554 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



30 per cent damage and 25 to 60 per cent reduction in acreage. Cold 

 weather has kept grass and fruit buds almost dormant. All live stock is 

 in a healthy condition and the spring- pig crop will be large. A good, 

 warm rain would be very beneficial. 



Bulletin No. 2, April IS, 1916 — 



The last weel< was exceptionally favorable for farm work. The aver- 

 age temperature was about 4 degrees above the seasonal normal and the 

 rainfall, although light, was general and well distributed on Saturday 

 night and Sunday. Early sown grain in the southern counties is up and 

 shows a fairly good stand, but fall wheat is generally in poor condition 

 las compared with the acreage and stand of a year ago. The high tem- 

 peratures and drying winds during the first part of the week put most of 

 the ground in the northern part of the state in good working condition 

 and much seeding of spring wheat and oats was done. .Plowing for corn 

 is well advanced in southern districts and some potatoes have been 

 planted. Since the warm weather land showers grass is making a good 

 start, but more rain is badly needed. Fruit buds are still nearly dormant 

 in the northern part of the state, but are in an advanced stage in southern 

 counties and a few days will bring them into bloom. Apple, cherry, plums 

 and other fruit promise a good crop of bloom. Spraying of tree fruits 

 will begin in southern Iowa this week and continue northward next week. 

 This is the important spray for apple scab. 



Bulletin No. 3, April 25, 191C — 



Another cold week has further retarded the growth of vegetation, but 

 frequent and copious showers have been very beneficial to grass and small 

 grain. The showers did, however, interfere with field work in many sec- 

 tions. Spring seeding is nearly finished and the early sown grain is 

 up and shows a fair to good stand. Fall wheat is, in most sections, im- 

 proving, but winter killing has been considerable, especially on north 

 slopes, land the appearance of Hessian fly is reported in Madison county. 

 Much plowing has been done preparatory to corn planting and some plant- 

 ing has been done in southern counties, where the work will become gen- 

 eral during the coming week if favorable weather prevails. Fruit trees 

 are in bloom near the Missouri border, with variable reports as to condi- 

 tions and prospects, but mostly favorable. Much stock will be in pasture, 

 during the coming week. 



Bulletin No. 4, May 2, 191G — 



The weather continued too cool for normal growth, but was, in most 

 sections, favorable for farm work, which progressed rapidly. Frost oc- 

 curred on April 2Sth and May 2, with freezing temperatures in many locali- 

 ties on the latter date. Moderate to heavy nain fell in all parts of the 

 state on Saturday and Sunday and will be of great benefit to meadows, 

 pastures and small grain and will put soil in excellent condition for 

 planting corn. All smiall grain except winter wheat is in fine condition. 

 Reports vary as to condition of winter wheat, taut, while there has been 

 some winter killing and some fields have been plowed up for oats or 

 corn, reports from many sections indicate a favorable condition. Pas- 

 tures afford sufficient feed and much stock are now in grass and doing 

 well. Cherry, plum and pear trees are in bloom over the southern half of 

 the state and apple trees are beginning to blossom in the southern coun- 

 ties. The heavy to killing frosts on the last morning of the week will 

 probably do much damage to fruit in bloom. 



Bulletin No. 5, May 9, 1916 — 



The week w'as exceptionally favorable for farm work and the growth 

 of vegetation. There was an average daily excess of temperature of about 

 4 degrees, and, while the rainfall was below the normal, the heavy and 

 general rains of the previous week an'l the light showers on the 6th and 

 7th kept the ground in excellent tilth. Rapid progress was made in pre- 



