of May, as reported by the Statistician of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, averaged 82-9 per cent, for the whole 

 country as against 81*4 in the previous month. This average is 

 1*5 better than that of May 1st, 1894, and 9*1 per cent, greater 

 than that of the same date in 1893. For seven of the principal 

 grain-producing States, the average for winter wheat was 82-3, 

 the lange being from 48 in Kansas to 97 in California. In the 

 Southern States the average condition in May ranged from 55 

 in Texas to 93 in Alabama. 



The average condition of winter rye, like that of wheat, had 

 advanced nearly two points since April 1, being 88*7 as compared 

 with 87*0 in the previous month, and 90*7 in May last year. 



The prospects for rye throughout the rye belt were reported 

 to be fair in May, except in New York, where the weather had 

 been too dry, while in Minnesota and Kansas the crop had been 

 considerably damaged by the severe winter and had not since 

 recovered. 



The average condition of winter barley was assessed at 94, 

 against 62*3 and 88*6 in the month of May of the two preceding 

 years. The condition was reported to be lowest in Texas, 

 Indiana, and Iowa, and highest in New York, California, and 

 Oregon. 



The proportion of spring ploughing done on May 1 was 

 returned at 82*8 against 83-5 and 73*4 on the same date in the 

 two preceding years. 



In his April report, the Statistician stated that the past 

 winter had been a severe one for wheat. Seeding was accom- 

 plished at an average date, but in most of the large wheat-growing 

 States the fall was di'oughty and unfavourable to germination 

 and growth, or to tlie maintenance of the vitality of the plant. 

 In the middle States, the winter was more favourable and there 

 was ample snow protection. In the south, the winter was an 

 unusually cold one and the plant suffered much from freezing. 

 In the West, the conditions were not so uniform. 



