§ Mr. LAURENCE HARDYasked whether any efforts are made by the Board to obtain from competing foreign countries estimates as to the probable output of crops of fruit or hops in those countries; whether he was aware that detriment is suffered by home growers from their inability to obtain any early information as to the prospects of foreign crops, such as plums; and whether the Board would, before another season, take steps to obtain and publish such information?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThe Board circularised various fruit and hop associations early in 1906 in order to ascertain the 1480 nature of information as to foreign fruit crop prospects, which in their opinion would prove of value to the home grower. Acting on the replies received, we have obtained from time to time reports on the subject from some of our consuls abroad, and have published such portions of them as we have considered to be of interest to fruit growers. We hope that later on it may be found possible to obtain and publish reports on the subject from the International Agriculture Institute at Rome. We are well aware that it is greatly to the advantage of the home grower to have early advice as to the prospective crops in foreign countries, but there is considerable difficulty in obtaining it.