praying for heavy rain as a tropical depression approaches the Island.

Mr. Gary Mello, manager of the 20-acre Greenwich Farm in Devonshire, yesterday told The Royal Gazette "everything was fine up to May. But then the bottom fell out''.

More than 26 inches of rain have fallen this year compared to the same period last year -- when 19.48 inches was recorded.

But the increase was due to the abundance of rain in February, March and April, a USNAS spokesman said.

When less than an inch of rain fell last month, Mr. Mello said he lost about $10,000 worth of corn and lettuce alone.

And Mr. Tom Wadson of Luke's Farm in Southampton said: "I think everybody has taken a pounding.

"It's frustrating for a guy like me who makes a living from this,'' he said.

"We're out of business two months early.'' Mr. Wadson said tomatoes, cauliflower, lettuce and just about every crop has been severely affected.

Mr. Mello agreed.

"We've lost cabbage, lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower,'' he said. "You figure the average household will spend $40 a month for a load of water. But each (large) farmer has lost about $20,000 worth of crops.

"This is another year that we almost made money.'' Asked if he is optimistic about the tropical depression that is expected to begin affecting Bermuda this morning with lots of rain and high winds by nightfall, Mr. Mello said: "I hope we get drowned. I was out today trying to get seeds sown. It's feast or famine. We need at least two inches of rain and that's just to bring the ground back to normal.

"It would be nice to have four inches of rain fall over two days.'' Mr. Mello said only the four acres of his 20-acre farm that are irrigated are doing well.

"We can only use so much water a day,'' Mr. Wadson added. "We just need a good shot of rain.

"We have some good summer programmes in jeopardy now. I hope it will get better. It surely can't get any worse.'' For those in the water service business said May's dry spell has been a blessing for business.

Water Service owner Mr. Kenneth C. Daniels said business just started to pick up last month.

"Of course for the entire past four months it has been hard. But I've never seen it get so dry so fast.'' Mr. Daniels said his firm is delivering about 15-20 loads a day.

"People have been calling in for six to eight loads at a time,'' he added.

Mrs. Erskilene Cross of Zuill's Water Service in Somerset said they are also receiving more orders than normal. "We are delivering about 20 to 25 loads a day,'' she said. "Compared to last May that's much more. Up until May, we've had a pretty slow year.

A spokesman for Archie Sousa Water Service said: "It is very busy at the moment. "We are not backlogged, but we do ask customers to check their tanks and call in their orders a couple of days before they need the water.'' Mr. Johnny Eatherley said his Paget water service was also not backlogged, but he was putting in a full day -- from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

"I'm doing any amount to about 20 loads a day,'' he said. "That's above normal for this time of year. Calls keep coming in one after another.

"I had a hard time in January and last June,'' he added. "so this is welcome.''