Abstract

The year has been characterised by unusual weather conditions The South west monsoon was late in bursting and proved to be very erratic and ill-distributted.While South kanara, Coorg and Mysore Malnad received such a great excess of rain that large areas were devasted by floods the monsoon was in defect to a greater are less degree in other parts of the Province.The Return are North East monsoon was similarly very unsatisfactory. Failure of rains has brought abi=out acute distress in Anandapur and bellary and in parts of Salem and Coimbatore, a scarcity of fodder has arisen which has resulted in large numbers of young stock being disposed of at ridiculously low prices in the local markets.On the other hand,cycloness and phenomenally heavy rains were received in Ganjum and Vizagapatam and Tinnevelly Districts accompanied by floods and damage to houses, trees and fields Owing to the reasons, the year damage has proved a most disappointing one. There is distress everywhere and famine is staring in the face of people in the Deccan Districts.South Kanara and Malabar which had an excess of rain in the early part of the year are now suffering from a dificiency of the same in the scond crop period.The year has after all justified the Hindu name of "Rudhirodgari"or "Bloodspitter" The continued spell of dry weather--whieh has been with us since the middle of November at Coimbatore and probably also in most parts of the Presidency has not proved re-assuring . The cultivators have been anxiously looking forward to the receipt of the "Mango showers"which be sides brightening the Prospects and saving the mango crop from rain ,may also be expected to keep in check various epidemics such as Cholera and Small-pox whichusually spread in seasons of drought.

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