98 Wheat Culture in New South Wales. 



question being thus prominently noticed may stimulate the local 

 authorities to inquiry, and, if there is any error, to its correction 

 in the returns for the present year. 



The yield per acre ranged from 16 - 7 bushels in 1864, to 8-1 

 bushels in 1867 ; the average being about 10^ bushels, or about 

 3 bushels per acre less than the average yield of the five pre- 

 vious years. 



The average yield of the ten years is thus reduced to about 

 12f bushels per acre, or about half a bushel per acre over the 

 yield of the Southern Division. 



laking as before, the average price at 7s. 10d., we arrive at the 

 result of £4: 17s. lid. per acre as the gross average return from 

 wheat growing in this division, i.e., 3s. lid. per acre more than 

 seems to fall to the lot of the Southern farmers. 



NORTHERN DIVISION. 



3. — We come now $o the consideration of the returns for the 

 Northern Division, which embrace the county of Northumberland, 

 Durham, Gloucester, Hunter, Macquarie, Brisbane. 



Here we find the acreage in wheat commencing w 7 ith 30,415 

 acres in 1858, and ending wiih 24,646 acres in 1862 ; the average 

 of the five years being 30,663 acres. 



The yield during the first period ranged from 133 bushels in 

 1858, to as low as 10 - 3 bushels in 1861, and up again to 12-7 in 

 1862, the average being under ll£ bushels per acre. 



In the second quinquennial period i,ve find the extent of wheat 

 tillage for graiu commencing with 19,086 acres in 1863 dropping 

 to 13,001 acres the next year, and ending with 15,837 acres in 

 1867, the average being 17,132 acres, a decrease of nearly 80 per 

 cent, upon the average of the previous five years. 



Looking to the yield per acre, we soon find a reason for this 

 declension. 



The first year of the period (1863) shows a yield of only 4 

 bushels per acre, and the largest yield (in 1865) only 103 bushels 

 — the average of the five years being under 7^ bushels per acre ; 

 that is 4 bushels per acre below the yield of the first five years. 

 The average yield of the ten years is thereby reduced to less than 

 9£ bushels per acre ; that is, 1\ bushels less than the average 

 yield of the Southern division, and 3 bushels less than the 

 "Western. 



Taking the average price of wheat as before, at 7s. lOd. per 

 bushel, we deduce a pecuniary result to the farmer in this division 

 of about £3 6s. 4d. per acre. When we work out such a result 

 as this, as exhibiting the gross proceeds from wheat culture in 

 the Northern districts of the colony, we cannot be surprised at 

 th© evidence thereby afforded of its gradual abandonment. 



