Agriculture.

40. The extent of land returned as in occupation for agricultural purposes at the end of the first quarter of the current year was 16,615,000 acres. It is invariably the case that less land is shown by the agricultural returns than the whole area alienated and selected; for the statistical collectors are not required to take account of holdings which do not exceed one acre, nor of gardens or grounds attached to residences which are kept merely for ornament and pleasure, nor of any lands which show no signs of occupation, or which are used for other purposes than agriculture or the keeping of stock. The number of occupiers returned was 49,025, and the extent of land under tillage was 1,687,400 acres. The five principal crops are wheat, which covered 707,738 acres; oats, 167,721 acres; barley, 43,208 acres; potatoes, 41,600 acres; and hay, 201,169 acres. In addition to these, green forage and permanent artificial grasses covered 307,475 acres, vines covered 4285 acres, and gardens and orchards occupied an extent of 20,305 acres. The other crops were maize, rye, peas and beans, mangel-wurzel, turnips, beet, carrots, parsnips, onions, and other vegetables, chicory, grass for seed, hops, and tobacco. The produce of wheat was 9,407,503 bushels, or 13.3 bushels to the acre; that of oats was 4,024,962 bushels, or 24 bushels to the acre; that of barley was 1,065,759 bushels, or 25 bushels to the acre; that of potatoes was 167,986 tons, or 4 tons to the acre; and that of hay was 291,781 tons, or 1½ tons to the acre. The area under tillage has doubled, and that under wheat has much more than doubled during the last ten years.