RURAL TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15715, 7 September 1911, Page 8

RURAL TOPICS.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL.

Reports to hand show that the mortality amongst slieep throughout the Ashburton County, owing to the scarcity of feed is assuming serious proportions. One farmer in tho district lost eighty in one day last week.

The following is the record of the rainfall at Beaehcroft, Southbridge, for AugustN ineteeu points of ram fell on three days; maximum fall, thirteen points, on August 3. The previous average for the same month (fifteen years) was 1.52 in.

An unusually cold snap for the time of the season was experienced at Ashburton on Tfiesday night, when the Domain weather station registered 14deg. The heavy frosts have frozen tho snow on the hills to such an extent that, despite the north-west winds that prevailed on Saturday and Sunday, very little of the snow has disappeared.

The rainfall at Oxford during August was .49 inches. Rain fell on five days. The average daylight temperature for the month was 47deg, tho average records at sunrise, 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and sunset being 30deg, 44deg, 65deg, 63deg and 46deg. There, was frost on fourteen nights. The lowest temperature was 26deg, on August 11 ana 27, and the highest 6odeg, on August 31.

The prices obtained for store sheep at Ashburton during the past fow months hare been very low, and farmers and graziers have suffered severe losses. For several months it has been almost impossible to dispose of store sheep and hoggets at any price, and in instances where sales have been effected heavy sacrifices have been made by vendors ; _ With the advent of spring, the position has been much improved, and at the stock sale on Tuesday the tone was distinctly brighter. Owing to the devastation brought about by the grass grub, howover. feed will not be equal to the demand for at least two months.

During August, farming operations in the Oxford district were pushed on without hindrance. The absence of rain, the cold nights, and the strong nor’-westers that obtained during the past week have tended to retard growth. There is a great absence of feed, and stock are suffering. The heavy shower that fell on Tuesday morning freshened up the crops, and frass showed perceptible growth, 'hough there is scarcity of feed, stock has suffered less than it would have done had there been the usual storms of August. Though the lambing season will not be general till about the middle of September lambs are becoming numerous.

A Ruapuna correspondent writes that the weather during the past month has been ideal for the sowing of the oat crops, and the acreage sown promises to far exceed that in orop last year. With the rams which fell on Sunday and Monday, and the diminishing of the snow on Mount Peel, there should be an abundance of feed shortly. The grass grubs are at present dormant, and the Ruapuna district is also helped hv the large increase of magpies, which devour the grubs voraciously. The new settlers oil the Ruapuna No. 2 settlement have now buiL houses on their properties, and, should the season prove favourable, the holdings will be worked to advantage by the tenants.