112 



Reports on Foreign Crops. 



The Argentine Wheat Harvest of 1898-99. 



In the Foreign Office report on the trade of the Argentine 

 Republic for 1898 Mr. Acting-Consul Laing observes that the 

 year 1898 was a good average one for Argentine agriculture, 

 and the price of wheat ruled good. A splendid crop ot wheat 

 for the harvest of 1898-99 has been safely harvested and 

 stocked. It is very difficult to forecast the wheat crop, but 

 at the time of writing, viz., March, 1899, Mr. Laing thought 

 that a surplus of at least 1,250,000 to 1,500,000 tons might 

 safely be reckoned as available for export during 1899, after 

 allowing for that needed for home consumption and seed. 



The following table is of interest in showing the calcula- 

 tions of the crop and its yield per acre during the last 

 eight years : — 



Year. 



Export : 

 Wheat 

 and Flour. 



Consump- 

 tion : 



Flour and 

 Seed 

 Wheat. 



Total 

 Crop. 



Area. 



Yield 

 per 

 Acre. 



1890- 91 



1891- 92 



1892- 93 



1893- 94 



1894- 95 



1895- 96 



1896- 97 



1897- 98 



Tons. 

 405,000 

 495,000 

 1,050,000 

 1,655,000 

 1,055,000 

 623,000 

 136,000 

 770,000 



Tons. 

 440,000 

 485,000 

 535>ooo 

 575,000 

 590,000 

 600,000 

 600,000 

 630,000 



Tons. 



845,000 



980,000 

 1,585,000 

 2,240,000 

 1,675,000 

 1,223,000 



736,000 

 1,400,000 



Acres. 

 2,700,000 

 3,300,000 

 4,000,000 

 4,600,000 

 5,000,000 

 5,000,000 

 5,000,00 

 5,000,000 



Bushels. 

 12 

 11 



Hi 



18 



12 

 9 

 5h 



10 



Average of 8 years. 











11J 



1898-99 (estimated) 



2,050,000 



650,000 



2,700,000 



5,500,000 



18 



Foreign Office Report, No. 2219. (Price 2d.) 



The Victorian Wheat Harvest of 1898-99. 

 According to the preliminary returns prepared by the 

 Assistant Government Statist relating to the wheat 

 harvest in Victoria in 1898-99, the total area from 

 which wheat was harvested was 2,079,410 acres, and the 

 produce was i9,557,5?2 bushels, or an average yield of 9.41 

 bushels per acre. In the previous year, 1897-98, the area was 

 I >^57>450 acres, and the produce 10,580,217 bushels; the 



