CANTERBURY WEATHER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 407, 16 January 1909, Page 6

CANTERBURY WEATHER.

j HARVEST OUTLOOK. (BY TEIiEGUAPH—SPECIAL COItUESPONDENT.) . ChrfstcHurch, January 15. It is putting it • mildly ;to say that the weather is unseasonable. So far Christchurch has had no summer weather to speak of, the occasional line warm days being separated by many days on which high, cool winds and rain have been experienced. ' Coming after the dry hot summer of last year, the change is all the more noticeable. ; Then,.at this time in the month, gardens were; with-ered-and, lawns in most cases a dusty brown/ While the farmers got in the harvest under ideal conditions. • Now, garden' stuff, and. flowers are growing all the time, lawns wear; the-freshgreen of .spring,, and defy .the elforts of the lawn 'mower to keep them smooth, while'.farmers" are lamenting the almost daily' rain that beats down the crops and checks the'completion of harvest work where' it has begun. There are r&ports that In some parts "of tho district grain is sprouting in the stook, ; . but ; this danger is not a serious one as long as the rain ia as oold as .it is to-day, Yosterday .was .almost the first real summer day, a 1 temperature of 78 degrees in the ' shade, .with a brjsk . north-wester • blowing, reminding .one of past Bummers.- By midnight heavy rain was falling from the southwest, and to-day has . been fv medley of squalls with something very, like a galo fresh off the ice-raging furiously from the southwest; , Ar\ inch pf rain has fallen in the past twenty-four lieurs. At times it .hails, and, except for tho leaves on the trees,It would |je quite easy to imagine oneself 'back in- midwinter; The rainfall during the first fifteen days of. this month is sis (iimea us much as fell }n the first two aioat'j3 of last year. At the time of wiring (ll p rn.) ii heavy squall of rain and' hail is sweeping the city, ?nd .the farce of. the: sou'wester is apparently increasing. :

(HI TELEa'nArif—PRESS Association.) Chrlstchurch, January 15! . , It rained heavily all night, and this morning, but now (oloyon o'clock) shows 'signs of clearing up. Tho weather has been far from suitftblo for harvesting, wliioh is much delayed in consequence. A Press Association message from Chirstohurch states that the. local .grain and produce markets are in a very, quiet state. No grain is offering, and very little inquiry is being manifested. Anxiety is beginning to be felt regarding tho harvest, on account of' .the broken weather experienced. Oats and barley cut before Christmas are still in stook, and it is probable that unless the weather settles there will bo littlo bright barley this season. On . tho Ashburton Plains there is a considerable area of oats in atopic, but very little threshing or stacking lias been. done.. It will probably bo' found that tho risk.,of. waiting to thresh , from stook will force farmors to stack moat.nf th« .grain this season.