The evening times., 1898-08-03
Russ1A,s aRAIN CROPS.
Impoverished Soil the Cause of Ere.
Queut Cereal Failures.

--..z-=-e-.ir-.--.--.- . = a.
Impoverished Soil the Cause of Free
Quent Cereal Failures.
To the United STATED the glpwth and
development Of the;Empiss Russia are
always interesting. EspeciaIlk at the
present moment. when the Philippine and
Chinese questions are pending, and this
'country's. relations with Russia and other
absolutely determined, there is
thoughtful observation by. the Govern
ment of this country of the conditions
in the great Slavonic nation, which has
always shown a friendly interest in the
United States.
Some recent reports by American con-
suls are pertinent in this place. Two of
the reports referred to consist entirely
of translations. Consul General .Hollo-
way. writing from St. Petersburg. trans
mits a long extract from the Russion
newspaper, the Novoe yremya. 1t al
ludes to the frequent failure of the cereal
crops in the same localities in Russia,
and explains 1t on the necessary theory
that the soil is being Impoverished. 1t
states that the famine of 1891, as we'll
as the present one, was caused by i'm
poverishmentA In the central Chernoziom
region all the forests have been cut down.
Changes in the tariff on grain and the
low price of cereals. owing to the con-
ditions Of the international market, are
referred to as destroying the agriculture
of that region. The whole of twelve gov
ernments in Russia and parts of others
are cited as famine-stricken-
The substance of a Russian civil engi-
neer's recent lecture on the scarcity of
grain and measures, to avoid distress is
stated by Consul Smith from Moscow.
He suggested the prohibition. as in 1891.
of the export of grain. hay. and straw,
and the extension by the government Of
pecuniary aid to the distressed districts.
Consul General Holloway cites the steps
taken by the agricultural associations to
influence the ministry to secure the re-
duction Of the price of agricultural i'm
plements and manure. The government
has granted the requests, and portion OF
the new regulations has gone into effect.
The rest will do so in September.
These matters are properly supple
mented, though not formally inserted as
a supplement. by a translation from the
journal des Debats," of Paris, sent by
Consul Morris from Client. 1t Is long
and interesting article. friendly to Russia
and somewhat speculative in character.
I1OWtNtT, IL Is WOItH ItstdtSihSht III a
few sentences. Without any important
change in the frontiers. the Inhabitants
in 1857 numbered 67.000.000; in 1858. 74.000.
600, in 1855. 1os.0O0,0 900; in 1897. l2s, coo.
The Russian people have more than
sextupled since Chappe prophesied Its
approaching end. There is no reason TO
believe this progress will slacken. II
the increase in the birth rate diminishes
the part of each peasant in the commu-
nifty. he will go to new fields somewhere
else in Russia
The nineteenth century has seen the
colonization of Southern Russia; the
twentieth will see that of Central Asia
and Siberia. But the curious thing in this
article is the fact stated that. while the
population of Central OF old Russia Is
growing 20 per cent the outer regions are
at the rate of 40 to GO per
cent 1t is held that all this does no,
mean that the great Russian race Is in
decay. Its population is gradually get
ting into the new regions conquered dur
ing the past centuries. The center of
gravity is moving toward the south and
east. 1t is argued that this does not mean
;hat general dislocation will follow; but
IL probably means the return of the gov
ernment to Moscow. and. later. when ST.
IBERIA shall be I'm turn colonized, IL may
be necessary to move the capf.al TO the
east. toward the legendary centers OF
Tamerlane and Ghengis-Khan. whose
heritage Russia is now reaping.
The notices of facts. and the more or
less speculative differences therefrom. do
not seem to show that any famine what
ever or any possible crowding of the
vast tracts of Russia will avail within
the limits of a conceivable future to
stay the progress of that remarkable ma
tion. The connection between the two
sets of reporR shown above Is tempora-
~ and local. For short time in certain
districts greac distress happens. but the
by timely attention. may
,ven there avert calamity. 1t seems that
he Russian ministry have taken some of
heSe steps.