AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

DEPARTMENTAL RETURNS

Wellington, April 13.

A Supplementary Gazette contains the agricultural statistics for the year. Mr Ritchie, secretary of the Dspartment of Agriculture, Bays : —

The work of collection commenced on the 10th November, and the figures may, therefore, be taken as snowing tbe ac.eage utulir the several heads on that date. Tbe interim return of acreage und-jr corn crop», with the estimate of the probable yield ot wheat, oats, and barley, was published in the Gazette of the 28th January lust. The returns for last year, being the first collection ULder this act, weie taken in January, 1895, or say cwo months later. An allowance must, therefore, be made in some instances when comparing fi^urei. In future returns will be taken in -November of each year. The method adop'ei is for enumerators to present a form to each owner or occupier of a holding over one acre, with the exception that should the holding over one acre have a quarter of an acre or more uader orchard tuis has been taken. The votal number of horses, cattle, and pigs is obtained in the same way, but for sheep the returns as taken under the Stock Act at 30th April, 1896, have been accepted. The enumerators are now busy collecting the actual yield of a few reprebencative crops* in each riding of every county, and so soon as these are to hand an estimate will be nude of the total yields for the season. Before proceeding to deal in detail with the different crops, I would here state that the 'very dry weather which prevailed ove ( r the greater part of the colony from November to J*uuary had a very disastrous effect) on the corn crop* especially, consequently the area given uuder the headings of "'For threshiog" cannot be taken as that actually reaped. Iv the interim return a deduction was made, and it is here shown. Again attention should also be drawn to grain on hand, and if it is remembered that the returns wera collected for last year iv Janua r y, 1896, aud for this in November, 1896, it will be seen the difference of, say, two months is sufficient to account for the apparent discrepancies. It is proposed to deal only with corn crops returned " For threshing." WHEAT. The areas given under the heading M For threshing" were :— 1896-97, 281.608 acres; 1895 96, 245,441 acres ; increase, 36,167. Owing, however, to the excessively dry weather it is estimated that at least 23,000 acres returned "For threshing" have baen cut for chaff or eaten off with stock. The surplus will, therefore, be about 13,167 acres. It was estimated a week or two before harvesting commenced that the average yield all over the colony would be 25 bushels per acre, but it is doubtful if thiß will be realised. The quantity of wheat on hand is given for 1896-97 as 1,310,207 bushels ; 1895 96, 608,364 bushels ; increase, 701,663. But, as already stated, the difference in the date of the collection accounts for this apparent increase. The estimated consumption for two months is '600,000 bushels ; adding to this the quantity on hand per last returns, 608,364 bushels (taken in January), the total is 1,208-364 bushels. It will be seen the increase is only some 101,963 bushels. The quantity of wheat to be dealt with for the period November, 1896, to November, 1897, may, therefore, be estimated as follows :—: — Bushels. £81,608 acres, less estimated to be deducted as cut for chaff, <6c, 23,000 acres— total, 259,'i0S acres, at 25 bushels per acre, equals 6,465,200 Quantity on hand, 10 .h November, 1896 1,310,027 Total to he dealt with 7,775,227 Under the he»ds "For chaffing" and "For feeding down " there is a decrease of 2077 acres and 1280 acres respectively. OATS. The area "For threshing" is :— 1896-97, 396,607 acres, as against, for 1895-96, 364,788 acres, an increase of 31,819. But here, again,

a deduction of, say, 24,000 afcres must be made for what has been cut for chaff or eaten off with stock. The actual arei " For threshing " will therefore be :—: — Bushels. 356,607 acres, less -estimated as cut for chaff, Ac , 24,000 acres— total, 372,607 acres, averaging 30 bushels, equals 11,178,210 On hand, 10th November, ISJ6 ... ], 111,591 Total to be dealt with .„ ... 12,28 ),SOl Under the heading "For chaffing" there is a considerable iucrease of 15 SLB acres, and "For fetding down with stock" 2400 acres ; but "For ensilage" there is a decrease of 1127 acres. BARLEY. | The area tinder this beading "tor threshing" i« — for 1893 97, 31,313 acres; as againsh for 1895 6, 35,358 acres or a decrease ot 4045 acres. A iurther area of, say, 1500 acres inu&t bs deducted on account of drought. The total area therefore tor thrashing will be, say — Bushels. 31.513 a^res— estimated average yield 25 bushels 770,350 On haul November 10, 1896 ... ... 171,233. To be dealt with 916.553 OTHER CHOPS. , Rye, maize, pease, beans, vetches, tares, lin- { seed, and hops require little comment. The j area under linseed is less than last year. Tnis ' crop should receive more attention. ; Grasses, Clovers, &c — Under the headings ! "For feeding down" and "For hay" there is a very satisfactory increase shown, bufc " For easilage" the increase i* not so marked. The area uuder " Rypjjrass for seed " shows an increase of about 15,000 acres. But in all probability this will have disappeared, owing to dry weather. " For cocksfoot seed " the area is increased by about 13,000 acres, but at least half of this mu»t be taken as not cut but grazsd. " For white clover " the area is about the same as last year. " For red clover " the decrease is 18,500 acres. Under " Other kinds" the increase, ir about 1400 acres. | green crops, ktc ' Potatoes. — Tne fk'tirps for 1895 96 were i 31,997 acres, nnd for 1895-97 29,990 acres, or a ' decrease of 2007. There was considerable difficulty in obtaining correct; returns last year, and therefore the decrease may be more apparent than real. Turnips. — The area for 1896 97 is given as 1 408 663 acres, and for 1895-96 391.558 acres, an increase of 17,110 The crop is reported as a partial failure in several districts. It is therefore unlikely, even with the increased area, that the same amount of feed will be available. Mangolds. — The area uuder this crop is given as 63,607 acres, as against 54,040 acres for the previous yew — au increase ot 9567 acres. The increased attention being paid to the fattening of 'arobs tor export is no doubt accountable for this increase. j Baet shows an ir crease of 440 acres, and ' "Other crops" of 1910 acres. ' P.nntafions. — The total area is shown as ' 47,630 acres, as ngainst 43,246 acres for 1895-96 — an increase of 4384 acres 4 Private and Market Girdens. — In the former there is a decrease ot 906 acres, but in the latter an increase of 81 acres. Orchards. — Orchards of a quarter-acre or over show a satisfactory increase. STOCK. Horse?. — The total number in the colony is given as 248,837, or an increasa of 11,039 The number of entire horses returned is 778 less ' than that given laj-t year, and this applies to every class. Several of the classes, such as light ordinary, could with advantage be entirely done i away with. It cannot be ta the advantage of [ auy one to use a stud animal unless it has ' some pretensions to breeding. The lesser I number seems an indication that more care is bsing bestowed in the selection of stud animals. 1 Cttfcle. — The tafcal number is given as 1.139 067, or an increase of 94,321. It is gratifying to see that there is evidence of greater care being ex-rcisei ia the selection of bulls. Taere is a substantial increase in rhorthorn bulls, and a corresponding decrease in crosses. Dairy cows have increased by 25 000, and this shows that da ; rying haß taken a firm hold. P.gs. — Tt>e total number is given as 209,834, or a decrease of 39,943. The only wav this can bs accounted for is the alteration of date in the collection of the returns The months of November, December, and January are the principal breeding months, and as the bulk of the pigs bred in the3e months were included in last year's return it is most unlikely there is any actual decrease of pigs in the colouy.

Sheep. — The total number at the 30sh April, 1895, the date on which the sheep returns are collected under the Stock Act, was 19,138,493, or a decrease of 688 111 tor the year. The severe weather experiencfid in the high country during the winter of 1895 was responsible for the whole of the loss. It is fully expected the loss will be recovered this year.