730 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



state, but prompt remedial measures were taken by the farmers with the 

 advice of county 'agents and the state entomologist and the worms are gen- 

 erally under control. 



Winter wheat and rye are ripening, and harvesting will begin in a week 

 or ten days in the southeast counties. Oats are in fair condition. The 

 leaves of the plant show a reddish discoloration shading to a brown, dead 

 condition at the tip. This is believed to be a disease of bacterial origin 

 that will not cauS'e serious reduction in yield. Though red leaf rust has at- 

 tacked grains generally, the more destructive black stem rust has appeared 

 in but few localities. 



Potatoes are generally in good condition and in some localities new pota- 

 toes are large enough to use. ' 



Bulletin No. 13, July 1, 1919 — 



Hot, dry weather continued in most sections until Thursday afternoon 

 when it became much cooler, A few localities in the north and west por- 

 tions were visited by excessive showers and destructive wind squalls on the 

 25th and 26th and a tornado in Chickasaw county on the 23d caused gen- 

 eral damage amounting to about $60,000, but not much damage to crops. 

 Sunshine averaged SO per cent which is about 9 per cent above normal. 



Conditions were favorable for corn which made wonderful progress and 

 much will be "laid by" by the Sth. Fields are generally clean. The tallest 

 is waist high. The hot period of 18 days, June 9th to 26th, with high 

 humidity during the first half of the period, has been very unfavorable for 

 small grains. Scab, smut, leaf rust, blight and in a few localities, black 

 stem rust, flourished. The yield and quality of the small grains have thus 

 been greatly reduced. Harvest of winter wheat and rye haS begun as far 

 north as the central counties and is nearly completed in a few counties 

 of the Southern tier. 



Damage to alfalfa, grass and small grain by army worms and variegated 

 cutworms has been great in lin;iited areas, but they have about run their 

 course and are entering the ground. 



An unusually heavy crop of timothy and clover hay is being harvested. 

 Pastures are in excellent condition. Early potatoes are a good crop and are 

 being used, but late potatoes are showing the effects of the dry, hot weather 

 and are badly needing rain in the southwest counties. 



Bulletin No, 14, July 8, 1919 — 



Seasonable weather during the past week advanced corn rapidly and the 

 bulk of the crop is laid by with the fields fairly clean. Winter wheat, rye 

 and hay harvest progressed rapidly. Though winter wheat was unusually 

 I>romising from December to early June, the hot weather of the past 

 month haS caused serious deterioration through blight and scab. Not more 

 than half of the kernels in the heads are plump and well filled. Tliough 

 this is partly offset lay the large number and size of the shocks, the yield 

 per acre will scarcely be up to normal. The few early thrashing reports are 

 disappointing. Spring wheat is similarly affected, and oats are blighting 

 badly. Early oatS harvest will begin this week. Showers that covered 

 most of the state on the 4th and 5th were beneficial to corn, truck crops 

 and pastures and did not cause serious delay or damage in haying and 

 harvest. 



The condition of the berry crop has improved slightly during the month 

 and the percentage on red and black raspberries is the highest reported 

 for July 1st in the last 20 years. 



Bulletin No. 15, July 15, 1919 — 



Rains covered all portions of the state during the week and were gener- 

 ally beneficial except where excessive downpours occurred. These were 

 mostly in the northwest, south-central and eaSt-central portions, but also in 

 limited areas in other portions. The most intense rainstorm in 45 years oc- 

 curred at Dubuque on the 9th, causing seven deaths and $100,000 damage. 



