CROPS FACE RUIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22878, 5 November 1937, Page 12

CROPS FACE RUIN

SOAKING RAIN NEEDED DRY SPELL IN MARLBOROUGH ANXIETY OF GRAIN GROWERS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRKSB ASSOCIATION] BLENHEIM. Thursday Unless sioaking rain falls within a week, 5000 acres of crops in Marlborough will be virtually ruined in consequence of tho prolonged spell of dry weather. It is six weeks wince rain exceeding a fraction of an inch has fallen, and the gauging for nine weeks totals only 16-1 points. October contributed only 17 points, being the driest October since 191,4. The total rainfall for the year to date is 17.34 in. Agricultural farmers and pastoralists alike are worried, but the main anxiety is felt by the growers of peas, wheat, barley, oats and small seeds. Fortunately in one sense the acreage under crop is smaller than usual this year on account of the general turnover to sheep, and in consequence there is a greater assurance of good prices for meat and wool, but the drought threat all the same represents a serious menace to the district's income from the approaching harvest. According to merchants and farmers interviewed to-day. much is expected of the irrigation scheme for the Wairau Plain, which the Public Works Depart-, ment has been investigating for the past two years. PRODUCTION IN JEOPARDY POSITION IN WAIKATO DISTRICT [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Thursday The benefit derived by the pastures in the Waikato by the heavy rain which fell during the Labour Day week-end has been largely nullified by light frosts which followed a few days later, and the strong cold south-westerly winds which have persisted during the last week. The country is in urgent need of further heavy rain, and fears arc entertained that if none falls soon, production will not bo maintained at the satisactory level that has been recorded since the beginning of tho season. DRIEST MONTH ON RECORD TE AROHA'S OCTOBER RAINFALL [HV TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] TE AROHA. Thursday Rainfall statistics for October show that the month was the driest on record for the Te Aroha district. In To Aroha itself only 1.53 in. of rain were recorded, l.]7in. of which fell on one day. Twenty continuous fine days wore experienced, which was a record for tho spring months. The prolonged dry spell caused some alarm among the farmers of the district, but the temporary slight,fall in production has been arrested by the recent rain.