AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4387, 12 April 1875, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

The following are the agricultural statistics of the various provinces, so far as published : Canterbury.

*There was an estimated decrease of 19,321 bushels barley in 1875 as compared with the yield of 1574. The largest proportionate increase, it will be observed, is in oats. This, no doubt, has been caused by the large demand for the last two years, the Australian and Northern markets having taxed the Middle Island to supply them. The following details will be interesting to country settlers and mercantile men: — Canterbury: February, 1875. Acres. Bushels.

UilUCi VlU|K>; grass 470,305 • In these figures we have omitted the fractional parts. There were 3,928 holdings in Canterbury when the Agricultural statistics were compiled, and 59,047 acres had been broken up for next season’s crop. These figures show a marked progress in agricultural pursuits in Canterbury. OTAGO.

This result, it must be admitted, is by no means satisfactory. With the exception of permanent pasture, the province of Wellington does not appear to have done much in the way of tillage fanning ; but as we have explained, on previous occasions, the difficulties and cost of land transport have been the principal, if not the sole cause. The total area under cultivation, including permanent pasture, when the returns were made up, was 302,346 acres ; and there were broken up for next season’s crops, 5,324 acres ; —not a large extent of country certainly, but still showing progress. We trust, however, that with the increase of population, and the progress of rural settlement, this state of things will speedily change, and that Wellington will take much higher rank as an agricultural district. The differences between the estimated crops of 1874 and 1875, for the province of Wellington, as shown by the return, are as follow: —• IfiTi. IS 1 ?*

It cannot, therefore, be said that the province of Wellington has been stationary during the past year, but the result, as we have already said, is far from satisfactory. hawke's bay. The returns for Hawke’s Bay province are very much on a par with those for Wellington. There does not appear to be much agricultural activity in the Bay province. This will be at once seen from the following statistics :

There appears to have been some difficulty in compiling the Hawke’s Bay returns, inasmuch as the following note is published by the Registrar-General:— “The quantity of land in permanent “ artificial grass returned for several of “ the holdings is considered excessive, as “ in many cases they include a large acre- “ age of surface-sown seed, the growth “of which has been over-estimated. In “ regard to this the Superintendent-Col- “ lector reports :—‘ I have arrived at the “ ‘ conclusion that 35,000 acres should “ ‘ be taken off the 201,609 acres, leav- “ ‘ 106,500 acres as a much better ap- “ ‘ proximation than the actual returns “ ‘ received.’ ” Whether the facts justify this note we are not in a position to say. It is a matter of some importance to Hawke’s Bay, which would have its cultivated area considerably docked were the suggested reduction made in the statistics. As it is, it throws a serious doubt upon the return. Hawke’s Bay shows a decrease of 2,088 bushels of wheat, as compared with the returns of 1874; an increase of 13,884 bushels oats ; a decrease of 5,251 bushels barley ; and an increase of 1,330 tons potatoes. There were 492 holdings in Hawke’s Bay; 3,587 acres were broken up for next season’s crop ; and the total area under cultivation was 204,344 acres. In the foregoing returns we have omitted all fractions.

Taranaki, with very great capacity, has not yet made any large returns. This has been caused, as everyone knows, by the unsettled state of the country for many years. But latterly significant progress has been made. The returns, compiled in February, 1875, are as follow :

Taranaki possessed 560 holdings, and there were 1,355 acres of new land broken up for next season’s crops. The recent introduction of immigrants into that province will doubtless stimulate enterprise in this direction, by providing labor which previously was not to he had.

1874. 1875. Increase. Wheat, bushels . 1,706,739 1,827,795 121,026 Oats do. ,. 1,053,550 2,203,603 1,150,113 Barley do. 249,690 230,369 V 19,32I Potatoes, tons 8,522 13,352 4,730

meat 1,827,797 Oats, green food .. .. 3,808 — Oats, grain .. .. 63,823 2,203,663 Barley .. 8,006 230,369 Sown grass (hay) .. .. 10,701 (tons) 12,917 Total sown grass .. .. 299,262 Potatoes .. 2,843 (tons) 13,252 Other crops .. Under crops, includin ? sown —

Wheat .. Oats Barley .. Potatoes 1874. Bushels. 1,489.711 2,002,794 204,007 Tons. 15,436 1875. Bushels. 980,128 3,018,148 168,436 Tons. 18,419 Bushels. Decrease.. 509,5S3 Increase.. 1,015,354 Decrease.. 95,571 Tons. Increase. 2,983 CANTERBURY. 1874. 1875. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. Wheat .. 1,706,739 1,827,795 Increase . 121,056 Oats 1,053,550 2,203,663 Decrease . 1,150,113 Barley -. 249,090 230,309 19,321 Tons. Tons. Tons. Potatoes 8,522 13,252 Increase 4,370 WELLINGTON. Acres. Bushels. Wheat .. 955 22,202 Oats (grain) 3,654 111,841 „ (green food] 946 Barley 194 4,266 Sown grass 295,238 Grass hay 4,801 .. (tons) 6,007 Potatoes.. .972 .. (tons) 6,254 Other crops 383

1574 bushels 1875 bushels Wheat , 41,738 22,202 decrease 19,535 Oats . 71,99(3 111,841 increase 39,845 Barley . 2,943 4,2C6 „ 1,323 Potatoes (tons). . 5,433 (3,254 „ 821

Hawke’s Bay, February, 1S75. Acres. Bushels. meat 37 1,006 Oats (grain) .. 1,208 30,208 „ (green food). .. 470 . — Barley 90 1,569 Sown grass 201,509 Potatoes 393 (tons) 2,463 Grass hay 3,583 (tons) 4,070 Other crops .. 023 —

Acres. Bushels. Wheat 7-14 16,859 Oats (grain) 479 9,128 Barley 2 SO Sown grass (hay) 876 (tons) l.ioo Total sown grass 54,927 Potatoes 410 (tons) 1,769 Other crops 287 Total under cultivation 56,941 —