The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-22
CROPS OF FINLAND
PROVE FAILURE
Estimated Value Has Fallen off
About S1O,0O0,O0O.
MANY PEOPLE DESTITUTE
So Complete Was the Failure of Veg
citation That Dead Birds Have
Been Found by the Hun
dreds in the Forest.

st. Petersburg, December 21.-The av-
erage grain crop gathered in Finland is
valued at $50, oOO,O 900. The estimated value
of the 1902 crop is s2o,OOOOoO. While this
loss is generally distributed throughout
Finland, it is almost total in the north
ern third of the country. Peas and beans
generally have failed, and the potato
crop has not been gathered; the hay has
rotted or been swept away by floods. The
disaster is due to the late spring, the
nearly continuous chilly rains and the
early frost, which was recorded August
10. In the north there has been only half
a dozen days when it did not rain. The
rains also spoiled the fishing. So complete
was the failure of vegetation that dead
birds by the hundreds have been found
In the forests. The present crop failure
has been the worst that has been ex-
perienced in fifty years. 1t is hoped, how
ever, that better methods of communica-
ton will facilitate the work of relief and
avoid wholesale deaths by hunger and
typhus. There are about 500 parishes in
Finland 1874 of which are now nearly
destitute.
Supplies Very Short.
The agricultural board has received re-
ports from 40 of the 1914 parishes, show
ing that log have good supplies which
will suffice them until Christmas only.
The unripe rye and barley, which the
people are forced to use, make a bitter
bread, which even the hungry horses re-
fuse to eat. In some parts of the country
bread Is baked from barley husks and
straw, mixed with a little flour, and is
purchased by the needy people with their
boarded savings. Such bread contains
very little nutrition and is extremely I'M
wholesome. The peasants have expended
all their money for flour and consequent
~ are unable to buy clothing.
The danger of famine was realized
early by the public.
Count Bobriokoff, governor general of
Finland, has issued an appeal for help
in Russia, and voluntary relief COM
mittee has been organized by Finlanders
with branches throughout the country.
The Anglo American church is offilia-
ted with this committee.
The senate has decided to construct
works at an expenditure of $3.50 and it
has allotted 100000 for the purchase of
grain which will be sold to the people
at cost Seventy-fve thousand dollars
will be used to encourage cottage indus
tries.
Sums for Relief.
The provinces and certain cities of Fin
land have voted various sums for relief
work amounting in all to half million
dollars. The voluntary relief commit
tee has received SIPS 900 700, but it is I'M
derstood all this sum has already been
expended. Pastor Kilburn of st. Peters
burg has just returned from a sledge
journey through Kupuio province. He
found 1900 school children who were in
need of food OF this number 1115 were
totally destitute. 1t is estimated that
400. 900 will be without food after Christ
mas.
Business in finland is S. ffering In
sympathy with the extreme conditions,
but no failures have yet been recorded.
The banks have not raised the rate of
discount
Emigration from Finland is increasing
constantly. Up to November II, 20,155
persons had left the country this year
via Halga, while unknown numbers of
F'inlanders have crosr the Gulf of
Bothnia to Sweden and haze taken pas
sage from there
The effects of the crop failure on EN-
igration, however, will be felt more
strongly in 1903.