HARVEST DELAYED. BAD TIME FOR STOCK AND CROPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 27

HARVEST DELAYED. BAD TIME FOR STOCK AND CROPS.

CHRISTCHURCH, January 16. A hpavy southerly ,eale blew all night, with incessant rain, and the weather generally is causing farmers -uneasiness. Not only has the harveet, which should be in full swing, been delayed, but serious damage is threatened to the crops standing and in thy stook. The rain of December war* ampl'> for the requirements of the grain crop, but rain ha»s fallen almost every day since the New Year, and the grain in stook, especially barley, has already suffpr^'J. Samples of early oats and j-rfiss seed on offer show that they have suffere"! :infa,vourably by the climatic conditionr., hiiil reports from all districts ipe,-k of grain laid by continuous \vin<! - 1 r:<! -lin. This v ill add to thr labour of iurveet'n /, ro'iuce r-etumy. and deteriorate qu.'Hty. We want about- six weeks' sumrnci Aoat'ser t< % save the crop-*, and if the Dre-ser.; conditions continue- ar.v 'f.»ngth </ thr.e tl; » grefit bulk c f tho grain will bt of ou)y s.i>".ni'lj.ry qua'iiy. Shrep clvA ir.r.ibs y.1?:;mi;c for the mari'ct also feol tb* effects c' Ih^. ooi.t'uuous rain, and pa^lo'rahscs as well as grain farmers complain. Should a change for the better fome new an unusually largo number of sheep will lie nv.iilaL'-j this season for ocpoit. Th' woitiic-r has now moderated, and *he?v pMnears to be sorrp hpoe that it will settir 'inc. Gyving to the inclemency of the morning oil cricket and swimming fixtuiea were postponed. Reports from North Canlerbuiy state that the harvest has been put back at le«oi a foitnight, so that ins Lead of being M tho usual appointed time, it will be well on to February before the main wlie.it haivest gets into ewing. In 48 hours the country settler.-, have exptrienced a rainfall of 1.42 in on the plains and a snowfall on the back hilK Tho cron* (flattened down by former rains), undei tho ;nfluor.ee of the heavy gusts last n'ght, have the appearance to-day of having had a

toller over them. In the potato fields water was lying between the moulded rows. c Stock of all kinds felt the storm of last night keenly,' and the farmers who have I suffered the depredations of caterpillars s devoutly hope that the storm is an ill wind . that will do some good. They hope that the chilling blasts will exterminate the pest, which the small birds have found a task beyond them. The rivers to-day were all reported to be very high, and the Waimakariri was bank and bank. [ POSITION IN CENTRAL OTAGO. (From Oxts Own Correspondents.) i NASEBY, January 16. 3 The weather throughout this portion of l Central Otago has been cold and unsettled. I Some very good rain showers have fallen, i I the good effects of which have been some3 what marred by ths prevailing high winds, i ! The mountains have a coating of snow, ; which is unusual for this time of year. A few weeks warm weather would bring r the crops on wonderfullvl ALEXANDRA January 16. I Cold showery weather, accompanied by 5 southerly wii'ds, has been experienced f since the beginning of the year. A very j i clod snap was felt yesterday and to-day. i : The surrounding mountains have a heavy • i coating of snow, which is a most uni ■ Usual occurrence for this time of the year. i Owing to tho cold weather the fruit is ripening slowly, and groweis have hardly commenced to forward" their exceptionally heavy supplies to the market. Fruit is in abundance this season, and with warm i j weather the supply should more than equal ' ', the demand, necessitating low pricts. i