AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS 1874.

Evening Star, Issue 3467, 2 April 1874, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS 1874.

OTAGO, Mr Sperry, the Chief Enumerator, has kindly forwarded to us an official copy of the agricultural statistics for the season 1873-4, but we have not room for them in detail. We give the totals Number of holdings, 3,913; extent of land broken up, but not under crop, 41,7424 acres; in wheat (sown for gram only), 50,0684 acres, gross produce, 1,489,711 bushels ; in oats (for green food or hay), 11,132 acres, for grain 60,2044 acres, gross produce of grain, 2,002,794 bushels; m barley (sown for grain only), 8,890f acres, gross produce, 264,007 bushels ; in hay, 10,558 acres, gross produce, 16,970} yons, including 6,570 bushels of grass seed, in permanent artificial grass (including land m hay just before enumerated) 227,9854 acres ; in potatoes, 3,3034 acres, gross produce, 15,4364 tons; iu other crops, 10,7144 acres; total number of acres under crop

(including sown grasses) 372,2984. Quantity of last year’s crop remaining on hand when tiie forms were filled up—wheat, 89,716 bushels; oats, 32,477 bushels ; and barley, 994 bushels.

Comparing the totals given above with those for 1872-3, we find that there areincreases under every head save those of land sown in wheat, extent of land broken up but not under crop, and yield of potatoes. Ihe increases are as follows Number of holdings, 208. Yield of wheat, 286 bushels. Oats—-area, 8,513 acres ; yield, 435,835 ?000,0 , Barley—iarea, 3,997 acres ; yield, 133,213 bushels. In permanent artificial grass, including hay, 57,032 acres; total under crop, 67,163 acres. The decreases are: -r- In extent, of land broken up but not under crops, 4,694 acres; sown in wheat (for grain only), 709 acres; in potatoes —area 717 acres, yield 6,385 tons. The estimated increased production of grain of all sorts amounts to 569,307 bushels. The average produce of the principal cereals, as compared with those of last year, is in round numbers as follows :

CANTERBURY. of 1873-4, compared with 1872-3, show a considerable increase under every head save that of potatoes, which have fallen off to the trifling extent of thirty acres in area, and of 104 tons in estimated yield. The increases are as follows Number of holdings—3so. Extent of land broken up but not under cr0p—12,798 acres. Wheat —area, 3,364 acres ; yield 219,564 bushels. Oats-for green food or hay, 1,431 acres; for grain—area 1,811 acres; yield 166,005 bushels. Barley—area 2,399 acres; yield 115,083 bushels. Sown grasses—in hav : area 4,380 acres ; yield 7,006 tons. In permanent artificial grasses (including hay) area 50,098 acres. Other acres! Total number of acres under crop (including sown grasses) 63,519 acres. The estimated increased production of grain of all sorts amounts roughly to 500,000 bushels, representing, at an average of 4s per bushel,; Li 100,000. The average produce of the principal cereals, as compared with those of last year, is in round numbers as under ;

1872-3 18734 Wheat .. . 29i bushels, 29J bushels. Oats . 30i do 33 4-15 do Barley .. . 2S| do 27 6-22 do

Wheat . Oats 1872-3. 1873-4. .. 21# bushels . •• 2l| „ •. 23| bushels. .. 27 Barley . •• 20 „ fi •• 27 „