Smallest Percentage of Unimproved Land

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 9, 26 January 1937, Page 6

Smallest Percentage of Unimproved Land

Each year the cfficers of the statistics and Census Department pour forth on the farmer an avalanche of forms, containing numerous questions on farming, call in the sid of the polico force, and, after many months of toi! bring forth a 43-page statistical report on D" ' Agriculf ural and Pastoral Production in Neiw Zealand." The 1935-36 report has now been issued, and, as in tli© past, contains muchi interesting information not only for the farmer but for those of us wliose prosperity is linked with the farm production of the Dominion. This year's issue contains figuret showing that Hawke's Bay led the Dominion in sheep-carrying ctpacity and has a smaller percentage of unimproved land in its total acreage than any other land district in the Dominion. For grain and puise crops — notably oats, barley and maize — Hawke's Bay had a total acreage planted of 10,130, of whichi oats ' constituted over 7000 acres, this total being exceeded in the North Island by the 'Wellington and Auckland land districts, while the principal South Island, areas largely exceeded this figure. Dilost of the Hawke's Bay oats were grown for hay, chaffing and ensilage, and the Hawke's Bay and Waipawa counties produced the bulk of the crop. The barley grown was principally for threshing, and the proportion of maize thrashed and fedoff was five to four. A small acreage of peas was also grown. RYE-GRASS PRODUCTION.

A total /of 29,113 acres in Hawke's Bay was cut for seed, hay and ensilage of grasses, clovers and lucerne, this figure being exceeded by every other land district in the North Island with Ihe exception of Gisborne; but, as far as tho actual acreage cut for grass-seed alone is concernecl, this district, with 5,278 acres of rye-grass, was the leading produeer in the North Island, and fourth in the Dominion to Canterbury, Southland and Otago. For green iodcier and root crops, Hawke 's Bay, with an acreage of 30,953, was third in the North Island to Wellington and" Auckland, but was left well behind by the agrieuljtural areas of Canterbury, Otago and Southland, which had a total acreage of over 500,000 in crop." Rape, kale and turnips were the most popular green and root crops in Hawke's Bay; neariy 29,000 acres were cultivated for these erops. Tho least popular crop for stock fodder were onions, carrots and parsnips, only 46 acres being given to these three fodders. Onions v/ere very much out of favour, with 17 acres under crop. The Hawke 's Bay county was again the principal cropping area, providing 10,000 out of the total of 30,000 acres cropped, with Waipawa county following with 8,441 acres. Delving deeper into the. statistics, the student finds that the acreage yield of grain and pulse crops, grasses and clovers and root crops 'are also given. The summary of the Hawke's Bay yield with the Dominion average in parentheees is: Wheat, for threshing, 28.37 bushels (35,63); oats, for threshing, 27.61 bushels (42,61); oats, for chaif, hay and ensilage, 1.90 tons (1.72) ; barley, for threshing, 35.11 bushels (36.08); maize, for threshing, 33.09 bushels (42.73); peas, 24.3Q busHeJs (23.04); rye-grass, 372.84 bushels (363,63); cocksfoot, 180.50 bushels (181.67) ; red clover and cow grass, 191.35 bushels (169.61); white clover, 183,40 bushels (119.42); grasses and clovers, cut for hay, 1,79 tons (1,88); grasses and clovers, cut for ensilage, 4.08 tons (4.05); lucerne, cut for hay and ensilage, 3.35 tons (2.90); potatoes, 2.83 tons (5,27); onions, 3.12 tons (7.64). .

SMALL UNIMPROVED AREA. As far as areas in cultivation and in occupation are concerned, it is diaclosed Hiat Hawke's Bay has a total occupied area of 2,739,449 acres, of which 2,010,628 wero cultivated and 728,821 unimproved. C>f the total 1,949,777 acres were in grasses, clover and lucerne, 38,783 in field crops, 9,100 acres in plantgtipns, 3,200 acres in orchards and 4,966 acres as private gardens and grounds about farm residences. Some (62 acres were devoted to grape culturs, ohe acre. to bops and 394 to marke^ gardens." Hawke's, Bay incidentally, with Gisborne, has a smaller percentage of nnimproved land in its total acreage in occupation than any other district in the Dominion, the Weber and Woodville districts leading as far as the Hawke's Bay land district is concerned. The bulk of the Hawke's Bay unimproved occupied land is under tussock and native grass, fern, scrpb and second growth, A bigger proportion of the land farmed in Hawke's Bay is freehold as opposed to leasehold, the comparative figures being 1,727,350 and 1,012,000 acres respectively. A disappointing feature of the statistics is the faet thqt only 158,800 aeres of grassland were topdresised during the year ended Januaiy 31, 1936, which compares unfavourably with some of the other areas. The size of the average holding in Hawke's Bay is shown as 551.75 acres, which is next tp Gisborne for the largest holdings in the North Island. The average holding in the Dominion its 511.93 aeres.

The moxt popular farms in Hawke's Bay Were small-holdings of from fivo to ten acres, with farms of 100 to 150 aqres the next in order. The largest station in "Hawke's Bay » hetween 30,000 and 40,000 acres, while there are two of 20,000 to 30,000 aeres. A total of 262 stations of 1000 to 2000 acres wero occupied in Hawke's Bay, and this accounted for 544,684 of the 2,739,449 acreis occupied. The 100-150 acre farms were the most favoured throughout the Dominion, with '9810 farmers in occupation. FLOCK AND HERD TOTALS. Hawke's Bay stood third in the Do minion for the number of sheep shorn m 1935-36 and for the number of lambs tailed, the figures being S, 528, 328 a,nd 2,043,007 respectively. Tho total pheep population at Apvil 30, 1936, was 4,080,211 for Hawke's Bay, out of a Dominion total of 30,113,704. Hawke's Bay also had 341,628 head of cattle, including 74,000

head of dairy stock, out of a Dominion total of 4,254,078. The horse population of the distriet was 16,670. Hawke '« Bay led the Dominion in pheep-carrying capacity, with 1,287.97 sheep per 1000 aeres, as compared with a Dominion average of 607.14. This figure was only appnoached . by Gisborne with & carrying ctipsacity .of/ 1100.35 sheep per 1000 acres, and speaks eloquently of the fertility and farm management of the provinee The sheep population showed an advance on the previous year from 8,912,790 to 4,080,211 for Hawke's Bay, Crossbred sheep were the principal source of wealth, with 3,134,004 represented out of the Hawke's Bay total. Hawke's Bay's pig population stood at 27,779, out of a Dominion total of 808,463, the principal pig districts being Auckland and Wellington. The average Hawke's Bay fiock comprised 1928 head. ■ The final statistics are devoted to farm macbinery," and here again Hawke's Bay stands well upon tbe list, next to Wellington, in the Domii nion comparisons for shearing maehines at 3774. Hawke's Bay js also shown as possessing 462 fractors, 971 milkiqg plants, 3103 separators, 2014 electric motors and 1759 stationary engines Dealing with the Dominion generally the statistics show that while the number of holdings show a slight decrease of 320, the actual area occupied has increased by 177,534 acres. The proportions of freehold and leasehold land were respectively 48 and 52 per cent'.

DAIRY HOLDINGS INCREASE Holdings used for dairying purposea decreased by 2 p.c,, sheep and cattle holdings decreased by 6 per cent, while areas devoted to mixed farming increased by 27 per cent. The harvest of 1935-36 was one of the best recorded for years, areas of crops being greater and per acre ^ields being generally higher. There was an almost negligible increase in the area of grasses and clovers harvested for seed. Yields, however, increased, over all by 18 per cent. Over 51,000 additional acres were harvested for hay and ensilage, representing an increase of 10.6 per cent, while production increased by 11 per cent, the amount of hay and ensilage saved being 1,186,000 tons, There was greater activity in topdressing, the total area so treated aggregating 2,882,000 acres, giv jng an increase of 7.4 per cent. The proportion of pasture land top-dressing was nearly one-sixth of fhe total area under grass, All classes of farm machinery sbutwed an increase in numbers. Milking maehines increased by slightly over 2 per cent, and three-quarters of tho Doioioion's cow population wero milked in this manner. Agricultural tractors increased by 361 jn numbers and 10.000 m horse-power. The total number of cattle showed » small decrease, dairy classes declining appreciably, while beef cattle increased oyer the 1935 figures. Sjince 1931 pig numbers have increased by 70 per cent., the increase for 1935-36 being 6 per cent. Horses in the farm-working classes accounted for an increase of 3*200 on tfia previous year's figure, Sheep increased by over 1,000,000 head, the increase being principally in breeding ewes, whrch increased by 850,000. Apprpximately 640,000 more sheep were shorn, while lambs tailed showed practically no chanr.e. Wool production showed an increase of 14.7 per cent., the total — a record for the Dominion — amountmg to 316,500,0001bs.