TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 671 



Strawberries and other small fruits promise well, except that there was 

 considerable winter killing- of blackberries in Fayette county. Tree fruit 

 prospects are unusually good. The second spray is being applied in the 

 central and southern districts. 



Truck crops and gardens made good progress, though all are unusually 

 backward. The later planting of commercial sugar beets has been delayed 

 beyond the usual time. 



Pastures and meadows made good progress due to the increased warmth 

 and sunshine. The condition of live stock, especially young pigs, improved 

 appreciably. Local downpours of rain in northern Benton and northwestern 

 Linn counties on Saturday, 22d, drowned several hundred head of live stock 

 and washed out crops, railways, concrete bridges, and highways. 



Bulletin No. 8, June 1, 1920 — 



Corn planting made unusually rapid progress, there being no weather 

 delay except in the northwest and southwest districts where showers 

 occurred. In the extreme northwest counties heavy rains fell Wednesday, 

 causing considerable damage to corn fields by erosion and flooding. Plant- 

 ing is completed in many central and northwest counties, nearing comple- 

 tion in the north-central and northeast districts and averages 75 to 90 

 per cent completed in the southern districts. In Union and portions of ad- 

 jacent counties not more than one-third of the corn has been planted. 

 Early planted corn where soil and weather conditions were favorable has 

 received the first cultivation, but much of the early planted seed rotted in 

 the ground and replanting is being done. Cut worms have made their ap- 

 pearance in considerable numbers in the west central counties. In the. 

 southern counties where the season has been unusually backward, a con- 

 siderable acreage that was originally intended for oats, but later would 

 have been planted to corn if the weather and soil had been favorable, will 

 now be planted to sorghum, millet, soudan grass and other late crops. 



Abundant sunshine and temperature above normal have been favorable 

 for all plant growth, but vegetation still averages 10 days later than normal. 

 Showers would be beneficial in the central and eastern counties to dissolve 

 the clods resulting from early, wet plowing, and to soften the crust that 

 has formed in some localities. 



Winter wheat made good progress. It is stooling generally, but not up 

 to normal development for this date. Spring wheat and oats show steady 

 improvement, but are considerably below normal. Pastures and hay have 

 made good progress. Alfalfa will be ready to cut in about a week in the 

 southern counties. 



Small fruit prospects continue very good. The petal drop spray was 

 applied to apples in the northern counties during the week. More spraying 

 is being done than heretofore, Apple prospects are good. Peaches will 

 yield a small crop this year for the first time in several years. Cherries 

 promise a good crop. 



The second planting of commercial sugar beets is about finished. Late 

 potatoes were planted during the week, but the potato acreage in general 

 will be reduced. An increased acreage of commercial tomatoes is indicated. 

 Commercial cabbage will be set in large quantities this week. There is 

 some complaint of onion maggots in Mitchell county. 



Sheep shearing- made rapid progress, and is completed in some counties. 

 Livestock has improved considerably with the improved condition of pas- 

 tures. 



Bulletin No. 9, June 8, 1920 — 



Though too cool for the best growth of corn, the crop made good prog- 

 ress. In the more advanced sections most of it has been cultivated once 

 and cross cultivation has begun. In the more backward southern counties 



