DRY SOUTHERN WHEAT LANDS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 71, 22 September 1915, Page 2

DRY SOUTHERN WHEAT LANDS

CROPS FED TO STARVING STOCK. The drought in tie Sooth Island appears to be worst in South Canterbury. In "North Canterbury rain has partly relieved the situation. In North Ovago saving rain fell on Sunday, and further south, round about Taieri, Milton, Ciutha, Clinton, and Tapanui, it is "badly needed." Central Otago has been, having a very dry time, and the importation of turnips (Government allowing railage free) has "saved the lives of thousands of sheep and cattle." Southland has, generally speaking, done well for rain, but there are exceptional districts. Fairfax is one of the Southland districts that have done particularly well. It rejoices in seasonable rains, and an advanced state of farm-work. It is claimed that never before have the sheep carried heavier fleeces. But in some portions of the Otago country mentioned lambs are befng killed to save the ewes, which are without milk. In South Canterbury a dry autumn and winter has been followed by a dry spring, and the, f turners axe proclaiming a state of "drought." From Ist March to 18th September the rainfall at Temuka was 4£in. Losses of live stock are reported, and growing crops are "being used to save the stock ; and, should the dry weather continue, much of the grain crop will probably be used for x feed. Thus the effect of the increased cropping area may partly be neutralised. North Canterbury for some time presented similar features — a largely-in-creased area under cereals; danger to the crop and suffering of stock owing to dry weather; and the slaughter in some localities of starving sheep, and_ — to save the ewes — of lambs. But a rain* fall this month has brightened both the stock and the crop prospects. AS VIEWED BY AN OFFICIAL. An officer of the Agricultural Department, with twenty-five years' experience of the South Island, said to a representative of The Post to-day that he had never known the country around the Palmerston South district to look so dry at the time of year as it does to-day. South of Dunedin, so far as feed for sheep was concerned, there was no cause for uneasiness, but in South Canterbury and North Otago there was no doubt about the critical character of the pastoral situation, inasmuch as la-mbing was now on, and the ewes were in poor condition for want of feed. Crops were generally looking splendid, and from a casual glance the land had never before appeared to be in such excellent tilth. The grain crops should be most abundant, providing there is sufficient rain. Between Milton and Gore there are signs of over-dry ■weather. Southland has plenty of feed. As a pendant to^these remarks, the Government Meteorologist forecasts rain for South Canterbury for the end of the »w»k, but H dot* aofc <sa.y tbftt it will-