THE WEATHER IN NOVEMBER

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25367, 15 December 1947, Page 8

THE WEATHER IN NOVEMBER

LINCOLN COLLEGE REPORT

Last month’s figure of 253.7 hours of sunshine was one of the highest totals, if not the highest, ever recorded for November, says the monthly report of the Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln. Rain fell on only four days, and the total fall for the month of .87in was less than half the station average. There was a marked absence of frosts, and winds were less boisterous than usual. Winds from the northwest and north-east were frequent. “The favourable conditions were reflected in the steady progress made in all farm work,” says the report. “This year sowings were made in good time, and on seed beds in good tilth. The only crops which were sown later were occasional resowings of peas for forage crops Pastures and lucerne stands were well up to schedule. Although the top few inches of soil were rather dry there were still good moisture reserves on the subsoil at the end of the month. With normal rainfall for next month there should be good strikes of December sown crops The moist soil and the warm days benefited all crops

“Pastures continued to make good growth on all classes of land, and paddocks closed for ryegrass seed or white clover carried a heavy sward. With a reduced acreage of pastures closed for seed and a good pasture season, the feed position is well in excess of stock requirements, and the quantity of hay saved will be heavy. Crops cut and baled in November conditioned well.

“The outlook for the small seeds harvest is promising, although the danger period for infection of flowering ryegrass crops with ‘blind seed disease’ is approaching, and much -will depend upon the weather in the first fortnight of December. A continuation of the fine, warm spell during this period should do much to reduce the neavy incidence of disease characteristic of the last few years. Clover crops were blossoming freelv and bees were active Sheep Feed Abundant “Ewes and lambs have had an abundance of feed Though they made good progress in October, they benefited by the hardening of feed in November through the occasional northwest winds. There is every indication of an excellent season for fat lambs. “Shearing was continued under favourable conditions and many of the olains flocks were completed ahead of the normal schedule The rlip is heavy and of good quality ” The summary of observations quoted in the report is as follows, corresponding figures for November of last year being given in parenthesis:—

Mean height ot barometer. 29.961 in <29 631): mean numidity, 63.0 per cent. <62.01: mean maximum temperature, 67.0 deg F (59 8): highest maximum temperature. 79.6 on November 25 <80.11: mean minimum temperature. 45.6 (38.8): lowest minimum temperature. 35.0 on November 1 (27.21: mean grass minimum temperature 39 5 ( 30.4): lowest grass minimum temperature 27.0 on November 2 (17.6); mean temperature for month 56.3 (49.3): mean range of temperature for month. 21.4 (21.0): mean earth temperature, 56.8 <52.51: davs of frost. 2 (13); rainfall. 0.87 in (3.04 in rainfall to date. 23.72 (27.02): hours of sunshine. 253.7 (214.3): mean amount of .cloud. 7.2 (7.7): miles of wind. 6710 <6014): mean force of wind. 2.6 (2.8): evaporation for month 4.675 (5.136) Other figures for the month, with the station mean in parenthesis, were as follows:—maximum temperature. 67.0 deg. (64.7); minimum temperature. 45.6 deg. (44 5): mean temperature. 56.3 deg. (54.6); sunshine. 253 7 hours (208 4); rainfall. .87in (157 in