I—l 7

Turning next to the actual utilization of cultivated lands as giving an indication of the change in the character of land development, the following table shows for selected years the main types of utilization practised :

Table No. 75.—Table showing Occupied Areas under Cultivation, differentiating as to Different Types of Uses, in Selected Years from 1890 to 1944

This table shows conclusively that the major development in farming in New Zealand has been in the pastoral field. The extension of sown pastures from 1891 to 1920 is an indication of the rise of the dairying industry to its present important place, but this figure is also indicative of the development of the small mixed farm, particularly in the South Island. The relatively minor fluctuations in the area devoted to field crops denotes some stability about arable farming in New Zealand. Actually the bulk of the land most suitable for grain crops is in Otago and Southland. This has been so used for many years, although there have been fairly wide fluctuations in the actual grain sowings from time to time. Root crops for stock feeding have utilized about 500,000 acres in recent years. The area devoted to hay and ensilage, however, over the period has tended to increase quite markedly. The figures available for plantation are obviously unreliable due to some flaw in tabulation. Until 1935 State plantationswere excluded, and the area recorded to this date is indicative chiefly of the activities, of commercial afforestation companies. The steady rise between 1935 and 1944 has been due to some State, some commercial, and some private activity. The most striking feature of the table, however, is the decline in areas devoted to orchards. From a peak of 33,179 in 1920 it has fallen to 19,196 in 1944. There is little doubt that the boom in fruit-farming in the early " twenties " did result in many unsuitable areas being planted in fruit-trees. However, though there has been a reduction in the number of trees, particularly apples and pears, the crop up to the present has been maintained,, although there is some reason to think that the crop will soon decline unless someimmediate steps are taken. The following table shows something of the importance of the smaller crops :

Table No. 76.—Table showing Area devoted to various Types of Cultivation at Selected Dates

57

Year. Pasture Land. Meld Crops. Plantations.* Orchards. Fallow. Other Cultivated Land. Total Cultivated Land. 1890-91 6,966,218 1,285,768 35,310 17,047 210,509 9,810 8,524,662 1895-96 9,285,230 1,355,600 43,426 19,362 58,039 17,569 10,779,226 1900-01 11,081,912 1,486,376 49,394 25,777 67,747 17,411 12,728,617 1905-06 12,525,461 1,535,484 61,479 27,310 54,080 29,815 14,233,629 1915-16 14,560,797 2,051,895 108,685 31,733 84,649 57,791 16,895,590 1919-20 16,125,265 1,658,991 54,837 33,179 81,760 50,724 18,004,776 1924-25 16,450,625 1,768,303 71,218 27,525 124,459 68,428 18,510,558-1929-30 16,872,948 1,762,792 289,020 24,861 124,565 81,888 19,156,074 1934-35 16,501,811 1,981,804 753,684 25,087 115,832 96,301 19,474,519 1940-41 16,788,121 2,048,198 852,196 20,064 104,189 93,888 19,906,656-1943-44 16,774,-304 1,965,670 j 859,737 19,196 110,000+ 101,092 19,829,999 * Prior to 1934-35 large areas of State forests excluded. t Approximate.

Year. Market Gardens. Linen Flax. Nurseries. Tobacco. Grape-vines. 1919-20 3,540 456 * * 1924-25 4,516 482 * * 1929-30 5,871 657 1,073 * 1934-35 7,284 1,276 1,358 244 1940-41 9,432 13,118 957 2,150 131 1943-44 16,083 9,755 871 2,586 79 * Not available.