Reports on Foreign Crops. 



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increase in yield, therefore, in the current year is nearly 

 nine million bushels. 



The New Zealand Harvest of 1898-99. 



The interim report of the New Zealand Agricultural Depart- 

 ment gives particulars of the areas under cereals in the colony 

 in 1898-99, with their estimated yield. From this it appears 

 that the area under wheat in the present year was 395,536 

 acres, as compared with 315,801 acres in 1898 ; whilst the 

 out-turn is put at no less than 10,679,472 bushels, represent- 

 ing a yield of 27 bushels per acre. The yield for the 

 preceding three years has been about 6,150,000 bushels per 

 annum or, on a smaller area, a yield of 23 bushels per acre. 

 The quantity of wheat on hand on the 15th November, 1898, 

 is given as 1,590,461 bushels, which with the present harvest 

 makes a total of 12,269,933 bushels. The Secretary for 

 Agriculture estimates the home consumption at 4,800,000 

 bushels, which, with 800,000 bushels for seed, leaves a 

 surplus of 6,670,000 bushels. 



The returns for barley and oats are also very satisfactory ; 

 the yield of oats being 14,488,705 bushels from 413,963 acres, 

 and of barley 1,296,344 bushels from 46,298 acres. It was 

 feared at one time that the crops had suffered from wet and 

 stormy weather, but the inquiries made by the Department 

 have shown that the damage was on the whole unimportant 

 and chiefly affected North Island, whereas 90 per cent, of 

 the wheat and oats are grown in the south. 



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