GENERAL CONDITIONS IN NEW ZEALAND 41 



in the main from 20 to 100 inches, and in a few scattered 

 localities lies outside these limits, being as low as 10 

 inches in Central Otago and as high as 120 inches on 

 the West Coast. The most suitable rainfall for wheat 

 production lies between the limits of 20 and 30 inches, 

 though it will thrive on from 10 to 15 inches, as is 

 shown by the case of Australia. Throughout the wheat 

 producing area the average annual rainfall for 36 years 

 was about 25 -5 inches as recorded by the meteorological 

 stations. 



How far these observations are representative is a 

 matter open to question, as there is no station in South 

 Canterbury. For the purpose of ascertaining the distri- 

 bution of rainfall further enquiries were made, and 

 private individuals, who had kept records, were asked 

 to furnish reports of such. It was a matter of great 

 surprise to find that these records were very few indeed, 

 and that the farming community which is so vitally 

 concerned with the amount and distribution of the rain- 

 fall, was almost totally ignorant on the whole question. 

 But out of the few records obtainable a comprehensive 

 one was forthcoming from the very centre of production 

 in South Canterbury, and this shows for the years 

 1890-1914 variations in amount from 15-1 inches in 

 1890 to 37 -0 inches in 1899. But these are exceptional 

 years, and the average for the 25 years was 22 -2 inches, 

 a figure almost ideally suitable for wheat production. 



From these statistics we are able to state, with a high 

 degree of confidence, that the rainfall is more or less 

 evenly distributed over the wheat producing area. It 

 is, nevertheless, a matter of great regret that there is 

 no meteorological station in South Canterbury. There 

 is no doubt as to the value of climatic observations, and 

 steps should be taken to establish a station in the district 

 immediately, and to collect what records of meteorology 

 have been taken in the past. 



(d) Observations on Connection Between Yields and 

 Rainfall. While discussing the question of rainfall, it 

 will be expedient to consider the nature of the connection 



B2 



