THE CANTERBURY AND OTAGO CROPS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 952, 7 May 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE CANTERBURY AND OTAGO CROPS.

We had hoped that ere this the agricultural statistics for the whole of the Colony would have been published in a complete form, and so have enabled us to arrive at some idea as to the actual quantity available for export. But the compilers of this valuable information have taken their time over the work, and though information with reference to the crops in different parts of the Colony have been published in piecemeal, comprehensive statistics for the whole of New Zealand have not been published in a connected form. The returns already received, however, include those for Canterbury and Otago —the- two most important grain-grow-ing portions of the Colony—and we are therefore enabled to arrive at a rough estimate as to what the surplus available is likely to be. The returns for these two provincial districts are published elsewhere, and with them we

give the figures for IS7S. It will from these be seen that the yield of wheat this season in Canterbury and Otago (including Southland) falls short of that of the previous season by 367,127 bushels, this result being wholly attributable to the fact that in Otago a decrease has taken place of 110 less than 589,594 bushels, while Canterbury shows an increased production of 222,467 bushels. Oats, on the contrary, show a total increase in the two provincial districts to the astonishing extent of 2,047,675 bushels, the increase in Otago being 1,206,696 bushels, and in Canterbury 840,979 bushels. Barley also shows an increase in each provincial district, while the crop of potatoes in both have decreased. The two rival grain-pro-ducing provincial districts give together a yield of over thirteen and a half million bushels of grain. Canterbury has produced seven millions and Otago over six millions towards the total. Canterbury carries off the palm for the largest amount of wheat and barley at \ and Otago for oats, while the southern * province can also claim to have given the best yields per acre in each class. While on this portion of the subject we may mention that, leaving Southland out of consideration, Waitaki takes the credit of nearly one-half the wheat, nearly one-third of the oats, and considerably over half the barley grown in Otago. We merely mention this fact in passing in order to show the importance of this district as a grain-producing country. • Unfortunately the average value of grain is only about half-a-crown per bushel, but even at this low figure the total yield of Canterbury and Otago gives a total valuation of over and taking the yield of grain for this district— r,705,6 r9 bushels—at a slightly better average value owing to the larger proportion of barley, we find that our crop this season is worth something like a quarter of a million. Of wheat the Colony should, leaving out of consideration any importations of flour or wheat from Adelaide by northern portions of New Zealand, have a surplus for export of something like three million bushels of wheat. The question very naturally arises: Where are we to find markets for all this quantity? Possibly some small portion of it may find a market in some of the neighboring colonies, but for the

greater bulk we shall have to look further afield, and though several small markets may be open to us, the greater portion of our surplus must be sent to the Home Country. It is impossible to estimate the quantity of oats that will be required for home consumption ; but as we shall have a considerable surplus, prices must continue to be ruled by the Melbourne market, which must be the chief one for the reception of our surplus. Altogether we fear the season has proved a disastrous one to grain-growers. Very little more than expenses will be paid, even supposing both sides of the ledger are made to balance. Many, we fear, will have little more than the treasures of hope to carry them on until next year. They must not, however, become thoroughly disheartened. Let them set to work with renewed energy, • and plant a full crop for the coming season in the hope of making up for this year's losses. It is seldom, indeed, that the yield per acre and price of grain are both low in one year ; and we therefore think that farmers would not be over-stepping the bounds of caution in anticipating a better state of affairs next season. There seems every prospect of the yield next season falling short in the Australian colonies owing to the prolonged drought and the shortness of the rainfall in many portions of the Australian continent since the drought broke up. Late news from England also points to the conclusion that the Mother Country will require a greater supply of grain from other lands next year. A considerable decrease, variously estimated at between 300,000 and 600,000 acres, has taken place in the land placed under crop, while the winter-sown crops are looking very bad, and there is consequently a prospect of the yield falling short. These facts, while anything but pleasing to farmers at Home, who are in truth in a very bad way, should encourage colonial grain-growers to look hopefully forward to the results of next season's operations, and spur them on to renewed energy.