Department of Agriculture AN INTERESTING REPORT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6769, 5 September 1893, Page 4

Department of Agriculture AN INTERESTING REPORT.

The report of tho Department of Agriculture issued by the Secretary and the Inspector of Stock contains some very interesting and instructive particulars relative to tho products of the soil during the last season. The grain crops, it appears, were below the average, and as prices were ruling lower than anything experienced before, a very heavy loss must have been sustained by the growers. Mr Richie is by no means a pessimist, for he sees certain advantages to the colony even in this loss the farmers have sustained, as he thinks it will be the moans of turning their attention to other sources of profit not so exhausting to the soil. Farmers, Mr Richie tells us, are now growing clover for seed, which the introduction of the humble bee has enabled thorn to do ; and they are making a very fair thing of it. A. fair crop may safely be put down at, aay, 2001bs to 3001bs to the acre, which when harvested and cleaned will realise fully 6d per lb. Large quantities of cocksfoot, ryegrass, and meadow fescue are grown in the South Island, which have proved profitable crops. Lately the growing of garden seeds has received attenti«n, and several of tho Home Beedsmen are making arrangements with farmers to grow certain varieties. There was a fair crop of potatoes last soason, with a considerable second growth in some districts in the South Island, supposed to have been caused by the exoessivo amount of rain in the autumn. When the report whs written the market was limited, and prices for these esculent tubers low ; but during tho past two months they have been in good demand, and have proved a very profitable crop to those who had planted them. The Government have imported from Home ■everal of the newer sorts of potatoes, which were packed in barrels before being quite ripe. The sorts consisted of Magnum Bonum, Bruce, Imperator, Main Crop, Sutton's Early Regent, and Abundance, and the Seoretary say 3 they were distributed as widely as possible. The produce of what have been planted h to be placed at the disposal of •ettlera for seed. The tests have been made principally in the South Island, and good crops have been obtained in the Waimate, Palmerston South, Lincoln, and Whangarei districts. From a return published, the Bruce variety seems to be the most prolific, for from 5381 b weight of seed a crop of 11,7221 b was obtained. The Magnum Bonum was not quite so good, for 6351 bof seed produced 10,7001 b for a crop, whilst the variety termed " Main Cr®p," the seed put in the ground being 5381 b, only produced 8,8861b5.