AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 50, 29 February 1896, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

(bt telegkavh.—-own correspondent.)

Wellington, thia day. Agricultural statistics of the colony for the present year are now complete, with the exception of figures relating to Otago and Southland. The area in wheat is aa follows :■— Canterbury, 109,496 acres; Auckland, 9,210 acres; Wellington, 7,401 acres ; Marlborougb, n,lSl acrea; Nelaon, 2,97S acres; Hawke'a Bay, 695 acres; and Taranaki, 376 acrea; total, 195,337 acres. Calculating On last year's average yield of 24£ bushels per acre, ib will be eeea that there is a visiable eupply of 47,532,000 bushels. To this must be added figures to come from Otago and Southland, the quantity ot wheat atill in hand from last year, and the estimated amount which has been sown by natives. Last year's estimate of the amount of wheat required for consumption within the colony including natsives was 4,630,500 bushels, and for seed 300,000 bushels. Last year Otago and Southland produced 850,710 bushels, but no doubb there has bean an increase of the aroa sown in wheat this year. Comparing tho area gown in wheat in tha districts from which this year's returns are given with the area sown in wheat last year, a decided increase is apparent. In Auckland t.hae increase has been nearly fwe times the amount of the previous year: in Nelson three times: in Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Marlborough, nearly double ; and in Canterbury chere has been an increase of 60,000 acres. Ths total increase has been 78,415 acres.