AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL STATISTIC?. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 14.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL STATISTIC?. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 14.

The Department of Agriculture has com* pleted the live stock statistics of the colony from the returns furnished on the 16tft November ia&t. These will be published in* the Gazette in a day or two. The number; of horses in the colony in November is. shown at 258,649, an increase of 5422 ovec 1897. There was an increase of all classes: except entires, which show a reduction of 143, and of mares, with foals at foot or to foal this season, which, were less by 598^

fn 1896 the number of horses in the colony ,-was 250,247; in 1897, 253,227; and in gS9B, 258,649.

The number of cattle shows a decrease tof . 6141, the figures for 1898 being '1,203,024 against 1,209,165 in the previous year, and 1,139,067 in 1896. There is an increase in every class except breeding cows' and heifers, of which there were 1525 fewer, and steers and heifers under two years 30,842 less.* There is an appreciable increase in the number of daily cattle. .There were last year 371,185 of such stock against 360,593 in 1897, an increase of 10,592. The distribution of the dairy cattle shows that there are 233,520 in the North -Island and 135,665 in the. South Island. Taranaki owns 81,031 dairy cattle; Otago, J74,687 ; Auckland, 74,474 ; and Wellington ■64,622. The greatest number of cattle is to be found in Auckland province, where there were 323,264; Wellington standing next with 238,483, and Taranaki comes rext with 202,481. The number of pigs in the colony in November last was 193,512, against 186,027 in 1897, and 209,834 in 1896. The distribution shows that there are 126,346 pigs in the North Island, and 67,166 in the South Island. The sheep returns are for the close of lApril last year, and have already been made public. WELLINGTON, April 14. further agricultural returns are published in the Gazette. The area in wheat returned for threshing is 399,034 acres, showing an increase of 83,233. The quantity of grain now on hand is 1,622,037 bushels. The area in oats is 417,320 acres, an increase of 62,501. The quantity on hand is 1,111,752. The area for chaffing, jensilage, and feeding down is 214,608 acres, a decrease of 10,162. The area in barley is 45,671 acres, an increase of 15,751. The quantity on hand is 118,718 bushels. There is a slight decrease in the area under rye, peas, beans, and linseed, and increases in maize of 3662 acres, and hops of 102 acres. The area in grasses, clovers, etc., shows a decrease of 104,425 acres, but surface sown grasses, ryegrass on ploughed land, etc., an increase of 432,615 acres. The area in potatoes is 38,604 acres, an increase of 2202 acres ; turnips 416,024 acres, an increase of 22,573 acres ; rape 103,921 acres, an increase of 26,790 acres; mangolds 8069 acres, a decrease of 1284 acres. The number of "horses is given at 258,649, an increase of 5422 ; cattle 1,203,024, a decrease of 6141 ; swine 193,512, an increase of 7485; sheep 19,673,925, a decrease of 14.229. The returns for Canterbury and Otago are: — Canterbury — Area in wheat. 249,852 acres; quantity on hand, 1,028,254 bu5he15; in oats, 142,748 acres ; and on hand, 146,035 fcushels; barley, 14,600 acres; on Land, 45,757 bushels. Otago — Area in wheat, 99,752 acres ; on hand, 454,656 bushels; in oats, 220,427 acres ; on hand, 891,172 bushels ; in barley, 24,063 acres; on hand, 66,681 bushels. In the stock returns the principal figures arf. : — Horses : Auckland, 68,549 ; Wellington, | 39,896/ Canterbury, 45,621; Otago, j 53,759. Cattle: Auckland, 323,264; Taranaki, 202,481 ; Wellington, 238,483 ; Otago, 189,249; Hawke's Bay, 95,283; Canterbury, 87,471. Pigs: Auckland, 61,293. Sheep: Auckland, 2,015,142; Hawke's Bay, 3,308,748; Wellington, 4,054,075; Canterbury, 4,072,687; .Otago, 3,961,459.