THE DROUGHT. ITS VARYING EFFECTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 09, 11 January 1908, Page 5

THE DROUGHT. ITS VARYING EFFECTS.

| t 1 SOUTHLAND COMPLACENT. [Br Telbquaph. — Sj?boiai. to The Post.7 INVERCARpiLL, This Day. , Sinister reports as to the agricultural and pastoral outlook continue to comefrom the north, especially from Confer- • bury. In the meantime Southland weare,, tv complacent smite. Tht hot, dry wea>*> ther is unaccustomed, but not an"w«l-" come, and here there is- yet no Rituat^h a complacent smile. The hot, <fry wea-' sons have proved something ypbich. oW* time Southlanders never dreamt " of -rr," that Southland can stand tt drought »od - stand it well. Of course the outcry>forrain is fairly general; there i»"a $*&-" ing of slight unresfc owing to tfee per-r sistency of the drought, but it cannot be said that the dry weather has caused' any number of farmers any serious frn*iety. To at much, larger number it ha.s" brought nothing but good. If theis© should be a day's rain witlbm" a".wsek' or, so the outlook would b& one of afi»sured plenty. The oat crops ar« looking as wejl' as they have ever J coked in ifce., is>. test years previously, and trptn<-pre-ssnt indications . the Harvest should be a rich one, and an early one. The grass> hafvest is in full swing, and the 'bulk of the crops «houl<l be in etook within the week. The yield is good, anA in spite of the heavy winds which have prevailed there seems to be a Jaige quantity saved. Farmers are inclined to^ think that decent prices will be obtainable, but it is difficult yet to say how the market will open. Late turnips seem to have got a hold, and Ihere is every appearance of a first-class crop. All of them are sovm wilh the exedp. tion of a few small lote here and there, which farmers may find it advisable' to resow. Turnips and rape are the only crops tseriously 'in need of moistare ; most of them are wearing a parched appearance, more as the result of_the drying winds than the lack of rain. Pasture, more especially in the east* era. district, is excellent— better thaa is usual at this time of the year,* an 4 the prices for all classes of stock remain constant. The good state of tha pasture must be attributed to the heavy dews as much a Bto any other single circumstance.. - __ The calm and warm weather has as* sisted in keeping the stock in ©cod con. dition ;^ lambs especially are In splendid condition, and this year there should be a 'lot of fat lambs sp!4 off the •mothers— a very unusual -■ thing fos Southland. Altogether the outlook ia ? absolutely rosy, and would show an absolute , certainty of good all jroiffltL AROUND FEiLDING. [Bt Tbwohaph — Special %q The Post.l FEILDINGv Tlub Day. - Fine weather and market day brought a crowd of farmers and their people into Feilding yesterday, and good, business was done at the sales and in > the shops. Pastoralista are ■vt^.V through their shearing, and haTe had satisfactory clips; agriculturists are satisfied with the outlook for th&ir crops 1 dairy<nen report that fsed'.iß plentiful 1a good substance, and that'«ows are .In good order and condition, so what more does the country want! > ■* IN THE WAIRASAPA. . [Bt Telegraph.— Si-eciai, to The Post.} CARTERTON, This Day. A serious drought has, set 111," "aud many of the smaller streams in. the district are drying up. It is proving yery serious to small dairy farmers as there is no market for stock just now owing to shortage of feed and want o£ water. Most of the early crops of oats, are harvested,' and in niany cases the straw was' top shoTt for the machine tp ti» info bundles. Altogether ,the email farmer's prospects axe not looking too bright at the present juncture. The milk supply for the Ipca}- dairy factories is falling off rapidly, and oa an average the factories are running a vat less than at this time last year. 'The first returns of the eale -of this 1 season's cheese on the London market are to hand, and the price ranges from 60a to 62s per cwt., being about one to two shillings below last year, but still a very good price. A WELCOME CHANGE.'' ' rain At last. . . ' fBY TBUBGBAPS— FBSBS ASSOOUTIOS.I ' HOKITIKA, This!- DiorWelcome rain has fallen after along period of dry, hot weather. The jam* fall mil be valuable in renewing feed supplies for stock purposes. ■ VDUNEDIN, this Bay.'Welcome heavy, rain, fell during tht night and early this morning. GORE, This Day. Heavy rain fell during -the night. It will bring on late turnips ana early crops. These look splendid. Cerealli give promise of an abundant harvest in this district.