682 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



south-central and southeast counties to practically all safe in some central 

 and northeast counties. Silo filling- and fodder cutting is completed in the 

 earlier localities and is getting well under way where the crop is late. Much 

 seed corn was saved during the week. In a few places early corn is dry 

 enough to crib in limited quantities. Locally heavy rains and high winds 

 blew down and tangled the corn and in some cases caused other destruc- 

 tion, particularly in Carroll, Sioux and Ringgold counties. The tangled con- 

 dition of the corn in the western half of the State is proving to be a serious 

 handicap in cutting for fodder and for silos. In some cases machines do 

 not get more than half of it. In some sections the corn is so tall and heavy 

 that it is difficult to handle. 



Temperatures around 90 degrees prevailed on Saturday afternoon, the 

 25th, followed by much cooler Sunday night with minimum temperatures 

 around 40 degrees. The mean temperature, 71 degrees, is 11 degrees above 

 normal and is among the higher temperatures of record so late in the season. 



Winter wheat seeding has made good progress, except in a few localities 

 where the soil is too dry to prepare the seed bed. Hessian fly has appeared 

 in troublesome numbers in Pottawattamie county and farmers are there 

 waiting till about October 1 before beginning to sow wheat. Much of the 

 crop is up and looking well. 



Sweet corn canneries are drawing their operations to a close. The pack 

 has been large and of excellent quality. Many yields of 6 to 7 tons of ears 

 per acre are reported. The ear worm has become troublesome during the 

 past week, but the cool, backward season seems to have checked its depre- 

 dations considerably. 



Apples are abundant but many were blown from the trees by winds or 

 are falling as a result of disease or worms. In Warren county, and no doubt 

 elsewhere, much of the crop is rotting on the ground for lack of a profitable 

 market. 



Bulletin No. 26, October 5, 1920 — 



All vegetative activity, except in the southeast portion of the State, was 

 brought to a sudden halt by a decided change to colder weather. Light 

 frost on the morning of September 29 in the north and west counties was 

 followed by heavy frost on the 30th and general killing frosts and freezing 

 temperatures on the morning of October 1. Reports from about 500 cor- 

 respondents on October 1, show that 84 per cent of the corn was safe from 

 frost damage. More than 90 per cent was safe in most northeast and east- 

 central counties and some western counties, while in some south-central 

 and southeast counties less than 70 per cent was safe. In the latter sec- 

 tions the frost was not severe enough to do much damage, and it is probable 

 that for the State as a whole not more than 10 per cent of the crop will be 

 soft. This will be easily absorbed by feeding on the farms. The abnor- 

 mally warm and dry three weeks in September worked wonders in saving 

 the crop. Cribbing of the earlier corn will start in about two weeks if the 

 weather continues favorable. "Hogging down" has begun. Six cents per 

 bushel is being offered for husking where the corn stands up well. 



Winter wheat seeding continues where the soil is moist enough, but the 

 later seeding lies ungerminated in the ground and needs rain. The earlier 

 seeded wheat is looking green and fine. 



Pastures have been cut short by the dry weather and live stock has been 

 put on winter feed. Some fourth crop alfalfa is being cut. Where money 

 is available for loans to stockmen, large numbers of feeding stock have 

 been shipped in to consume the abundant forage, but in many sections 

 money is not available for such loans and this very desirable agricultural 

 enterprise is at a standstill. 



About 60 per cent of the potatoes, cabbages and onions have been har- 

 vested and the yields are very good. Potatoes are selling in Crawford 

 county for 60 cents per bushel and in Mitchell and Franklin counties for 

 75 cents; onions, $1,10 per cwt. ; cabbage, $10 per ton. 



