RAIN BREAKS DRY SPELL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 100, 14 May 1937, Page 4

RAIN BREAKS DRY SPELL

raii Should Help to Bring Away the Grats BENEFIT TO STOCK FEED Steady rain which began in tbe early hours of this morning and fell until about nine o' clock broke tbe fairly dry spell wbicb bad been causing farmers tbroughout the district a little uneasiness. Crops, and grass particularly, had failed to germinate at tbe usual rate, and witb crops still in & tender state farmers bad been fearing tbe effects of frost. What is needed ie a fair amount of rain followed by a period of heat to bring away tbe grass, and tbis morning's downpour will help in tbhi direction, Tbe fall appears to bave been fairly general througbout the' district, but it wa® much lighter in tbe baek conntry. Mr F. N. H. Beamish, of Whanawhana, feports tbat only -25 incheg fell in the night, but there seemed to be every prospect of tbe rain continuing all day, The fall throughout the Puketapu district was also quite good. Tbe rivers in tbe district bave abown no tendency to rise, the rain in the baek country being insufficient to create any alarm. Tbe total rainfall registered in Hastings up till nine o'clock tbis morning was .56 inchsf, Witb tbe mild .weather prevailingj tbe rain will fresben up food for sbeep, but it bas come too late to provide cattle-food. It will be specially bene»> ficial in preventing staggers, a com^ plaint wbieb bas been seriously affect* ing flocks. Tbe rain was sufficient to belp winter qrops of young barley, wbicb up to now bave been backward and of little use for stock feeding. Within a few days, pne stock-breeder told tbe Herald* Tribune, tbese crops will provide useful f eed and will reiieve tbe anxiety of farmers wbo bave surplus stock to di»« pose of. As is usual wben a beavy fall of rain follows a long dry spell, tbe water lay, in pntches across tbe streets in parts of tbe town tbis morning, the. drains having become blocked with rubbisb to some extent, but tbis nuisaqeo soon disappeared, and what surface molsturo is left will be absorbed quickly by tbe parcbed ground. Gffie Coronation bunting witb wbicb tbe streets of Hastings are still decorated was buffeted last night by a gale and drenched tbis morning witb rain, but it bas all stood tbe ordeal remarkably and looks as fresb as ever tbi» afternoon. Taxi-proprietofs experienced tbe usual "boom" while tbe sbowere lasted.