OVERABUNDANT RAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18862, 10 November 1924, Page 9

OVERABUNDANT RAIN.

CONDITIONS IN OTAGO.

FARMERS' NEW COMPLAINT.

Tho 'dry spell in Otago has given place to much rain recently. Up to a point the *ain *was weldonw, even indispensable, but that point has been passod, and to-day farmers are complaining. The temperature is also low for November. The result is the feed lacks nourishment, being too

watery. Crops are already beginning to lie down, more esoecially on heavy land, and some farmers have been forced to put stock on to eat off growing crops to strengthen the straw of the second growth. This is bound to affect the yields, and it has been noticed in the last fortnight that some of the crops are beginning to turn yellow, indicative of want of sunshine.

In the matter of too much rain Central Otago is the exception. On all hands this is declared the most favourable season within memory. There is abundance of grass and the crops arc- looking remarkably well. The first of the new season's clip in Otago is beginning to arrive in store. As usual these are mostly farmers' lots, the wool shorn so far being chiefly from wethers, hoggets and dry ewes. No big station clips nave yet come to hand, but shearing is earlier than usual this year, and, with reasonable weather from now on, there should be heavy offerings catalogued at the first of the Dunedin wool sales on December 22.