CROP RETURNS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1295, 25 November 1911, Page 8

CROP RETURNS.

LARGE DECREASE IN AREA. The crop returns for the 1910-11 season arc published in the Gazette. The return was taken on April 2, farmers being asked to show the crops, etc., on their land as at January 1 last. Comparing the grain and green crops, with the returns of two years ago, both show a large decrease this year. * This is accounted for by the drought experienced in several parts of the Dominion, last summer, and by the ■ increase of. dairying and sheepfarming. Tho principal ■ decreases arc in Canterbury and Otago, where the drought was -very severe, and whero the turnip and other crops were, in many instances, total failures. In grain crops,, whilst there is au increase in tho .area under wheat amounting to 33,100 acres, oats, on tho other hand, show tho very large dccreaso of 153,321 acres. The. corn and pulse crops in the Wellington Provincial District in MOB-9 totalled SG,S9G acres, and this year 40,327 acres, made up as follows:—Wheat, 7212 acres; oats, 35,978; barley, 1!)S7; rye, 661; maize, Ht'O; peas, 818; 'beans. 410; vetches, 43; linseed, 41 j hops, 1; otlior similar crops, GCI In 11)08-9, the total area in cultivation and occupation in the Wellington Provincial District was i,'281,53'J acres, and the total at the date of the latest return was i>431.755, made up of: d!l,.'U7 acres corji and pulse; 58,7519 green crops; 7183 fallow land, sown grasses—ploughed land; 357,'JR0 unplouslied land; 2,G9!).CG4 orchards, vineyards,- gardens, ami plantations; 11;S51; area under cultivation 3,151,807; native prass. tussock, and unimproved land, 1,2!!),913; total area in occupation, .|.-131,755 acres. The total of hoidinsj in the district on January 1 was: Freehold, 2,518,309 acres; leased from individuals or local bodies, G73,1i05; leased from Natives, 4G2.10G; held from Crown under diltcront tenures. 780,733. I'or the whole Dominion the figures are: Total holdings, 10,328,12G acres; freehold, 10.351,037 • leased from individuals or public bodies. 3,999.886; leased from Natives 2.147.128; held from Crown under different tenures, 17,510,115 acres. .