THE DRY WEATHER AND THE FARMER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 90, 9 January 1908, Page 4

THE DRY WEATHER AND THE FARMER.

| 4 —— • . * ' The continuance of dry weather is beginning to be regarded with serious thoughts by farmers in most parts of the Dominion. Although professional meteorologists will not admit that we are now in the midst of a drought, our farmers are . more likely to heed this evidence of their' scorched and prematurely ripe pastures and cereal crops than the verdict pronounced by the " points" of the weather recorders. In the weather profession a drought is a rainless period of more than 14 days. , We have, in. the Wellington, Manawatu, and Wairarapa districts, had the last fortnight broken: by slight showers, which bring us within the definition of a " partial drought—a period of more than 28 days with an aggregate rainfall of not more than .01 inch, per day. In the' chief farming districts of the South Island the eil'ccts l of the dryness of . the Soils are reported to be becoming apparent in premature ripeness of wheat and oats, particularly on the lighter soils, diminution of growth, and succulence in the pastures, and general danger of loss in the rape and turnip crops. Wairarapa, Manawatu, and Hawke's Bay are suffering only a small degree less from the dryness, and Auckland province alone seems to have had its proper share of rain. The sheep pastures of the country are suffering the greatest injury, and reductions of stock are already being talked about in the South. It is not long since Canterbury was suffering another drought and selling its sheep to northern graziers, to buy them back later at increased prices. The dairying communities appear to be faring somewhat better. The following, figures will show the shortage of rain experienced during the past seven months, as_ recorded at Wellington in comparison with the figures of the previous year and the average rainfall of the same months for 43 years past, 100 points being equal to one inch of rain

It will be noted that while the rainfall over the seven months has below the average in every month, it has yet been considerably higher than during the same period of last year. With abundant rain soon all will be well, for the damage done so far has not been great. Unfortunately, the farmer is almost entirely at the mercy of the elements in the matter —rain is not a commodity that the resources of a government can procure. We have had an instance lately of failure in rain-making attempts in the South Island, and the prolonged efforts of the Italian Government to produce rain by explosive agents are finally pronounced to be without appreciable effect on the clouds. There those who affirm, and others who question, the theory that the destruction of forests perceptibly lessens rainfall. It is, however, generally agreed that forest trees and other strong-rooted vegetation _ have a great power to prevent the rapid flooding away of rain from hills; and the dry spells of the last year or two will no doubt emphasise the importance of leaving the forest growth of the hill tops intact, in order that the maximum quanfciiv of the rainfall may be stored in the soil of the hills themselves, to furnish by soakage a steady summer supply to the. valley lands below. Sunspot and cycle theories have been tested with widely varying results, and within suitable areas irrigation may do much, but it seems that our farmers of to-day have still to look to the heavens and to deep tillage just as of old for their soil moisture. Tho outlook at present in the Dominion is not without ooncorn t but thoro is not yet occasioa for any grave anxiety,

Rainfall Rainfall Averago points, 1907. points, 1906. 43 years. June ...... 429 242 500 July 375 266 600 Aug 413 280 495 Sept 301 304 450 Oct. i 279 71 423 Nov. 302 469 359 Doc. ...... 138 • 114 326