THE CEREAL CROP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17576, 18 March 1919, Page 8

THE CEREAL CROP

OFFICIAL YIELD ESTIMATES. Estimates of tho wheat and oats crops ol tne dominion compiled by the fields inspectors of tho Department of Agriculture show (says the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times) that the improvement in the wheat average this season will largely set off v the reduced' area planted though there is am apparent reduction in the total wheat yield this season, compared with the actual thrashing for the previous season, of just over half a million bushels. Ino total wheat yield\ should be* approximately 6,265,000 bushels, as against an actual yield last season of 6,807,536 bushels • T I I Q^ P 1 7 rcenta ?i /?' at cr °P Crashed Sγii i i WaS V 4 4' and ln 1917 - 18 it was 6i.Q bushels to the acre. Assuming that a similar proportion is thrashed this season tho total yield of oats should bo 5140000 bushels, compared with 4,942,759 bushels ~in the previous season. Tlie averages for tho provincial districts a-re as follow this

Wheat. oats. , ~ , Bush, per ac- Bush, per ac. Auckland 23.00 30 43 Hawke's Bay .' 25.42 3L15 Taranaki 22.18 28 78 " Wellington 22.99 'to's"' . ..v, *... 20.00 soioO Marlborougft ...... 26.56 4307 Canterbury 28.47 3544 ° ta S° , 20.41 35'.35 , Southland 25.33 33.41

Average (estimated) Jor dominion season, 1918-1!) 28.32 34 90 Avertige factual) for dominian season, \ IM7-18 24.23 , ' 31.64:. . ■ The report adds that to the cold and ivet season experienced, the harvest •will bo exceptionally late, and whether those estimates wijl bo realised depends on the weather during- the; next few weeks.' All previous records in ship-finishing have been beaten by Messrs Workman, daxk and Co.. Belfast, who ha.ve completed a standard ship of 8000 tons in three days and a-quarter ,' The previous record was that of Messrs Hiivland and Wolff, who finished one in five days.