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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 62

Agricultural

Agricultural.

The extent of land in cultivation (including sown grass land and land broken up but not in crops) amounted in March 1891 to 8,462,495 acres. There has been a large area of Crown land taken up for settlement during the year ending March 1892, as many as 3797 persons taking up 1,728,983 acres, being an average of 458 page 10 acres for each person, and at no time in the history of the colony has so much land been brought into cultivation by small settlers as during the last year. The following tables show (1) the acreage of land under cultivation, and (2) the different yields of crops in New Zealand and Australia for the year 1890-1891:—
(1.) Acreage of Land in Cultivation.
Acreage of Land in Crop. Acreage of Land broken up, but not under Crop. Acreage of Land in Sown Grasses. Total Acreage of Laud in Cultivation.
New Zealand 1,285,768 210,509 6,966,218 8,462,495
New South Wales 872,344 260,627 385,504 1,518,475
Victoria 2,031,935 385,572 235,241 2,652,748
Queensland 224,993 14,625 22,252 261,870
South Australia 2,093,515 534,152 21,431 2,649,098
Western Australia 69,676 52,356 23,344 145,376
Tasmania 157,376 158,738 201,060 517,174
Colony. In Wheat. In Oats. In Barley. Land. Produce. Average yield per Acre. Land. Produce. Average yield per Acre. Land. Produce. A versa yield per Acre. acres bushels bushels acres bushels bushels acres bushels bushes New Zealand 301,460 5,723,610 25.09 346,224 9,947,036 31.36 32,740 758,833 27.996 N. S. Wales 333,233 3,649,216 13.68 14,103 250,059 22.05 4,937 81,383 19.77 Victoria 1,145,163 12,751,295 10.01 221,048 4,919,325 22.28 87,751 1,571,599 18.37 Queensland.. 10,390 207,990 10.38 411 8,967 14.90 584 12,673 12.19 S. Australia 1,673,573 9,399,389 6.59 12,475 110,229 12.50 14,472 175,583 12.81 W. Australia 33,820 465,025 11.94 1,933 37,713 17.35 5,322 87,813 15.04 Tasmania .. 39,452 642,980 17.79 20,740 519,395 20.61 4,376 99,842 23.53 Colony. In Maize. In Hay. In Potatoes. Land. Produce. Average yield per Acre. Land. Produce. Average yield per Acre. Land. Produce. Average yield per Acts, acres bushels bushels acres tons tons acres tons tons New Zealand 5,759 238,864 41.83* 44,045 62,901 1.35 32,691 178,121 5.15 N. S. Wales 191,152 5,713,205 31.73 175,242 213,034 1.36 19,406 52,791 2.70 Victoria 10,357 574,083 45.10 413,043 507,746 1.17 53,818 204,155 3.05 Queensland.. 99,400 2,873,803 23.92 31,106 50,116 1.64 8,994 28,810 †2.11 S. Australia .. .. .. 345,150 310,125 .08 6,626 23,963 3.30 W. Australia 81 2,146 15.51* 23,183 26,495 .99 510 1,657 2.95 Tasmania .. .. .. .. 45,381 52,021 1.23 20,133 73,158 3.98 * Last three years. † For six years.

(2.) Yields of Principal Crops.

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This table shows the great superiority of New Zealand from an agricultural point of view. The yield per acre, given in the table, is the average yield for a period of ten years.

It will be observed that the oat crop in New Zealand comprised nearly 63 per cent., and the area under oat crop 56 per cent., of that for the whole of Australasia.

Turnips.

There was in 1891 a much greater quantity of laud sown with turnips and rape than in 1890. The low price of grain has caused greater attention to be given to sheep feeding, and as one of the results there were 402,184 acres under turnips and rape in 1891, against 352,903 in 1890, an increase of 49,281 acres. The facility with which root crops are grown is a most important factor in the future development of the pastoral products of the colony.

Fruit.

17,047 acres were returned as being in orchards in 1891, an increase of 1276. The success of the attempts that have been recently made to place fruit in a good saleable condition on the English market has given encouragement to cultivators, and fruits are expected in the not far distant future to take an important place in the list of New Zealand exports. During the recent season a large number of cases of apples have been sent to this market from Now Zealand. In the north of New Zealand semi-tropical fruits, such as oranges, lemons, olives, and figs, grow well.