THE DOMINION'S CROPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 189, 12 August 1925, Page 13

THE DOMINION'S CROPS.

WHERE THEY ARE GROWN.

PROVINCIAL SPECIALITIES

INCREASED RETURNS.

The agricultural statistics compiled by the Government Statistician give a very good indication of the results which have been attained during any season, and the advance returns for the season which is now closing show that during the past year satisfactory crops have been grown in the majority of districts. The average production of New Zealand in the way of cereals is still much lower than it should be, but the fact that it is steadily creeping up year by year shows that farmers are coming to realise that modern methods must be adopted in these days of fierce competition. One feature disclosed by the returns is that Canterbury still rey mains the leading district in the Dominion as far as cropping is concerned, but a larger area is each year being cropped in tlie Wellington district. The New Zealand average in the majority of crops is higher during the past season than for 1923-24, the increase being particularly marked in the case of wheat, oate, and barley. Last year the average per acre for wheat was 24.01 bushels, but this year it has crept up to 32.0 bushels, while the average production per acre for oats has risen from 30.7 bushels to 38.G bushels. It is to be hoped that future seasons will show similar increases. Less Waeat Grown. The average production of wheat per acre for the past season was 32.6 bushels, a figure which was exceeded only by Canterbury and Southland. The former district is, of course, the home of wheat-growing, but the average per acre was highest in Southland—a tribute to the efficient farming carried on in the far south. Canterbury, with 137,214 acres planted for threshing, produced 4,531,080 bushels, or about four-fifths of (the total crop of Xew Zealand. Otago produced 673,005 buehels on 22,070 acres of land, thus giving a Teturn of 30.5 bushels to the acre, or slightly less than the average for New Zealand. Southland, on 2907 acres, grew 106,501 bushels, this giving an average return of 35.8 bushels to tlie acre. From the viewpoint of area JUarlborough was next for the Dominion, with 55,551 bushels grown on 1950 acres, but the average for the Wellington district was higher than that for Marlborough, for on 1536 acres Wellington farmers grew 47,197 bushels of wheat, this giving an average return per acrb of 30.7 bushels, as against the Marlborough average of 2.5.4. One rather surprising feature of the returns is that tUu average crop in the Wellington district was slightly higher than that for Otago. None of the oiuur North Island districts produce more than a mere fraction, of the output, liawke's Bay, with 20S acres and SOlo bushels, being the next largest. The amount of wiieat fed oft" during the year was much less than last season, and the curious decline in the areas planted shows that farmers do not regard the crop with as much favour as some of the other cercais. Just over IUUO acres were grown for ensilage dunng the year, this area producing 10SS tons. The pre-. cent prospects are tliat an even sinalk-r area ot land will be laid down in wheat during the coming reason. Oats—a Popular- Crop. It is apparent that oats must, from the viewpoint of the farmer, be a mucu more satisfactory crop than whea.t, for during tlip seasuii the quantity pro-duct-d was more than double that of the previous year. There was a big increase in the average production in many districts, and this was reflected in the average for New Zealand, which is 38.(3 bushels to the acre, as against 30.7 bushels last year. The greater quantity of oats produced in the Dominion is, ot course, made into chaff, and a further considerable quantity, especially in the South Island, i≤ made into ensilage. Oats as a green crop for feeding purposes is also growing steadily in popu larity, and 10,000 more acres were used for this purpose last year than for the previous season. The total area laid down in oats was no less than 472,1-30 acres, of which 147,325 were grown for threshing, 308,545 acres for ctiaff, bay and ensilage, and 16,280 acres for feeding. Canterbury, of course, produced the largest quantities in each case, and it appears as if this crop is rapidly becoming more popular in that province than wheat. The average crop per acre was not as high there, however, as in Southland, where no less than 42.6 bushels were grown to the acre, this figure being four bushels to the acre more than the New Zealand average. The average return in Canterbury was 36.7 bushels to the acre, this figure being also below that for Otago, where 39.1 bushels were produced. Wellington, which grew 4515 acres for threshing and 15,0U3 acres for chaff, etc., produced an average crop of 33.2 bushels, this being not quite two bushels higler than tne Marlborough average of 30.4 bushels to the acre. Hawke's Bay, with 726 acres grown for threshing and 10,203 acres for chaff, etc!, was the only other North Island district which produced any quantity of oats. Barley. Barley is a crop which has been gradually growing in popularity in New Zealand, and again last season a further area was laid down. The results attained were very good, a considerable increase being recorded in the average production, this being 31.7 bushels per acre, compared with 28.06 bushels for the previous season. Canterbury produced the greatest quantity, but the best averase crop was grown in Hawke's Bay, which grew 40.4 bushels to the acre. The total area under crop during the season was 25.11G acres, this producing 790,723 bushels. Otago, with 5775 acres, produced 180,078 bushels, an average of 32.3 bushels to the acre, this be-, ing the second highest for the Dominion. Marlborough was only a little way behind Otago as regards production, but its average of 28.7 bushels was well below that of the former province. In the North Island Wellington was next to Hawke's Bay, producing 31,885 bushels on 924 acres Seasonal differences may account for part of the increase in the average returns for cereals during the past season, but in the majority of districts the season was normal, and it may therefore be definitely taken that much of the increase is due to better farming —a highly satisfactory result, which siiould"be even further improved as the years "o by. From one end of the Dominion to the other- farmers are eacrerly adopting the methods recommended by scientific experts, and, as Ion" as they continue to do so, the results should be satisfactory to them and to the Dominion as a whole. • ,