Agricultural Machinery in Russia. 



91 



Pine wood constitutes the most important item in the 

 accounts of this trade. In 1897, the latest year for which 

 complete details are available, the value of the imports ol 

 hewn and sawn fir was £19,702,000 out of a total ot 

 £22,990,000, the remainder being made up of £1,021,000 for 

 hewn oak ; £867,000 for hewn teak; £570,000 for staves, 

 and £832,000 for sawn and hewn wood unenumerated. 



The countries whence the largest supplies of pine are 

 drawn are Sweden and Norway, Canada, Russia, and the 

 United States. Oak is imported mainly from the United 

 States, Canada, Germany, Austria and Russia ; teak comes 

 principally from the British East Indies and Siam ; and the 

 trade in staves is for the most part shared by Germany, the 

 United States, Russia, Sweden and Norway. 



Agricultural Machinery in Russia. 



With reference to the reduction of the Russian duties on 

 agricultural machinery, which is mentioned in the Journal 

 for September, 1898 (p. 237;, Mr. Consul Smith states that 

 the reduction coming into force so late in the season was of 

 little or no benefit to Russian farmers who required to 

 renew their machinery for the harvest. It is, however, 

 expected that the next season will see an increased demand 

 for self-delivery reapers, self-binders, portable engines, and 

 steam threshing-machines. 



The alteration practically means a reduction in the price 

 of a reaping machine of about 2/., upon a 10-horse-power 

 threshing set of about 75/., and upon a 60-inch threshing 

 machine when imported alone of about 2 2 1, to 25/. It must 

 be borne in mind that a portable engine imported alone is 

 still charged the old duty of ir. 40c. gold, or 2r. 10c. in 

 paper currency, per pood (13s. 6d. per cwt.), and it is only 

 where accompanied by a steam-plough or a steam-thresher 

 with a drum not less than 54 inches wide that the new duty 

 of 50c. gold, or 75c. in paper currency per pood (4s. nd, 

 per cwt.) applies. 



In technical language a 54 inch machine designates the 



