THE DRY SPELL.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 116, 14 January 1926, Page 6

THE DRY SPELL.

ON THE WAIHI PLAINS. For at least the past six years, farmers on the Waihi Plains had a l'aiiiy-good growth ox' grass throughout the summer months, and, by reason of the fact that Waihi’s rainfall was more abundant than in most other parts of the Auckland province, the pastures nearly always had a greenish tinge about them while those in other parts were parched and brown. This summer, however, *has been an exception. The Waihi rainfall appears to have been less, at least no greater, than in other parts recently, and during the past week the Waihi Plains land appeared to be just as dry as the hill land round Morrinsville, even the clovers in some parts being literally burnt up. There were a few pastures, mostly recentlycut hay paddocks, that bore a nice green appearance, but most of the land was showing undoubted signs of the want of rain.

THAMES VALLEY EXPERIENCES. The continued dry spell in the district (wrote the Hauraki Plains Gazette last week) is having a serious effect on all pastures and root crops, to say nothing of gai’dens and lawns. Owing to the late spring the first growth of grass was behind hand in establishing itself and farmers were forced to hand feed their milch stock for some time after the season had commenced. The feed in the district had hardly got properly under way before the hot weather set in, and as a consequence the early growth quickly became dry and parched.

Unless a copious rain is forthcoming at an early date there is every likelihood of a serious shortage of feed. Already the effects of the protracted dry spell are seriously affecting tire dairying industry. At the beginning of the season there -was every indication that the previous year’s output would be exceeded, but during the last fortnight there has been a large decrease in the cream returns. So far as the Paeroa butter factory is concerned it is understood that the amount of butter manufactured last week was at least one ton less than the make for the previous seven days. The majority of settlers have now completed haymaking, the crops on the whole being much lighter than last year’s harvest. A heavy downpour would be particularly welcome at this juncture.