AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 9, 12 May 1880, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Figures and statistics are not always the most interesting matter for the general reader; but in agricultural and pastoral communities, such as ours, the annual returns of crops, and the estimated yields, are looked forward to with more than ordinary interest. In the last Government Gazette to hand, there is an interesting tabulated statement as to the area .under crop, the quantity of land broken up, the number of holdings, &c, from which we have been enabled to gather the following particulars in reference to the counties of Taranaki, Patea, Wanganui, and Rangitikei. In the county of Taranaki there are 793 holdings over one acre in extent, 540 of which are freehold, 168 rented, and 85 part freehold and part rented. The extent of land broken up, but not under crop, in Feb-

ruary List — when the statistics were collected — was 1560 acres, against 1292 in the previous year. There were 1321 acres under wheat, yielding 16,507 bushels, or an average of 12 J to the acre, against 1555 acres and 30,200 bushels, or an average of nearly 20 bushels to the acre, for the previous year. There were 250 acres set apart for green food or hay, and 575 for oats, yielding 11,178 bushels, or an average of nearly 20 bushels to the ere. 101 acres were laid down in barley, , which yielded 3,096 bushels, being an average of over 19 bushels to the acre ; whilst during the previous year the acreage under the same crop was 117 acres, and the yield 3077 bushels, averaging over 26 bushels to the acre. The total number of acres under crop, exclusive of "land under grasses, was 3854 ; there were 1221 acres under hay, the estimated yield of which was set down at 1516 tous. There were 21,849 acres in grasses after having been broken up, aud 35,675 acres were laid down in grass which had not been previously ploughed. In the county of Patea there were 370 holdiugs, against 802 for the previous year. The extent of land broken up, but not under crop, was 216 acres, against 635 for the previous year. There were 1007 acres under wheat, yielding 22,685 bushels, or an average of over 22 bushels to the acre ; whilst in 1879, 1113 acres yielded 22,685 bushels, or an average of over 38 to the acre. 2270 acres were uuder oats, and 209 were laid down for green food or hay. The yield was over 85,000 bushels, or an average of nearly 38 bushels to the acre. Only 48 acres, yielding 1440 bushels, were devoted to barley, beiug an average of 30 bushels to the acre. The estimated gross produce of potatoes was 1117 tons, from 161 acres, or an average of nearly seven tons to the acre. The total number of acres under crop in the county, exclusive of land under grasses, was 4310. 18,347 acres were sown in grasses, after having been broken up, and the area of grass-sown lands not previously ploughed was 08,479 acres. 1346 acres were devoted to hay, and 615 acres to other crops. The quantity of last year's crop remaining in hand, when the statist' cs were collected, was 283 bushels of wheat, and 3667 bushels of oats ; the quantity remaining in Taranaki being 28 bushels of wheat, 240 bushels ol oats, and 62 bushels of barley. In the county of Wangantii, there are 353 holdings, 180 of which are freehold, 136 rented, and 37 part freehold or part rented. There were 839 acres under wheat, the estimated yield of which was 24,420 bushels, or an average of nearly 30 bushels to the acre. 2020 acres were laid down in oats, and 241 acres were set apart for green food or hay ; the estimated -yield being 52,381 bushels, or an average of nearly 26 bushels to the acre. The estimated yield of barley was 2748 bushels, from 94 acres, or an average of over 29 bushels to the acre. 315 acres were sown with potatoes, the yield being 2249 tons, or an average of over seven tons to the acre. The total number of acres under crop, exclusive of laud uuder grasses, was 3596. 1156 acres were sown in hay, and the estimated yield was 2398 tons. The area sown in grasses, after having been broken up, was 23,734 acres, and the area' " of grass-sown lands not previously ploughed was 71,310 acres. The quantity of last year's crop remaining in hand, when -the statistics were collected, was 242 ». bushels of wheat, and 2308 bushels of oats. In the county of Rangitikei there are 239 holdings over one acre iv extent, of which 159 are freehold, 59 are rented, and 21 are part freehold and part rented. There were 2296 acres under wheat, the estimated yield of which was 40,764 bushels, or an average of nearly 18 bushels to the acre. 3775 acres were laid down in oats, and 41 acres in green food or hay. The estimated yield of oats was 105,571 bushels, or an average of nearly 28 bushels to the acre. The area under barley was 897 acres, and the yield 9319 bushels, averaging nearly 23£ to the acre. The yield of potatoes was 631 tons, from 151 acres, or an average of over four tons to the acre. The total number of acres under crop, exclusive of land uuder grasses, was 6924. 969 acres were devoted to hay, which produced 1475 tons. 28,571 acres were sown in grasses, after having been broken lip, and th 6 area of grass-sown lands not previously ploughed was 64,192 acres. The quantity of last year's crop remaining in hand, when the statistics were collected, was 1170 bushels of wheat, 8650 bushels of oats, and 60 bushels of barley. We 1 shall, on a fixture occasion, give more particulars in reference to other parts of the colony.