1302
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 60

"The Agricultural and Pastoral Statistics Act, 1895."—Acreage and Actual Yields in Corn Crops, 1896-97.—Notice No. 486.

THE New Zealand Gazette of 28th January and 10th April last contains returns in connection with the collection of agricultural and pastoral statistics. In the former an estimate was given of the yield of wheat, oats, and barley, and in the latter the complete returns of acreages under all crops; also, number of horses, cattle, and pigs in the colony at 10th November, and sheep at the 30th April, 1896.

It will be seen that a deduction has been made from the acreages. This has been found necessary owing to the dry weather which prevailed prior to harvest and after the returns were collected.

The present figures show the actual yields per acre and total quantity of wheat, oats, barley, and rye. These have been obtained by taking a few of the actual threshing-yields in each riding of every county throughout the colony.

The figures are as follows:—

The quantity of wheat on hand at 10th November, 1896, as shown in Gazette notice of 28th January, was.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,310,027 bushels.
From this must be deducted the consumption for three months, or, say, to arrival of new wheat upon the market, say .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,114,821 bushels.

Old wheat on hand at 10th February, 1897 .. .. .. .. .. .. 195,206 bushels.
Estimated total yield, crop for 1896-97 .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,926,523 bushels.

Total available for all purposes, period 10th February, 1897, to 10th February, 1898.. 6,121,729 bushels.

The estimated quantity required for seed is, say, 300,000 acres at two bushels per acre 600,000 bushels.
For human consumption, 743,214 inhabitants at six bushels per head .. .. 4,459,284 bushels.

Apparent surplus .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,062,445 bushels.

Department of Agriculture, Wellington, 1st July, 1897.

JOHN D. RITCHIE,
Secretary.

Acreage and Actual Yield in Corn-crops.

| Provincial District. | Wheat. | | | Oats. | | | Barley. | | | Rye. | | |
| | Acres. | Yield per Acre in Bushels. | Total Bushels. | Acres. | Yield per Acre in Bushels. | Total Bushels. | Acres. | Yield per Acre in Bushels. | Total Bushels. | Acres. | Yield per Acre in Bushels. | Total Bushels. |
| Auckland— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 5,696 | | | 7,711 | | | 1,238 | | | 68 | 15 | 1,020 |
| | 465 | 5,231 | 21 | 467 | 7,244 | 26 | 59 | 1,179 | 33 | 148 | 10 | 1,480 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 8,923 | 26 | .. | 6,253 | 24 | .. | 945 | 30 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hawke's Bay— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 1,087 | | | 6,950 | | | 2,234 | | | 58 | 20 | 1,160 |
| | 89 | 998 | 25 | 421 | 6,529 | 23 | 107 | 2,127 | 31 | 138 | 30 | 4,140 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 695 | 28 | .. | 6,830 | 30 | .. | 1,842 | 26 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Taranaki— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 2,121 | | | 4,915 | | | 549 | | | 64 | 23 | 1,472 |
| | 173 | 1,948 | 30 | 297 | 4,618 | 33 | 26 | 523 | 32 | 25 | 21 | 525 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 1,793 | 24 | .. | 3,924 | 30 | .. | 482 | 34 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wellington— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 9,777 | | | 21,936 | | | 632 | | | 197 | 25 | 4,925 |
| | 799 | 8,978 | 25 | 1,327 | 20,609 | 30 | 31 | 601 | 29 | 147 | 13 | 1,911 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 7,400 | 26 | .. | 18,627 | 30 | .. | 763 | 30 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Marlborough— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 5,067 | | | 4,220 | | | 3,408 | | | 79 | 20 | 1,580 |
| | 414 | 4,653 | 20 | 255 | 3,965 | 23 | 163 | 3,245 | 17 | 81 | 26 | 2,106 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 5,179 | 27 | .. | 3,588 | 31 | .. | 3,853 | 23 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nelson— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 4,262 | | | 5,584 | | | 3,841 | | | 54 | 18 | 972 |
| | 348 | 3,914 | 15 | 338 | 5,246 | 21 | 184 | 3,657 | 22 | 39 | 17 | 663 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 1,826 | 20 | .. | 1,945 | 23 | .. | 1,990 | 26 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Westland*— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 10 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | †41 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Canterbury— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 190,106 | | | 138,494 | | | 11,479 | | | 924 | 20 | 18,480 |
| | 15,527 | 174,579 | 21 | 8,381 | 130,113 | 24 | 550 | 10,929 | 30 | 512 | 12 | 6,144 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 169,495 | 27 | .. | 128,055 | 30 | .. | 12,198 | 28 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Otago— | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | 63,492 | | | 206,787 | | | 7,932 | | | 1,801 | 20 | 36,020 |
| | 5,185 | 58,307 | 29 | 12,514 | 194,273 | 35 | 380 | 7,552 | 29 | 2,276 | 27 | 61,452 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 50,130 | 32 | .. | 195,525 | 37 | .. | 13,283 | 33 | .. | .. | .. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Total for colony | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1896-97 .. | .. | 258,608 | 23 | .. | 372,597 | 30 | .. | 29,813 | 28 | .. | 20 | 65,629 |
| 1895-96 .. | .. | 245,441 | 28 | .. | 364,747 | 34 | .. | 35,356 | 29 | .. | 23 | 78,421 |

• Not included in average. † Fed off.