AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8368, 27 February 1907, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

The following returns are taken from the last Gazetteln the New Zealand Gazette of the 15th December, 1906, there appeared an interim return showing the areas under corn and green crops according to the collection made in October last. The following figures give the complete returns, including the areas under grasses, etc., also the numbers of horses, cattle, and swine at same date, and sheep on the 30th Apri last. Owing to the prevalence ofl drought in Canterbury and Otago considerable areas of both wheat and oats have been either fed off or are not worth cutting, therefore a deduction in the figures shown in the attached tables must now be reckoned upon. It is estimated that in Canterbury 2,000 acres <sf wheat and 6,000 acres of oats have been so dealt with. In Otago a much larger area is affected, the estimate being 3,000 acres of wheat and 15,000 acres of oats. Turnips and rape have also sufferd, and at least 20,000 acres in each district of the former, and 5,000 acres in Canterbury and 1,500 acras in Otago of the latter, must be deducted. Endeavours are being made to obtain further particulars of the losses and the information will be made known when the actual yields are published later in the year. Wheat.—The area returned "for threshing" was acres; 1905-6, 222,965 acres; decrease, 11,780 acres.. The areas under the heading "for chaffing," "ensilage," and "feeing down" were—--1906-7, 905 acres; 1905-6, 606 acres; increase, 299 acres. Oats.—The area returned "for threshing" was: 1906-7 372,929 acres; 1905-6, 360,569 acres; increase, 12,360. The areas under the headings "for chaffing," "ensilage," and "feeding down" were 260,350 acres; 3905-6, 238,687 acres; increase, 21,663 acres. Barley.—The area returned "for threshing" was —1906-7 33,305 acres; 1905-6, 29,644 acres; increase, 3,661 acres. The areas returned under tha headings "for ensilage," and "feed- - ing down" were —1906-7, 3,383, acres; 1905-6, 3,270 acres; increase, 113 acres. The following table shows the areas under corn crops, green crops, grasses, etc., for the years 1905-6 and 1906-7:

Land in occupation: 1905-6, 37,167,460 acres; 1906-7, 37,408,473 acres; increase for colony, 241,013 acres. STOCK. The following table gives the number of stock in the colony for the years 1905-6 and 1906-7 Horses: 1906-7, 343,059; 1905-6, 326,966; increase, 16,093. Cattle: 1906-7, 1,851,750; 1905-6, 1,810,936; increase, 40,814. Swine. 242,273; 1905-6, 249,727; decrease, 7,454. Sheep: As at 30th April, 1906, 20,108,471; as at 30th April, 1905, 19,130,875; increase, 977,596.

Area. Crops , etc. 1905-6 1906-7 Acres Acres Oats 599,256 633,279 Barey 32,914 36,688 Vetches or tares 143 158 Linseed 1,010 1,094 Hops 1,008 1,011 Potatoes 26,834 31,289 Turnips 469,579 514,341 Rape 131,742 137,364 Other green crops 7,790 8,702 Sown grasses: 4,S15,157 Land ploughed 4,779,734 Land not ploughed 7,745,727 7,903,374 Orchards 26,760 27,515 I Vineyards 550 654 j Wheat 223,571 212,090 j Rye 2,923 2,668 j Maize 13,110 10,729 Peas 13,652 11,903 1 / Beans 2,066 1,996 Other corn crops 448 178 Mangolds 7,090 6,571 Beet 277 196 Carrots 1,971 1,880 Native grasses, 22,922,047 etc. 22,944,831 Fallow land 54,080 52,119 Plantations 61,479 57,079 Private gardens 14,843 14,330 Market gardens 4,072 4,061 SUMMARY. 1905-6 1906-7 Acres. Acres. Corn and pulse crops 890,101 911,794 Green crops 645,283 700,343 Grasses, etc. 35,470,292 35,640,578 Fallow land 54,080 52,119 Plantations, orchards, etc. 107,704 103,639 Total 37,167,460 37,408,473