308 



REPORTS ON FOREIGN CROPS. 



[Dec. 1895. 



is reputed at about three-quarters of a ton per acre, which is 

 about half an average crop. Potatoes looked well, and an 

 abundant yield was expected. 



The reports received by the Department on the fruit crops 

 were very discouraging. Apples appear to have been a complete 

 failure. The number of apple trees 15 years old and over in 

 the province is 5,835,915, while 3,862,401 are under that age. 

 These figures do not include nursery stocks. 



Crops in New Zealand. 



The area devoted to wheat in this colony in 1895 was only 

 148,605 acres. This is a smaller acreage than has been sown 

 for 18 years, and is 40 per cent, less than the area cultivated in 

 1894. The acreage in 1893 was 381,250 acres. The yield per 

 acre is slightly higher than the last two years, being 24-3 bushels 

 this year as compared with 20*2 in 1894 and 22 in 1893. 



The area under oats increased last year by 50,000 acres, but 

 decreased in 1895 by 25,000 acres. The figures are 326,000 

 acres in 1893, 376,000 acres in 1894, and 351,000 acres in 1895. 

 In addition to this decrease in area, the average yield per acre 

 this year is estimated to be over three bushels less than in 1894, 

 when it was 3 2 '3. 



The area under barley was 50 per cent, more than it was two 

 years ago, being 36,520 acres in 1895 as compared with 24,910 

 acres in 1893. The average yield was 27*4 bushels. 



The cattle in the Colony continue steadily to increase, the 

 numbers being 688,590 head in 1895 as compared with 63 4,670 

 head, and 557,570 head in 1894 and 1893 respectively. The 

 increase since 1892 amounts to nearly 30 per cent. 



Crops in Tasmania. 



According to the crop and stock returns for 1894-95 issued 

 by the Government Statistician of Tasmania, the area under 

 wheat in this colony was 52,028 acres, being a decrease of 3,284 

 acres on the previous year. The estimated yield per acre for 

 1894-95 is 16*76 bushels, which gives a return of 872,000 

 bushels, or an increase of 38,229 bushels. 



The area under oats in 1894-95 was 34,385 as compared with 

 33,755 in the previous year, the estimated produce being 927;875 

 bushels as compared with 837,720 bushels in 1893-94. 



