THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9604, 23 December 1891, Page 3

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.

Early yesterday morning the weather changed and a light sou’-weater began to blow shortly before daybreak. Clouds indi* eating rain then made their appearance, and by 7.40 a.m. rain began to fall, and gradually increased, till just at 8 a.m.it poured dew# with immense force, causing a consider*; able amount of inconvenience to thosaj compelled to be out in it, and also to' numerous householders who discovered,' when too late, that they had neglected to I clean their gutters and the spoutings o£ their residences during the dry season.' The side channels were soon discharging immense volumes of water into the river,which, according to the gauge at Bar* badoes street, rose nine inches within lea* than half an hour. The fury of the rain, storm abated in less than an hour, and steady rain followed till about 11 a.m. Our northern correspondent writes• The northern district was visited yesterday by a splendid rain, which lasted nearly au day. An immense amount of benefit will result to the grain and root crops, which were fast getting into a very unsatisfactory condition through lack of moisture. Many farmers were beginning to complain of the blighted appearance of their wheat, and the grass was rapidly drying np. A few oat crops have been cat on the plains, and they promise very satisfactory yields. The north-wester of Friday and Saturday last did good service in clearing off the rust. Our Amberley correspondent writes There were some light showers during, yesterday forenoon at.' Amberley, hut although •it continued' cloudy all day, it is to be feared that the rain for the present: is over. • Rain is much'wanted in this neighbourhood, or the crops will' suffer. .The pastures have now a burnt-up appear* ance. '■ • ' • ' ■ ■ Our Waddingtou correspondent writes that rain set in yesterday in that district. The rain is very welcome, as the crops were beginning to suffer through want of moisture. In some instances turnips had to be sowed twice. Our Timaru correspondent’says:—A strong nor’-wester blew for some hours last Saturday, changing towards' evening to the south-west. After eighto’oloojC rain set ih, and heavy shoWers-continued to fall for seven or; were also morning. The fall/' will do portiiml&rly to the oat crqp, which;waß want of some moisture.. Some of the; grain is beginning to turn, and it the present hot weather continues for another fortnight, the reapers! and binders will be at work in many places. The weather is favourable for the saving of the hay crop, which is now being got in throughout the district. The crop is not so good as was expected, the grass . having, a . driedup, stunted appearance in some places, a fact which may be accounted for by the want of rain during the latter end of winter and the beginning of spring. Our correspondent writes:—During the week the farmers in the Ashburton district have had a very anxious time. Day after day the heat has been excessive, and as there was no great quantity of moisture ia the ground at any time during the season the crops and grass began to go ofZ-aadly* so that the nice shower of rain w’Aich fell yesterday morning was most welcome. The early crops have held out best, r<nd where the land is fairly good they look well. CW the light thin soil the dry weather of tha last two weeks has done a lot of damage, and. the crops will not be nearly so good as was expected a month ago. The grass being in all cases so far ahead of the stock, wul last a long time, even 'a. there is safe much more growth, although owing to tha dry weather stookwere ©otiselling quite so well at Tinwald yesterday. Most of the hay in the district j&Ab been, saved la* capital condition, and. the machines ore now hard at work/with the grass seed. Oats will be pretty ttienerally ripe in aforiK night. The small IMsbeing eat at present are in situations where:they are being*; destroyed by tha /Small birds, and will be used for chaff or oataheaf hay. The raih which fell yesterday morning varied very 1 much in quantity in different parts of tha district, but was enough to So a lot of good everywhere, and as the weather hag! now broken np, there is every probability of getting more before it clears np agaia*< The turnip crops are giving a good trouble, a great many lota having toba sown again, and very few of those that have come away are looking really well.