100 



REPORTS OX FOREIGN CROPS. 

 Crops in Ixdia. 



The Statistical Bureau of the Government of India 

 published on the 12th March last the second general 

 memorandum on the wheat crop of the season 1896-97. In 

 the first general memorandum on the crop, issued on the 

 24th December, 1S96, it was stated that the failure of 

 the autumn rains had interfered with ploughing and sowing 

 except on irrigated land ; that therefore the area sown 

 with wheat had been greatly contracted, especially in 

 Central and "Western India ; that prospects seemed very 

 unfavourable until the third week of November, when rain 

 permitted of the sowing of additional land, and improved 

 the condition of the growing crop ; and that at the time of 

 writing prospects were more favourable, especially in 

 Northern India, but that the winter rains were being 

 anxiously looked for. 



The winter rains came somewhat late, but they were 

 copious and well distributed, and much benefit was done 

 to the growing crop, especially in the Panjab, where 

 much of the wheat is irrigated. On such land prospects 

 were at the date of the second memorandum very good, 

 but more rain was wanted immediatelv for unirrigated 

 land. In the North- Western Provinces also the prospects 

 were very good as regards that portion of the crop which was 

 sown in due season. In both the Panjab and the North- 

 Western Provinces a fair yield was expected ; but it must be 

 observed that the area which will return a crop is 

 relatively small. In the Panjab it is 13 per cent, smaller 

 than the area of 1S95-96, and 15 per cent, smaller than the 

 average, the decrease being confined to unirrigated land. 

 In the NorthAVestern Provinces the area is quite 30 

 p?r cent, smaller than the average, and as on this reduced 

 area ihe yield was expected to be 20 per cent, below the 



