^% ' -EXTStACTS FBOM DIPLOMATIC AND €ONSUIiAR t[Juue489«. 



EEPOKTS. 



poses, but the produce of these in no waj;^ do justice to their sires 

 or dams. This may easily be accounted for, as experience and 

 knowledge in fine stockbreeding are somewhat wanting in 

 Uruguay. 



"In the agricultural sections there are good qualities of 

 cereals, especially wheat, maize, and barley. 



"The most remarkable advance -is clearly visible in the- wine 

 industry, and a fair show of good -if not fine wines manufactured 

 in the country forms a very interesting part of the exhibits. 



"The machinery department, showing agricultural machinery 

 and implements imported by various firms fiom manufacturers 

 in Great Britain; the United States, France^, and Germany, is on 

 the whole good. 



" The show of mules, the produce of imported Spanish asses, 

 is worthy of note, showing the fine class of this useful animal 

 procurable in Uruguay. 



"In conclusion, I consider that the Exhibition has been a 

 wise step towards encouraging the development of the natural 

 resources of this nature -favoured country." 



It may be mentioned that Uruguay is the smallest of the 

 States of South America, covering only 72,000 square miles, 

 and with a population of about 10 persons to the square mile. 

 But it is estimated that there are in the country over 8,000,000 

 head of cattle (or as many as in Austria), and over 22,000,000 

 head of sheep (or more than in Fraiice), so that the pastoral 

 industry may, if developed, become of importance. 



Agricultuee in Kussia. 



A Report on the agricultural position of Russia by Mr. H. J. 

 O'Beirne, Third Secretary to Her Majesty's Embassy at St. 

 Petersburg, prepared at the instance of the Royal Commission 

 on Agriculture, has recently been issued by the Foreign Office. 



The report refers at the outset to the different systems of 

 land tenure in difterent parts of Russia, and to the fluctuations 

 in recent years in the market value of land in that country. 



It is stated to be the opinion of the central authorities that 

 severe depression exists only among the non-peasant proprietary 

 classes ; that the Russian peasant is now more abundantly 

 supplied with his staple food than he has been in the past ; and 

 that the only serious danger of distress to him lies in his being- 

 forced to realise hurriedly a portion of his grain to meet demands 

 for taxes — a difficulty which can be met by Government 

 advances for short terms on his. crop. After making all neces- 

 sary allowances for official optimism, Mr. O'Beirne thinks that 

 there is much to support this view of the position of the Russian 

 peasantry. 



