CROP PROSPECTS IN AMERICA AND EUROPE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8541, 22 July 1893, Page 8

CROP PROSPECTS IN AMERICA AND EUROPE.

OFFICIAL REPORT TO THE UNITED

STATES GOVERNMENT.

We take the following from the report made by the Statistician of the United States Department of Agriculture :—

Official Report to the United States of the Crop Prospects is America and Europe.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Statistician, Washington, D.C., May 11th, 1393.

CONDITION' OF WINTER GRAIN, UNIIED STATES. WHEAT. The May returns of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the condition of winter wheat show a reduction of 2.1 points from the April average, being 75.3 against 77.4 last mouth aud 84.0 in May, 1892. The averages of the priucipal winterwheat States are—Ohio 88, Michigan 71, Indiana 79' Illinois 62, Missouri 72, Kansas 61. The average of these six States is 68.3 against 74.2 iv April, being a decline of 5.9 points since the first of last mouth. It is 88 iv New York and Pennsylvania against 88 and 87 respectively last month, 97 in Maryland, and 85 in Virginia. In the Southern Slates the averages range from 74 in Texas to 9o in North Carolina. The conditions have been favourable to the growth and development of wheat in the New England, Southern, and Pacific States. In California the condition has advanced 10 poiuts, while in the principal wheat producing States there has been considerable deterioration. Iv Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska, where planting was backward and germination slow, owing to coutiuued drought, and much of the plant being winter-killed, large areas have been ploughed up and devoted to other crops. The same has been done in Missouri, Indiana aud lliiuois, where the plant was badly winter-killed and greatly damaged since by the continued wet weather. Iv Michigan the severity of the winter greatly damaged the piaut, and the weather since has been too cold and backward to admit of recuperation. Damage from Hessian fly in some of the counties of the latter State, Indiana and Ohio is reported, and from chinch bug in Kansas. In some of the principal wheat States the plant on the uplands is reported in good condition, while on low and undrained laud the conditions are poor _ad much of the crop "destroyed by drowning. EUROPEAN CROP REPORT FOR MAY, 1893. SUMMARY*. • Condition less favourable. Winter crops in fairly good condition, though seriously retarded by lack of rain. Spring crops generally at a standstill, and iv danger of serious injury from extreme drought. GREAT BRITAIN*. There has been no perceptible advance in the "growth of the grain crops during the past four weeks. Extreme drought prevails in nearly all parts of the United Kingdom, and the outlook is nob promising. The winter crops have suffered less, and the plants are in fairly good colour and healthy, but no noticeable advance has been made.

The spring sowings in most parts have made scarcely any growth, and are very backward. A continuance of present conditions even for a few weeks must result in a greatly diminished yield, if not in total failure. In any event, the harvest will probably be late, ami will be projected into the rainy season, which, is usually the most serious difficulty the British farmer has to contend with iv the production of grain. The drought has also seriously affected the meadows and pastures, and it is feared that the hay crop will at the best be but partial.

During the latter half of the month prices hove been firmer and somewhat higher, cwiug, it is thought, to the unfavourable conditions throughout Europe and the reports of injury in the United States. FRANCE. The weather has been clear and cold and extremely dry, and the crop conditions are most unfavourable. Autumn sown crops on strong land have'suffered less, but are sadly in need of rain, aud on the lighter soil the injury is most serious, and it is impossible to regain what has been lost.

The spring crops, meadows and pastures are being most seriously compromised, and it is difficult to see how even the most favourable conditions from this time on can repair the injury. In many places the meadows and pastures are nearly bare of all vegetation and the spring grains that were sown quite early are coming up very badly and are scarcely visible above the ground, and the colour is not good. GERMANY. The weather has been dry and cold and the nights frosty. In most parts all crop's are very backward and rain is much wanted. The drought prevailing elsewhere has seriously checked the growth of winter grams here, and spring sowings are generally in an unsatisfactory cpudition. Hamburg reports state that the field*) in that part of the Empire have a satisfactory appearance and no great injury has yet occurred, but there is Little room to doubt that the spring crops have suffered greatly from lack of moisture, or that the autumn sowings are much less forward than they should be at this season. There has been a marked improvement in the markets, showing itself rather in the firmness of prices i than iv the advance. AUSTRIA HUNGARY. The weather is so dry and the conditions are so unfavourable that the farmers are I beginning to cry out for rain. The drought ' which has continued for several weeks has already injured all of the growing crops. The winter grains though at a standstill I have suffered less, but the spring crops are very backward. An immediate rainfall would reduce the damage, but cannot repair the injury, and it is believed the yield at best will fall considerably below earlier expectations.. There has been an upward tendency in prices, and the grain markets are firm. The injury to meadows and pastures has produced rather a strong demand for feeding studs. The rye crop has suffered most seriously, and in many parts tho crops have been ploughed up. The expected yield will be largely reduced in any event ITALY. There has been no rain for more than two months, and ail crops are suffering severely from the protracted drought. Reports from Florence state that a very short crop is feared, and that large graiu imports will be required in the coming autumn. The feeling of alarm is general throughout the ELingdom, and a settled conviction seems to exist that at best a serious shortage will result, and that unless sufficient rains come soon there is danger that the grain and sou.c other crops will be a failure. Not more than two-thirds of an average crop seems possible under the most favourable conditions from this sime forward. RUSSIA. Odessa advices indicate that the drought prevailing throughout Europe is causing great damage in Southern Russia. Inmost parts the conditions are very"unsatisfactory. In Bessarabia the props are described as in a pitiable condition, and the winter -wheat crop cau in no case be a good one. In the Volhynia districts rye had passed through the winter in good condition, wheat had been injured somewhat, and rapeseed had suffered seriously. The extreme dryness of the weather iv nearly all of the groin producing districts, added to the injury sustained from the severity of the winter, threatens a serious shortage.