PASTURES AND CROPS.

Waipa Post, Volume V, Issue 207, 25 April 1913, Page 4

PASTURES AND CROPS.

A DROUGHT-STRICKEN DISTRICT

The officer of the Fields and Experiments Division of the Department of Agriculture,stationed at the Bay of Islands, has the following somewhat sorry story to tell in his report of the pastures and crops for last month : “The severe drought which has prevailed here since the middle of October still continues, and is growing more serious to farmers every day. The oldest settlers assert that the present is the severest drought they have ever experienced, and numbers of large creeks have gone completely dry, a condition of things unknown before. . It has had a disastrous effect on all the lucerne effects being carried out in this district. This is very disappointing, both from the settlers’ and the Department’s point of view, as they are the first trials of this splendid forage plant in the northern peninsula. . The much-prized grass (paspalum dilatatum) of the north has had a good opportunity to assert itself as a drought-resister. It is showing a splendid growth on the rich heavy soils of the Kaitaia district, and is a cheerful relief to the eye after viewing the parched areas of volcanic land in the Bay of Islands county. Fires were rampant during the month, and settlers had a very anxious time fighting the flames

and saving their homesteads from destruction. In many cases their efforts were in vain. Stick are now beginning to show the evil effects of the prolonged dryness, and the outlook for winter is discouraging indeed. As a result prices at the live stock sales are considerably lower than they have been for some time. Owing to the very low supply of cream, the butter factory proposes to cease operations at the end of the month, but as it is farmers have not had large cheques this season to gladden their hearts.”