CROPS AND LIVE STOCK

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10063, 30 August 1918, Page 3

CROPS AND LIVE STOCK

COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR 1916-17 AND 1917-18 SEASONS. Tho collection of agricultural and pastoral statistics for the year 1917-18 is now sufficiently advanced (states the Government Statistician) to enable preliminary figures to be given for the Dominion. Complete returns so iar have been received for 119 counties out of 12-5, which comprise tho Dominion, and estimates have been made for the incomplete portions of tho remaining six counties. Tho following figures are therefore liable to revision wneu ’the complete returns come to hand. The comparative figures for 191617 are given in each case in brackets. Tho total area of wheat sown tor threshing 'during 1917-18 was 2/6,877 acres (217,743), and the yiclu wa s 6,761,249 bushels (5,051,227). For chaff, hay, or ensilage 2067 acres (3738) were sown, the yield being 3049 tons (5186). The area not yet harvested, fed off, etc., is 2835 acres (2371). In oats 158,399 acres (177,524) wore sown for threshing, .and the yield wa5.4,785,391 bushels (5,371,436). For chaff, hay, or ensilage 30/,ui acres (354,550) were sown, tho yield being 412,853 tons (432,878); tho area not harvested, fed-off, .etc., is 20,198 acres (32,738). Some 19,289 acres (29,bi0 of barley were sown for threshing, tho yield being 572,01)1 bushels (738,050). For chaff, hav, and ensilage, the area sown was 456 acres (1240), and tho yield was 1017 tons (2151). Of the maize, 8043 acres (6359) were sown for threshing, and the yield was 363,689 bushels (274,283); while for ensilage 545 acres (711) were sown, with a yield of 3143 tons (5107). The area sown in rye-grass was 68,721 acres (79,135), and the yield 25,516,<3/ pounds (23,049,749); tho area sown in cocksfoot was 16,600 acres (16,134), and tho yield 2,383,987 pounds (1,90/,043). In potatoes 22,635 acres (26,156) were sown, the yield being 97,944 tons (133,642) ; 441,295 acres (526,283) wore sown in turnips and Bbii acres (9073) in mangolds. Tho approximate numbers of tho principal varieties of live-stock in the Dominion are as under: —Horses, 378,991 (3/3,600); dairy cows, 797,569 (777,439); total .cattle, 2,888,214 (2,575,230); number of sheep shorn, 23.051,574 (22.462 S 91): number of lambs tailed, 11.243.P02 (10.745,336): sheep (induction lambs as nt April 31st Inst. ?6 538,- , 302 (25.270 386'' ; nisrs. at January j 31st last, 258.260 (283,770).