BUMPER CROPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 14

BUMPER CROPS.

HAYMAKING OUTLOOK. DOWNPOUR WELCOMED. FARMERS ARE DELIGHTED. Farmers throughout the province wore delighted to hear heavy rain drumming on their homestead roofs last night. Coming as a climax to a week of fairly wet weather, the downpour spelled increased growth of pastures, which, in some farming areas, has been badl>" needed in view of the imminence of the hay-making season. Farmers had been watching their hay fields and grazing pastures with anxious eyes until this week, but occasional showers relieved their fears, and last night's downpour gave them hope* of bumper hay crops. It is estimated ti.at recent rains will increase hay ciops by about half a ton an acre. This will "'mi' a? a welcome relief after last seas >n, when bay crops were not as prolitic as fome farmers had hoped. Some farmers have already made t.x<-ir first hay cuttings, and last night's heavy lull of rain may help to bring on enough grass for a second crop. Tl.e hay-making season proper will liegin in rln tut a fortnight's time, though a few farmers have already begun to cut. Reports from Wliangarei and Hamilton state that heavy showers have fallen at intervals throughout the week. #xcetitlit growing weather has been experienced throughout North Auckland, relieving the anxiety of farmers and stimulating production. The rain has l>een well distributed and penetrated well. This morning .li.'iin. of rain was recorded at Wliangarei, where a full south wind was blowing. Lower down - at Wainiauku and Wellsfonl —the fall was not as heavy. The situation was the same at Hamilton. Heavy rain lias fallen at intervals during the week, but to-day the air cleared and late this morning fine weather prevailed. For the -1 hours ended at 0 a.m.. .liOin of rain was recorded. This is the third heaviest fall experienced this month. Sports Carried On. After several days of showery weather, heavy rain began to fall in the city alwmt eleven o'clock last night. At one o'clock came a particularly heavy fall, which lasted for about an hour; another heavy fall came at five o'clock this morning. At sunrise, however, the sky had cleared and to-day weather conditions, though again humid, were quite fair. Sporting fixtures were carried on as usual. Recordings made in Albert Park by the Government meteorologist showed that l.tiin of rain fell during tho 24 hours elided at 0 a.m. to-day. This is one of the heaviest falls recorded for some time. In the city itself the rain was welcome. The heavy falls freshened garden plots and lawns and laid the early summer dust. The hot sun that followed the rain, however, made conditions unpleasant for city workers, for hot and 1 "mnggv"' air produced a feeling of ! lethargy. The humidity recording yesterday morning was S7 degrees, but this 1 fell to-day to 75 degrees. During last month the weather was particularly 1 humid, the readings at times exceeding ' 90 degrees, and often rising above 80 ' I degrees. | Temperatures have not been overhearing, yesterday's reading being <>S degrees r and "to-day's" K"»i degrees. The air has been tempered by a fairly strong breeze, which came from the north-east yester- | day but changed to eonth-we«t this morning.