AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 92, 17 April 1883, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

•«. We gatlipr the following interesting information from the returns of the condition of agriculture in the Manawatu nnd Rangitikei, from the tabulated statements compiled by Mr Deighton, of Marton. The total number of holdings, leasehold nnd freehold, iv 1882 was 996 ; in 1883 tins is increased to 1095 Tiie number of .icres broken up but not cropj'e ■ iv 1 SS".i was 2if><), this is reduced to 125S in ISS3. The number of acres in wheat, in 18S2 was 6573, estimated to produce 142,049 bushels, in 1883 was 7687, estimated to produce 158.432 busheis, an increase in acreage of 814 acres and 16,383 bushels. Oats in 1882 —acres, 4623; bushels, 114,554. In 1883 — acres, 4623 ; bushels, 114,554; a de- ! crease of 7699 bushels. Barley, in 1882 —112 acres ; 12,462 bushels. In 1883— 412 ii errs ; 10.529 bushels ; a decrease of 1G33 builds. In sown grasses, ine'tiding hay and grasses after having been broken up, and grass sown land not previously ploughed —in 1882 — 224,065 acres— in 18S3— 254.399 acres; au increase of 60,231' acres in grass. Potatoes show a marked decrease in ISS2, 463 acres, yielding 2054 tons appear ; but in 1883 only 311 acres, producing 1379 tons. Turnips or rape — in 1882, 1460 acres are in 1883 increased to 2168 acres The total number of acres under crop, including grasses, in 1882 was 247,374 acres, iv 1883 299,486 acres, showing an increase of 52.112 acres either under cultivation or reclaimed for stock grazing. On the whole these returns are most satisfactory seeing that they prove beyond dispute the continued advancement of this section of the West Coast on the way to a prosperous future. The estimates for wheat and oats are put at a very low average, far under the actual amount produced. Very few farms in the itangitikei and Manawatu but what will avenge more than 20 bushels of wheat, and 25 bushels of oats to the acre, and many of them will more than double it.