9Q Agricultural Statistics of Victoria. 



Agricultural Statistics of Victoria. 



The Board have received from the Government of Victoria 

 a copy of the official annual " Statistical Register," which 

 gives detailed information concerning the agricultural 

 statistics of the colony. 



Of the numerous subjects treated in the volume, one sec- 

 tion refers to the extent of land occupied and cultivated since 

 the first " settlement " in the Colony in 1836, when the total 

 cultivated area consisted of 50 acres of wheat. In the follow- 

 ing year the record shows a complete blank, but in 1838 

 small areas were sown with wheat, oats, maize, potatoes, and 

 tobacco, and these crops have since been grown almost 

 without interruption. Barley has been a continuous crop 

 since 1839, and although rye was also grown in that year, its 

 cultivation did not become permanent in the colony until 

 twenty years later. Vines have been grown continuously 

 since 1842, and roots since 1855. Chicory, hops, grass, and 

 clover seeds first appeared in the returns in 1867-68. 



Wheat is by far the most extensively cultivated crop in 

 Victoria. Its area, which has been nearly doubled during 

 the last decade, amounted in 1 899-1 900 to 2,166,000 acres, 

 which produced 15 J million bushels of grain. The acreage 

 of the other cereal crops in that year was as follows : Oats,- 

 271,000 acres; barley, 80,000 acres; maize, 11,000 acres; 

 and rye, 1,000 acres. The extent in acres of the following 

 crops are also given — viz., hay, 450,000 ; green forage, 

 171,000; vines, 28,000; potatoes, 55,000; gardens and 

 orchards, 55,000; pease and beans, 12,000; onions, 

 4,000 ; grass and clover seeds, 2,000. There were about 

 1,300 acres under roots, including mangel wurzel, beets, 

 carrots, parsnips, and turnips; 713 acres under hops; 155 

 under tobacco ; and over 3,000 acres under " other minor 

 crops." The land in fallow occupied over half a million 

 acres, and the total area cultivated in the colony amounted 

 to 3,820,000 acres. The average production in bushels per 

 acre of the principal cereal crops was : Wheat, 7*04 ; oats, 

 22*55; barley, 1971; and malting barley, i8"i6. Potatoes 

 i elded 3*13 tons, and hay 1*32 tons per acre. 



