ON THE LAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8303, 23 November 1915, Page 7

ON THE LAND.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS

IMPROVING THE RETURNS

The importance of the method of col-lecting-and publishing the returns of the Department of Agriculture was urged by the recent conference of Chambers of Commerce, and the Dc: partment was duly written to on the" subject. ■ The reply of the. Secretary of Agriculture (Mr F. S. Pope) was road at the meeting of the executive of the Associated Chambers at its meeting in Wellington last,week. .M_r Popo stated tiftit the .-.present adopted during th'e^nnancjal depression in the year 1909,-and it w^as recognised at tlio time as being less efficient than the 'system previously in. vogue, the sole reason for the change being the econ : , only- that 'a!&*the timeswas i!!; &' nijecessityf The financial stringency being relaxed, it was decided some time ago to reintroduce a fuller system of collecting these statistics, and arrangements were made accordingly, and will come into force "at the beginning- of; next year. The system to be, adopted consists of a farm-to-farm collection 1 'by the police ■ immediately 'after the "cereal harvest in eatfh -district, :that is :t6'sa,y, commencing in the -beginning of' February in the north, and" ending aibout- the end of April in the south. Fairly full particulars of crops, live stock, etc., will be taken at that' time, ■■ and-it is intended that. every holding shall <be accounted for. From., the. information thus collected any further particulars that may be found'desirable will be obtained by. a '.system- of postcards. Itis hoped that ,these ' particulers will give. 'results not only better than those obtained in recent years, but also better than those obtained prior to 1009. At present, all information concerning the. areas intended to be sown each season under grain and green crops respectively, and the estimated yields per; 'acre of these crops, are published as soon as available. For the present season these particulars will be collected on the following dates:—-,

(1) In the North Island, on October 20.

(2) T.n the provincial district oi Nelson, Marlborpugh. Westland and Canterbury, on $ovembesno. (3) In fti'e provincial district of Otago, on November 30.