Nanking, Oct. 24, Official estimates indicate that there are now 549,400 drought sufferers in and around Nanking.
In Kiangning hsien, the area of land affected by last summer's unprecedented drought totals 997,139 mow, representing 69 per cent. of the total' cultivated Jand in the district. The drought sufferers there number 20,000, or 40 For eva. of the popula tion, Tu Kiangpu hsien the area of land affected totals 242.883 mow, or 55 per ent. of the total cultivated land. The Grought sufferers there number 60,000 or 64 per cent, of the population.
Lube hsien is in the worst position. The area affected there totals 684,000 mow, or 80 per cent. of the total cultivated land, while "drought sufferers, number 209400, or 75 par cent. of the population.
The Nanking Agricultural Relief Association has during the past few weeks organized 112 more rural cooperation societies tg afford relict to Grought sufferers. Through these Societies, 1,420 of the most destitute rural families "in ive district are receiving help and $31,424 has already been loaned principally for the pur= chase of fevilizers and seed for planting the winter wheat crop.
lat year the Association established over $00. granaries and. distributes more than $114,800 ce mortgage loans toneedy farmers. This year the work has been started and the lation has already completed Srrangements with 2 local bank to carry" out its programme. Unforttunately most of tne fat cording to Dr, D. ¥. Lin who di the relief work, have been so severely fffected by the recoat drought they have mo. grain to deposit granaries as security for the loans they 0 badly need.
"To carry out its wheat-improvement project, the association has completed the Bank of China, and th extended in the Nanking expert. supervision. the university will supply the seed while the bank Will provide the necessary fund. for the purchase of seed tax and loans to farmers. "Already 18,000 catties of seed have been seat out from the University farm and the association jane It'is reported Toast 2,400 mow of
that farmers who used the Improved seed last year increased their pro-@uction by more than 18 per cent—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.