This was very beautiful, especially in the—castern_diabricta__ Cly the winter snow had fallen in abundance and" several genial showers had ushered in the welcome spring; so that the wheat crops were far advanced and the orchards most promising. There had boon less snow in after we had crossed the Yellow iver the western portions, and consequently marked difference appeared. The wheat there was stunted and sporadic, and the country dry. In many places the farmers wore re-sowing parts of their whoatfiolds, 'The aspect of matters improved as we approached Peking. 'Thus, on the whole, T think we are justified in anticipating an average yield of wheat. Latterly the season has been extremely dry, and unless rain fall speedily the millet' and pulse crops will suffer severely.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.