AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1217, 11 March 1880, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

The first of the agricultural statistics for the present year are published in a Government Gazette which has just reached us. The particulaas set forth are as follow ;—■

ASHLEY COUNTY. 1579. 1880.

Number of holdingsFreehold ./I' ... 553 667 Rented ... 179 210 Part freehold and part rented ... ... 162 138 Land under crop— Wheat; ... acres 13,581 14,582 Oata for food or hay acres 1,333 1,171 Oats for grain actes 17,069 22,290 Barley ... acres 1,933 3,997 Potatoes ... acres 933 1,105 Estimated gross produce— Wheat ... bushels 301,62S 435,626 Oats ... bushels 363,570 756,350 Barley bushels 40,845 134,640 Potatoes ... tons 4,719 8,051 Quantity of last year's ■ crop held when form filled up— Wheat ... bushela 5,043 75 Oats bushels 1,080 1,125 Barley ... bushels . 130 .. 75 AKAKOA COUNTY. 1879. 1880.'

Number of holdings— Freehold ... ... 253! 1 265] Rented ... ?S 64 ; Part freehold and part; ■ : | rented 162 138] Land vwder- cropWheat ' acres 651 700 Oats fox food or hay

; . acres 119 115 : Qdts : for grain acres 451 ' 1,009 Bai'ley' ... acres 173 519; Potatoes ... acres 62 104: Estimated gross produce— ' , Wheat ... bushels 18,204 . "28,510 Oats ... bushels 12,165 21,825 Barley ;.. bushels 5j163 20,^20' Potatoes ... tons 327 '740 Quantity of last' year's crop held when form filled up— Wheat ... bushels Oats ... bushels 12 50 Barley ... bushels —■

SELWYN COUNTY. 1579. ISSO,

Number of holdings— Freehold ... ... 1,177 1,283 Rented ... 490 544

Part freehold and par t rented,... ... 170 203 Land under .Crop— Wheat ... acres 40,597 44,75q Oats for food or hay acres 6;QBS 3,735 Oats for grain aevea 31,934 39,235 Barley : ... acres 5,542 9,559 Potatoes .... acres .2,630 3,144 Estimated gross produce— Wheat ... bushels 780,368 1,243,418 Oats ... bushels 598,327 1,336,655 Barley ... bushels 112,707 305,434 .Potatoes ... tons 16,899 22,362 Quantity of last year's ; crop held when . form filled up— Wheat ... bushels 3,06.2 740 Oats ... bushels 9,55J 4,154 Barley ... buphela 20 —■' i ASpHB.URTOS COUNTY. 1879. 1880.; Number of holdings— Freehold ... ... 326 383 Rented ... ... 119 81 Part freehold and part rented ... , ... . 59 , : 43 Land under crop— Wheat ... acres 64,880 73,502 Oats for food or hay acres 4,500 2,141 Oats for grain acres 23,470 34,911 Barley ... acres 5,950 15,15$ Potatoes ... acres 261 870 Estimated gross produce—. ! . Wheat ... bushels 1,139,025 1,974,401 Oats ... bushels 515,204 1,274,564 Barley ... bushels 122,788 397,668 Potatoes ... tons 1,244 1,961 Quantity of last year's crop held when form filled up— Wheat ... bushels 4,583 222 Oats ... bushels 3,38 a 6,062 ■ Barley. ... bushels 420

From the foregoing figures it will be observed that the esiimated grain produce for last season and the present season, in the four counties mentioned, make up the following totals : WHEAT. 1879. 18SQ, Increase, Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. 2,239,225 3,681,954 1,442,730 : ' OATS. ' ' 1,439,566 3,359,304 1,899,828 BARLEY. ■ 281,505 858,562 577,057 ' Thus we are promised in the four counties of Ashley, Akaroa, Selwyn, and Ashburton a grand increase, as compared with last year, in the three cereals of no less than 3,919,615 bushels. If the remaining grain-growing counties show equally good progress, what a surplus of grain there will be to provide markets for.