516 



the ral8iu.i;' and improvement of stock, on improVements in agricultural 

 implemcuts and machines; and generally for excellence in any branch 

 of agricultural, horticultural, or floral industry ; and the bureau is 

 aunuully to epitomize tlie results arrived at in the various discussions 

 before the clubs, and ciiuse the same to be published for general sah^ 

 and distribution. 



AiG^r..TCiTLTURAL I'RODUCTiON IN A L'STiiALiA. — The oflUial reports 

 of Australia make the aggregate area of land under tillage, for the year 

 ending March 31, 1872, 1)37,220 acres; an increase of 28,205 acres over 

 the previous year. The amount of wheat produced is stated at 4,500,7'J~» 

 bushels; oats, 3,290,889 ; barley, 335,506 ; maize, 30,833 ; beans, millet, 

 and sorghum,' 173,217"; rye, &c., 8,490; green crops, exclusive of those 

 in kitchen and market gardens, 159,093; hay, 144,037 tons. Total pro- 

 duct of grain, 8,348,730 bushels, being an increase over the previous 

 year of 2,892,159 bushels. Average yield of wheat per acre, 13.45 bush- 

 els; oats, 18.70 ; hay, 1.4 tons. The yield of wheat in the entire colony 

 for the last ten years is given as follows : 



,. -ir 1 .,1 A „ 'Gross product 



ill husbels. 



Averagfi 

 of bushels 

 per acre. 



1863 102,009 I 3,008,487 ! 18.6 



1864 U9,:VJ2 i 1,838,762 '.». 



1865 - 125,040 ! 1,899,378 15.2 



18<i6 118,628 i 3,.514,227 19.7 



1867 ' 203,.588 | 4,641,205 22.3 



1868 216,989 I 3,411,663 1.5.7 



1869 259,804 I 4.229,228 . 16.3 



1870 '. 288,.514 I .5,697.056 19.8 



1871 1 284,167 j 2,870,409 10.1 



1872 : 334,609 4,500,795 13,45 



The above gives an average product per acre for the ten years of 15.0 

 bushels. 



Foreign Geapes in Texas. — A correspondent of the Department 

 in Austin, Texas, states that since the war the attention of agricultur- 

 ists in that State has been largely directed to the culture of the grape 

 and other fruits. For a iiumber of years, he says, experience has 

 shown beyond a doubt that the climate of Texas is very favorable to the 

 culture of the foreign grapes. A number of varieties are under culti- 

 vation, and have produced very fine fruit, even in years Avhen the native 

 grape has been killed by late spring frosts. 



Hay in Texas. — A correspondent of the Department in Miliheim 

 County, Texas, writes us that hay in large quantities has been harvested 

 in that county the past season, which will be of great service the com- 

 ing winter, the prairie pastures luiviug been almost destroyed by the 

 drought. 



The Lu:MBER-TiiADr. of Flohida. — It is reported that the number 

 of vessels freighted at Pensacola with timber for European ports in the 

 year ending October 1, Avas one hundred and sixty-six, with an aggre- 

 gate tonnage of 139,081; the total of cubic feet thus exported was, of 

 hewn timber, 5,790,072 ; sawn, 1,500,029. TJie corresponding statistics 

 for the year preceding were one hundred and fourteen vessels, with a 

 tonnage of 95,489, and a total in cubic feet of hewn timber, 4,003,327; 

 savrn, 3,057.455. The total of ffpt clonrod for American ports in the year 



