456 



FOREIGN" OFFICE REPORTS. 



[March 1896. 



Finance has appointed a Commissioner to visit the district and 

 thoroughly investigate the matter. 



A table is given in Mr. Woodhouse's report showing the 

 average yield of grain in lbs. per acre in the six districts of 

 the province of Kherson. This statement shows a considerable 

 difference in favour of the proprietor between the results 

 obtained by the landed proprietors and the peasants, and, 

 although the yield of one district and that of another may be 

 influenced by weather, &;c., the contrast between the produce of 

 the two fields lying side by side is invariably the result of 

 distinct modes of cultivation. 



[Foreign Office Report, Annual Series, No. 1656. Price l\d.'[ 



Agriculture in Trans- Caucasia. 



In a report on the agricultural condition of Trans- Caucasia 

 during the year 1895, prepared for the Foreign Office by Mr. P. 

 Stevens, Her Majesty's Consul at Batoum, it is stated that there 

 is little doubt that since the visit of the Minister of Imperial 

 Domains and Agriculture to the Trans- Caucasus in the year 1894 

 the Government have adopted a very active policy with respect to 

 the introduction of measures calculated to remedy the deplorable 

 state of affairs which still prevails in that portion of the Russian 

 Empire, and that a series of important projects are under dis- 

 cussion at the Russian capital, which, if put into practice, will, 

 it is expected, result in improving and raising the social condition 

 of the peasantry, and be the means of generally diffusing 

 amongst them a wider knowledge of improved methods of 

 cultivating the soil, more in keeping with the requirements of 

 the present age. 



It seems that schools in which instruction is given in the 

 various branches of agriculture are annually becoming more 

 numerous ; while persons experienced in the scientific cultiva- 

 tion of the soil are continually being despatched from St. Peters- 

 burg and other centres of agricultural education with the object 

 of enlightening the peasantry and of studying the wants and 

 requirements of the rural population. 



It is maintained, therefore, that notwithstanding the want of 

 education of the natives, not to mention other tendencies which 

 cause them to be extremely backward in grasping any novel 

 idea, sure though slow progress in the right direction is 

 undoubtedly being made. 



Amongst other measures a scheme is reported to be under 

 consideration whereby it is proposed to assist the development 

 of the manufacture of agricultural machinery in the country, 

 and, with this view, cheap and easily accessible credit to 

 would-be agricultural implement makers is being afforded by the 



