152 



REPORTS ON FOREIGN CROPS. 



[Sept. 1895. 



The prospects of the ])each crop were more favourable on 

 August 1st, when the condition was estimated at 83 * 3. 



As regards cotton, the general average condition of the crop 

 on August 1st was 77 * 9, which is the lowest average that has 

 ever been reported for that month. The low average is attri- 

 buted generally to excessive moi.sture, although in South 

 Carolina drought has been the principal cause of injury. 



Tlie returns relating to the wool sheared in the autumn of 

 1894 and the spring of 1895 made the average weight per fleece 

 for the country 5 * 6 lbs. In 1894 and 1893, the average stood 

 at 5 • 3 lbs. The State averages are reported to vary widely, 

 ranging from 2 * 4 lbs. in Georgia to 8 • 1 lbs. in Wyoming. 



The Wheat Crop of India in 1894-95. 



The Board of Agriculture have received from the Department 

 of Revenue and Agriculture of the Government of India a copy 

 of the final memorandum on the wheat crop for the season 

 ending 31st March 1895. 



In this memorandum it is stated that the character of the 

 harvest differed considerably in the various ' provinces of the 

 country. In the Punjab it was again excellent, in the North- 

 western Provinces and Oudh it was unfavourable, while in the 

 Central Provinces it was decidedly bad, being even worse than 

 last year. In the other provinces, the harvest was moderately 

 good. The chief characteristic of the season was the abnormally 

 heavy and late autumn rain, which in some places prevented the 

 preparation of lands and restricted the area sown, while in others 

 it caused the grain already sown to rot in the ground, necessitating 

 re-sowing. 



In Bombay and Sindh, the season was on the whole favourable, 

 the area under wheat being 8 per cent, above normal and 6 per 

 cent, above the area sown last year. The out-turn was also 

 satisfactory, the increase over the figures for last year being 

 proportionate to the increase in area. In Berar, owing to the 

 heavy rains at the time of sowing, the season was not so 

 favourable, and rust was comm(m throughout the province. The 

 normal area was put under wheat, but the out-turn fell off by 

 8 per cent, as compared with the average of previous years, and 

 by 17 per cent, as compared with the figures of last year. In 

 Bengal, although in consequence of the late monsoon rains the 

 area sown was 4 per cent, less than last year, the out-turn was 

 slightly better, owing to the more favourable character of the 

 later part of the season. In the Central Provinces, the area 

 under wheat was 19 per cent, below normal, and as the crop 



