March 1896.] 



FOREIGN OFFICE REPORTS. 



455 



of fruit ; and, moreover, it can be used many times : it has no 

 smell, nor does it con vey any taste to the fruit, but merely 

 absorbs the moisture which the fruit contains, at the same time 

 hermetically protecting it from the air. 



[Foreign Office Report, Annual Series, No. 1652. Price l\d~\ 



Wheat Growing in South Russia. 



Mr. Woodhouse, Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Nicolaiev, in 

 his report for the year ] 895, states that the soil of his district is 

 so fertile that by merely scratching its surface in the most 

 primitive fashion, and sowing it with almost anything, it yields 

 remarkably well. But, notwithstanding the advantages aiForded 

 by this fertility, he is of opinion that the pricelof grain, f o.b., at 

 Kherson, must be still further reduced in order to meet success- 

 fully the competition of other wheat-exporting countries. 



To attain this end, it is necer-sary, in his view, to construct more 

 branch lines of railways and to lower the existing tariffs. As an 

 example of the high rates now obtaining, he mentions that the 

 freight on grain for about 100 miles on the Nicolaiev line is as 

 high as 7s. per ton, and 25. more for loading and discharging ; 

 and, furthermore, it is often next to impossible to forward the 

 grain for want of waggons at the stations. He adds that during 

 last autumn, 9s. was the rate of freight for steamers bound from 

 Nicolaiev to the United Kingdom or Continent. 



Mr. Woodhouse points out also that the country roads 

 sadly need improving, as they are still mere tracks, and a few 

 showers turn them into impassable barriers of mud, so that 

 during the late autumn and early spring, when draft animals 

 are free and could be employed in carting produce to the depots, 

 they are often kept in forced idleness by the bad condition of 

 the highways. 



It seems that the rules relating to the advances of money on 

 grain made by the Government have been considerably modified, 

 and a proprietor can now obtam loans by virtue of his status^, 

 and a peasant can hypothecate his produce on the condition that 

 all the members of his village or commune make themselves 

 responsible (1) for the alleged quantity of grain, and (2) for 

 his not illicitlj" selling it to third parties. Dealers are also 

 accommodated with ready money, and a certain amount of 

 speculation is the consequence. 



Hitherto there has been no rule for fixing the per-centage of 

 other grain which a buyer is bound to accept mixed with wheat 

 or rye, but it is customary to allow 3 per cent, with barley and 

 5 per cent, with linseed. The English standard is 3 per cent, 

 for wheat, rye, and barley, and 4 per cent, for linseed. This 

 question will shortly be settled, however, as the Minister oi 



