TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 2b 



counties. The average temperature for the month was considerably 

 below the normal and was the coldest for May, with one exception, 1907, 

 since 1893. The precipitation for the State at large was slightly below 

 the normal, but there was a slight excess over three northern tiers of 

 counties. On the whole, the month was favorable for farm operations and 

 good progress was made in field work. Corn was practically all planted 

 by the close of the month, except on low and wet ground, and cultivation 

 was general. Grass and small grain made rapid growth during the latter 

 half of the month, and was nearly up to the average for the last of May. 

 The continued cold weather during April and the fore part of May kept 

 the fruit buds dormant until the middle of the month, thereby escaping 

 any material damage by the late frosts. The average date for all kinds 

 of fruit trees to be in full bloom at Des Moines is about May 5th, but 

 they were not in full bloom this year until the 16th. 



The average temperature for June was only a fraction of a degree above 

 the normal, but the rainfall was considerably above the average for June. 

 There was an excess of rainfall in all districts of the State, the greatest 

 excess being over Union and the adjacent counties, where the monthly 

 amounts ranged from 8 inches to over 13 inches. It was also heavy over 

 the Missouri Divide and the extreme northwestern counties. Showers oc- 

 curred at some station of the State on every day of the month except the 

 19th and yet there were, on an average, 12 clear days. Thunder and 

 lightning accompanied most of the showers, but wind squalls and severe 

 hail storms were not as frequent as usual. The frequent and excessive 

 rains caused high water in all rivers and creeks, especially in the 

 western district. The flat and bottom lands were flooded two or three 

 times, and a large acreage of corn was finally abandoned after being re- 

 planted once or twice. The surplus moisture also interferred with the 

 cultivation of corn on ground not thoroughly drained and many fields 

 were quite foul; but on high and well drained ground corn made very" 

 satisfactory progress and was generally clean. The condition of small 

 grain, grass, potatoes and garden truck improved during the month, but 

 there was a decline in the condition of fruit. 



During July showers were heavy and frequent from the 3d to the 12th, 

 and the temperature 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 thunder storms and wind squalls. The rainfall was especially 

 heavy over the southern, central and western districts during the first 

 decade, and caused high water in all creeks and rivers within the area of 

 heavy rainfall. Bottom lands were flooded for the third time during the 

 year and many thousand acres had to be abandoned. The heavy rains also 

 prevented haying, and in the southern districts, where the small grain 

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

 machinery. After the 12th the weather changed suddenly from wet and 

 cool to comparatively dry and warm. During the second decade much of 

 the belated corn was given some cultivation; but owing to its rapid 

 ■growth, due to the higher temperature, the stalks soon became too high 



