The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1224, 19 March 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1880.

The agricultural statistics for the County of "Waiiaki, which we published yesterday, though perhaps not so glowing as some were led to expect, display results that must prove highly satisfactory. Taking the figures in the order "in -which they were given, we find, first, that the" total holdings in the County have increased from 466 in 1579 to 524 in 1880, or, in other words, have increased by 58 in number, This means, we presume, an addition to that extent of holders of land, and shows some improvement in that respect. Turning next to the ares?, placed under cultivation in the three principal cereals of wheat, oats, and barley, we find little to show any material progress in this respect, for there was onlv an increase of area under crop of 2S acres. This fact may in a very great measure be attributable to a want of confidence in tbe markets for the produce, but the strongest reason for so little extra land having been placed under cultivation is to be found in the fact that the year has been one characterised by severe financial depression, and that the operations of farmers, as of all other classes, have been greatly crippled by want of fiuxds to prosecute vigorously their calling. But though cereals show so small an increase in acreage, some satisfaction is to be derived from the fact that potatoes have been more largely cultivated, the increase of laud under cultivation with tins class of produce amounting to 263 acres, with an increased estimated yield of 1900 tons. The greatest amount of satisfaction, however, is to be found in the fact that the gross estimated yield of wheat, oats, and barley shows an increase of 475,993 bushels. Thus it will be seen there is a very considerable improvement in the yield I per acre as compared with the figures for ; last season, but against this we have Itlie fact that last year's harvest was | somewhat below the average. Still ; there is room for congratulation that ! the general results this season should have been so good, notwithstanding that the heavy and unseasonable rains and the destructive rust, <fcc., in some places did a large amount of damage. Before proceeding to deal with the several classes of crop, it may be well to note what position each of them holds in relation to those of last year. To do this in a clear manner, we will place the estimated yields under each head for two years in tabulated form as follow: — 1679. 1880. Wheat ... bushels 719,074 765,108 Oats bushela 913,966 1,233,388 Barley ... bushels- 72,579 182,956 From these figures it will be seen that wheat shows an increased estimated yield of 4G,094 bushels, oats 3*9,422 bushels, and bailey 110,377 bushels, That there should have been less attention given to wheat than in the previous

year is somewhat surprising, more especially when we consider that oats were so heavy in the market last year, that so large a quantity -was still held, and that they were unsaleable unless at a great sacrifice. It can scarcely be because systematic rotation of crops demanded that more land should be placed under oats, for we find that last season oats received more attention than any other cereal. They would thus seem to be a favorite crop with the farmers of the country, notwithstanding that the outlet for oats is much more limited than that for wheat—that in fact few markets are open to us beyond the Australasian Colonies. When markets are to be obtained for the immense quantity of oats grown this year, in addition to last year's surplus, is difficult to tell. Many of the growers in the County are aware of the difficulty that has to be faced, and have determined to jneet it by stacking and holding portions of their crops until such time as an outJet can be obtained at a fair price. This is certainly a fapt that should be borne in mind by our farmers when forjning their plans for next season. We certainly are somewhat disappointed that more attention was not given to wheat, for though sacrifices have to be made, it is a class of cereal that can almost invariably find good markets and command a fail* price. There are so many influences at work that may at any time—often when least expected—enable wheat to command a re&dy sale. It is gratifying to find that barley has been in greater favor, for, though a precarious crop owing to its liability to destruction, by the dreaded caterpillar, it generally commands a ready safe and fair—often exceedingly remunerative—prices, more especially for malting pin-poses. Having said this much, we will briefly glance at the average yields per acre of ea.oli ffej-egl, and compare them with those obtained lasfc year. This may be jlone as follows, stating the figures roughly, without going into decimals:— 1579 ISSO Wheat per acre ... 25A- 352 Oats „ „ ... 35 42 Barley „ „ 30 35f Thus it -will bp observecj. that wjieat has yielded better than last season by over 10 bushels to the acre for the whole county, while oats are seven bushels better, and barley nearly six bushels better. So far as we have yet learned the yields in this county are amongst the best for which returns have yet been obtained.