DRY WELL IN SOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18814, 15 September 1924, Page 8

DRY WELL IN SOUTH.

TWO MONTHS FINE WEATHER.

LESS THAN INCH OF RAIN.

CANTERBURY FARMERS' ANXIETY

The remarkably long spell of dry weather in many, parts of Canterbury is causing a great deal of anxiety among farmers. The Ashburton correspondent of tho Lyttelton Times, writing on Thursday last, said:— " Sunny, spring-like conditions continue to be a feature of the weather in mid- ) Canterbury, but there is a growing anxiety among farmers on account of the continuance of the dry spell. All farm lands are in urgent need of a good soaking rainfall. It is many years since spring has been ushered in unaccompanied by at least a fair number of showers, but for two months parts of the Ashburton county have received less than one inch of rain, and there are already signs that affairs on the farm are far from well. Tho lambing would bo all tho better for a few showers, but the agriculturist is tho one •who has every reason to complain the most. " Tho showers the other night had a refreshing effect, but this was soon lost, however, when a stiff nor'-west wind swept across the plains. Unless the fates are soon kinder, fanners fear that there might be a repetition of conditions much akin to those of last season, when the crops were extremely early on account of the paucity of rain. Tho greatest trouble is that unless the sub-soil is given a chance of accumulating sufficient moisture to offer some protection to crops when the withering ruor'-westors come, there will be little chaaico of satisfactory harvests. It is not too late yet, though more than the average fall can be done with. " Seed sowing is being hampered. The countryside may be fairly said to be parched, having regard to the time of the year. Spring growth has been seriously rotarded, but should a good fall of rain bo experienced shortly the countryside would be transformed in 24 hours. The whiter has been the mildest on record for many years, while the amount of sunshine during the past two or three months has been phenomenal." The Christchurch Press, on Friday, stated: —" Farmers in tho Ellesmero district are beginning to feel rather anxious concerning the lengthy spell of dry weather. During the last two months the rainfall has been abnormally low and the land needs a thorough soaking to induce vigorous growth, both in the cereal crops and grass. Up to the present growth has been very slow, but this can be accounted forto some extent by tho continued frosts. Dairy-farmers especially would welcome a good rain, as the cows are coming into profit in increasing numbers."