S IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



APRIL. 



The month, was abnormally cold and cloudy with an excessive amount 

 of precipitation in all but the extreme western counties w'here there was 

 a slight deficiency. Freezing temperatures occurred in all districts every 

 week during April, and the month closed with the temperature at freezing 

 or below in all parts of the state. The average temperature was 2.3' 

 higher than the average for April, 1907, which was the coldest April on 

 record since state-wide observations have been taken and the only one 

 colder than the past month. 



The precipitation, like the cold, was almost continuous, there being very 

 few warm or clear days. At least a trace of rain or snow fell in some part 

 of the state on every day during the month and the average amount of 

 snowfall was greater than the average of any preceding April since 1896. 

 Thunder storms accompanied by- hail and wind squalls were frequent, and, 

 in many cases, were quite destructive to property. Under such adverse 

 conditions, field w'ork has been retarded and was, at the close of the 

 month, about two weeks behind the average of former years. In the east 

 central and northeast districts, where rain or snow fell almost daily from 

 the 12th to the 30th, farm work is especially backward, and the seeding 

 of oats in those districts was only about three-fourths finished at the close 

 of the month. A large acreage intended for oats has been abandoned in all 

 parts of the state, thereby reducing the acreage of that crop from 10% to 

 15% below the acreage of last year. The acreage of wheat has, however, 

 been increased and there will be a decided increase in the acreage of corn 

 if favorable weather prevails during May. Wheat and early sown oats 

 are up and in most cases show a good stand, but there is a probability 

 that oats, just beginning to sprout, were injured by the hard freeze which 

 occurred on the night of the last day of the month. The continued cold 

 weather has kept the fruit buds dormant and no blossoms have appeared 

 except in the extreme southern counties, and the indications are thereby 

 very favorable for a good crop. 



Clover and all grasses, while making slow growth, are in good condition 

 and reports indicate that there was very little damage done by the alter- 

 nating freezing and thawing weather during the winter, and the excessive 

 precipitation during April assures another good hay crop. 



Temperature. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown 

 by the records of 117 stations, was 43.8°, which is 4.7° below the normal 

 for Iowa. By sections the mean temperatures w^ere as follows: Northern 

 section, 40.7°, which is 6.1° below the normal; Central section. 44.1°, which 

 is 4.4° below the normal; Southern section 46.7°, which is 3.6° below the 

 normal. The highest monthly mean was 50.6°, at Keokuk, Lee county, 

 and the lowest monthly mean 37.0°, at Rock Rapids, Lyon county. 

 The highest temperature reported was 86°, at Burlington, Des Moines 

 county, on the 29th; the lowest temperature reported was 14°, at 

 Elma, Howard county, and Fayette, Fayette county, on the 10th. The 

 average monthly maximum w'as 76°, and the average monthly minimum 

 was 20°. The greatest daily range was 52°, at Hancock, Pottawattamie 

 county, and Storm Lake, Buena Vista county. The average of the greatest 

 daily ranges was 39°. 



