THE DROUGHT IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

THE TAIERI. The results of the protracted spell of dry weather do not appear to be so bad in the North Taieri as in other places, though in some respects this portion of the Taieri Plain has undoubtedly been prejudicially affected to some extent. A Daily Times reporter made a call on several farmers on Saturday, with the view of ascertaining the condition of affair. The first person visited was Mr W. R. Gawn, who may be regarded as among the largest grower of crops in the North Taieri. That gentleman very readily consented to afford all the information in his power, and what he says no doubt applies in a greater or. less degree to the whole of the North Taieri. He has between 50 and 60 acres under grain crop-about half wheat and half oats, — and anticipates having an even better yield this season than he had last year; but this may be accounted for by the fact that grain crop does better in the North Taieri in a dry season than in a wet one. This applies to both wheat and oats. Crops sown early are at the present time very good, as they received the benefit of the rainfall in the spring, and attained an advanced stage and covered the ground before the drought set in. The later-sown crops are not, however, in so good a condition, though they are by no means poor. The grain crops are necessarily shorter in the straw, and will be much easier to harvest for that reason. The position with regard to the turnip crop is very different, and there is practically no appearance of those sown in the latter end of the season, though Mr Gawn thinks that matters would be considerably mended if a fall of rain took place now. At the same time, he says turnips must under the most favourable circumstances,be to some extent a failure in the North Taieri. The grass is fairly dried up, and food for stock from this source is very scarce; but  Mr Gawn holds the opinion that the grass would come again if there was a rainfall within reasonable time. Like the turnip crop, the grass would not, he thinks, entirely recover and provide adequate food for stock, but it would pick up greatly. Farming in the North Taieri, Mr Gawn explains, is of a mixed kind, and he does not consider that so far there has been any real difficulty in watering stock. In North Taieri most of the farmers are provided with pumps for raising water, and, generally speaking, this source of supply has not failed, though in some cases farmers have had to extend their piping deeper in order to reach the water. As to the price of grain, Mr Gawn does not think it can be said it has been affected by the drought as yet, though it is freely surmised that oats are likely to go up, and with this view he agrees, giving as his reason that there will in all probability be a shortage in North Otago, owing to, it being a dryer district. As to wheat, he does not think the drought will have the effect of increasing the price. Turnips, on the other hand, he thinks, will be exceedingly dear.