BAD OUTLOOK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1939, Page 13

BAD OUTLOOK.

COWS DRYING OFF.

EFFECT OF DRY WEATHER.

PROBLEM OF WINTER FEED.

What with dry pastures, a fall in milk production, a possible scarcity of hay and a shortage of supply in the vegetable market, the Auckland Province is feeling seriously the effects of the prolonged spell of dry weather. In the South Island, too, trouble has been caused at Greymouth, where the bar lias reached the lowest depth for many months.

The effect of the weather on the pastures as far as farmers are concerned is revealed by the fall in production 1 ecorded by the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Herd-testing Association. In March the association tested 80,030 cows, which yielded an average of 4551b milk and 23.41b fat. For the corresponding month last year the 96,371 cows tested produced an average of 5201b milk and 26.51b fat. In March, 1937, the 102,960 cows tested gave 5311b milk and 27.21b. fat.

Cows Drying Off. The yield of 4551b milk and 23.41b fat given last month compares unfavourably with the average of 5781b milk and 28.311b fat recorded in February of this year, and demonstrates how rapidly the cows are drying off this season. A further check to growth in the Waikato has been provided by several frosts which have occurred during the last week. Many farmers are already feeding out hay, and it is likely that stocks of supplementary fodder will be exhausted before the arrival of winter. The grass in the district is deteriorating and changing colour to a yellowish brown. Owing to the cold, wet spring, the paspalum pasture did not come away as usual and the turnip crops have proved a failure owing to the lack of moisture and the prevalence of the white butterfly, which has eaten the foliage and so checked the growth of the roots. Fat stock and sheep graziers are also feeling the effects of the season owing to the lack of good pasture, and watersupplies on many farms are becoming exhausted. ~ Waikato River Low. The river level at Hamilton has never been so low. in the memory of old residents, as it is at present, except when the Arapuni lake was first filled about 10 years ago. It is expected that the 80-mile trip upstream from Hamilton by the Roose Shipping Company's paddle steamer Rawhiti. which is due. to leave Fort Waikato on Friday, will be a long one owing to the difficulty of keeping off sandbanks and in negotiating the narrow channel.

Mr. Caesar Roose, managing director of the Roose Shipping Company, stated that for many years he had been trying to persuade the Public Works Department to erect a dam where the Waikato River leaves Lake Taupo. With such a dam the level of Lake Taupn could be raised appreciably and the level of the river could be regulated during dry spell. In addition, farming generally, along the river would be benefited.

Ten weeks have passed since the last heavy rain in North Auckland, and dairy production there shows a decrease of about 20 per cent when production for March of last season is compared with last month. In the early spring there was a shortage of hay in North Auckland and the price went to a high figure for this area. It is possible that this winter will see an even greater shortage with a sharp advance in price. The stock market is lifeless, except for cattle that can go straight to the freezing works.

High Barometer Readings.

One of the highest readings of baro metric pressure was recorded ii

Auckland last night, when a level of 30.51 in, or 1033 millibars, was reached. The baromctric reading in Whangarei yesterday was 30.5 in, the highest recording for the year. There has been a shortage of vegetables, greens and potato supplies for Auckland having been drawn almost exclusively from the Ohakune district this year. Recent frosts in the interior high country have cut off the supply of green peas, but celery and lettuce, which can be artificially watered, were still plentiful. There is also some shortage in root crops.

In Greymouth, in the South Island, there has been some anxiety about the shoaling of the bar. Low neap tides are being experienced at present, and it is considered that, with the spring tides next week, there will be an improvement of approximately three feet, which should obviate the necessity of restricting the draughts of vessels working the port.