AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XX, Issue 5631, 29 May 1885, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL RETURNS.

In the last Gazette is a table giving a comparison of the agricultural returns for ISSS. with those of 1884. The number of holdings has increased by 1227, of which 733 are freeholds, 410 rented, and the remainder partly both. There is a decrease of 24,874 acres in the extent of land broken up but not under crops. The figured for wheat returns show an enormous deorease in the acreage of land under this cereal, the actual decrease is 107,663 acres, and the total estimated yield falls short of last year's ebtimate by 2,960,359 bushels. The oat crop, however, shows the other way, there being 91,840 acres more under crop for grain, with an increase in the estimated gross produce of 3,129.110 bushels. Barley shows an increase of 6796 acres, or 241,450 bushels, and potatoes have increased by. 246 acres, or a difference (estimated) of 10,306 tons over laat year. The total number of acre* under crop is 1,132,249 as against 1,154,105 last year. Land in hay shows a decrease of 17,327 acres, but grass lands broken up, (including those in hay) bliow an increase of 318.001 acres. The produce of grass seed is estimated at 288,896 bushels of cocksfoot, and 476, 929 of rye grass. While in 1885, when the returns were taken, there was only 73 904 bushels of the former year's wheat on hand, in 1885 at the same period, there were 250,230 bushels. In oats again the figures are the other way, (although the estimated produce ia large), the stock on hand last year being 369,038 bushels, as against 212, 984 this year. Of barley there were only 5559 bushels on hand last year, while in 1885 there were 55,583 bushels, laking the various provincial districts separately, we find that Auckland had approximately 3000 acres les3 in wheat, Taranaki 2500, Hawke'a Bay 240, Wellington 6000, Marlborough 800, Nelson 400, Canterbury 50 000, and Otago 36,600, showing that in all the provinces, without exception, wheat culture has been largely abandoned. In oats, on the other hand, the increase is as general, though as the totals show, there are 15000 acres less yet than were under wheat last year. Canterbury and Otago show an increase in barley growing, but in potatoes all the provinces are about the same as last year. The total acreage under crop shows that in all provinces but Canter* bury and Otago the totals have not altered greatly. In the first of the two provinces named there is a decrease of 65,200 acres under crop, but in the latter the figures show an increase of 30,000 acres. In broken up lands under grass Canterbury shows the greatest increase, having 1,012,964 acres, as against 846,753 last year ; Otago under this shows an increase of 100,000 acres, while all the other provinces show proportionate increases. Canterbury produced considerably more grass seed than all the rest of the colony put together. When the returns were made up Canterbury held 143,608 bushels of last year's wheat crop, and 61,307 bushels of oats from the previous season ; Otago had 83,263 bushels of wheat, and 143,295 of oats held over. Against these it is interesting to put Wellington's stock of 7900 bushels of wheat and 2665 of oats.

The papers have been giving out that the British Government have bought the Dandolo, the largest and most powerful ironclad in the world, from Italy. This is premature says a contemporary. The story began life in the Melbourne Argus as a " rumour," and being translated to other journals, was promoted by their staffs to the dignity of a fact. The Argus rumor has not yet been com* firmed.

The South Australian Advertiser calls attention to the example which has just been set to patriotic citizens by the Hon. C. C. Kingston, the Attorney-general of that Colony :—": — " Mr Kingston, with an admirable disregard for conventionality, and with ft most commendable desire to be of service to South Australia in a more modest capacity than that of a Minister of the Crown, has just become a member of the Adelaide Kifles, His status in the force is that of a full private only."

We are glad to notice that our genial auctioneering townsman Mr Joseph Chadwick has once more renewed his license, and that he will wield the hammer as of yore. As a knight of the rostrum, Mr Chadwiok has had 21 years continuous practice, and has always proved a most persuasive auctioneer, getting through his task in good time, and at most satisfactory rates to the vendors, He has been a great aufferer from rheumatics during the last year or so, but we are glad to see him looking quite rejuvenatt d once more, and wish him a return of health and prosperity, as he has always been a pushing business man, and a good citizen,