URGENT NEED OF BAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18601, 8 January 1924, Page 6

URGENT NEED OF BAIN.

NORTH OTAGO CONDITIONS.

OUTLOOK VERY SERIOUS.

CROPS AND LAMBS FAILING. [BX TELEGRAPH. OWN COBJIESFONDEN I ] DUNEDIN. Monday. The outlook for the crops in North Otago has now become really serious. The week has not given the rain that has been, and is still, necessary to save the rural industries generally from a disastrous experience. There have been some showers, and on Wednesday it did appear aa if the destructive dry spell had ended, but the rain was of short duration, and the moisture which fell was not sufficient to undo the mischief wrought by a hot wind on New Year's Day. Even now, however, a really good rain would help some of the cereal crops by supplying the moisture required to fill out the grain. But as day succeeds day without that moisture forthcoming matters grow worse, and it will soon be too late for rain to benefit the grain crops to any extent.

It may be taken as certain that iheoutput of both wheat and oats in North Otago will be very small, for only a small proportion of the crops will be worth cutting. The best yields will fall below the average. Green feed is going off rapidly, and in the absence of rain the prospects for rape and turnips uxo dismal

Consequent on the dry weather ewes are not supplying the necessary milk to fatten the lambs which are going back. The freezing works will open to-day with a possible rush of lambs for slaughter, but the prospects after the first drafts have been dealt with are very much the reverse of bright. They would be brightened by a really good rain, but the question is, will that rain come in time to change the aspect of affairs?