Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4381, 5 April 1875, Page 2

Some time ago we gave a summary of the agricultural statistics of Canterbury and Taranaki, from the published returns. We have now the Otago returns before us, as they appear in the Dunedin papers. The Guardian, commenting on these statistics, remarks

The Southern provinces have been termed the Granary of New Zealand: and their claim to tins distinction is amply borne out by the recently-pub-lished agricultural statistics, which are now before us. From these we learn that the total quantity of land under crop in Otago and Canterbury is 853,002 acres, of which 543,728 acres are described as “ in permanent artificial grass,” and 310,234 acres are in use for the production of grain and root crops. Of the latter, 97 002 acres are appropriated to wheat; 144,010 acres to' oats; 5084 acres to barley : and 30,439 acres to “other crops,” the nature of which is not specified. As showing the progress of bona fide settlement and cultivation, it may be mentioned that there are 102,038 acres broken up but not under crop, and which will no doubt be utilised during the next year. There will then be a total of not far less than one million acres recovered from the wilderness in these two provinces ; but the fact will remain that the largest proportion will still be devoted to the rearing and breeding of cattle, although the remainder will constitute fully two-thirds of all the hind in the colony whereon food is grown for the people. It is observable that, in the number of holdings, and in the acreage of land under wheat, barley, and sown grasses, Canterbury takes the lead Otago, as she also does in the matter of the unspecified,general crops, and in the quantity of land broken up during the season ; and that in oats and potatoes alone is Otago in advance of Canterbury. Attached to the returns there are some very useful tables, showing the differences between the estimated crops of 1874 and 1375 :

It will be seen that in Canterbury there is a considerable increase in wheat, oats, and potatoes, and a slight decrease in barley; whilst in Otago the increase has been limited to oats, and in a lesser degree to potatoes, and there is a very perceptible decrease in wheat and barley. Of the various sub-districts in this province, Waitaki takes the lead for wheat, barley, and sown grasses, and the Taieri for oats and potatoes. It is satisfactory to know that the crops have been exceptionally good throughout the country. The wheat average on the total estimated crop is about 35i- bushels per acre, which is fully 10 bushels more than last year’s return. Oats arc in excess of 37 bushels, and in some well-authenticated instances this crop has yielded as much as from 70 to 9G bushels per aero! In barley the average is 32-J bushels, and the potatoo crop shows tons to the acre. In this respect Otago is slightly belter than Canterbury, where, although the averages are very good, they scarcely come up to those of the more Southern protrince.

We have to congratulate the two southern provinces upon the result of last harvest. With more labor, and cheap and speedy transport, settlement must progress much more rapidly than has hitherto been the case in the South. The difficulties and expense of land transport, .and the uncertainty and cost of labor, have been of themselves sufficient to deter from agricultural pursuits, unless under favorable circumstances ; but now, with the main railways in progress approaching completion, there will be much greater inducement to engage in tillage fanning. The proportion of land under permanent pasture to the land under cereals and other crops, shows unraistakeably the want of railway communication.

1874. 1875. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. Wheat .. 1,489.711 9S0.12S Decrease. 509,583 2,002,704 3,018,148 Increase . 1,015,354 Barley .. 204,007 108,430 Decrease. 05,571 Tons. Tons. Tons. Potatoes 15,430 13,410 Increase . 2,9S3 CANTERBURY. 1S74. 1S75. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. Wheat .. 1,700,739 1,827,705 Increase . 121,050 1,053,550 2,203,003 1,150,133 Barley .. 210,000 230,300 Decrease. 10,321 Tons. Tons. Tons. Potatoes 8,522 13,252 Increase . 4,370