St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-28
POOR CROPS ABROAD.
Weather Has Done Much Injury
in England and France.

Weather Has Done Much Injury
in England and France.
WASHINGTON, March 27.-The re-
port of the European agent of the de-
partment of agriculture for February
has been made public. 1t treats of the
conditions respecting the crops pre-
vailing in most of the European coun-
tries there, and is substantially as fol-
lows:
In Great Britain the month has been
one of continued frost and low tenn
peratures. No field work has been
done in any part of the country for
five weeks. From Scotland, the report
is of violent snow storms, continued
frosts, impossible roads, railway
blockades and suspended agricultural
work.
Throughout England it is generally
thought that there has been damage
to the winter wheat plant and to roots,
particularly Swedes, but the frost has
not yet sufficiently thawed to enable a,
judgment to be formed. Beans and
clover are also expected to show evf-s
dence of the unusual severity of the
winter. Large inroads have been made
into the feeding stuffs, but in many
districts wheat is being fed to stock in9
large quantities. Potatoes are begirf-i
ming to respond in price to the anticiS
pated scarcity throughout the world,
and values have increased about $4 per!
ton. Stocks in England have not been
so short in years, and seed will be
higher than has been known for a.
long time. In France it is believed.
that the sudden alteration of tempena-
IN, -
fore there were heavy snow falls, has.
injured wheat and rye; and it now
seems probable that the area sown to
cereals will be less than last year. IN.
Germany no anxiety is felt as to the
condition of winter wheat or seeding.
In Spain very cold weather has con-
tinued throughout the whole of FebrlI-
airy, but the great falls of snow have
protected the crops. The duty on wheat
has been increased to four perotas per
100 kilograms (neariy %. cents per
busheD, and the new regula ton is to
be in force until the end of the year,
and longer if the government decides
to prolong- it's duration.
In Italy the winter has been of un-
precedented severity, but much snow
has fallen and remained on the ground
. I'LL OdSh lIiC cHlIe p0T1Ou OIL severe
frost, so that no evil effects are an
ticipated on the winter seedlings. In
Austria winter seedlings have been pro-
tected by the snow; but in Hungary
the situation is not quite so satisfac-
tory, as the snow, for long expanses
on the plains. froze into a glaze that
the farmers fear has not adequately
protected the ground beneath. In Rou-t
arafo 90
airy, the succeeding month was ushered
in with the severest storms. that went
over all Europe. In this country, how
ever. there were alternating days of
milder weather and of rain, with the
result that the snow froze on the land,
and the promised thaw is awaited with
some anxiety, that the amount of dam
age may be aScertained. The area of
spring sowings is expected to be much
greater than last year. Greece is the
only country of Europe that has
escaped a February of remarkable
severity. Up to the latter end of the
month, the complaint was of a mild
ness that threatened too forward con-
dition of planning growths. In Russia,
reports made by officials state that the
area under Alma wheat and under rye
is diminished this year by no less than
% to 80 per cent. A telegram of the 22d
of February reports that the changes
in temperature have been general and
sudden, and that considerable harm
must have been done to winter cereals,
particularly in the southern part, where
bright sunshine during the day has
been followed by severe frost at night
Enlarged preparations are making for
the spring planting.