March 1897.] 



PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. 



421 



The total acreage under all kinds of crops in 1896 is given as 

 4,843,220 acres, as against 4,880,527 acres in 1895. The acreage 

 of the more important crops is as follows : — 



Crops. 



189(5. 



1895. 



Average, 

 1886-95. 



Wheat 



Acres. • 

 38,019 



Acres. 

 36,532 



Acres. 

 71,497 



Oats - - - . ' . . 



1,193,581 



1,216,401 



1,253,908 



Barley ------ 



173,032 



171,65) 



174,070 



Bere - - 



383 



139 



' 306 



Rye - 



13,715 



11,520 



12,912 



Potatoes - - 



705,665 



710,436 



761,405 



Turnips - - - - . . - ' 



308,471 



313,281 



301,512 



Mangel-wurzel and beetroot - 



54,301 



53,027 



47,078 



Flax - - - - - 



72,253 



95,203 



99,142 



Clover, sainfoin, and grasses under rotation 



Permanent pasture or grasses not broken 

 up in rotation. 



655,071 

 1,547,353 



635,586 

 1,558,890 



| 2,148,805 



The produce in 1896 is given below : — 





Total Produce. 



Yield per Acre. 



Crops. 



1896. 



1895. 



Average, 

 1886-95. 



1896. 



1895. 



Average 

 1886-95. 



Wheat . . . . 



Cwts, 

 639,673 



Cwts. 

 594,027 



Cwts. 

 1,113,838 



Cwts. 

 16'8 



Cwts. 

 16*3 



Cwts. 

 15'7 



Oats ... . 



17,008,134 



18,221,202 



18,039,671 



14'2 



15*0 



14*4 



Barley .... 



3,142,580 



2,845,172 



2,845,930 



18*2 



16*6 



16*3 



Bere • - 



4,708 



1,939 



4,116 



12-3 



13-9 



13*4 



Rye ... 

 Potatoes ... - 



174,673 

 Tons. 

 2,701,000 



153,867 

 Tons. 

 3,472,015 



162,908 

 Tons. 

 2,744,963 



12-7 

 Tons. 

 « 3-8 



13-4 

 Tons. 

 4-9 



12*6 

 Tons. 

 3'6 



Turnips - 



4,782,759 



4,490,559 



4,022,336 



15-5 



14"3 



13-3 



Mangel-wurzel and beetroot - 



782,572 



827.C69 



674,420 



14'6 



15-6 



14'2 



Hay : from clover,sainfoin, and 

 rotation grasses. 

 „ from permanent pasture 

 or grasses not under 

 rotation. 



"Flax .... 



1,326,005 

 3,405,450 



10,292 



1,156,389 

 3,405,685 



12,193 



j- 4,585,566^ 

 17,119 



2-0 

 2'2 



1 Stones. 

 \ 22-8 



1-8 



2'2 



Stones. 

 20-5 



Stones. 

 28'0 



There appears thus to have been an increase in the total 

 produce of wheat, due partly to a slightly increased acreage 

 and partly to a better return per acre, as compared with 1895, 

 Both acreage and total production were, however, much below 

 the average of the preceding ten years, while the yield per acre 

 was considerably above the normal. The yield of oats was 

 nearly up to the average, but below that of 1895. Barley, on 

 the other hand, gave a good crop, nearly 2 cwt. above the 

 average. 



E 2 



