THE DOMINION’S CROPS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12211, 8 August 1925, Page 19

THE DOMINION’S CROPS

RESULTS OF THE SEASON SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED RETURNS (Written for the “Times” by “Avro”) The agricultural statistics compiled -by the Government Statistician always give a very "good indication of the results which have been attained during any season, and the advance returns for the season which is now 1 closing show that during the past year satis-, factory crops have been grown'in the majority of districts. Tho average production of New Zealand in the way of cereals is still much lower, than it should be, but . the fact that it is steadily creeping up year by year shows that farmers are coming to realise that modern methods must be adopted in these days of fferce competition*. One feature disclosed by the returns is that Canterbury still remains the . leading distriot of the Dominion as far as cropping' is concerned, but a larger area is each year being cropped in. the Wellington district. . The .New Zealand average in the majority of crops is higher miring the past season than 1 fbf 1923-24, the inarease being particularly marked in the case of wheat, oats, and barley. Last year the average per acre for wheat wns- 24.01 bushels, but this year-it has crept .up to 32.6 bushels, while the average -production per acre for pats has risen from 30.7 bushels to 38.6 bushels.,' It is to he hoped .that seasons will show similar increases. ~ XESS’WHEAT'GROWN The average production of wheat per acre for the past season was 32.6 bushels, a figure which was exceeded only by Canterbury . and -Southland. The former district is, of course, the home of wheat growing, but the average per acre was highest in Southland —a tribute to the effioient farming Harried.on in the'far south. Canterbury, with 137,214 acres, planted for threshing, produced 4,531,080- • bushels, of about four-fifths of the total crop' of New Zealand. Otago produced 673,605 bushels on 22,070 acres of land, this giving a return of 30.5 bushels to the acre, or slightly less than the average for New Zealand. Southland on 2967 acres grew 106,-501 bushels. this giving an average return of .35.8 bushels-to the acre. .. From the viewpoint of area, ] Marlborough was next for the Dominion, with' 56,551 bushels grown on 1950 acres,. but the average for the Wellington district 'was higher than that for Marlborough, for on 1536 acres, Wellington farmers grew 47,197 bushels of wheat, this, giving an average return per acre of 30.7 bushels, as against the Marlborough average of One rather surprising feature of the returns is that tile average crop in the Wellington district was‘ slightly, higheri tjian that for Otaigo. None of the other North Island districts produce more than a) mere fraction of the output; Hawke’s Bay with 268 acres and 8015 bushels being the next largest. The amount of wheat fed off during the year was muoh less'than last season, and the serious decline in tlie areas planted shews that farmers do not regard the cropC with ‘ as. much favour as Some of ■ the other cereals. Just over 1000 acres were grown ■far ensilage during the year, this area producing 1688 tons. The present prospects are that an even smaller area of land will be laid down in wheat during the csom-ing.:9easonl.---;=u-7^— r—--OATS—A POPULAR CROP It. is,.very apparent that oats must, from the -viewpoint ref the farmer he a much: more''satisfactory crop than wheat, tor, during the season the quantity produced was more than double that of the previous year. There was a big increase in - the average produce tion in many districts, and this was reflected in the average for New Zealand which is 38.6 bushels to Hie acre as against 30.7 bushels last year. The greater quantity- of oats produced in the Dominion is, of course, made into chaff, and a further considerable! quantity, especially in the South Island, is made into ensilage. - Oats as- a green crop for feeding purposes is also growing steadily in popularity, and IQ,OOO more acres were used , for this purpose last year, than for the previous .season., The total area laid down in oats was no less than 472,150 acres, of which ■ 147,325 acres were grown for threshing, 808,545 acres for chaff, fifty and'ensilage, and 16,280 acres for feeding. Canterbury of course, produced the largest quantities in each case, and it appears as if this crop is rapidly becoming, more popular in that province thpn wheat. ’Hie' average crop per acre'was not as high there however, as in Southland, where no less than 42.6 bushels were grown to the.acre, this figure being .four bushels to the acre more than the New Zealand average. The average return in Canterbury was 36.7 bushels to the acre, this figure being also below, that for Otago, where 09.1 bushels were produced. Wellington, which grew. 4515 acres for threshing'ana* 16,063'acres for chaff, etc., produced an average crop of' 38.2 bushels, this being fnot quite two bushels-higher than the Marlborough average of 80.4 bushels -to the acre. Hawke’s Bay with 726 : acred grown for threshing and 10,203 acres for chaff, etc., was the only other North Island district which' produced any quantity: of. oats. . One very outstanding feature of the-returns is that they show that although a smaller area was laid down for oats for chaff and ensilage, the return was higher than it was last year. A total of 308,545 , acres was laid down this season as against 326,652 acres last season, and: from the smaller area this year, 507,232 tens were produced as against

366,546 tons lijst, season. This would seem to indicate that scientific) aids have been brought to bear in order to increase the production, and this very large increase only serves to indicate the possibilities ahead, when every farmer adopts the most scientifio methods of crop production^ BARLEY Barley is a crop which has been: gradually growing in popularity in New Zealand, and again last season a further area was laid down. The results attained were very good, a considerable increase being recorded ih the average production, this being 31.7 bushels per acre compared with 28.06 bushels for the previous season. Canterbury produced the greatest quantity,' but the best average crops was grown, in Hawke’s .Day, which grew 40.4 bushels to the acre. The total area under crop during the season was 25,116 acres, this producing 796,728 bushels. Otago with 5775 acres produced 186,978 bushels, an average, of 32.3 bushels to the acre, this being the second highest for the Dominion. Marlborough was only a little way behind Otago as regards production, but its average of 28.7 bushels was well below that of the former province. In the North Island, • Wellington was next to Hawke’s Bay, 1 proefbeing 31,885 bushels on 924, acres. / Barley may eventually become a fairly popular crop in the Poverty Bay distriot, but up to the present Only limited quantities have heen grown. During the season 535 acres wore planted, the return being 17,183 bushels or an average of 43.5 b/sliels to the acre. This of course, was the best average produced in the JDominion, but as the area was small in comparison with the others, it does not give a very good idea of the productive capacity of the various districts. It does not, however, definitely show that Poverty Bay is eminently suited to the growing of barley, and m a few years time it may reasonably be anticipated that this crop will rival maize in popularity in Poverty Bay. Only a very small quantity of barley, was used for the manufacture of ensilage during the season, only 231 acres in the Dominion being used for this purpose. This area produced 384 tons of ensilage, a little more than onethird of the quantity ..made last year. Seasonal differences may account for part of the increase in the average returns for cereals during the past season, but in the majority of districts the season was normal, and it may therefore be definitely taken that much of. the increase is due to belter farming — a highly satisfactory result, which should be even further improved as tlie yearß go by. From one end iof the Dominion to the other farmers are eagerly adopting the methods recommended by scientific experts, and as long as they continue to do so, the results shquld be satisfactory to them and to the Dominion as a whole.