SCARCITY OF RAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21295, 23 September 1932, Page 6

SCARCITY OF RAIN

PASTURES AFFECTED "" " SMALLER LAMB RETURNS | The scarcity of rain during the past 12 months has seriously affected farmers in the Wanganui district and in other puts a of the West Coast. During the autumn and late summer feed was so scarce in many parts, because of the lack of rain, that farmers ■were using winter feed to keep their, stock in good -condition, and many farmers had to use stores of winter hay to keep dairy herds in milk. At the beginning of the winter a brief wet period brought relief, but later the wpathei became dry, although it was cold, and fears for the quantity of feed for stock were revived. The latter part of the winter has been exceptionally dry, and there have been few spring showers usually experienced at this time ef the year. This scarcity of rain has been reflected in the number of grass fires and rubbish fires attended by fire brigades, and in tlis shortness of pastures, usually green and lush during the months of August and September. Heavy country, usually slightly boggy from winter rain and spring showers, is now dry and hard. On ligbl country which has not been top-dressed the grass is still yellowish in colour, aIS tticuqh manured sections are greener. A serious effect of'the shortage of water is the low percentage of lambs on a great number of the West. Coast farms. Fanners ? who expected large percentages .of lambs are doubtful if their flocks will yield a 100 per cent, lambing return.