AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9015, 30 March 1888, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

The first instalment of the agricultural statistics of the Auckland provincial district, collected in February last, is now available for our readers. The results of the nine counties for which Mr. T. Seaman was superintendent collector have been kindly placed at our disposal by him, and a summary by counties is published below. In duo time the returns from the other portions of the Auckland district will bo made available, and then we will have an opportunity of estimating the average yield of the several crops grown. For the nine counties placed under the charge of Mr. Seaman, the average crops so far show very well. VijSfc find that the total area under wheat culture is 4861 acres, and the average yield is about 29.60 bushels per acre. This is very satisfactory, especially when the large area over which the average is taken is considered. As might have been expected, from the wet season which has been experienced, the yield of hay is good, almost li tons per acre, but we had expected to see a higher average, considering the favourable character of the season for this crop. Potatoes give a medium crop of 4.43 tons per acre, an average considerably less than might be obtained by more careful culture. There were "2519 acres devoted to this crop in the nine counties of Eden, Manukau, \\ aitemata, Rodney, Otamatva, Thames, Ohinemuri, Coromandel, and Piako. The area of land being devoted to orchard purposes is gradually being extended, ana in the nine counties aggregates 3032 acres. Manukau has the largest area of land devoted to this purpose, 1183 acres as compared with 741 acres in Waitemata, and 618 acres in Eden. Rodney has 650 acres devoted to this purpose. In Manukau agricultural operations appear to bo carried on more extensively than in any of the other counties, as 325 1 acres of wheat were grown there as compared with 1226 acres in Piako County. In the one case an estimated yield of 1)0,236 bushels is given for the former against 33,806 bushels for the latter.

Subjoined is a list of the crops grown in each county:—

Eden.—Number of holdings : Freehold, 857; rented, 315; part rented and part freehold, 48 : total number, 1220. Extent of land broken up, but not. under crop, 1501 acres. In wheat, 240 acres; estimated yield, 82-15 bushels. In oats, for green feed, 586 acres ; for grain, 77 acres ; estimated yield, 2225 bushels. In barley, 8 acres ; estimated yield, 160 bushels. In maize, 74 acres : estimated yield, 60 bushels. In peas, I acre; estimated yield. 30 bushels. In beans, "2 acres; estimated yield, 25 bushels. In sown grasses, in hay, 1099 acres; estimated yield, 1546 tons. In grasses after having been broken up, including such as in hay, 14,741 acres ; grass-sown hinds not previously broken up, including such as in hay, 4,">7S acres. In potatoes, 51)8 acres; estimated yield, •-WO tons. In turnips or rape, 4 acres -, in mangolds, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, S3 acres; in hops. 2 acres; in other crops, 35 acres ; in garden, 543 acres ; in orchard, 618 acres : total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, 22,190 acres; in plantations of forest trees, 395 acres. Waitemata. —Number of holdings : Freehold, 557 ; rented, 69; part rented, part freehold, 7 : total number of holdings, 633. Extent of land broken up, but not under crop. 1562 acres. In wheat, 28 acres : estimated yield, 636 bushels. In oats : For green feed, 857 acres; for grain, 16 acres: estimated yield, 426 bushels. In barley, 5 acres: estimated yield, 8$ bushels. In maize, 61 acres : estimated yield, 520 bushels. In rye or here, 2 acres. In peas, 4 acres; estimated yield, '22 bushels. In beans, 2 acres : estimated yield, 75 bushels. In sown grasses—in hay, S(X) acres ; estimated yield, 067 tons: in grasses after having been broken up, including such as in hay, 13,260 acres : grass sown lands, not previously ploughed, including such as in hay, 15,846 acres. Grass seed, produce of : cocksfoot, 381 bushels; ryegrass. 142 bushels. In potatoes, 144 acres : estimated yield, 541 tons. In turnips, 70 acres. In mangold, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 34 acres. In other crops, 96 acres. In garden, 144 acres. In orchard, 741 acres. Total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, 31,319 acres. In plantations ot forest trees, 19 acres. Masck.au.—Number of holdings : Freehold, 1490 ; rented, 189; part rented part freehold, 64 ; total number of holdings, 1749. Extent of land broken up but not under crop, 4308 acres. In wheat, 3251 acres : estimated yield, 99,236 bushels. In oats : for green feed, 6073 acres ; for grain, 2236 acres ; estimated yield, 69,256 bushels. In barley, 128 acres: estimated yield, 3718 bushels. In maize, 284 acres: estimated yield, 2208 bushels. In rye or here, 8 acres : estimated yield, 173 bushels. In peas, 94 acres: estimated yield, 2409 bushels. In beans, 11 acres : estimated yield, 376 bushels. In sown grasses, in hay, 6565 acres : estimated yield, 8098 tons ; in grasses after having been broken up, including sucii as in hay, 63,773 acres ; grass sown land not previously ploughed, including such as in hay, 60,386 acres. Grass-seed, produce of cocksfoot, 6099 bushels; rye - grass, 9488 bushels. In potataes, 1290 acres; estimated yield, 5555 tons. In turnips or rape, 471 acres. In mangolds, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 177 acres. In other crops, 39 acres. In garden, 217 acres ; in orchard, 1183 acres : total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, 139,051 acres. In plantations of forest trees, 585 acres. Wheat of last year's crop remaining in hand when the form was filled up, 13 bushels. Rodney.— of holdings: Freehold, 490: rented, 37 ; part rented and part freehold, 12 : total number of holdings, 539. Extent of land broken up, but not under crop, 508 acres. In wheat, 43 acres; estimated yield, 892 bushels. In oats: For green feed, 414 acres: for grain, 63 acres : estimated yield, 1528 bushels. In maize, 1.50 acres: estimated yield, 3601 bushels. In rye or here, 4 acres: estimated yield, 110 bushels. In peas, 11 acres: estimated yield, 250 bushels. In beans, 16 acres : estimated yield, 436 bushels. In sown grasses: In hay, 201 acres: estimated yield, 236 tons; in grasses, after having been broken up, including such as in hay, 5935 acres ; grass sown lands not previously ploughed, including such as in hay, 24,990 acres ; grass seed, produce of : cocksfoot, 1488 bushels ; rye-grass, 564 bushels. In potatoes, 77 acres : estimated yield, 312 tons. In turnips or rape, 8 acres. In mangolds, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 3 acres. In hops, 7 acres. In other crops, 18 acres. In garden 85 acres. In orchard, 650 acres : total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, 32,480 acres. In plantations of forest trees, 131 acres.

Otamatea. —Number of holdings : Freehold, 206; rented, 23: total number of holdings, 229. Extent of land broken up but not under crop, 327 acres. In wheat, 10 acres : estimated yield, 70 bushels. In oats, for green feed, 204 acres; for grain, 35 acrcs; estimated yield, 800 bushels. In barley, 10 acres, estimated yield, 175 bushels. In maize, 94 acrcs ; estimated yield, 1520 bushels. In rye or bore, 1 acre; estimated yield, 10 bushels. In peas, 8 acres; estimated yield, 222 bushels. In beans, 12 acres , estimated yield, 230 bushels. In sown grassesin hay, (59 acres ; estimated yield, 105 tons; in grasses after having been broken up, including such as in hay, 1425 acres ; grass, sown land, not previously ploughed, including such as in hjiy, 13,992 acres. Grass seed, produce of: cocksfoot, 1058 bushels, ryegrass, (503 bushels, in potatoes, 34 acres : estimated yield, 132 tons; in turnips or rape, 1 acre; in other crops, 6 acres ; in garden, 24 acres; in orchard, 180 acres: total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, 16,036 acres. In plantations of forest trees, 3 acres. Thames.—Number of holdings: Freehold, 91; rented, 48; part rented, part freehold, 10: total number of holdings, 149. Extent of land broken up l>. not under crop, 127 acres. In wheat, Nacres; estimated yield, 180 bushels. In oats, for green feed, 318 acres. In barley, i acres : estimated yield, 80 bushels. In maize, 32 acres: estimated yield, 20 bushels. In sown grasses, in hay, 141 acres: estimated yield, 245 tons. In grasses after having been broken up, including such as in hay, 2059 acres • grass sown lands, not previously ploughed, including such as in hay, 4215 acres. Crass seed, produce of : cocksfoot, 60 bushels ; rye grass, 243 bushels. In potatoes, 52 acres, estimated yield, '203 tons. In turnips or rape, (5 acrcs. In mangold, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 9 acres. In other crops, 6 acres. In garden. 37 acres. In orchard, 173 acres. Total number of acres under crop, including such as in hay, (5016 acres. In plantations of forest trees, 5 acres. Wheat from last year's crop on hand when form was filled up, 120 bushels.

Ohinkmuri.— of holdings : Freehold, 32; rented. 59; part rented and part freehold, 6; total number of holdings, it?. Extent of land broken up but not under crop : 2392 acres ; in wheat, 50 acres : estimated yield, 10.% bushels ; in oats, for green feed. 492 acred; in maize, 29 acres ; estimated yield, 795 bushels. In sown grasses : In hay, 268 acres; estimated yield, 315 tons; in sown grasses, after having been broken up, including such as in hay. 3225 acres; grass sown lands not previously ploughed, including such as in hay, 2950 acres. Grass seed, produce of: cocksfoot, 71 bushels; rye grass, 175 bushels. In potatoes, 160 acres : estimated yield, 790 tons. In turnips or rape, 135 acres. In mangolds, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 17 acres. In garden, 4 acres.

In orchard, 85 acres. Total number of acres under cron, including sown grasses, 7159 acres. In plantations of forest trees, 16 acres. Coromandel. —Number of holdings, freehold, 74 ; rented, 17 ; part rented, part freehold, 12; total number of holdings, 103. Extent of land broken up, but not under crop, 556 acres. In wheat, _ acres : estimated yield, 40 acres. In oats, for green feed, 111 acres; for grain, 11 acres : estimated yield, 185 bushels. In maize, 20 acres : estimated yield, 467 bushels. In sown grasses, in hay, 30 acres: estimated yield, 50 tons; in grasses, after having been broken up, including such as in hay, 830 acres; grass sown lands, not previously ploughed, including such as in nay, 2612 acres. Grass seed, produce of : cocksfoot, 10 bushels. In potatoes, 39 acres : estimated yield, 159 tons. In mangolds, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 2 acres. In other crops, 8 acres. In garden, 26 acres. In orchard, 69 acres. Total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, 3730 acres. In plantations of forest trees, 9 acres. Piako.— of holdings: freehold, 116; rented, 48; part rented part freehold, 3: total number of holdings, 167. Extent of land broken up, but not under crop, 670 acres. In wheat, 1226 acres : estimated yield, 33,806 bushels. In oats, for green feed, 673 acres; for grain, 1474 acres : estimated yield, 43,200 bushels. In barley, 34 acres: estimated yield, 960 bushels. In maize, 10 acres; 525 bushels. In peas, 31 acres ; estimated yield, 450 bushels. In sown grasses, in hay, 479 acres : estimated yield, 583 tons. In grasses, after having been broken up, including such as in hay, 52,824 acres: ■ grass - sown lands not previously ploughed, including sown grasses, 41,834 acres ; grass seed, produce of : cocksfoot, 695 bushels; ryegrass, 22 bushels. In potatoes, 120 acres: estimated yield, 497 tons. In turnips or rape, 5153 acres; in mangold, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 25 acres; in garden, 40 acres; in orchard, 233 acres. Total number of acres under crop, including sown grasses, 103,804 acres ; in plantations of forest trees, 1011 acres.