Estimate of the Wheat Harvest of the Coming Season.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5462, 19 December 1892, Page 4

Estimate of the Wheat Harvest of the Coming Season.

The following statement regarding the pttr>able harvest has been prepared by the Government Statistician (Mr T. A. Coghlan) for the information of the Colonial Secretary :—The total area under wheat during the present season is 509,570 acres, of which about 429,570 will be reaped for grain, and SO.OOO cut for hay. The List harvest was ohtair.ed from 403,100 acres, of which 356,666 were reaped for grain, and 66.434 cut for hay. The coming harvest will probably yield 7.176.000 bushels, a larger quantity than yet obtained in the colony, the nearest approach to it being 6,570,(MX) bushels for the season 18S9-90. The present yield will be a little short of 16J WsheLs. the exact figure being 16"7 bushels per acre. The distribution of the yield will be as follows: Northern district, comprising chiefly the northern tablelands, has under crop. 30.670 acres, with a proliable yield of 490,700 bushels, averaging 16 bushels per acre, compared with 29,800 acres and 434,700 bnshels in the previous season. Central district, comprising chiefly the electorates of Mudgee, Wellington, East and West Macqnarie, Molong. Orange, Carcoar, GrenfeK* and Forbes area under wheat 125.600 acres, proliable yield 2.449,200 bushels, or an average of 19i bushels per acre. The previous season showed 99,700 acres, from which were obtained 1.034.000 bushels. The Southern district, comprising tbo Murray and Marrumbidgee valleys, has under wheat for grain wine 273,300 acres, from which

will probably be obtained 4,236,000 bushels, showing an average of lok bushels per acre compared with last harvest of 226,500 acres, yielding 2,484.000 bushels. The probable requirements of the population of the colony supplied with breadstuffs of the colony's own production, or imported by way of Sydney or Newcastle, may be set down at 7.250,000 bushels. The harvest, as stated above, will be 7,176,000 bushels, but of this something like 620,000 bushels will be required for seed, so that the quantity available for food may l>e set down at 6,556,000. There will, therefore, be a small quantity to be imported.