PROLONGED DRY SPELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18586, 19 December 1923, Page 10

PROLONGED DRY SPELL.

.. . ■ effects in THE COUNTRY. no' very Serious losses, farmers ,in good heart. RAIN IN SOME DISTRICTS. [BY TELEGRAPH.--OWN CORRESPONDENT.] " 'TAURANGA. Tuesday. Although the district has had very little '. rain ; for about three weeks, farmers, generally' are Ve\l Phased with a prospects. Haymaking is in full swing, and already numerous excellent crops ■ of meadow hay and ! lucerne are in stack; Many crops; of oats have been cut, and some of these are exceptionally heavy. v . During the last tfortnight- the maize crops have ; made splendid headway, and ] compared with the corresponding period j of last year this crop is more advanced. • Potatoes are digging well, and the yield of «arly crops is muio better . than last year. Dairy herds are responding generously, and yields ' are very satisfactory. Even if rain does not come immediately, many farmers are prepared to meet the emergency by the aid of lucerne and green maize, both of which do well in this district. Where : the pastures have received due attention, the growth of feed has been well sustained, and generally speaking • there is plenty of feed on the majority of farms to carry herds along for some time without the aid of supplementary fodder crops.

GOOD RAIN PREDICTED. "OUTLOOK VERY PROMISING." STEADY FALL IN PRESSURE. [BY telegraph.—press . association.] ' WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The following special report was issued ♦his evening by the Government Meteorologist : The anti-cyclone, which has ruled so long in the North, has steadily decreased during the past three days, while the westeriy low pressure still continues in the South. These conditions have accounted' for high westerly winds" and changeable skies with rain on the western • coasts ' and ; southern districts, but dry and sultry weather elsewhere. . The outlook is now very promising for a good general rainfall. r " *' ;

TE - PUKE PASTURES AFFECTED. REDUCED BUTTER : OUTPUT. [»T ' IMJKi:itAFH.—OWN . CORRESPONDENT.] -'. VUmPUKE.: Tuesday. The prolonged spell of dry weather is beginning ,to affect the pastures, and the output of butter at the local factory .has already begun to go down. A; good deal of green feed, especially millet, has been planted for the autumn, and rain is needed For • this ■'. and the turnip crops ;, already i sown. *■ * . - ' ' ' '■ Haymaking is proceeding all over the district, the wops generally being good. The weather is ideal for * the work, and the hay is being well saved. " •" - -

- BATH AT TE AHOHA. - BENEFIT TO THE PASTURES. - ,;/' [BY. XBL«6ai»H.--OWSt'.--..CO»BBBK>»I)SMSf.I' _- . . TE ABOHA. Tuesday. > The long dry spell was broken yesterday; when" the wind i changed %to the east and welcome rain fell. Although, up to the present, the downfall has not been heavy," the pastures will benefit by the fall. ■ ' ; >

POSmOIT IH THE WORTH. .*;. FARMERS GETTING ANXIOUS. . [BT TELEGRAPH.—OWtf COBEESPOKDBKI.V -'. " , v '- WHANGABEI, Tuesday. '. Although -there has been a protracted spell of ' extremelv hot, sultry days .m the Whangarei district, tempered only ■m. the early nours 'of x this morning by a } brief summer % shower, . the?; farmers : appear,'- to have- no complaints at present, , although a ■ note of anxiety is predominant in: their comments upon the weather. ."'•'"',""' '"v So far only }. the gum areas \-.. and r other light lands have suffered, this being ; due to the splendid i flush \ of growth; about ; a month ago, when there - was ? a series of heavy rains. Another factor which has done much to prevent the, effect ,of the dry spell ; being .' felt< :l is ; > the paspalum. ' This grass has a rich, succulent growth, and; it withstands periods of dry weather, very well indeed. - -''>'•

HEAVY; SHOWERS AT 9ARGAVXLLE. SUCCEEDED BY HOT DAY. r (vi ■':• im3ioaArHL---owßf CORRESPONDENT, j * ' DARGAVILUB. Tuesday. The spell of dry weather, which had 'lasted a , month, was broken' early this morning, 1 when a// heavy .shower fell. Farmers and others, who depend *on tank water for supplies, hoped that the downpour would continue, but their hopes were short lived. * After an hour's fairly heavy rain ' the • sky; cleared / and ? later /in the day there' was a bright and cloudless sky, and the .weather had every i appearance of remaining hot and dry. % : *:-"..//.'' C //••/ The •:; country, ;up ; till / the present, '$ has stood the' dry spell /fairly /well; and "the Eaddocks and hilly country still appear to e green. ' ; - There is an abundance of feed and-,the stock, considering the hard winter, are looking remarkably well. >,'■■

r POSITION IN CANTERBURY. FARMERS''.CROPS SUFFER. IB* TELEGRAPH. OWN COREESI'ONDEKT.] CHRISTCHUKCH. Tuesday. | The -'. continued spell of dry weather is | beginning /; to have ~a/ serious effec; on the crops in most parte j, of Canterbury. This was/ the /general opinion expressed by va; number of people / interested :in the marketing of the primary products of the province when interviewed to-day. ; : However, although the position is serious enough the/ outlook is ,< by no means one of absolute gloom. ; There is a : very distinct silver lining to the cloud. At the two wool sales held in Christchurch so far this season exceptionally good prices have been obtained,, and at the Addington stock Bale last week,' the-first- sale this season at which the export I buyers operated,'; fat .lam brought very satisfactory prices., '\, -;■' "/,"/' ; .: These facts, and \ also . the fact i that in spite of the > dry spell sheep and lambs and other stock have been > coming S for* ward to the \ market in good condition, must be taken into ■ account when considering the damage caused to crops by the absence/of rain. Fortunately most, Can-. terbury farmers do not /run ; their farms on'.' a ■ purely / agricultural basis. They J go in for what is known as mixed farm- ; ing; that is^that^/whilo^ they devote a i certain acreage to cropping : they also carry a ' certain number of sheep and perhaps' ; cattle. Z. Further, / the v/ good * prices which/ruled; for lambs and /wool' last season compared with /the uncertain prices, for-: grain and other crops 'have no doubt induced many farmers /to/go in more for sheep/and -• to - reduce the acreage on'their • farms under crops. > r ,