PART VIII 



Annual Report of the Iowa Weather and Crop 

 Service Bureau of 1920. 



CHARLES D. REED, Director 



For convenient reference and comparison with past and future 

 years, this report contains the summaries of the weekly, monthly 

 and annual bulletins of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service in co- 

 operation with the U. S. Weather Bureau and the United States 

 Bureau of Crop Estimates for the year 1920. 



The regular meteorological, climatological and crop statistical 

 work was maintained efficiently, though the general condition of 

 unrest and post bellum adjustment among the people caused more 

 than usual difficulty in maintaining the list of co-operative obser- 

 vers and crop reporters. 



Publications were distributed as follows: Monthly Climatologi- 

 cal Data, about 17,000 copies; Weekly Weather-Crop Bulletins, 

 about 15,000; Daily Weather Forecast Cards, to 1,607 addresses; 

 and five hundred copies of the monthly reports are distributed each 

 month through the United States Department of Agriculture 

 Weather Bureau to scientific institutions and libraries in this and 

 foreign countries. In co-operation with the U. S. Bureau of Crop 

 Estimates about 30,000 copies of special monthly crop bulletins 

 were issued. 



Daily weather forecasts were distributed by telegraph at the ex- 

 pense of the U. S. Weather Bureau to 7Z towns. From these 

 towns the forecasts are made available by free telephone to 39,042 

 rural subscribers, and 132,541 town subscribers. Much attention 

 was given to accuracy and promptness in the transmission of fore- 

 casts by telegraph and telephone. 



Frost warnings are sent when necessary during the fruit bloom- 

 ing season to all orchardists in the State prepared to use orchard 

 heaters and who make application in advance for the service. 



Increased transportation by automobile and motor truck has 

 created a great demand for information as to the condition of roads. 

 From April 1st to September 30th, daily rainfall reports are tele- 

 graphed at the expense of the U. S. Weather Bureau from 26 

 Iowa towns to the central station at Des Moines. Many local and 

 long-distance calls are answered as to desirable detours to avoid wet 

 areas. A special Highway Weather Service was maintained part 

 of the vear bv the U. S. Weather Bureau Offices in Charles City, 



