FRESH PROBLEMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22587, 16 March 1948, Page 6

FRESH PROBLEMS

DRY SPELL ENDED ECZEMA PRECAUTIONS The long-awaited soaking rain of the week-end has eased many of the worries of farmers throughout the district. Stock was being carried over on the dry pastures in the anticipation of a change in the weather. With the rain, however, a serious problem has arisen and many of the farmers on the fiats already have taken the advice offered on Saturday by the senior veterinarian of the Gisborne Veterinary Club, Mr. R. Crawford, when he outlined the precautions necessary to prevent facial eczema. At the Manutuke research station 2.77 in. of rain was recorded for the period up to 9 a.m. yesterday and the ground temperature was well maintained at 64 degrees. "There is a very grave danger of an outbreak and farmers who have not already taken precautions must do so immediately if they wish to keep their flocks clear,” said Mr. Crawford yesterday. "It is more like facial eczema weather now than and I have experienced since coming to Gisborne.” Task on Hill Country

He said there might be some hillcountry farmers at a loss to know what they should do in the circumstances, particularly where it was impossible for them to concentrate their sheep at 100 to the acre. Mr. Crawford suggested that they concentrate their flocks as much as possible, up to 100 to the acre, taking care to avoid the paddocks with ryegrass in the gullies. Not a great deal of red clover has been harvested in Gisborne to date and that would suggest that many of the farmers have been caught by the break in the weather. The harvesting of any of those crops will now be delayed.

"The rain is not expected to be harmful to the maize of the district and came too late to be really beneficial even to the late crops. Most of the crops are well into the ripening stage.” said the Fields Division instructor to the Department of Agriculture, Mr. H. deO. Chamberlain. Some of the later sown pumpkins would benefit, he added, and it was expected that the clover aftermath in the pastures would come away quickly.