THE COMING HARVEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 6

THE COMING HARVEST.

The month of February last year was practically without rain; but otherwise the weather conditions were on the whole favourable, and the yields of grain proved equal to the highest yet produced in the Dominion. From the figures prepared by the Agricultural Department it appears there were substantial increases in all cereal crops last year, the area under crop being tire highest since 1898, thus supplying a fair surplus of wheat, oats, and barley for export. The area under wheat for the harvest of 1909, aS compared with 1908, showed an increase of 59,360 acres, the average yield per acre being for 1909, 34.75 bushels, as compared with 28.84 bushels in 1908, the total increase of wheat in 1909 over the previous year being 3,205,651 bushels. In 1908 the production of wheat was insufficient for food requirements, and considerable quantities of flour and wheat were imported. For this year there is no doubt a considerably larger area of land than in the previous year down in wheat, and, as stated by the Agricultural Department's estimate, New Zealand should be aai exporter of wheat. The estimated surplus for export of over two million bushels will probably be near the mark. Owing to tire continued dry weather of last month the prospects of the wheat crops in Canterbury and North Otago are considered not too bright, but thanks to the recent welcome rain that has fallen there is now every probability that the harvest yield of this year will be quite lip to the average expectations.. Although reports recently to hand estimate the average yield at over 33 bushels per acre, it can hardly be expected that the average yield per acre will exceed the high figure of 1909 and, unless more rain falls in the Canterbury province, which is the principal wheat-growing area of New Zealand, the average number of bushels per acre will be considerably reduced. In most of the other districts in the South Island there should be excellent crops, as. a fair average rainfall has been experienced during the last two months, so that the Dominion may be in the position of exporting wheat up to the estimate of two million bushels. Should this estimate be realised and the present high price of this cereal continue, New Zealand as a whole will largely benefit. At the present time there is a considerable quantity of wheat in the hands of farmers, agents, and millers which has not been taken into account in the Agricultural Department's statistics, so that there will be a surplus from the past season to carry forward. From the recently-gazetted agricultural statistics it appears the area sown this season is considerably in excess of that of last year, due in a great measure to the continued high price that wheat is still fetching. In 1909 Otago had only 56,000 acres under wheat, as against Canterbury's 183,000; but it is safe to assume that the area this province has now in wheat is very largely in excess of that of last year, and that the total acreage under wheat for New Zealand is close on 300,000 acres for 1909-10. The production of oats for threshing for 1908 was 387.000 acres, and for 1909 407,000 acres, showing an increase of 20,000 acres. In addition to this the vield per acre for 1909 was 46 bushels per acre, as against 35 bushels per acre for 1908. Tl*i>s was a very fair -increase considering the low prices that were obtainable for oats. It is difficult to forecast how prices are likely to rule for this cereal during the coming season. A very substantial surplus will bo available for export. The crops in many parts of Canterbury will be light, but in Ota°-o and Southland heavy yields will be obtained, quite equal to or better than those obtained last year. The low price of chaff in consequence of the largo production will probably laad to a larger quantity of oats originally intended lor chaff being threshed and the grain exported. The total area under oats for 1909 is given as 746,000 acres, of which Canterbury and Ota"o contributed almost an equal amount of about 280.000 acres. With regard to barley, a slightly Larger area was placed under this crop last year, but as the de- ■ mand for some years for malting barley is becoming smaller, and there being an absence of export demand, prices have declined. It is difficult to arrive at an estimate of the probable crop for 1910. The average yield for 1909 was 09.67 bushels j per acre," as against 32.15 in 1908. and in addition to. this there were 12.600 acres ; more placed under barley in 1909 than in ; the previous year. So far as Otago _is i concerned, the prospects of the coming harvest are verv good indeed. Showers j of rain have fallen at frequent intervals, and the crops as a whole look exceedingly well, and with the continued firm price j obtainable for wheat, and given favourable weather, the farmers, should have no cause to complain of the harvest of 1910.