DRY SPELL CONTINUES

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 99, 19 October 1938, Page 3

DRY SPELL CONTINUES

FARMERS’ SERIOUS POSITION BIG DROP IN PRODUCTION STOCK IN POOR CONDITION V ■ - < j (. Four and a-ha|f weeks have now passed in the. Opotiki district since a beneficial rain has fallen-and the position has become very, serious to farmers throughout the district. An indication of the serious Joss being suffered by dairy farmers is shown in a drop in butterfat production of 20 per cent, as compared with the corresponding period last year. Dairy stock had to face a hard winter and with the sudden cessation of rain about the middle of last month, the usual flush of spring growth lias failed to materialise and the pastures are now almost at a standstill and dairy stock everywhere show very poor condition and oven if good rains are experienced will take a considerable time . to pick up condition alter such a severe setback.

Some dairy farmers are still feeding out hay and ensilage while others have used up their stocks of winter fodder.

The southerly winds which have prevailed during the last two or three weeks have assisted to set the ground very hard and this is having the effect of holding up cropping, great difficulty being found in breaking up the baked top-soil, while sowing is being delayed until rain lias fallen.

Residents in the country who arc dependent cm tank-water are finding the position very acute and supplies of water for household -purposes are very low. The heavy rain which fell in some parts of the Bay of Plenty on Alonday did not reach the Opotiki flats and surrounding areas hut a good shower fell in parts of AVaiotahi and Nukuhou oil the 1 county boundary.

Borough residents have been using hoses' in the gardens for a long time, hut as the winter rains have caused springs to run 'well, there should be' no danger o 1 a water shortage in boiough lor a while yet and yatci icstrictious are unlikely to be imposed unless the rainfall is low during the next few.weeks.

The dry spring is generally considered to be one of the worst ever re-

corded and .will result in a big loss to dairy farmers. POSITION IN GISBORNE ■■. */ ' ’ " * ” ..' RAIN URGENTLY REQUIRED Farmers of the Gisborne district are facing an acute position. Green feed is becoming progressively scarce, the continued dry spell is holding up cropping,' and the troubles through facial eczema and the wet winter are still having their effect on the stock. The feed position is so serious that during a month when there is usually an abundance of green growth many farmers are still feeding bay to their dairy stock, and hay continues to be a commodity of wjiich supplies ere diffitcult tci secure. In regard to green feed, the position is one seldom met with during October. The oiirlv start of the growth in the pastures during August suggested that there would be ait abundance of grass during the spring, but the ground was so cold then after the long wet spell that a proper start was not made until the end of last month. Tlien, suddenly, the strong, driving winds sprang up, and were accompanied by high temperatures and a lack of rain. The ground baked hard and

growth was immediately retarded. The usual spring showers failed the farmers at a time when they were most needed, and the result is that while in some places the grass is tall enough, the growth is very thin. Effect on Cropping.

’flic drying of the ground has had its effect on cropping. Alauy farmers have their ground turned over and prepared to receive the seed, but are waiting for rain to moisten the soil sufficiently t<> ensure germination. During the past fortnight only 2 points of rain lias fallen, this being insufficient to do any good, while nearly three weeks have passed since rain that has been of any help to the farmers lias fallen. Alany farmers are behind with their season’s work because of the ruling conditions. The spell of fine weather has come too soon to assist the shearing. A few sheep men have taken advantage of the warm spell, and haie done some of the dry shearing, hut others will not be ready to start until the end of the month. A number of farmers find their stock still suffering from the facial eczema epidemic last- autumn and iiom

tho prolonged wet spell during the winter. ' ; ■ Farmers Badly Hit. “I have been, so badly hit that I have to start building Up my stud all over again,” one farmer stated when discussing the position a few days ago- “I have not a good sheep left on the place,” he added. Northland dairy farmers are also watching anxiously for rain, and many state that if the present phenomenally d’ry spell does not break at an early date they will be in a serious position from a scarcity of feed.