ANAMA DISTRICT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 47, 5 December 1939, Page 3

ANAMA DISTRICT

THE WEATHER AND CROPS. NEED FOR MORE RAIN. The rainfall at “Laggan, Anama, during November was 222 points. Last year tlie fall lor the corresponding month was 361 points. The total for the year to date is 2168 points, while over the same period last year 4192 points were recorded. The fall for this year is over 20 inches less than that of last year and also very considerably below the average of about 36 inches for the district. During the earlier part of the month there were several frosts which cut potatoes and did severe damage to the more teffder garden vegetables. Over the latter part of tlie month a series of north-*westers prevailed, followed by a mild rain of 150 points, which did a wonderful amount of good to all crops and was of great benefit to the pastures, also to tlie fallowed land ready to be sow*n with rape and small seeds. Teams and tractors are now busy preparing for, and sowing, rape and turnip crops. Opportunity is also taken to work out twitch while the dry period keeps on. _ Lambs are doing well and if sufficient rain comes to keep up tlie supply of feed some good ones should be included in the earlier drafts. Shearers are busy in the district, but there is a shortage of blade shearers, and some stands are not filled. Tlie wool is said to be fairly good but rather light this year. The cream supply is not to the usual on the dairying areas. Some of the main herds in the district have been decreased, and small suppliers have also' cut down the number of cows milked. The feed not being oyer long for cows lias also helped to keep the amount of cream sent away lower than previous years. The wheat is the reverse of what it was last year, when the early crops were more or less waterlogged all winter and the spring-sown crops came away and yielded well. The autumn wheat now looks well and should give fair yields, but the late sown is more in need of rain and appears yellow in the leaf and %nndlqy. If sufficient rain does not come shortly some of these yields will be on the poor side and disappointing.