For many months prior to the beginning of May the whole of northern China, and especially was it so in Honan, suffered from an alarming drought. It began to look very serious for the wheat crop m this and the neighbouring provinces for the wheat straw was but six that the Honan authorities are snt giving amy active support to the schemes proposed by the Commi sion. Not only has no support been given but there scents to be a spirit of opposition manifested by Marshal Wu Peicfu to this work that fon the very face of it should commend itself to his better jwlyraené, lor seven inches long, and was rapidly yellowing, with a head not quite half the length of a heal in the ordinary year. Early in th very good rains fell in this but other districts have still to re-jeerd the absence of rain, and word comes from Shansi that no rain has fallen there, From those who have travelled extensively it is ferred that the wheat will be from four-tenths to a half crop in Hono about one-fifth of a crop in North-'a half crop in. Shan-id nths in Shansi. the rains that have fallen' over a considerable stretch of the north the ripening hax been arrested and the heads will fil, so that generally speaking there will be half of a wheat crop in the north country. This will mean distress, but ax the weeding for the Inter crops hud been speeded by the rains there in a feeling of satisfaction that there IL mot be the dread threat of fu-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.