A dry year so far

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33251, 14 June 1973, Page 22

A dry year so far

Total rainfall this year is well below that of recent dry years—similar to the very dry year of 1971—according to observations made at Lincoln College. Only a little over half the rain expected by this time of the year has fallen. Established pasture has been slow to recover. Only 45mm. of rain fell last month, compared with 6fimm. in Mav last vear. and 79mm in 1971. High evaporation rates, too, nave stopped a build-up of soil moisture, but temperatures above average. ' >th day and night, were of gr it benefit to newly sown greenfeed. which has shown somi . growth during the month. The highest maximum tern-I perature for the month was j 23.8 deg and the lowest mini mum —l.4deg. The mear p tomn-'i-tiii-e for the montf I was 9.3 deg. .slthoug ; the incidence o grass frost was high the have been only slight Tomatoes this year had t longest harvest for six year Fourteen days of frost wei recorded last month, th ■ highest number in the la' four years. Hours of stir shine were also low—ll i hours—only one hour mor < than the lowest in four yean I in May, 1971. I