CORN AND GREEN CROPS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 757, 4 March 1910, Page 8

CORN AND GREEN CROPS.

■. INTERIM RETURN. The .following is an estimate issued by the Department of Agriculture of the area- under certain ; crops, arid the 1 condition of tho crops, on February 10. 1910:- ■ •■ ' Wheat (Area for Threshing). ... Year. Acres. 1909-10 ■ '•....• - 311,000. •191)8-9.. ....:..-.:.' -.;••••" 252,391 Increase ..... : '••■■• 58,609 . .; Oats (Area for Threshing). 1909-10 •'....;....;: :.■■■■■'■ 377,000... . 1908-9 ■■"'." .'.. ::..•• 406,998. '.-'.Decrease' ..:!■.„........;...... 29,908 '••'■. Barley (Area for Threshing). i 1909-10 '•••• 41,500 1908-9 ■ :.;..:..:....._..... ■■■■■■ . 48,853.. '" Decrease' ..;.:......'. - 7.353;. Ryegrass (Area for Seed). . 1909-10 sfi .sso 1998-9 ....;„.„^......~ 50,126 Increase - ••• M 24 Cocksfoot (Area for Seed). .'.1909-10.- ...••. 29,500 ' 1908;9 ~:.;:......'. •'• 32,705 ' Decrease - ' 3,205 -~'■.;., Potatoes. 1909-10^;.....:... •••••••• 30,500 ' 1908-9 20,919 Increase' '-'V™—™.~.«-~.™'..;.. 581 Turnips. 1909-10 Li; ;....;...;..:;.;.';:,: ■ 524,550 1908-9 ••••••• 530,636'-. Decrease'; ;';..-;...—,«...» 6,086 , : ' ' Eape. . 1909-10 ■" ■....:.:.......^4" i "-"" 225 - 03! i '■! ; 1908-9 - 220,240' Increase ...... v;.~i^-—... 4,795

There is a large increase, in the area of peas in Marlborough, and of maize jn Auckland .and Taraiiaki. The grain crops in both districts have ripened with extreme'rapidity,' and the bulk is now in the stook or stack, while a large quantity •is already;threshed.. The yields are, in general, Very''disappointing; considering the'-'.early ~- ; piprui£e..>i , of>, an unusually abundant harvest.". The hot winds in December not- only: caused premature ripening, but 'also'"injured much of the straw, so that the rain at the beginning of January ••i.the crops nearly-'as' much as hoped..' Caterpillars did damage in several'; districts,v»and the small birds levieiT'.their usual 'toll. Hessian fly .appeared"ln 'several 'locali-' ties, : but it 'was -not* serious.-' Continued absence of rain in Southland is calculated to have; diminished-theyield of oats by 15* per' cent., and in'..Central Otago, from'the same cause- the.'crops'are, a: failure. On the other hand, there are in all the, principal districts, many excellent crops;' the-wet .weather, at the ■end of.January caused little loss';in yield, and the discolouration of the grain and seeds.-.'is ,much;4ess-.vtiian,.vwas.. feared. There'.is,. however," a:.,large proportion of 'small;' and ■> shrivelled - grain.- The yields have'h'ow to be set down at much lower estimates than those formed from the appearance of the crops■at the dates.of the December and-', January reports. Threshing is not sufficiently advanced. to enable the actual yield to be computed, but the present estimates may be cor. fidently expected .to be.''>realised. The rains in January were of incalculable 'benefit ,to ' the pastures and : fodder and root crops, and the prospects for autumn and .winter are highly satisfactory. -,Oatsf.Bowhfori>winter-, and-.spring feeding have/made good progress.;; Potato-disease °osi reappeared, 'but-.only in the'-earlier dlitricts is the damage, so far, of much magnitude.. The, various pests and diseases of the turnip have not yet manifested- themselves,'to any alarming -astent, but in sY>me localities rape has betdi badly blighted.