AGRICULTURE IN AUSTRALASIA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 232, 11 July 1872, Page 5

AGRICULTURE IN AUSTRALASIA.

(Southern Cross, June 3.) Some short time ago an article from the Melbo irne Argus went the round of the New Zealand Press, exhibiting comparative statistics of the Australian Colonies in the mattrr of their public indebtedness, and commenting on the responsibility resting on these several communities respectively in consequence. There is another important class of return, however, bearing very directly upon the condition and prospects of the Colonies, and which must be viewed as signilicant of the progress they have made, and are making at the present time. We allude more particularly to agriculture. From the latest information we have been able to glean under this head, the subjoined table may be relied upon as coutainmg a tolerably accurate estimate for the present year of the extent of land under cultivation, and the yield of wheat in the several Australian Colonies, inclusive of New Zealand: — § . < Hi -Hi 3a! * ■sf * $$* . p-J | S. Australia .1,108,450 692,500 3,967,150 6 Victoria ...1,192,250 300,000 3,900,000 13 N.S. Wales.. 510,000 152,050 1,812,000 12 Queensland.. 55,000 3.70© 40,000 11 W. Australia 63,500 30,000 420,000 14 Tasmania ... 1352,250 53,500 577.000 15 N. Zea1and..1,107,003 108,000 2,435,000 22£ From this table it will be seen that New Zealand, the youngest of the several colonies referred to (Queensland is rather a section than an offshoot of Now South Wales), is already among Ithe formosfc with respect to the extent of laud under cultivation. And if ths relative proportion of her population be taken into account, which is only as one to two of New South Wales, and one to three of Victoria, it will appear that her progress in agriculture has been more rapid than iti the case of any other colony. In the matter of wheat-growing the success of this country is especially remarkable. Looking at the extent of our territory and the number of our rural population, the breadth of land under wheat is greatly in advance of any of the before-named colonies, "with the exception of South Australia alone. But the most noticeable feature in this table of comparative statistics is the superior yield of grain per acre exhibited in favor of New Zealand. While South Australia shows an average of under six bushels of wheat per acre ; Victoria, 13 bushel per acre; New South Wales, 12 bushels per acre ; Queensland, 11 bushels per acre ; Western Australia, 14 bushels per acre ; and Tasmania, 15 bushels per acre ; New Zealand exhibits an average yield of over 22i bushels per acre. This result it must be' admitted, speaks loudly for the wheat-growing capabilities of this colony. We may obs rye that with the exception of South Australia, this is the only colony out of the seven which has produced more wheat this year than will be needed for home consumption. Everywhere the season has been below the average of grain crops ; nevertheless it is calculated we shall have nearly 600,000 bushels of wheat to export, or about one-half the quantity set down for exportation to the account of South Australia. All the other colonies, except Tasmania, will be large importers of breadstuff's this year. The progress of the pastoral interests of New Zealand for the last seven years, as compared with much older colonies, is equally reniakable.