The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 622, 1 May 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1878.

Tnr. agricultural statistics for the provincial district of Otago are published in a New Zealand Gazette which came to hand last evening. We give below the < stimated yields of wheat, oats, and barley in the different comities ..f the provincial district, from which it will be seen that the County of Waitaki occupies the premier position : • corsrtF.3. wiiFir. "•"». r.ar.i.F.v. P.n-h, U. i'li-'i-!- I'iM-I.e'.s. vraitaki.. !.»: :.!-■■ '•:-. ••' ; i[\y* Waikm.aitl l'-'--.'-*' '--••;- •.'.-"'i Vin.ent.. "•■-•' '■'.'";: M»nii>toto 4.:«.-> :....--'■• ' ■■'_'•• Pen,"..!. ->"- .'.I-;'" 1 . .■:» l m ? ek * i •':••',; i &£ Knice -■•.!-'. ■ ■ ~,i.„i flrxtha .. I. : ■;-•-" --..,, s....thbn.i -•'■••■" ••■ "•■"■? I-:,:' Wallace.. '"" 7t 1 " , - v -'" 1 "-' 1 " F i" r ' l , Totals .. . TT-'T'.Ws :i.i::i.-'!t 1..n..»:. We have not the actual results of last year's operations before u.s, i>ut for the "purposes of comparison, we may fairly ; take the estimated yields under tin- three headiriL's. which xvetv as follow : \\ lieat. 1.2.-Js.3!)3bushels ; oats. 2.."?0, .38.Sbii.-h.-ls : barb-y. 183,077 bushels. It will thus be ; seen that the estimated yield of wheat 111 the provincial district is more than double what it was last rear, the actual increase being 1,240,10.") bushels. The estimated yield of oats also shows an inc.---a.se. the "figures before us showing tiiat the yield this vear is expected to be greater than that i.f last vear by S2fi..S.- ; o bushels ; but there is a failing oil" in the yield of barb-y to the .xrelit of 70.252 bushels. The statistic; for the provincial district of Canterbury are also before 11*. and from these we "learn that the . s'imated yields in wheat and o.Vs a!s.. show wry large inI creases as compared xxn'i last year, xvhile there is a falling oil' in the x,i-:.l -.f-i- -11 of barley in the sist-r I'mx ir.c-. We iiave not the complete returns b. fore us f..r other portions of the Colony, and cannot therefore arrive at a fun! conclusion as to the probable to-:il viehl of cereals in the Chmy during the vear: but the production of grab: outside of Canterbi rv and Otago is so small as not to be capable of interfering materially with any calculations as m th.rinantity'likely to he available for export. For all "practical purposes the figures as shown in the agricultural statistics of th,txvo great granaries of the Colony may fairly^ he taken as the basis of our calculations. We will, therefore, place before our readers in n concise form the estimated yields of wheat, oats, and barley this year in Canterbury and Otago. as compared with *liose of last year, and endeavour to arrive at some conclusion as to what quantities xvill be available for export : WHEAT. I!.l.!,-U. liil-ti, I-. Cantrrfjurv a.i-Jf'.'.'J:: -.•"".'•'--"' - l.J:i-..:i-.':t Totals :..>7r,.4.',i ::.;i;::.i..is This shows a nominal increase in wheat of 1,033,433 bushels. This year, too, nearly the whole of the wheat is fit for export, and this makes the excess far more noticeable, and renders the quantity available for export even greater than it might appear. The quantity estimated last year for consumption in the Colony was set down at 2,400.000 bushels, and if we allow a reasonable increase for consumption and for seed purposes, we are forced to the conclusion that over three million bushels will require to be exported from the Colony. Where are we to look for markets for this quantity / Judging from the information at our disposal, we are warranted in arriving at the conclusion that we will have to go beyond the Australasian Colonies to dispose of our surplus stock of wheat. We are forced at once to turn our eyes to the Home Country as the only place where we are likely to find a market. If prices remained at their present high level at Home, it would no doubt pay our grain merchants to ship, wheat to the Old Country ; but of this we are extremely doubtful, for if a permanent peace is concluded in Europe, it would, so we are advised, materially affect prices in, nnd render the prospect of our merchants finding a payable market for wheat in the Home Country extremely problematical. If, on the other hand, a prolonged war should take place, a market would be opened up for as much wheat as we could possibly ship Home, for all hope of sup- i plit-.x being obtained from the Black Sea would, rts a natural consequence, be at nn end. Of one thing, however, we may bs pretty well assured : there is yery little 1 prospect of the present rates being maintained, for it is scarcely possible that I merchants will care to purchase at present | prices on the mere prospect of being able, I in the event of a lengthy war in Europe, to rind an open market at the other end of the wor'd. J "is 7-. 1577. Iti:~ll.-|s. Bushels. Canterburr -J.i'.is.i.!:; 2.106.-11) 0-^ JU ".. S.e'.l.-H 2. i Total* .. ».533,157 Ml«.l<s* i

Here, again, we have a very large increase, amounting to 1,118,999 bushels, and not d of 537.173 bushels, as stated by the Daily Times, which, in arriving at its „ conclusions, committed the somewhat jextraordinary mistake of misplacing the figures for the two years as regards f Canterbury, and thus making, it appear as 1 [ though tliere had been a considerable ] falling "ft* in t!.<- vivid of oats in that j i'n.vincial dis-riet. We have no i |in<ans of arriving nt anything like a j :i. finite conclusion as to wi at quantity of , Liits will be required for Colonial con- , sumption; but bearing in mind the fact ttiiit, prior to the new crop coming in, . there was somewhat of a scarcity of the lo.miijodity, and allowing for a reasonable increase f.r consumption and for seed ..uvpo?. s. we should think there will be i iit;le difficulty in obtaining markets for i riie whole of the crop, and good average j prices may be looked for. i j Eii.-hels. Bn-iiel". 1 Canterbury .. :'.:;.'>.,:tt :..'.-n.. oo Ou ff o • 10-MW> ' -"■''" Totals .. 410,423 CW.077 What a falling off is here presented. The estiniaad yield is fully one-third less this year than in its predecessor, while. we also regre f . to learn that the average quality is "inferior to that of last year. Holders of good malting barley need have n.. apprehensions as to the prospects of limling markets, for the suppiy is likely t.. fall verv far short of the demand. Adding"the totals under the different heads together, we find that the total estinia.ed produce of grain for the year in Cmterbury and Otago amounts to ' ll.S"il).(J(»fi bushels, as against 9.046,883 I bushela for last year. The progress here displayed is at once remarkable and saths- . faet.rv, and it is pleasing to know that in I ihe achievement of this result, the County r ( .f Waitaki has performed a prominent