12 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE 



JULY. 



Showers were heavy and frequent from the 3d to the 12th, and the tem- 

 perature was unusually low from the 3d to the 7th; but, as a whole, July 

 was one of the best harvest months on record. The latter half of the 

 month was characterized by moderately warm weather, light and widely 

 scattered showers, a high percentage of sunshine, and the rarity of 

 thunderstorms and wind squalls. The rainfall was especially heavy over 

 the southern, central and w^estern districts during the first decade, and 

 caused high water in all creeks and rivers within the area of heavy rain-* 

 fall. Bottom lands were flooded for the third time this season and many 

 thousands of acres of corn had to be abandoned. The heavy rains also pre- 

 vented haying, and, in the southern districts where the small grain w'as 

 ready for the harvester, the ground was too wet and soft to run machinery; 

 but after the 12th the weather changed suddenly from wet and cool to 

 comparatively dry and warm. During the second decade much of the be- 

 lated corn was given some cultivation, but, owing to its rapid growth due 

 tc the higher temperature, the stalks soon became too high to permit 

 further cultivation, and many fields were laid by in a weedy condition. 

 The third decade was the w'armest part of the month, the 29th being 

 the warmest day, when the maximum temperature ranged generally from 

 90 to over 100 degrees. During this period the showers continued light 

 and scattered; the 26th w^as the only day on which the showers were 

 at all general, and, as in the first and second decades, the heaviest rainfall 

 was over the western half of the state. At the close of the month the 

 surface of he ground was dry over the larger part of the state, and 

 the crops in the eastern districts were beginning to feel the effect of the 

 drouth. Exceptionally rapid progress was made during the latter half 

 of the month in haying and harvesting, and most of the hay and grain 

 crops were secured In excellent condition. Corn made remarkably rapid 

 advancement and nearly all the early planted fields were in full tassel 

 and earing nicely at the close of the month. The belated corn was doing 

 its best, but most of it got too late a start to mature unless frost occurs 

 much later than usual. There was some threshing done before the close 

 of the month, and the early reports indicate a good yield of wheat of 

 very fine quality. Oats straw is short but the yield will be fair and 

 the quality is better than for the past two years. Barley is gen- 

 erally poor. Pastures and potatoes were still in good condition at the 

 close of the month, but they, as well as corn, were needing more rain. 



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

 by the records of 117 stations, was 72.3°, which is 1.1' below the normal 

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

 section 71.2°, which is 0.9° below the normal; Central section, 72.1°, which 

 is 1.6° below the normal; Southern section 73.5°, which is 1.0° belo-w 

 the normal. The highest monthly mean was 75.8° at Thurman, Fremont 

 county, and the lowest monthly mean, 69.3°, at Sibley, Osceola county. 

 The highest temperature reported was 102°, at Elkader, Clayton county, 

 and Ridgeway, Winneshiek county, on the 29th; the lowest temperature 

 reported was 46° at Washta, Cherokee county, on the 24th. The average 

 monthly maximum was 95°, and the average monthly minimum was 52°. 



