REPORTS ON FOREIGN CROPS. 
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1 
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CROPS IN FRANCE. 
The official returns as to the condition of the crops in 
France on 15th of July show that the condition of winter 
wheat was very g)0d in 1 department, good in 23, fairly 
good in 52, passable in 7, and indifferent in 1; spring wheat 
also was good or fairly good in nearly ail the departments in 
which itis grown. With regard to rye the condition was 
generally reported to be better than wheat; but in the case 
of oats it was inferior, only 25 departments being reported as 
good or very good, 32 as fairly good, and 21 as passable or 
indifferent. Barley, on the whole, was reported to be good or 
fairly good. The condition of the vineyards appeared to be 
above the average, no less than 35 departments being 
reported as very good, and 30 as good. The condition of the 
other crops might be described as fairly good. 

CROPS IN GERMANY. 
The official report on the condition of the crops in the 
German Empire in the middle of August last states that the 
very hot weather in July was not beneficial to the crops, with 
the exception of spring wheat and clover. Among the winter 
grains the condition of rye was represented as only an average 
crop for the whole of the Empire, whilst in Prussia, Saxony, 
and some other States the yield is expected to be below 
the average. Even in Bavaria, from which the most favour- 
able reports have been received, the yield in consequence of 
the somewhat thin growth was considerably short of that of 
last year. In the case of winter wheat, which had suffered 
here and there from blight, rust, etc., and from premature 
ripening by the heat in July, a good average harvest on the 
whole was expected. 
Spring grains, on the other hand, promised a better yield 
than in most recent years, although there had been com- 
plaints of losses from wind, hail, and other causes. The 
estimates for the whole Empire indicate that the harvest of 
