The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1885. The Ashbarton Crop.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1486, 12 March 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1885. The Ashbarton Crop.

In another column we are enabled, ‘ by the courtesy of the Superintendent Collector, to publish the agricultural ( statistics for the County of Ashburton for the current year. To facilitate re- , ference and comparison we have added last year’s figures to the table, and the < compiehensive view presented of the County’s grain production will, doubtless, be studied with interest, if not with satisfaction, by a large section of our readers. A glance at the figures will at once reveal the unpleasant fact that there is a serious decrease in our cereal wealth. Compared with the preceding year we have grown 629,055 bushels less wheat, and although there are increases both in oats and barley their sum is comparatively so small that the diminished harvest and weakened prices form a combination which is almost alarming in character, and must, we fear, operate most injuriously upon the commercial interests of the County. Reducing our com parison to a monetary basis we may present the results of this and last year in the following figures:—

Bushels. 1885. £ *• d. 1,379,670 wheat at 2s 4d ... 160,961 100 1,008,498 oats at is 7<i ... 79,839 8 6 127,818 barley at 3s 3d ... 20,770 8 6 * 7 0 1884. ) 2,008,725 wheat at 3s Sd ... 343i , 57 3 9 759,090 oats at is lod ... 69,583 5 0 80,560 barley at 3s 3d ... 13,091 o o 8 9 Here is a diminution equal in value to L. 164,260 is gd; but against this we must place a considerable increase in the acreage devoted to pastoral purposes. Last year there were 110,776 acres under cereals ; this year there are 99,332acre5; thedifference, 1 i,444acres, f - does not represent all the additional ® grass land, as many holdings have I' passed from their native condition to * r artificial pastures without intermediate cultivation, and there is a large increase in the acreage under turnips. However, it will be more to the point to examine the total results for the current year. They may be tabulated as follows :

Cereals as above *... ... 261,57 1 7 0 Hay, 4,616 tons at L2 10s ... U,54° 0 0 Grass land, 273,054 acres at 7s 95.568 18 o Potatoes, 813 tons at L2 ... 1,626 o O Turnips, 34,009 acres at 15s 25,506 15 o Other crops 4,000 o o o o

It will be noticed that the total value of the agricultural and pastoral products of the year does not reach the sum ot last year’s grain crop by L26,0i8 8s gd. The total L399,8i3 is the result of a year’s labor by a population of about r 2,000, or L 33 6s 4d per head. Our manufactures and other productive industries are at present- of such a limited character that they do not appreciably expand the results, from which we have to deduct probably Lioo,ooo rent and interest payable to capitalists beyond the County. This deduction leaves a net earning per head of L 24 19s Bd. This is a result which cannot be regarded as satisfactory, and points strongly to the need for increased, production, the closest individual and public economy and judicious legislation.