Rain In Canterbury, But More Needed

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31440, 5 August 1967, Page 1

Rain In Canterbury, But More Needed

Farmers in Canterbury, after being hit by grass grub, porina caterpillar, and the low prices for coarse wool, have also been facing the prospect of another drought.

But good rains in the next week or two could retrieve the situation.

The rain which fell yesterday and on Thursday night will have helped a little, but it seems that in many areas a great deal more is wanted. Falls varied from about 30 points to about an inch and some farmers are talking about needing as much as four or five inches.

The dry winter has, however, been good for stock, with no mud and high use of supplementary feed such as hay.

With the recent mild weather and still, apparently, some moisture in the topsoil there has even been some movement in growth, but this cannot long be sustained without some worth-while moisture. FEED SHORTAGE FEARED There are some fears that without good rains soon the spring could pass without any marked growth, and on top of the devastation by the grass grub and porina caterpillar this would result in a serious feed shortage on many properties and the prospect of supplementary feeding, possibly with grain, and no replenishment of bay and silage supplies. SPRING DRY The supply of water for stock is causing concern in some areas. A Waipara farmer said last evening that more than half of his dams were dry. Springs which fed two dams were not running. “We are desperate for water,” he said. But the rainfall in the area was only 30 points. Mr R. A. Milne, senior farm advisory officer of the Department of Agriculture at Rangiora, said this week that well levels were low and some springs dried up. But with lambing just starting and memories of widespread snow last August with heavy lamb losses, farmers are also not looking for a return to winter. LAMBS LOST On a Mid-Canterbury farm, where lambing has begun, a fair percentage of lambs born during the windy and wet conditions on Thursday night did not survive, the farmer said yesterday. The province is at a crossroads—with rain and a good spring some of the damage

done by the grass grub and porina may be patched up, but if the weather remains dry farmers* problems will be accentuated. RAIN “WELCOME”

More rain fell at Harewood in the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. yesterday than in the whole of July, said the chief observer at the Weather Office (Mr A. K. Brown).

Thirty points fell at Harewood and 21 points at the Botanic Gardens. Between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. another seven points fell at Harewood. In July, 19 points fell at Harewood and 24 points at the Botanic Gardens. At Waiau, there was a flail of

about half an Inch. Near Hororata the fall was about an inch and in a district on the plains in central Canterbury about half an inch was recorded.

“After having the driest July since 1897 this rain is most welcome,” said the fields superintendent of the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch (Mr A. R. Dingwall). “But it is not enough. The subsoils in Canterbury are very dry.”