THE WHEAT YIELD.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 98, 22 October 1904, Page 9

THE WHEAT YIELD.

About two months ago the Victoria^ Gdvernment Statist, Mr. M'Lean, announced that the favourable climatic conditions which then prevailed, together with the fact that a much larger acreage was under crop this year, made it possible for the wheat yield to reach fche splendid record of 30,000,000 bushels, or a considerable increase on' last year's yield. It, therefore came somewhat as a surprise to hear the Treasurer declare in his Budget Speech that the yield! would probably not exceed 16,000,009 bushels. Mr. M'Lean, when interviewed by a representative of The Age, said that from present indications the Treasurer's figures were fairly accurate. Since sowing time' the mallee had had practically no rain, and it was almost certain that it would be a bad harvest. As a rough estimate he did not think the yield would go beyond 15,000,000 bushels. Jfr. Coghlan, the New South Wales Gov- - eminent Statistician, has issued a report on the area under crop and the piospects of the same. The area- under wheat is 1,985,205 acres, as compared with 1,847,813 last season. Of the land under wheat ifc is estimated that. 1,689 .608 acre* will be cut for hay. and 296495 resorvei for grain. Whilst not making any estimate as to the harvest, reports received 1 by Mr. Coghlan show that in most of the great wheat growing districts present prospects may be classed as moderate, but no real estimate can be formed until it is seen what October and November will bring m the way of rain. The chief increases m the area under I wheat, as compared with last season, are aa follow: — Central western 510pe, 49,217 acr*s ; south-western slope, 41,399 acres:; 1 , Riverina, 33,830 acres. The total area under cultivation this season in estimated at 2,652,453 acres, as compared with 2,542,919 in 1903.