INTRODUCTORY. 



In compiling the Tenth Annual Iowa Year Book of Agricul- 

 ture it has been the purpose of the Department to present in an 

 intelligent manner information most sought for by students of 

 agriculture and those seeking information looking toward* the 

 betterment of agricultural conditions in the State of low^a. 



The usefulness of the Department in disseminating informa- 

 tion is greatly impaired" for the reason that the law governing 

 the Department makes no provision for the publishing of any 

 information through any other medium except the Iowa Year 

 Book of Agriculture. We believe that s'ome change should be 

 made in the law whereby the Department would have the means 

 and authority to publish bulletins, and not be obliged to with- 

 hold valuable information from the public until such time as 

 it may be published in the Year Book. 



The Year Book for 1909 is divided into fifteen parts. Pre- 

 ceding Part I is a compilation of crop and other farm statistics 

 showing Iowa's source of wealth. Part I contains the final 

 summary of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service for the year 

 1909. In this part will be found the monthly review of the 

 climatology for the year, the dates of last killing frost in spring 

 and first in autumn, climate and crop review for the year, com- 

 parative data of temperature and precipitation, and the final 

 estimate on the acreage and jield of the principal farm crops 

 in each county and for the state. Part II contains statistical 

 tables of Iowa's principal farm crops for the years of 1896 to 

 1909 inclusive, acreage, production and value of the principal 

 farm crops of the United States in 1909, statistics of the prin- 

 cipal farm crops of the world for the years 1904 to 1909 inclu- 

 sive, and the estimated number, average price, and total value 

 ^_^of farm animals in the United States January 1, 1910, with com- 

 ^parisons. Part III contains crop and other farm statistics gath- 

 '"'ered liy the township assessors and reported to this Department 

 by the county auditor of each county in the state. This is the 

 first report under the provisions of Chapter 86, Acts of the Thir- 



