THE COMING HARVEST.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 69, 24 November 1855, Page 3

THE COMING HARVEST.

[From tho Adelaide Observer, August 18.]

There are few subjects of greater interest to a community, so far as its material prosperity is concerned, than the extent to which its supply of food is guaranteed either from internal resources or foreign importations. The high price of flour in Australia at the present time, and the eagerness with which arrivals of cereal produce from other countries are anticipated, make it a matter of no small interest to inquire how far the Australian colonies are likely next year to supply themselves with flour, and to what extent they will be dependent on other countries. Unfortunately, the absence of any precise statistics makes it somewhat difficult to come to any thoroughly trustworthy conclusions, but a rough approximation may nevertheless be made. The amount of land' under wheat in 1854, in South Australia, "was 90,000 acres. This year it is notorious that there has been a very great increase of cereal cultivation ; exactly how much is not positively known, the quantity of land under cultivation being variously estimated at from 120,000 to 150,000 acres. The former estimate is undoubtedly not exaggerated, and iv taking that as the basis of calculation, we shall certainly be within the mark. The number of acres under wheat cultivation in Victoria is estimated at 100,000 acre 3. There is considerable vagueness about this estimate, but, as tfae Argus says positively that certainly not less than four times the quantity of wheat is growing in Victoria this year that there has ever been before, the estimate may not be overcharged. In New South Wales, judging from a comparison of various statistical tables, there are probably this year about 130,000 acres under wheat. We may also put down 100,000 acres as under wheat cultivation in Tasmania. If we assume 16 bushels an acre, or two quarters, as an average crop for the whole of the colonies, we shall probably be quite within the mark. In many parts the produce will unquestionably be much greater, especially as the present season is favourable to agriculture ; but it is safer, in calculations of this nature, to be below rather than above the truth. The estimate of wheat production in all the colonies, in 1855, will then stand as follows : — Acres. Wheat in Qn. Utnr South Walo» ... 130,000 200,000 South Australia ... 120,000 240,000 Victoria 100,000 200,000 Tasmania 100,000 200,000 450,000 900,000 Now let us consider the wants of the population for tho year. The English estimate of eight bushels, or one quarter of wheat, as the annual consumption of each individual, may be taken as tolerably correct for Australia, the greater consumption of meat in Australia being used as a set-off against the higher average of the individual consumption of food. The population of the four colonies, with their respective requirements of wheat for 1856, may be therefore set down in round numbers as follows^ — Population. Coniumption in Qrs. Victoria 800,000 800,000 New South Wales 250,000 250,000 South Australia... 90,000 90,000 Tasmania ... 70,000 70,000 710,000 710,000 If these calculations are at all near the •mark, it will be seen that all the colonies together arc growing more than will be wanted for their united consumption, and, therefore, if the weather continues as propitious for corngrowing as it has done hitherto, there is no fear of a dear loaf next year. There is a further deduction, however, that ought to be made from the amount of the produce given *bove, and that is of the quantity required for seed in the ensuing year. Estimating this at a bushel aud a-half per acre, and allowing for a little extra cultivation, we may deduct 100,000 quarters. But this, according to the above egtimate, would still leave the production 90,000 quarters in excess of the consumption. We have taken no notice of New Zealand, neither its population nor its agriculture being of sufficient extent materially to disturb the calculation.

The Argus intimates that in Victoria the supply of mill-power has not kept pace with the increase of cultivation. This is certainly cot the case in South Australia. The increase in the mill-power of the colony last year was very considerable, and, owing to the unfortunate harvest, was greatly in excess of the needs of the colony, and is quite equal, and more than equal, to the demands that will be made upon it this year ; so that, if our neighbours in Victoria should find that they have grown more wheat than they can grind, we shall be very happy to grind it for them if they will send it over here. In May, 1854, we fur--nished the statistics of mill-power in South Australia at that time. There were then 76 pairs of stones at work, and GO more in course of erection. Some of the mills then intended have for various reasons not been proceeded with, but other new oues have been started to take their places. We are certainly within the mark in asserting that by ,the time the harvest is ready there will be not less than 130 pairs of stones in working order. It is commonly reckoned that each pair of stones can grind right-bushels an hour. This, however, is more n nominal than a real estimate. In practice perhaps few mills work regularly up to this reckoning, but for this it is easy to make an allowance. At the rate of 8 bushels an hour, 130 pairs of stones will turn out a little more than 1,000 bushels per hour; and as we have estimated the whole produce of the colony at 1,920,000 bushels, the mills could grind it all in 1,920 honr3, or in ICO days, working only 12 hours a day. If it be objected to this calculation that the rate of grinding has been overestimated, and that, each pair of stones will not in practice turn out 8 bushels an hour, and farther, that the produce of the harvest has been underrated, both as to the extent of the crop and the average yield, it must be remembered on the other hand that the mills will not be required to grind all the wheat grown. A large portion will be wanted for next year's reed, and a large amount will be shipped from the colony unground, there being always a considerable demand in the other colonies for South Australian wheat to grind up with the wheat grown in other places. But even after making the most extensive allowances and de-

ductions, it is quite clear that there is an abundance, and more than an abundance, of mill-power in South Australia to grind all the corn that will be produced in the coming harvest.