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Te Aroha News, Volume XVI, Issue 222051, 15 February 1900, Page 2

The long continuation of dry weather which we have experienced during the last four months is without exception the driest spell we have ever had. The river has never been so low as it is at present, and we have never seen the ground so dry and parched for lack of moisture; every paddock and field is assuming a brown appearance, and all stock, more especially the cattle, are beginning to show signs that they are suffering from lack of food and water. Many of the turnips which have been sown have missed, and there seems to be a probability that feed will be scarce this aumm. The sharp frost which was felt in many places on Sunday night has done great damage to tho potato c ops, many have been cut off by it, and the others present a blackened and scorched appearance. . Truly a day’s rain at the present time wou’d be welcome, and would do a vast amount of good. The showers which we have h ul, have done very little, except to lay the dust for an hour or two. We feel sure that every one in Te Aroha will be rejoicing when our water supply has been carried to a successful issue, and when there is an abundance of water in every hou*e, and one does not need to economise. But while the dry weather has its disadvantages it also has its advantages —never before has Te Aroha been so thronged with visitors, and every hotel and boarding house been sa crowded as it has been this summer, and there seemed to be plenty of that useful commodity, namely, money, stirringon Saturday and Monday at the races. The dry weather also has its advantages for farming operations —this has been an exceptional good year for harvesting operations. In many places the corn and wheat has been saved withoutadropof rainfallingonit, and will be in excellent condition It has also been an unusually good year for burning off bush land, and for draining. At Matamata, where the hush has been burnt, it is the best burn they have had for years, and its energetic manager, Mr McCaw, has certainly learnt the art of growing turnips, for they are the best to be seen of any in the district. The large drain, which the Government arc me,king, near Te Aroha West, will be a great help to the settlers there. Draining we consider is one of the most urgent needs of many of the farms around here; and we hope the farmers will take every advantage of the dry weather we are now getting so that tbe paddocks will not be flooded in the winter, and there will be an abundance of feed in the spring. I