THE COLONIST. Published Daily-Mornings. Nelson, Thursday June 25, 1891. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Colonist, Volume XXXIV, Issue 7047, 25 June 1891, Page 3

THE COLONIST. Published Daily-Mornings. Nelson, Thursday June 25, 1891. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

The results of the information collected in April last as to the land in cultivation, areas uncle* various crops* and so oh, are now»made public. It is certainly remarkable to find that the number of holdings exceeding one acre in extent have become less by 95 since last year, but as against this there has been a considerable increase in the area of land brought under cultivation. In the aggregate, there are now no less than 516,069 acres more being rendered profitable than there were in 1890, and of this extent 60,580 additional acres have been broken up pre* paratory to cropping. The number of acres .under crop, exclusive of land under grasses, has increased by 14,870 acres. The land sown down in grasses after having been broken up is 222,631 acres more than in 1890, and the grass sown lands not previously ploughed are in extent 218,038 aoree more than in the previous year. In the first place then it is evident that the larger landholders are to some extent swallowing up, the smaller, but for all that considerably more land is being put to profitable use. Taking, the provincial districts we find that the number of holdings in Otago decreased by 406, in Canterbury by 289, in Westland by 26, and in Taranaki by 71 ; whilst they increased in Wellington by 433, in JBawke's Bay by 195, in Marlborough by 11, in Nelson by 7, and in Auckland by 4. Of .the land under crop there were 34,401 acres less devoted to wheat last year than in 1890, and the estimated^ yield was 2,724,890 bushels less than in the previous year. The area in oats for hay, &c, was 82,398 acres in excess of that similarly devoted in 1890, while the acreage in oats for grain showed an excess of 79,847 acres. There was a falling off m the area sown in barley of 9662 aorea, and in estimated yield of 583,990 bußhels. Potatoes on the other hand received more attention, th§ increased area devoted to this crop being 2114 acres, which were estimated to yield 18,992 tons more than in 1890. Then there were 49,281 more acre.s in turnips and rape, and 4492 more in « other crops." There was also, as already indicated, a considerable extension in lands under grass. In our own immediate neighborhood we find that in the Waimea County out of 1280 holding 840 were freehold) and in the Collingwood County out of .262 holdings 229 were freehold, the total area of land held in the Waimea County appearing to be 117,802 acres and in the Collingwood County 4,520 acres. In the Waimea County there were 2880 acres in wheat, 8692 in oats for grain. 4057 in barley, 1 in maize, 83 in rye or bere, 285 in peas, 8 in beans, 5606 in oats for green food, 681 in potatoes, 620 in turnips or rape, 61 in mangold, beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 464 in hops, 1 in tobacco, 50 in <( other crops," 190 in gardens, 1095 in orchards, . and 128

in plantations. In the Oollingwood County .ttiere tpere 47 aoresin wheat, ie acres in oats lor £fam,' 2 in Barley, 1 in maize, 2 in rye or bere, 45 in peas, 7 in beans, 870 in oata for griien food, 188 in potatoes, 16 in turnips or rape, 1 in mangold/beet, carrots, parsnips, or onions, 66 in hops, SO in gardens, 188 in orchards, and 1 in plantation. It is interesting to note that of the 574 acres devoted to hops throughout the Colony the Nelson distriot, including Waimea and Oollingwood Counties had 680 acres in this crop, Hawke's Bay had 24 acres; Marlborough 3 acres, the Butter County -8 j j acrea, Westland 1 acre, Hokianga, 1 acre, Whangaiei 1 acre, ! Rodney 4 acres, Oroua 5 acres, and Manawatu 6 acres. There were eight Counties in which tbbaoco was grown.i Manakau having 5 acres in this crop, Wtupa 9 acres, Whangaroa and Eawhia each 2 acres, and Waimaa, Hokianga, West Taupo, and Tauranga each one acre. As regards area in orchards, Waimea stands third on the list, Manakau having 1246 acres in orchard, Waitemata 1181, and Waimea 1095, Whangarei, Rodney and Selwyn comiug next in order.