AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 325, 26 February 1910, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS

AMENDED CROP RETURNS. ! By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Friday. The amended crop" returns were published in last night's Gazette. Instead of wheat averaging 34 bushels, it is considered now that 30 bushels will be the approximate yield. The oats yield is reduced from 40 to 3S bushels per acre, and barley from 37 to 35 bushels. The grain crops in most districts hav» I ripened with extreme rapidity, and the bulk is now in trie stook or stack, while a large ij-.tanlity is already threshed. The yields are.in general, very disappointing, considering the early promise of an nnunally abundant harvest. The hot winds in December not only caused premature ripening, but also injured much of the straw, so that the rain at the beginning of January did not benefit the crops nearly as much as was hoped. Caterpillars did damage in several districts, and the small birds' levied their usual toll. The Hessian fly appeared in several localities, but it was not serious. The continued absence of rain in SoiifiiTariH is cafeulated to have diminished the yield of oats-by 15 per cent., and in Centra" Otago from the same cause the crops are a failnro. On the other hand, there are in all the principal districts many excellent crops. The wet weather at the end of January caused little loss in yield, and the discoloration of the grain and seeds « much leas" than was feared. There is, however, a large proportion of small and shrivelled grain. The yields have now to be set down at much lower estimates than those formed from the appearance of the crops at the dates of the December and January reports. Threshing is not sufficiently advanced to enable the actual yields "to be computed 1 , but the present estimates may be confidently expected to be realised. The rains in .January were of incalculable benefit to the pastures and fodder and root crops, and the prospects for autumn and winter feed are highly satisfactory. Oats sown for winter and spring feeding have made good progress. The potato disease has appeared, but. only in the earlier districts is the damage so far of much magnitude. The various pests and diseases of the turnips have not 'yet manifested themselves to any alarming extent, but in some localities" rape has been badly blighted.