BRITISH CROPS IN 1917.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1775, 12 January 1918, Page 2

BRITISH CROPS IN 1917.

A PRELIMINARY statement by the Board of Agriculture, showing the estimated total produce and yield per acre of the crops, says that the total production of wheat in England and Wales in 1917 is estimated at 7,101,619 quarters, or 330,000 quarters more than last year; and the yield per acre, 29.88 bushels, is If bushels greater than in 1916,

though bushels below the average of the 10 years, 1907-16. Although the yield per acre of barley is threefourths of a bushel smaller than in 1916, the total production, 5,539,514 quarters, is 360,000 quarters greater, owing to the increased area under this crop. The total production of oats, 10,866,765 quarters, is 450,000 quarters more than, in 1916, and the largest crop since 1907. This large crop is due to the increased area, as the yield per acre is li bushels less than a year ago, and about the same amount below average. Beans are a very poor crop, and are the smallest crop recorded since 1885, both in total production and yield'per acre. Peas are rather more satisfactory, and the total production is slightly greater than last .year, but still much below normal. The total production of hay from clover and rotation grasses is 2,405,468 tons, or nearly 500,000 tons less than the large crop of lost year. The yield per acre, 28.f50 cwt., is 4:}cwl. lighter than in 1916, and nearly lewt. | ’ * below average. The total production of hay from permanent grass, 5,149,537 tons, is also less than in 1916, by some 800,000 tons; the yield per acre in this case being rather over 3cwt, less than last year, and, 13 cwt. under average. Taking all. kinds of hay together, the total production is 7,550,000 tons, which is 1,280,000 tons less than last year, but nearly 1,000,000 tons more than the total production in 1915.