IOWA WEATHER AND CROP REPORT 621 



State. Hail occurred over large areas on the 9 th and caused complete 

 destruction of crops in unusually large areas in Audubon, Cass, Crawford, 

 Dickinson and Shelby counties. 



Corn made fair progress, but needs higher temperature in all portions of 

 the State during the next three weeks to bring it through ahead of frost. 

 Recent favorable conditions 1 in the west-central and northwest districts 

 caused the corn there to catch up to the rest of the State but everywhere 

 the corn is 10 days to two weeks later than last year. The earliest fields 

 are just beginning to dent; the bulk of the crop has scarcely reached the 

 roasting ear stage; much is yet in the milk; and the latest is just tasseling. 

 There are no complaints of barren stalks as was the case last year. With 

 favorable weather a large crop will be matured. Rain is needed in some 

 northeast and southeast counties for the best development of the crop. 



Thrashing, though delayed by wet weather, is about 75 per cent com- 

 pleted. The coal shortage has caused more than the usual amount of stack- 

 ing in some sections. Yield reports continue good to execellent, except 

 that oats in the west-central and northwest districts are about half a 

 crop. Flax harvest began on the 10th. Considerable timothy is standing 

 in the shocks unthrashed. 



A good second crop of red clover and a third crop of alfalfa is ready to 

 harvest and this work has already begun in Scott county. Clover is re- 

 ported full of seed, but needs warm, dry weather to ripen the seed. Con- 

 siderable mildew is reported on clover. 



Fall plowing has made good progress in many sections, but is much 

 harder to do than would ordinarily be expected from the amount of rain 

 that has fallen. The soil is turning up cloddy. Increased fall wheat acre- 

 age is indicated in several counties. 



Melons, sweet corn, tomatoes and onions are yielding well. The com- 

 mercial canning season is at its height. Considerable shipments of onions 

 have been made from the large onion producing sections in Mitchell and 

 Harrison counties. Potatoes, though yielding better than usual in gardens 

 and on ordinary farms, are below normal in the Mitchell county commercial 

 producing region. 



Bulletin No. 20, August 22, 1922 — 



The warmest week of the season with ample to copious rains over most 

 of the State and sunshine above normal made an unusual meteorological 

 medley beneficial to corn, pastures and most other crops, while potatoes are 

 not believed to have been injured by the heat. Most of the rain fell Monday 

 morning, the 21st. Temperatures were high in the 90's on several after- 

 noons. 



Soil moisture is now generally sufficient to mature the corn crop, but 

 two weeks of hot weather are needed. The earliest corn is past the roast- 

 ing ear stage and some is nearly ready for the silo, but much is yet in the 

 milk. 



Shock thrashing is about finished in most sections of the State. Yields 

 are usually variable but will average good, except oats in the west-central 

 and northwest portions of the State. 



Third cutting of alfalfa and second cutting of medium red clover was 

 pushed rapidly. The heat and sunshine of the early part of the week 

 cured the crop nicely. Late reports from timothy thrashing indicate good 

 yields. Second clover crop blossoms are full of seed and a good seed crop 

 is indicated. Some first clover thrashed for seed has yielded well. 



Recent rains have aided plowing. Further reports of increased acreage 

 to be seeded to fall wheat have been received. 



The Secretary of the State Horticultural Society reports the condition of 

 fruits August 15 as follows: Summer apples, 80; fall apples, 77; winter 

 apples, 70; pears, 69; grapes, 98; red raspberries, 76; black raspberries, 87; 

 blackberries, 87; peaches, 82; plums, 62; early potatoes, 73; late potatoes, 



