The summer rains have come somewhat later than usual, but not too late to save the crops, nor too copious to flood them. Beans are promising and millet and kao-liang are a good average.
Locusts, however, have appeared Several districts to the southwest ian (Tung-0, P'ing-Yin and low ete), We hear that Nationalist troops are assisting the farmers to destroy these Tocust pests. people and permit of the hiring as helpers others Kas fortunate, Tt will stimulate brick burning and thus} Produce employment for a consider-abie group which will not appear upon the relief rollo. Tt will furnish '4 favourable opportunity for trying! out the revolving-tund idea—the land-owner or tenant being required, to pay back in annual instalments} out of his increased crops the sums advanced him. The five counties around Tinghsien are considered be permanently removed from the famine map of China. Perhaps the same result can be obtained for those along the Shantung border,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.