Dec. 1895.] 



REPORTS ON FOREIGN CROPS. 



305 



The yield of winter wheat is put at 2G-2 bushels per acre, 

 against 25-1 in J 894; spring wheat at 23*2, as against 24*4 

 bushels per acre last year. On the whole, the best results have 

 been obtained in the extreme north (Schleswig) and centre 

 (about Magdeburg), while the poorest yields are reported from 

 the extreme east (East Prussia). The crop is above the average. 



Rye has proved slightly above the average, and slightly below 

 last year; the yield being put at about 19-3 bushels per acre, 

 against 19-9 bushels in 1894;, and an average of 19 bushels, in 

 the case of autumn rye. The harvest was best in the Rldne 

 provinces, and was least satisfactory towards the east. Spring 

 rye, of which there is a comparatively small quantity, gave a 

 smaller yield, viz., a little over 13 bushels to the acre. 



The yield of oats is less than last year, but above the average, 

 being 35-4 bushels per acre in 1895, 38'3 in 1894, and the average 

 being taken as 32-2 bushels per acre. 



A similar remark applies to peas, the yield this year being 

 15| bushels per acre, against 16| in 1894, and an average of 14^. 



Spring hdbrley gave 31 bushels per acre, this being rather less 

 than in 1894, but well above the average. 



Potatoes have turned out better than was expected, especially 

 in the eastern part of the kingdom. In Prussia proper, the crop 

 has proved a very heavy one, and is the best for many years in 

 some districts. It is stated to average 5J tons per acre through- 

 out the kingdom, against 4*44 tons in 1894, and an average of 

 4'36 tons. Halle reports a yield of over 1 0 tons to the acre. 

 The condition of the tubers is also exceptionally good, although 

 some doubts are expressed as to their keeping qualities. 



Hay, both from clover and pasture, was rather better than last 

 year, and considerably above the average ; the yield was esti- 

 mated at about 34 J cwts. per acre from clover and lucerne, and 

 27i cwts. from pasture. 



Crops in Italy. 



The official preliminary forecast of the yield of wheat, barley, 

 and oats in Italy in the harvest of 1895 has been published in 

 the Bollettino di Notizie A grarie. 



Wheat is estimated to have yielded 102,899,808 bushels in 

 1895, as compared with 117,837,225 bushels in 1894 ; being a 

 decrease of nearly 15,000,000 bushels ; the decrease in the pro- 

 duction of this cereal since 1893 has amounted to over 28,000,000 

 bushels. The production of barley is estimated to have been 

 6,983,146 bushels as compared with 8,079,808 bushels in 1895, 

 The oat crop is estimated to have yielded 16,287,662 bushels ■ 

 in 1894 it amounted to 15,724,857 bushels. 



The out-turn of maize is officially stated to have been 

 58,190,000 bushels, as compared with 57,700,000 bushels in 

 1894, and 76,000,000 bushels in 1893. 



O 89185. 



D 



