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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Agricultural And Pastoral

Agricultural And Pastoral.

Though a large portion of the area of Otago and Southland is rugged and mountainous, the river valleys and the drained swamp land are of remarkable fertility, and form some of the finest agricultural land in the colony. The lower hills provide excellent pasturage for sheep, and, as it has been seen, it was chiefly through the value of the pastoral “runs” that the attention of England and Australia was first attracted to the southern portions of New Zealand as a possible field for colonisation.

The total area of holdings in Otago in 10,313,057 acres; the totals for the other provinces falling far below this figure—Canterbury 6,493,592 acres, Auckland 5,677,445 acres, Wellington 3,844,577 acres, and Hawke's Bay 3,336,744 acres. Otago is thus far ahead of all the other provinces in the extent and thoroughness of her settlement. Of these areas 2,929,473 acres are held in Otago on freehold tenure, 1,161,030 acres are leased from private individuals or public bodies, 10,899 acres leased from natives, 1,611,901 acres leased from the Crown under various tenures, and 4,599,754 acres held under pastoral lease. The pastoral leases cover more than double the area so held in Canterbury and more than half the land so held throughout the colony. In freehold areas, however, Otago is considerably below Auckland (3,897,193 acres) and not far ahead of Canterbury (2,723,369 acres) and Wellington (2,452,528 acres).

The total number of holdings of all sizes in Otago is 13,833, as against 15,999 in Auckland, 10,853 in Canterbury, and 10,537 in Wellington. In number of small holdings Otago compares very favourabley with the other provinces, but in large estate her superiority is much more marked. Otholdings between one to ten acres in area, Otago has 3896—a large number than any province but Auckland, which has 4138. From ten to fifty acres, Otago again comes second to Auckland with 2392 holdings against 2725; while Canterbury has 2296 and Wellington 1783. From 100 to 200 acres the same order is maintained; Auckland 2169 Otago 1846; while Wellington has 1684 holdings, and Canterbury 1289 of this size. But with holdings above 200 acres the positions change. Otago heads the list for holdings of 200 to 300 acres with 1412 holdings against Auckland's 1387; similarly of holdings from 320 to 640 acres, Otago has 1543 as against Auckland's 1319. From 640 to 1000 acres Auckland and Otago are on almost the same footing; though Otago has still a slight lead—Auckland 507 holdings, Otago 512. Of holdings of 1000 to 5000 acres Auckland has 561 against Otago's 598, while Canterbury has 534 and Wellington 510. In estates of 5000 to 10,000 acres, Auckland for the last time heads the list with ninety holdings as against Otago's eighty-one. The furthen increase in the size of estates leaves Otago easily first among the provinces in number of holdings. Of estates from 10,000 to 20,000 acres, Otago has sixty-two out of the 233 estates in the colony; Hawke's Bay has forty-seven, Canterbury thirty-four, Auckland thirty-three, and Wellington thirty. Of estates from 20,000 to 50,000 acres Otago has forty-six out of the total of 167, while Canterbury has thirty-five, Hawke's Bay twenty-seven and Auckland twenty. In the largest estates classified—those over 50,000 acres in area — Otago is easily first. There are ninety-seven such estates in New Zealand, and of these Otago has fortythree, or nearly one half; Canterbury cemes next with twenty-five, Hawke's Bay, Nelson and Marlborough have seven each, Auckland six, and Wellington two only, while Westland has no estate over 50,000 acres, and Taranaki none of 20,000, and only two from 10,000 to 20,000 acres. Otago is thus easily first in the matter of great estates.

Kawarau Falls Station, Lake Wakatipu.

Kawarau Falls Station, Lake Wakatipu.

The total area laid down in wheat throughout the colony for 1902 was 163, 462 acres. Of this area Otago claimed 31,981 acress, which was less than onethrid of Canterbury's wheat land (119, 531 acres). These two provinces almost monopolise the wheat-growing area in the colony, as Wellington comes next with less than 6000 acres. The averago per acre for Otago is 27.4 bushels; a result which compares well with Canterbury's 23.7 bushels per acre. The highest wheat average for New Zealand is held by Taranaki—thirty-three bushels per acre; but this is taken from only 600 acres of land. In oats the total area for the colony is 405, 924 acres; page 21 and of this Otago contains nearly one half—199, 382 acres; Canterbury comes next with 164, 869 acres, and Wellington follows a long way behind with 21,785 acres. That Otago is the best oatgrowing land in New Zealand is proved not only by her large acreage but the high rate of return—41.15 bushels per acre. Canterbury claims an average of only 32.28 bushels per acre; and the comparatively high Wellington average of 37.75 bushels is taken from only about one tenth of Otago's oat-growing area. The average for the whole colony in wheat is 24.76 bushels, in oats 37.06 bushels per aere, and in each case the Otago returns are far above the normal level. The Australian grain averages for 1901 included the following figures: Wheat: average per acre New South Wales, 10.57 bushels, Victoria 8.88 bushels per acre, South Australia 13.1 bushels per acre. Oats: Victoria 26.4 bushels per acre; New South Wales 20.2 bushels per acre, South Australia 13.1 bushels per acre. A comparison between these figures and the Otago returns already quoted may give some faint idea of the enormous natural advantages that the southern province possesses in the production of grain. Of the other agricultural staples, barley is grown on 26,514 acres and maize on 12,503 acres in the colony; but Otago's geographical position prevents her from attempting maize cultivation, and, though barley finds the Otago climate congenial, only 4477 acres were plained in this cereal. Marlborough, with 5914 acres, and Canterbury with 9396 acres, both exceed this total; but the Otago average yield is higher than that for either province—Otago 33.8 bushels, marlborough 32 bushels, Canterbury 30.1 bushels per acre. The highest average for the colony—forty bushels to the acre—is raised in Taranaki, but from only 427 acres. The average for the colony is 32.28 bushels. In rye, Otago supplies the colony almost alone, as out of 1090 acress, nearly 1000 belong to the southern province. The average yield is about twenty-five bushels per acre.

Molyneux River, Roxburgh.

Molyneux River, Roxburgh.

The area laid down in sonw grasses in Otago is 1,464,444 acres. Canterbury has 1,492,942 acres, and these two provinces make up considerably more than half the sown grass in the [gap — reason: illegible]. In surface sown (unploughed) grass land, Otago has 278,908 acres—a small area compared with Wellington (2,263,018 acres), Hawke's Bay (1,388, 599 acres). and Auckland (1,285,628 acres). In hay, page 22 Otago has only 6926 acres, as against Aucklan's 11,767 acres, and Canterbury's 16,051. In bare follow, Otago has 26,234 acres, a larger area than any other province; in grain crops for threshing, 239, 580 acres, while Canterbury has 307, 647 acres; in green and other crops Otago has 271,109 acres, while Canterbury has 269,379 acres, and of the other provinces Auckland stands next with 88,156 acres. In gardens Otago has 3803 acres, being in this respect inferior to Canterbury (45556 acres) and Auckland (3967 acres). In orchards Otago comes only fourth on the list; and this is the more remarkable because the dry air of the Clutha valley and Central Otago is perculiarly favourable to fruit growing. The figures at present are—Auckland 11,667 acres, Wellington 3937 acres, Canterbury 3134 acres, Otago 2438 acres; and though Otago may never be able to compete with the North island in the matter of vineyards, yet in ordinary market fruits there is no reason why she should not compare favourably with any quarter of the colony. The completion of the Otago Central railway should encourage the fruit growing industry by bringing the suitable districts within easy reach of markets and coastal towns.

The settled part of Otago is largely cleared of bush, and it is satisfactory to note that some attempts have been made at re-foresting the country. The area already planted with forest trees is 4692 acres; but this compares but poorly with the area in Canterbury (21,926 acres) or even in Auckland (9685 acres).

In spite of the large proportion of Otago land that is already under cultivation, there is more land still in tussock and unimproved than in any other province. The unimproved land amounts to 8,021,849 acres, or more than one third of the whole of such land in the colony. Canterbury has only about half the area of land in this condition (4,020, 584 acres), while Auckland has 3,482,212 acres, and Wellington, 1,196, 912 acres.

The total increase of cattle throughout the colony in 1901 amounted to 105, 104 head. In Otago the total rose from 186, 103 in 1901, to 194, 247 in 1902. This number is supassed by Auckland (370, 249), Wellington (294, 439), Taranaki (224, 970; though Canterbury has only 98,843 head. It is noticeable, however, that in dairy cattle, Otago, though still behind her northern neigh bours, came closer to them than in the grand total. The figures are: Wellington 92,612, Taranaki 91,655, Auckland 85,328, Otago 73,254, while Canterbury has only 39,596. In connection with these figures it may be remembered that Otago (in 1901) possessed forty-three butter and cheese factories out of 264 in New Zealand, and thirty-five creameries and skimming stations—a sufficient proff that the settlers have already begun to realise the great advantages connected with the dairy industry. In 1901 the total value of butter and cheese exported from Dunedin and Invercargill was £195, 883, a sum which while considerably below that gained by Wellington
Protected.Muir & Moodie Dunedin, photo.Moonlight Gorge, Otago.

Protected.Muir & Moodie Dunedin, photo.
Moonlight Gorge, Otago.

page 23 and Wanganui (£ 250, 286), and less than half that produced by Taranaki (£ 417, 572), represents a very substantial asset for both province and colony.

In horses Otago comes second on the list of provinces, some distance behind Auckland. The numbers are: Auckland 73,833, Otago 56,319, Canterbury 49,731. The years 1901 showed an increase for the whole colony of 13,353, and for Otago of 1703.

In sheep Otago comes third, a little below Canterbury and Wellington. The totals are: Canterbury, 4,318,887; Welilington, 4,239,538; Otago, 3,978,011; Hawke's Bay, 3,298,121; Auckland, 2,116,5943. The total for the whole colony was—in 1901—20,233,099, the net increase for the year being 877,904, and for Otago 231,251. Besides supplying local needs, Otago in 1901 exported wool to the value of £642,888.

The number of pigs in the colony had descreased considerably of late years. In 1891 there were 308,024. Of the provinces Auckland has by far the largest number—61,855; Canterbury has 50,983; Wellington 38,561 and Otago 29,602—a decrease of 7406 from 1901. The energies and resources of pastoralists are being directed, throughout the colony, the sheep breeding and dairy farming, and it is to these, as much as to her gold and other natural resources, that Otago already owes her prosperity.