AUCKLAND,-WANTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1926, Page 4

AUCKLAND,-WANTS.

pakchkd PAsrtius

AUCKLAND, .Jan. 8.

An exceptionally wet winter and

spring have been iollowcd by an exceptionally 'dry .summer throughout the Island, where in the main production depends upon the pastures. And the pastures are now very dry; the

grass is becoming shrivelled except on drained swamp country, and the critical point lias been reached. Unless soaking rain falls within a couple of weeks at most, the dairy farmers of the province will suffer as seriously as the sheep-farmers of Hawke’s Bay are now doing. One has only to glance at the lawns, public parks, and golf courses in Auckland to realise the. position of the farmers in the vicinity of the city, and while the countryside in general can hardly he described as quite brown, a serious crisis is at hand throughout the Waikato with the exception of the Hauraki Plains and other swamp areas, which usually show particularly good returns in a dry slimmer, owing, of course, to the dampness of the sub-soil. DAIRY YIELDS A KKKCTFI). Dairy yields have begun to drop. The warm soil would respond in a manner almost miraculous to a good soaking, but should the traditional “producers’ luck” of the province not hold good this summer, the production of the' dairy herds will rapidly fall, with serious consequences to I lie rural and city communities alike. Most places had a shower on New Year's E'e. lull although it was heavy in a number nf places, the fall was not ■sufficient to do lasting good. The

bright sunshine and drying winds that followed caused rapid evaporation, and not even a temporary gain was derived. In most of Ihe northern districts around Auckland there are potato and tomato crops, which were showing signs of willing prior to this slinwer. and n good return lias by no means been assured. IN BAST SUAfATERS.

In the past throe summers the province has been very fortunate in the rainfall. In October. November, and December of last year the Auckland rainfall width was more or less the general experience, was well over tin. in each month, the total for the quarter being 14.01 in. Tn 1023 an aggregate of B.2i)in. was distributed fairly evenly over the three months in question. and in 1022 the quarter’s rain measured 13.60 in., December, with o.OOin. being the wettest month of the three. In the last three months of 1025. however, the total fall was only 5.27 in. : October 2.03 in., November 2.4 tin. and December, the most critical period for farmers, .SOin. As the average rainfall for December is 2.82 in., the anxieties of farmers can liard-

!y he exaggerated. Heavy rain now would mean tens of thousands of pounds to producers, and lienee to trade and business. GENERAL CONCERN FELT. This is not a drought-menaced province. hut the harm could he done by a very much shorter period of dryness. Usually the farmers pull through January, which has an average rainfall of 2.85 in., without any particularly serious diminution of flic butter-fat yield, when December's rain has maintained the growth of grass. This January has arrived with the pastures a good deal drier than usual. and they would probably require a full of at least half the month's average to revive tiiem, and generous showers throughout the rest of the month to maintain the growth. Under these circumstances the average business man's views about the season will not be governed, as often is the ease, by the condition of his lawn and flowers and vegotnTiles. A great deal hangs upon the weather of the next few weeks, and the farmer will not ho alone in feeling thankfulness if good rain falls soon.