THE AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10416, 14 April 1897, Page 5

THE AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

STATISTICS AND COMPARISONS. IMPORTANT EXPLANATIONS. i [by TELEGRAPH.—PKESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Tuesday. A supplementary Gazette contains the agricultural statistics for the year. Mr. Ritchie, the Secretary of Agriculture, Bays the work of collection commenced on the 10th of November, and the figures may tberefore_be taken as showing the acreages under several heads on that date. An interim return of acreages under corn crops, with an estimate of the probable yield of wheat, oats, and barley, was published in the Gazette of 28th I January last. The returns for the last year, being the first collection under this Act, was taken in January 1895, or say two months later. An allowance must therefore bo made in some instances when comparing figures. In future the returns will be taken in November of each year. The method adopted is for the enumerators to present a form to each owner or ocoupier of a holding of over one acre, with the exception that should a holding of.over one acre have a quarter of an acre or more under orchard, this has been taken._ The total number of horses, cattle, and pigs are obtained in the same way, but for eheep the returns taken under the Stock Act on the 80th of April, 1896, have been accepted. The enumerators are now busy collecting the actual yield of a few of the representative crops in each riding of every county, and so soon as these are to hand the estimate will be made of the total yields for tho season. Before proceeding to deal iu detail with the different crops, the Secretary states that tho very dry weather which prevailed over the ereater part of tho colouv from November to January had a very disastrous effect on the corn crops especially. Consequently the area Riven under the headings of " for threshing" cannot bo taken us that actually reaped. In tho interim return a deduction was made, and it is hero shown again. Attention should also be drawn to grain on hand, and it should be remembered tho returns were collected tor lust war in January, 1896, and for this year in November. It is proposed to deal only with corn crops returned " for threshing." WHEAT. The area given under tho heading " for threshing" were : Acres. 1890-97 281,(ins 1895 91) 245,441 Increase 107 Owing, however, to the excessively dry weather it is estimated that at least 'J3,00D acres returned " for threshing" have been cut for chad, or eaten off with stock. Tho surplus will, therefore, he about 13,167 acres. It was estimated a week or two before liar-venting commenced that the average yiold all over the colony would be '25 bushels per acre, but it is doubtful if this will bo realised. The i(iiautity of wheat on hand is given thus: Bushels. IHOR-97 ... 1,310.027 189308 (108,304 Increase 701,683 However, as already stated, tin difference in date of collection accounts for this apI iront increase. Tin , i-i'im ited consumption for the two months isIiUO.UOO bushels. Auiliiig to this the quantity on limiii per last returns, 008,864 liuoliela (ukon in January) the total is l.'.lM.Htil bushels. It will he seen the increase in only some 10.G61S bushels. The quantity of wheat tn bo dealt with for tho period November, 1890, to Novomber, 1897, may therefore bo estimated us follows :— 281.G0S acres, less estimated to be deducted us out for chair, etc., 23,000 acres: total, 258,uUS acres. This, at 25 bushels per acre, equals 6,46J,'200 bushels. The quantity on hand on the 10th November, IS9B, was 1,310,027 bushels, giving a total to bo dealt Willi 7,775/227 bushels. Under the heads "(or chuffing" ami "for feeding down ,, there is a decrease of 2077 acres and 1380 acres respectively, OATS. Tho area " for threshing " is— Acres. 189807 MM] IS'Ja-OS 364,788 Increase 31,810 Here again a deduction of say 34,000 acres must be tnado for what has been cut for chaff or eaten off with stock. Tho actual urea for threshing will thoroforo bts 390.007 acres, leas estimated as cut for chalf, etc., '24,(100 acres, giving a total of 372,01)7 acres, averaging 30 bushels. This equals 11,178:210 l-usli.'k On hand on the 10th November, IS9ii, 1.111,591 bushels ; total to be dealt with 12,250,801 liuahela. Under Iho heading " for ohuih'nu" thoro is a considerable increase of 15,518 acres, and "for feeding down with stock," '24,000 acres; but " for ensilage" thoro is a decrease of 1127 acres, BARLEY. The area under the head for threshing is— Acres. 1800-7 31,213 18950 35,358 Decrease 4,045 A further area of, say, 1500 acres, must be deducted on account of the drought. The total area, therefore, " for threshing" will bo, say, 30,813 antes : estimated average yield at 2') bushels, 7"O,3;")I) bushels; ou hand at 10th November, 161)8, '271,23,'} bushels; to be dealt with, 911,533 bushels. OTHER CROPS. Rye, maize, peas, beans, vetches, tares, linseod, hops, etc., require little comment, The area under "linseed" is less than last year. This crop should receive more attention. GRASSES, CLOVERS, KTO. Under the headings "for feeding down " and "for hay" there is a very satisfactory increase shown, but "for ensilage" the increase is not so marked. The area under " ryegrass for seed" shows an increase of about 15,000 acres, but in all probability this will have disappeared owing to the dry_weather. For "cocksfoot seed" the area is increased by about 1:1,000 acres, but at least half of this must be taken as not cut, but grassed. For " white clover" the area is about the samo as last year. For "red clover" the decrease is 1500 acres. Under" other kinds " the increase is about 1400 acres, OIIKKN CROPS, KM. Potatoes: The figures for 1895-96 were 31,997 acres, and for 1896-97 29,990 acres, or a decrease of 2017. There was considerable difficulty in obtaining correct returns last year, and therefore the decrease may be more apparent than real. Turnips: The aroa for 1896 97 is Riven as 498,068 acres, and for 1895-96" 391,608 acres, an increase of 17.110 acres. The orop is reported as a partial failure in several distriots. It is, therefore, unlikely, even with the increased area, that the same amount of feed will beavailable. Mangolds: There is a decrease of 545 acres. " Rape: The area under tins orop is given as' 63,607 acres, as against 51,040 acres for the previous year, an increase of 13,567 acres. As increased attention is being paid to the fattening of lambs for export this is no doubt accountable for this increase. Beet shows an increase of 440 acres, and "other crops" of 1910 acres. PLANTATIONS. The total area is shown as 47,030 acres, as against 43,246 acres for 1895-96, an increase of 4384 acres. Private and market gardens: In the former there is a decrease of 903 acres, but in the latter there is an increase of 80 acres, Orchards: Orchards of and over show a satisfactory increase. STOCK. Horses: The total number iu the colony is given as 148,837, or an increase of 11,039. The number of entire horses returned is 779 less thai) that given last year, and this applies to every class. Several of the classes, such as light ordinary, could with advantage be entirely done away with. Itcauuot be to the advantage of anyone to use a stud animal unless it has some pretension to breeding. The lesser number seems an indication that more care is being bestowed in the selection of stud animals. Cattle; The total number is given as 1,139,067, or an increase of 94,321. It is gratifying to see that there is evidence of greater care being exercised in the selection of bulls. There is a substantial increase in Shorthorn bulls and a corresponding decnase in crosses. Dairy cows have increased by 25,000, and this shows that dairying has taken a farm hold. . , , i Pigs' The total number is given as 5,209.834, or a doorcase of 39,943. The only wav this can beacountedfor is the alteration of 'date in the collection of returns. The months of November, December, and January are the principal breeding months, and as the bulk of the pigs bred in these months were included in last year's returns, it ia most unlikely there is any actual deoreaee of piKs in the colony. ' ° Sheep: The total number at the 30th of April. 1896 (the date on which the sheep returns are collected under the Stock Act), was 19,138,493, or ft decrease of 688,111 for the year. The severe weather experienced ' in the high country during the winter of 1833 is responsible for the whole of the low.' It is fully expected the low will be recovered this yew, :, ■~ / ':"''-w V ^'r"'">t'^vT'