DRY CONDITIONS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 38, 13 January 1944, Page 5

DRY CONDITIONS

SETBACK IN "WAIKATO. HAMILTON, Jan. 12

"Production is dropping every day and farmers are fearful that the continued dry conditions will prevent a recovery of the milk yield before the normal end of the season," said Mr C. J. Parlane, general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Coy., Ltd., in a statement to-day. He described the position as very serious and said the effect would be widespread. Mr Parlane added that experienced farmers were watering their stock as much as possible and some were already using reserve supplies of ensilage and hay. Unless soaking rains fell soon the fall in production would be substantial. Fruit crops in the Waikato are suffering from the effects of the dry spell and pip fruits ■ are much smaller than usual because of the lack of moisture. Apples are particularly affected and what promised to 1)0 an excellent harvest may not now reach marketable size. A large proportion of the stone fruit has dropped, owing to the dry weather and high winds that have prevailed. Brown rot is much less prevalent than usual. No appreciable rain has fallen in North Auckland for nearly a month and pastures and gardens are beginning to show the effect of this dry weather, while dairy production is declining. > With the good growth of pastures in the late spring and early summer, feed is still plentiful and the hay crop is a large one, although harvesting is not yet completed in manv districts throughout the north. "TARANAKI'S PLIGHT. If prevailing conditions do not justify the term "drought" being officially applied to Taranaki, residents know that tho countrysido is more parched and dricd-up than it has been for many y'cars, savs a New Plymouth report. The long hours of bright sunshine pn tho many rainless days since the November rains have withered gardens and pastures to an extent that has not been seen since tho 1927-28 summer. Tho position is regarded as serious, particularly in some farming districts, where oven wells have failed and water is being carted from factories that have supplies and from rivers. In North Taranaki . tho most serious effect of the drought is said to be tho fall in dairy production, some factories reporting a decrease in supplies of .20 per cent, compared with the samo period last year. Rain fell in Waipukurau yesterday for tho first timo this year, and though the fall was welcomed by tho backyard gardener, it was received with mixed feelings by the farming community. Shearing and harvesting in Central Hawke's Bay have in most cases been completed, but there are some farmers still busy. _ As a result of tho dry period experienced over tho last six weeks, grass is drving off rapidly, but the position has not yet. reached a stage whero it can cause farmers undue worry.