VICTORIAN WHEAT CROP.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7777, 3 February 1891, Page 5

VICTORIAN WHEAT CROP.

AN ESTIMATE OF THE YIELD. [imOK OU* COZBSerOKDUT.I <Bt TKLzaaAjra FBOM THK Bluff.) MELBOURNE, January 27. The wheat harvest of 1890 has sow advanced sufficiently to enable an estimate to be made of the probable result by the Australasian. The average yield per acre is the highest ever obtained since agriculture was generally extended beyond the dividing range, or the area under this crop exceeded a million acres. Only two years ago the eerie* cf dry years which began after the wet season of 1869-70, culminated in a drought whioh reduced the wheat average to a little over 7 bushels per acre, and now a crop is being harvested which will give more than double that quantity. The drought of 1888 89 was succeeded by a very vet season, but the full benefic of the change was prevented from being realised owing to the rust disease affecting the orops. This season, however, has also been a wet one in the wheat growing area, and there being no rust the yield is the heaviest ever obtained by the farmers of the northern districts. Not only has there been a liberal rainfall, especially north of the dividing range, but it has been evenly distributed, and to this fact is due the high average yield of the crops. There is remarkably little variation in the yield from the different districts, so that the average of the colony is within a fraction of 15 - bushels per acre, being nearly a bushel per acre greater than the harvest of 1883 84, whioh averaged according to the Government returns, 14.10 bushels per acre, while the general average of the colony is 14.17. The highest county average, that of Moira, is only 15| bushels, and the lowest, Gumbower, is 134 bushels.

A feature of growing importance in connection with the wheat production of the colony is the cultivation of the mallee country. The first attempt to grow wheat in the mallee country to any considerable extent was during the dry season of 1888----89, and the result was so satisfactory, notwithstanding the drought, that an extensive area was cultivated the following year, when a good crop was obtained, the wheat ia the mallee almost entirely escaping the rust whioh did so much damage in other parts of the colony, and the movement in favor of cultivating mallee country was further stimulated. Tne County of Borung, whioh now contains nearly one-third of the entire area of wheat crop, is the principal scene of mallee cultivation at present; but the interest is also represented in Lowan, Karkarook, and Tbtohera. This season that portion of the mallee crop, which was put in early and with ordinary care is yielding an average of 18 or 20 bushels per acre, while the whole area, after allowing for late and badly cultivated crops, is expected to average 15 or 16 bushels per acre. The County of Borung contains the largest area of crop among the wheat producing counties, viz., 308,000 acres, and as the average this year is estimated at 14$ bushels per acre, the- yield is over 4£ million bushels. As the county of Lowan on the opposite side of the Wimmera river contains 205,000 acres of wheat, yielding, it is estimated, 18$ bushels per acre, we have from the Wimmera district alone an estimated return of more than 7,250,000 bushels of wheat. The quality of the grain this season is specially good. The season has been favorable to the complete filling of the grain, and the harvest, which is now well advanced, has been gathered in under excellent conditions.

The estimate of the area, average, and total yield for the colony is as follows:— Area, 1,209,000 acres; average, 14.9&6 buehels; yield, 17,985,250 bushels. To supply food and seed requirements for the year, a total of 7,942,500 bushels are required, leaving a surplus for export of 10,042,750 bushels, or 279,082 tons. In .round numbers, the estimate ia an average of 15 bushels per aore, and a gross yield of I 18,000,000 bushels, which, after allowing 8,000,000 bushels for home requirements, leaves 10,000,000 bushels, or 280,000 tons, as an exportable surplus.