CROP STATISTICS.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 25, 11 July 1911, Page 4

CROP STATISTICS.

LARGE DECREASE FOR PRESENT SEASON.

An interesting set of crop statistics is presented in the current Gazette by the Government Statistician (Mr M. Fraser). He states that the last collection of the agricultural and pastoral statistics was made by the Department of Agriculture in October) 1908, for the 1908-9 season. No collection was made either in 1909 or in 1910, but in April last a return, in connection with the general census, was taken under the provisions of the Census and Statistics Act, 1910. On April 3, the date of the census, the crops were all harvested, but farmers and others were requested to show the crops on their land for the 1910-1911 season, and although, owing to change of ownership of land, and other causes, some of the schedules were not as accurate as they might have been, the totals will not be materially affected. The following return of corn and green crops must be treated as an “interim return,” as there are still some schedules outstanding. The figures, however, may be taken as substantially correct. Comparing the grain and green crops with the returns of two years ago, both show a large decrease this year. This can be accounted for by the drought experienced in several parts of the Dominion last summer; and by the increase of dairying and of sheep-farming. Ihe principal decreases are in Canterbury and Otago, where the drought was very severe, and where the turnip and other crops were, in many instances, total failures. In grain crops it will be noticed that whilst there is an increase in the area under wheat amounting to 81,859 acres, oats, on the other hand, show the very large decrease of 155>557 acres.