The Evening Star SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2933, 13 July 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1872.

It is scarcely possible to anticipate the period when the flocks of the sheep owner shall cease to roam over the hills and plains of New Zealand, and give place to the plough of the husbandman. Decent statistics, however, published by the Registrar General, show that the country is making rapid progress in breaking up land for agricultural purposes ; and that there is some prospect of the one pursuit being to a great extent superseded by the other. Pastoral occupation belongs to the primitive stages of Colonial history, and must yield to the growing demands of an increasing population. But so long as we have huge areas of waste land unfit for other than pastoral purposes, the wool grower will have a place amongst us, and, through the use of capital in the enlargement of the capabilities of the runs and the improvement of the breed of sheep, wool will continue to be one of our chief exports. We find that in 1804, the number of acres in crop in Wellington were 05,000, against 200,102 in 1871 ; in Canterbury, 58,000, against 282,2(58 ; in Nelson, 32,000, against 51,078; in Hawkes Bay, 21,000, against 72,324 ; in Auckland, 134,072 against 100,082 ; in Marlborough, 2,145 against 28,313. From Westland and Taranaki there are no returns for 1804; but the area under cultivation in the former in 1871 was 1,038 acres, and in the hitter 23,180. There were 0,000 acres under crop in Southland in 1804. Later returns from that locality will of course be included in those of this Province. In the case of Otago, the most remarkable increase cf land under cultivation appears. In 1804, there were 150,000 acres fenced in and 43,000 in crop against 274,517 last year. But no statistical figures will convey to the mind an adequate idea of the rapidity with which agriculture is extending, and working a pleasant and important change on the face of those islands. The traveller who passes through the farm lands that lie between the Clutha Ferry and Dunedin, through the Taieri district and Tokomairiro, and then northward along tho Coast line to Oamaru, finds it difficult to reconcile all he secs with the fact of the recent settlement of this Province. The connection of these districts with the capital by well-constructed roads, no doubt has contributed largely to their development. It is, however, impossible to east an eye over this wide expanse of undulating land, giving in its luxuriant crops ample proof of at once its native fertility and of the care and skill applied to its cultivation, without a conviction of how little the future of Otago really depends upon even such adventitious sources of prosperity as its goldfields. Still goldfields confer lasting good, not only because of the crop of treasure reaped direct ly from the mines, but through bringing population to settle on the soil, and extract from it the agricultural wealth that is inexhaustible, because the elements that produce it are capable of perpetual re newal. The admirable adaptability both of the soil and climate of New Zealand —especially the portion of it alluded to —for the extension of agricultural enterprise, is a fact established by the experience of many years; and

of the whole number no year has yielded a more signal demonstration than the present. A reference to the agricultural returns of the various Australasian Colonies will show that, in proportion to its population, New Zealand stands the highest as a wheat-producing country. We find that during the past season the average yield of wheat in South Australia was 0 bushels per acre ; Queensland, 11 ; New South Wales, 12 \ Victoria, 13 ; Western Australia, 11 ; Tasmania, 15 ; while that of New Zealand reached 22£ bushels per acre. With other crops our agriculturists were equally successful. In most cases successful farming industry lias constituted the starting point of wealth and greatness in Colonies. Great interest therefore attaches to the practical and judicious direction of agricultural enterprise. The Colonies of Australia are gradually marking out for themselves distinct paths of cultivationspecialties of agricultural pursuits, in the same manner as the farmer of Devon or Kent covers his ground with apple-trees or hop-plants. South Australia is noted for the fine quality of its wheat ; Queensland is becoming noted for sugar-cane and cotton-plant. The slopes of the Hunter and valley of the Murray River are being covered with vineyards, the produce cf which is already competing with the vintages of Portugal and the Rhine. Whilst in most of the Colonies the soil is naturally capable of producing all ordinary English crops, it has been found that the soil and climate in each possess special fitness for some particular de partment of cultivation. It may therefore bo well for the farmers of Otago and New Zealand generally, to consider from what crops they may look for the most certain and largest returns, and consequently acquire command of a market that will yield ample and uniform profit. This is a consideration of importance and interest which deserves to be returned to.