AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 49, 8 April 1898, Page 15

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Wellington, March 31. Statistics prepared by the Agricultural Department show the following areas sown or intended to be s>own this season, compared with last year .—. —

Auckland has 168,703 bushels of maize on hand, against 39,105 bushels last year. The total acreage in pocatoes this yearie 36,402, against 29,990 ; and in cocksfoot .'58.640, against 49,622. The land in grass is • Ploughed, 3,992,779, against 4,130,082; clover, 158,683 and 32,226 ; not ploughed (in grass), 5,553,230 and 5,661,203; hay, 49,565 and 81,414. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company re-port as follows : — Wheat— Millers are importing: rather than give prices now demanded by growers for local grown. The market, in consequence, is le^s animated. Best milling velvet is fetching 4s 7d to 4s 8d ; best Tuscan and red wheat, 4s 5d to 4s 6d ; medium, 4s 3d to 4a 4d ; inferior, 3s 3d to 4s ; broken, 2s 9d to 3s 6d (ex store, sacks weighed in, net). All lots for seed fetch 4s 9d to ss. Oats— There is a very fair demand for both milling and feed the former fetching 2s 2d to 2s 3d ; best short feed, 2s Id to 2s 2d ; medium to good, 2s to Is Id (ex store, sacks extra, net). Barley— A steady demand exists for all sorts, prime malting fetching 4s 9d to 5s ; medium to good, 4s to 4s 6d : feed and milling, 3s to 3s 9d (ex store, sacks extra, net). Geass Seeds— Ryegrass seed, if heavy and small, maintains its price, while big seed and dirty is now difficult to place. Quotations for farmers' best dressed and shotty, 3s 3d to 3s 5d ; medium, 2s 9d to 3s 2d ; inferior, 2a 3d to 2s 8d (ex store, sacks extra, net). Cocksfoot in moderate demand. Best dressed in retail lots fetch 4|d to 5Jd ; medium, 4d to 4£d per lb (ex sto-e, sacks extra, net). Chaff — Consignments being heavier, prices are easier. Prime old brought on Monday L 3 15s to L 4 ; best new, L 3 2s 6d to 1.3 10s (ex truck, sacks extra, net). Potatoes— Market over supplied. Prices in buyers favour. Say for best Derwents, L 3 10s to L 3 17s 6d ; extra prime, L 4 per ton (ex store, sacks weighed in, net). Messrs. Donald Keid and Co. report that prices ruled as under at their auction sale on Monday :—: — OAts— We offered several lines of good sparrow-bills, and cleared all on hand at late quotations. Good feed, 2 o}d to 2s Id* medium, Is 11 £d to 2s per bushel (sacks extra). ' Wheat— Only a small line of whole fowls' wheat was offered and sold at 4s o£d per bushel (sacks in). Potatoes— The market was well supplied, and competition was not so keen. Best Derwents sold at L 4 to L 4 2s Gd ; medium to good, L 3 10s to L 3 17s 6d per ton (sacks in). Chaff— The market was over-supplied, and prices were slightly easier. Good oaten chaff sold at L 3 10s to L 3 15s ; medium, L 3 to LIS 5s pe.i ton (bags extra). Messrs fttronach Bros, and Morris report as follows :—: — Wheat — There is a fair quantity coming forward now, which is readily disposed of at the following quotations : Prime milling velvet, 4s 8d to 4s lOd ; medium, 4s (id to 4s 7d ; prime Tuscan, etc 4s 6d to 4s 8d ; medium, 4s 4d to 4s 5d ; fowl wheat, 3s to 4s per bushel (ex store, sacks in). Oats. — There is a good demand for all offering, and prices are on a par with those ruling last week. Quotations : Prime milling 2s 2d to 2s 3d ; good to best feed, 2s ; medium, Is lid to Is Hid per bushel (sacks extra). Barley — Very little coming ; market firm. Quotations : Prime malting, 4s 9d to 5s 3d ; medium, 4s 4d to 4s 8d ; feed and milling, 2s 6d to 3s 6d per bnshel (sacks extra). Chaff — Owing to the large quantities coming forward prices have receded 2s 6d to 5s per ton during the week, Best oaten sheaf, L 3 Ids to L 3 15s ; medium, L 3 to L 3 7s b'd per ton (bags extra). Potatoes — Market easier. Best Derwents, L 4 to L 4 2s Gd • medium to good, L 3 l()s to L 3 17s Gd per ton (bags in). ' Mh, F. Mkenan, King street, reports:— Wholesale price onlyOats : Fair demand; feed, medium to good. Is lOd to 2s; milling, 2s to 2s 2d ; fowls' wheat, 3s to 4s; milling, 4s Gd to 4s «>cf: chaff, LIS 5s to L 3 15s, fair supply. Ryegrass bay, 1,3 10s to L 3 1.->s. Straw, 28s per ton ; loose, 28s. Potatoes : New, local, LI. Flour : Roller, Lll to Lll lo B ; Oatmeal: LI I 10s in 25lbs. Butter: Dairy, Gd to '.M • factory, ltd. Eggs, Is 2d. Bran, L 3. Pollard, L 4. Oniot 1 Chribtohurch, LG 10s per ton.

J r*\) I . is'.ii-s. Acres. Wheat ... ... ... 208,60s Oats ... ... ... 372,(507 Barley ... ... ... 29,813 Maize ... ... . . 12, .">{>! Oats (for chaffiintf) ... 186.468 Acres. :n.),soi 384.S 1 0 :U,920 14.557 179,716 Cantekbury. Wheat ... ... ... 174..')"fl Oats ... ... ... 730,113 Barley ... ... ... 10,92!> Oats (for chaffiing) ... 07,58."> 222,461 125,9!»2 11.01.") 48.239 Otago. Wheat .. ... ... ."8.307 Oats ... ... ... 194.273 Barley ... ... ... 7,.V>2 Oats (i'or chatting) ... 71),.'>4 7 Auckland has a maize acreage this year of 1,112. N6.U3«> 2(1'.1.22(5 5464 66.4.'{7 13,079. iiKain^t The quantities of j>rain f)]l hand are :—: — IK'.tX. Bushels. Wheat ... ... ... 1,149.661 Oats ... ... ... 1,406,.V.16 Barley ... ... ... '.U. 772 Maize ... .. ... 125,!M0 1S!)7. Bushels. 1,134,072 1.11.-),(I4 7 172.C 1.-.CI 39,80.-.