The times., 1899-06-16
CROP CONDITIONS Tn
FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Winter Grain in Russia De-
stroyed by Drought.
Favorable Reports From France,
Germany, Spain, and Italy.
The Worlds Yield of Wheat for This
Year Roughly Estimated Mt
2.5O4,OGO.OOO Bushels.

Inc lOilON2nS summary OI crop COnul-
tions in foreign countries is taken from
the June crop circular. issued by the De-
partment of Agriculture:
A British commercial estimate tentative
ly puts the worlds wheat crop of 1899 at
2,504, ,0O0, 900 bushels, against 2,74s.o00. 600
bushels in 1898, reduction OF PA, 100000
bushels, or nearly S.9 per cent. Another
estimate makes reduction of '352, ,000, 900
bushels. Such Information as can be,
gathered for different countries is present.
ed below:
Russia.-Reports from the country around
Odessa and Nikolaieff represent the winter
grain crops, both wheat and rye, as almost
destroyed by drought, by which the sp-ing
grains also had been severely injured and
would soon be beyond help unless relieved
by rain. Kherson and Bessarabia, in the
southwestern part of Russia, are especially
mentioned as the provinces which have
thus suffered, but adjoining provinces
have, doubtless, suffered more or less, and
taking into account the injuries heretofore
reported as having been caused by insects
in three or four other provinces within the
winter wheat region, 1t is evident that the
crop of bread grain for the Empire as a
whole cannot be a good one, notwithstand-
ing that for the few other localities which
have been heard from the reports are gen.
orally favorable 1t has even been sug-
gested that the crop may not exceed that
of 1897
Germany.-In the official crop report of
May 10 for Prussia, wheat was rated "a,
rye. 81; Barley, "a; oats, 20; potatoes,
%. and clover, 81, representing good
condition; 3 middling, and bad. The
fnr x..ha is ba hat NJ
mid-April, while rye is rated one point
higher. Wheat is rated two points and
rye four points lower than in the report
for May. 1898, while the rating for oats
is the same as year ago, and that for
barley one point better. The crop condi-
tions in Prussia, which comprises about
three-ffths of the population OF the Ger
man Empire, may. perhaps. be taken as
representing approximately the conditions
for Germany as whole. ie Information
from other parts is but scanty. but there
has been complaint of deficient sunshine
and warmth, and the harvest was thought
likely 10 be week or two later than
usual. Later advices indicate betts-
weather in various parts of Germany.
Austria a-Hungary.-AccordiHg to the Of
fetal report on the Austrian crops for
the middle Of May. wheat and barley
promised about an average yield but rye
a report of the Hungarian Ministry Of
Agriculture. issued on May 30, the area
under wheat was estimated at about
1900. 900 acres, against 100000 acres last
year. and on this basis. taken In connec-
tion with condition of plant, some COM
mercial estimates put the crop as high as
lac, 600, 900 bushels, against 1zs, 900 In
1898, though other estimates are less
favorable.
at,.o p.,tora and Iafrtr traV To-
we're drought has prevailed In Roumania,
and the wheat and rye crops are not ex-
pected to give more than half of an aver
age yield. Some estimate the wheat crop
at no more than 80 per cent of an average.
Other cereals have also suffered. The re-
ports from Bulgaria are better, though by
no means good. Those from Turkey, both
European and Asiatic, are favorable.
Italy and Spain.-Accounts from Italy
are favorable. and those from Spain show
a marked improvement in the prospect of
the cereals crops throughout the greater
part of the peninsula. The hope is ex-
pressed that a good wheat crop will yet
| be secured, in spite of unfavorable condi-
! tions which prevailed for a time. It seems
improbable. however, that either wheat or
other cereals will yield as well as in 1898.
France.-Next to the Russian wheat
crop, that of France is the largest and
| for good yield is decidedly better than in
| the former country. According to the Of
| fetal crop report for May 10 the area un-
| der wheat is about the same as last year,
! or very little less. while the condition is
| about per cent lower. On this basis a
| crop would be, in round numbers. about
| 100000 900 bushels less than that of last
| year
Other Countries.-In other Continental
countries, and also in Great Britain, there
has been considerable complaint of cold,
unreasonable weather, but, except in Den
mark and Sweden, there is no mention OF
any serious injury to important cereal
crops. Toward the end of May there was a
marked and quite general improvement in
| the weather.
No official report has yet been made as
| to the Indian wheat crop recently harvest
| ed, but it is known to be considerably
| smaller than that of 1898. Reports as TO
the agricultural outlook in Australasia are
| 20, ht