The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1877.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 69, 21 March 1877, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1877.

In our issue of Monday we published the agricultural statistics of the Provincial district of Nelson for 1876-77, but as these taken by themselves do not afford any definite information as to the progress or otherwise of the locality referred to, we will institute a comparison between them and those of the previous year in so far as the acreage under cultivation is concerned. The estimated yield may be taken for what it is worth, dependent as it is to a large extent upon whether the collector in each district is of a sanguine or a despondent temperament. The number of " holdings " shows a trifling increase, towards which the City of Nelson contributes 18; that in the Suburbs showing the very slight difference of one, the number beiug24B this year, against 247 in 1876; in Waiinea there are 27 more; in Motueka, 24; in Collingwood, 15; in Cheviot, 6; in Buller, 4; ami in Grey (part of), 3. This, unpalateablc though the fact may be, shows that settlement is progressing very slowly in this part of the colony. Iu the column headed "Extent of land broken up, but not under crop" there is a perceptible increase, the number of acres being 8844 in 1876 against 2448 in 1877, but this is due entirely to the Cheviot district, where 6988 acres are returned this year, tigainst 1065 in the previous one. The amount of land in wheat has altered so slightly as to be scarcely worthy of notice in detail, the increase amounting in the whole to only 72 acres. The quantity of land in oats is nearly 1009 acres less, that in 1876

being 5479 acres, and in 1877, 4530; while on the other hand barley as a grain crop appeara . to be coming more into favor, nearly 600 additional acres having beeu devoted to its cultt vation. Land in grass is classed differently thi? year to what it, has been on oc> casions,.so that it is impossible to form any ; Comparison between the two' periods. In potatoes there is a falling off of over 300 j acres, and in "other crops" of 160 acres. With'all these deficiencies the total area under crop is given for this year at 86,538 acres, agaiust 67,965 in 1876, but there is internal evidence to prove that in the total a very large amount of the land ia grass has beea returned twice. On the whole the statistics are not such as to call for a congratulatory notice, showing" as they do that the progress made under the different headiugs is almost imperceptible. In one branch of agricultural industry, however, the Nelson district is making steady, if not rapid progress, but of this no mention is made in the return before us. We refer to the cultivation of hops which have now attained a prominent position amongst the exports from this port. A separate column has this year been devoted to " Land in sown grasses,": and the result has been, from the manner in which the returns have been sent in under the printed headings, to render them worse, not only valueless but actually misleading, special provision having been made for returning the number of acres in grass intended for hav twice over. Had the space in the forms thus thrown away heen allowed to contain a matter of such really useful information as the extent of hop cultivations the return would have possessed a great deal more value for those who are desirous of ascertainingthe progress that the colony is making in matters agricultural. Year after year; we: have i:;-,' { the advisability of having some official rciurti of: this branch of agriculture, and we trust that the gentleman who has for: ! a long period of time so satisfactorily occupied the position of superintendent collector will use his best endeavors to persuade the authorities to remedy what is each year, becqming a graver and more serious omission. ' ! ; ' : ' i • !