DRUMMOMD. February 13—Of all the seasons for a

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 39

DRUMMOMD. February 13—Of all the seasons for a

February generation this one stands as pre-eminentLy the driest on record within the experience of the oldest settler in the Western District. Creek 3 and water springs have dried up thsu have never been known to do so before In ■this locality, and some other neighbouring districts, it has been much drier than in ■places nearer the coast. It is very tantalisin" to farmers visiting Invercargill and longin° for rain for their parched pastuies, languishing crops, and sickly turnip brairds to be congratulated on the nice rain 01 heavy showers yesterday, or even the previous evening, knowing only too well, to their own cost, that there has not been a drop inland. Even in the driest season such as thi= there is always more rain round the coast and on the east side of the Mataura than -in this part of the country. In a wet season, however, we seem to get our share. 1 do not think anyone has ever seen the turnips so stunted and sickly with dry weather. The liigh winds have been responsible for much, "but the low rainfall and absence of dews have intensified matters seriously. The Crops.—l hear tha grass-seed threshing 3ia3 been disappointing in the yields per acre, [but the seed has in most cases weighed fairly •well. The oat crops, when threshed, will bs iound very much more disappointing both in yield and quality The grain may be bright enough, but theie is a superabundance of liusk and a deficiency of kernel A si eat tmany crops h<\\e been badly knocked about with the winds, a-nd much bioken down winch liad net filled Tbcie has r.ct been =0 much fchaken off 111 the ordinary sen^-e but what has come off has been gram and chaff tco, leaving I'ie head of the stalk btripped baie. The giain crops will be considerab'y balow an fveiage in Southland. There are some fair to good Ciops. and very few. if any, exceptionally heavy- In short, the general run is light —very light. A gentleman who has travelled through all the chief gram-gi jivira districts of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland sums up the grain crops, and especially oats, as follows:—In Canterbury some very good patches, but the bulk of the crop very light. North Oiago, particularly in the Oamaru district, good, and more generally good than anywhere else, attributable largely to faUowing, the result of failure last season. Some patches of wheat he thought would yield from 40 to 50 bushels, and some oats from 60 up to 100 posßibly. In Otago generally very patchy and much very light. In Southland more generally light than anywhere. A good crop here and there, but many in lighter and later districts that will not

T average 25 bushels per acre. The above is ' as I got it, and I do not think it is far out I Harvesting commenced in the latter end of January, and by the beginning of Februaiy was quite geneial. If the weaiher keeps dry this month will see the ciops about here mostly all secuied Holidaj -making.—lf this has been an exceptionally dry season it has a'so been adimrably suited for hohday-m ikuig, excursion tups, and pic Ticking, etc A very large school , excursion, including school children. mr>id° euhl matrons young men and the niore staid seniors of all ranks and conditions, fion 1 Xightcaps to Thornbuiy and up to Drummond, nude for Colac Bay on Friday, 7th mst.. -nhere, with weather conditions of the bost they all seemed, to have thoroughly eii-jo3-ed themselves Personal —Our highly esteemed minister. Rev H H. Barton (Presbyterian), is taking a well-earned holiday at Westport among his old parishioners, where I have no doubt he will be gladly welcomed. " an' aye be welcome back again." We hope he will return leinvigorated. and that both he and his amiable wife vill have enjoyed their holiday and benefited much by it. I think it says much for any person when those who come into closest and most personal contact, with them increasingly appreciate and esteem them 1 i j