Land devoted to agriculture

The land devoted to

agriculture, strictly so called, which as we have seen was in the

year 1899 about 2,046,791 hectares, added to that under other cultivation

(vineyards, rose gardens, orchards and meadows), gives a total of 2,520,401

hectares of productive land. The following table shows the uses to which it is

put:

2 Oleaginous plants        9,883     15,89139              6079     

3 Vegetables     10,333   32,94179              21879    tt

4 Other culinary plants  20,012   31,89237              59*36    tt

5 Forage              343,342                440,85920           2840      11

6 Vines 96,000   110,94287            15*56    11

7 Roses 4,352     5,09435                1704      *t

8 Orchards ..      2,158     5,16321                13924    i)

Total      1,680,927             2,520,401*00     49*94    tt

The annual yield of cereals is calculated

at 30,000,000 hectolitres in the following proportion:

Wheat                                  12,000,000          hectolitres.

Maize                                   7,000,000            99

Barley                                   5,000,000            99

Oats                                      2,500,000            99

Rye                                        3,000,000            99

Millet                                    300,000                99

Spelt                                     200,000                99

Total                                     30,000,000          99

As regards the quantity of its cereals,

Bulgaria occupies the tenth place after Sweden. As regards wheat and maize, it

occupies the eighth, as regards oats and rye, the tenth.

According to their fertility per head of

the population, the provinces of the Principality form three groups

(1)          14

hectolitres per head : Roustchouk, Varna, Bourgas, and Pleven.

(2)          11

hectolitres per head: StaraZagora, Timova, Shoumen, Vratza.

(3)          8

hectolitres per head: Kustendil, Philippopolis, Sofia, Vidin,

The primitive form of plough is still in

use. For some time past, however, modem agricultural implements which greatly

facilitate field labour have been introduced. The following table shows the

number of agricultural implements in use:

                Implements.      In 1897.                In

190s. Proportional increase or decrease.

1             Ploughs 365,877                391,225

+           6*92 percent.

2             Iron

Ploughs ..   32,399   38,923 +              20 „

3             Harrows               5,353     38,080 +              730

4             Drills      46           89

+       93

5             Reaping

Machines           731         1,385 + 86

6             Implements.

Threshing Machines       In 1897.

94           In

190s.

125 +    Proportions!

increase or decrease.

31 per cent.

7             Bolting

Machines             1,484     3,481 + 134         M

8             Winnowing

Machines 14,233      30,117 +              112         II

9             Mowers               1,748     3,318 + 87           II

zo           Haymakers         81           104

+    23           99

11           Watercarts         66           10,782

+              —           99

12           Crushing

Machines         80           207 +15875        99

Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture

The Ministry of Commerce

and Agriculture actively encourages the introduction of perfected

machines. Its efforts in this direction are seconded by the Bulgarian

Agricultural Bank and by the National Agricultural Society.