AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 105, 4 May 1900, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The Agricultural Department publishes the following returns:—ln the "Gazette" of Jauuury iiO there appeared an interim return showing areas under corn crops on November 15 last. The following figures give the complete returns, including the areas under grasses, green crops, etc., also the number of horses, cattle, uud swine at the same date, and sheep on April 30 last (1899) :—

The wheat area returned "for threshing1" is: 1899-1900, 200,749 acres; IS9B-18U9, 399,034 acres, a decrease of 29,285 acres. The areas under the headings "for chaffIng," "ensilage," and "feeding down" are: 1899-1900, 093 acres; 1898-1899, 1355 acres; a decrease of 002 acres.

The oats area returned "for threshing" is: 1899-1900, 398,243 acres; 1898-1899, 417,320 acres; a decrease of 19,077 acres.

The areas under the headings "for chaffing," "ensilage,1' .and "feeding down" are: 1899-1900, 193,452 acres; 1898-1899, 214,008 acres; a decrease of 21,150 acres.

The barley areas returned "for threshing" are: 1809-1900, 48,003 acres; 1898-1899, 45,071; an increase of 2,332 acres.

The ureas under headings "for ensilage1' and "feeding down" are: 1890-1900, 270 acres; 1898-1899, 2,032 acres; an increase of 743 acres.

A decrease iv area Is shown lv the following: — Clovers for feeding down, laud ploughed, 9,731 acres; grasses for hny, land ploughed) 2,115 acres; ryegrass for seed, 23,848 acres; laud not: ploughed, 904 acres; other kinds of seed, 190 acres; laud ploughed, COT acres; iitaize land ploughed, 897 acres; vetches of tares, land ploughed, 9 acres; other kinds of crops, 99 acres: total, 40,400 acres. ■ .-..■•

The undernoted show an'increase': Grasses for feeding down, land-ploughed, 302,483 acres; surface-sown grasses for feeding down, land not ploughed, 343,944 acres: clovers for hay. laud ploughed, 127 acres; grasses for ensilage, 457 acres; clovers, 9 acres; cocksfoot for seed, 4,588 acres; land not ploughed, 3,855 acres; white clover land ploughed, 003 acres; red, 1,708 acres; rye, land ploughed, 007 acres; peas, 797 acres; beans, 472 acres; linseed, ICO acres; hops, 47 acres: total, 600,217 acres. Green crops, etc.: — Potatoes, 1899-1900, 30,984 acres; 1898----1899, 38,004 acres; decrease, 1,020. Turnips, 415,402 and' 410,024; decrease. 562. Mangolds, 8,051 and 8,009; decrease, IS. Rape, 125,307 and 103,921; increase, 21,440. i Beet, 015 and 490; Increase, 125. The stock returns are:— Horses, 1899-1900, 202,390; IS9B-1899, 258,649; increase, 8,741. Cattle, 1899-1000, 1,210,439; 180S-1599, 1,203,024; Increase, 7,415. Swine, 1899-1000, 249,851; 1898-1899, 193,512; Increase, 57.239. The number of sheep returned as on hand ■ on April 30, 1899, was 19,348,500; 180 S. 19,073,725; a decrease of 825,219. The acreage under wheat In Canterbury is given this year as 182,014, against 249,852 last year; 'oats, 139,715, against 142,748. Otajyo: Wheat, 61.400. against 99,752; oats, 210,043, against 220,427. In the return for horses, the principal provincial figures are: Auckland, 00,057: Hawke's Bay, 27.588; Taranakt, 17,493; Wellington. 40,895; Canterbury, 49,253: Otago, 53,746. . ! Cattle: Auckland, 201.905: Hawke's Bay, ' 141,017: Taranaki, 202,307; Wellington, 234,526; Canterbury, 94,805; Otago, 186,991. In pigs Auckland Is much ahead. The Minister for Agriculture has under consideration the desirability of fixing by legislation, where practicable, the standard size or weight for New Zealand products.