Local Showers: Farmers Unable to Buy Seed Grain Rains have fallen at last around'
Sienfa, and in sufficient amount to: make the planting of autumn crops possible, according to a message Just received by the Chine Inter-ational Famine Relief Commission from. its committee in Sienfa, Shensi. "The lack of seed grain, and the staggering prices of. much small quantities, as are available, however, are making it dificult for the farmers to get seed to plant. The same message, for example, Said that corm was $50 per tox, about $450 a ton, as against even the present abnormally high price of $88 8 ton in Peking. Cash for relief through making seed grain purchases possible has been sent by the CLFRC.
While this rain at Sianfu im: proves the prospects, it does not yet guarantee autumn crops, as further rains during the growing season will be necessary if the seed which is planted is to grow and ripen. Nor does the message tell how large an aren has had rain, Small rains in other famine areas also have been reported, though not enough to make plant ing for autumn crops possible as yet. Suiyuan has had small local showers in some of the districts around Saratsi, Local showers also have fallen in some of the hsien in western Shantung. One third of this area, however, has had no rain whatever for several months and no crops at all are in ight. Even where autumn crops have got a small start, grasshoppers have come with' particular destructiveness. Dr. F. F, Tucker, who has just completed a tour through this region, reports "grave fears of worse conditions."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.