Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Agricultural and Pastoral

Agricultural and Pastoral.

When compared with some of the other provinces, Auckland cannot be said to stand very high in matters agricultural and pastoral. There can be no doubt that the climate is favourable to these branches of industry, and it is quite certain that all the soil which might be advantageously cultivated has not yet been taken in hand. The difficulties of communication may to some extent account for what otherwise might be ascribed to a lack of energetic enterprise in these vocations, but those difficulties would disappear, or be greatly modified if the demand for haulage and freightage were as largely increased as there is reason to believe they might be by the determined efforts of land-holders to thoroughly prove and make the most of the capabilities of their lands. Some attention is being paid to the systematic cultivation of furze as food for sheep, and should the experiment prove successful, Auckland should reap very great advantages thereby, as there can be no doubt about the capabilities of her soil, and the suitability of her climate for the growth of furze. The Messrs Williams, of Pakaraka, Bay of Islands, have proved it to be a success in their district, and are now fattening four sheep to the acre upon it. It is hoped that the comparisons drawn between Auckland and the other districts may have the effect of encouraging the farmers of the great northern province to show that they can stand industrially shoulder to shoulder with their southern neighbours.

Auckland leads the colony in the matter of occupied freehold lands with 3,261,498 acres. Otago comes next with 2,811,707 acres. Canterbury is third with 2,744,281, and Wellington fourth with 2,454,641 acres. Under freehold, leasehold, and pastoral licenses, Otago occupies first place with 10,298,619 acres, Canterbury second with 6,311,491, Auckland third with 5,040,470, and Wellington fourth with 3,701,788 acres. Auckland, however, has the greatest number of holdings, namely, 15,541; Otago has 13,989, Canterbury 10,854, and Wellington 9,871. In the whole colony there are 62,639 holdings, which cover altogether 34,386,268 acres. In areas of one to ten. acres, 14,922 acres are occupied in Auckland, 14,207 in Otago, 13,238 in Canterbury, and 11,585 acres in Wellington. Auckland leads in the acreages under holdings of from ten to fifty, fifty to one hundred, and one hundred to two hundred acres, and is second to Otago in the occupation of areas from 200 to 320, 320 to 640, and 640 to 1000 acres. In estates over 50,000 acres, Otago is first with 4,293,923 acres, Canterbury second with 1,967,119, Marlborough third with 1,139,875, Nelson fourth with 729,337 acres, Auckland fifth with 660,006, followed closely by Hawke's Bay with 654,193 acres.

In 1899 the average yield per acre of wheat was, in Canterbury 33.65 bushels, Otago 33.37 bushels, Nelson 30.84, Wellington 29.48, Taranaki 28.59, Hawke's Bay 27.83, and Auckland 20.31 bushels. In the gross yield Canterbury stood first with 8,409,166 bushels, Otago second with 3,329,660, Wellington third with 550,411, and Auckland fourth with 249,046 bushels. The total yield for the colony was 13,073,416 bushels, and the average yield 32.76 bushels.

The gross yields in oats for the same period were in the order of Otago with 8,774,770 bushels, Canterbury 5,890,132, Wellington 767,327, and Auckland with 273,681 bushels; and the corresponding yields per acre were respectively, Canterbury 41.26 bushels, Otago 39.8, Wellington 33.94, and Auckland 30.81 bushels. The colony's total output of oats amounted to 16,511,388 bushels and the yield per acre was 39.56 bushels. Taranaki, Hawke's Bay and Nelson followed Auckland in the order named, each with a gross yield exceeding 200,000 bushels.

In 1899 the colony's barley crops amounted to 1,677,908 bushels, with an average yield per acre of 36.73 bushels. To this total Canterbury made the chief contribution with 675,931 bushels, and an average yield per acre of 46.29 bushels. Otago came next with 440,191 bushels, and an average yield per acre of 31.3. Marlborough was third in order with a gross yield per acre of 165,511, and an average of 29.44 per acre. For Nelson, which was fourth, the figures were 148,435, and 35.1 per acre. Then came Hawke's Bay with a gross yield of 113,388, and an average per acre of 37.77; whilst Auckland was sixth with a total yield of 58,497, and an average per acre of 27.55 bushels.

As the area of Auckland is almost exactly a fourth of the whole colony, the foregoing figures prove conclusively that grain-growing in the Auckland province is, from some cause or causes, a neglected branch of agriculture. Doubtless the heavier cost of sowing, harvesting and marketing grain in the Auckland province is largely responsible for the small extent of grain-farming, but as the capabilities of the district become better understood, a greater acreage will be devoted to grain, which will, to some extent, reduce those expenses.

In grass lands, ploughed and unploughed, Wellington, in 1899, was first with 2,283,479 acres, Canterbury second with 1,588,618 acres, Hawke's Bay third with 1,580,541 acres, Otago fourth with 1,421,603 acres, and Auckland fifth with 1,248,626 acres. Canterbury stood page 28 first in hay with 15,123 acres, Wellington second with 14,927, Auckland third with 14,729, with Hawke's Bay, Otago and Taranaki following next in order.

According to the returns for 1899, Auckland led the colony in the matter of the acreage of orchards, with 9,384 acres. Wellington stood second in this connection with 3772 acres, Canterbury third with 2,720, and Otago fourth with 2,361 acres. In the same districts the areas in vineyards were 186,44, and 4 acres. These figures, favourable as they are to Auckland, do not of course show that Auckland is growing fruit instead of grain. Increased attention is, however, being given to fruit-growing throughout the province, more particularly in the northern portion, and no doubt the statistics of the near future will disclose a very marked advance in Auckland's fruit culture. Both climate and soil are favourable; but there is room for great improvement in the facilities for marketing the produce, and in the establishment of preserving works. The principal fruit-growing counties are Waitemata, Manukau, Rodney, Whangarei, Waipa, Eden, Waikato, and Tauranga, the acreage in orchards in the lastnamed county being less than a fifth of that of Waitemata.

The sheep returns for the 30th of April, 1900, give the number of sheep in the colony as 19,347,346. In this connection Canterbury stands first on the list with 4,739,506, Hawke's Bay second with 4,612,636, Wellington third with 4,478,311, Otago fourth with 3,720,231, and Auckland fifth with 901,445.

In cattle the figures are oustinctly in favour of Auckland, whose total is 323,264. Wellington comes next with 238,483. Taranaki is third with 202,481, Otago fourth with 189,249, Hawke's Bay fifth with 95,283, and Canterbury sixth with 87,471. Taranaki, however, leads in dairy cows with 74,331. Otago is second with 66,484, Auckland third with 64,593, Wellington fourth with 58,492, Canterbury fifth with 37,053, and Hawke's Bay sixth with 13,425.

The horses owned in the colony in 1899 numbered 258,649, and of these Auckland had 68,549, Otago 53,759, Canterbury 45,631, Wellington 39,896, Hawke's Bay 17,975, and Taranaki 17,562.

In the number of swine or pigs, Auckland is far ahead of any other provincial district. The returns for 1899 give it 61,239, and place Wellington second with 31,000, Canterbury third with 29,915, Taranaki fourth with 26,596, and Otago fifth with 24,013.

Auckland has the honour also of being one of the two districts in which ostrichfarming is carried on. The ostrich farm of Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co., at “Whitford Park,” Turanga Creek, about twenty miles from Auckland, is one of the most interesting spots in the Colony; and, judging by the beautiful collection of feathers produced, dressed and curled at the “Park,” and shown at the recent Auckland Exhibition, the industry is likely to assume large commercial proportions. The climate of Auckland is evidently well suited to the ostrich, for the birds are exceptionally healthy, and multiply with astonishing rapidity. Messrs Nathan and Co. deserve the thanks and support of the entire community for the enterprise they have displayed in the establishment of this industry. In the opinion of the proprietors of “Whitford Park,” as given in answers to the questions of the Agricultural Department, the industry is one which may be safely recommended to
Fern Trees and Hut.

Fern Trees and Hut.

page 29 New Zealanders. The birds need a little feeding, in the shape of maize or turnips, in winter; but during the other seasons of the year, the grass is quite sufficient for them, and what will support two sheep will carry one ostrich. Ostriches are said to live eighty years, and as the diseases prevalent amongst them at the Cape of Good Hope are almost unknown here, it is apparent that the Auckland Province is well suited to the industry. The feathers compare well with those of foreign production.