28 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



excessive moisture. From 35 to 40 per cent of the corn crop was still in 

 the fields at the end of the month. Corn in cribs was surcharged with 

 moisture, and the warm, moist weather caused it to mold badly. The 

 excessive rains have, however, been beneficial to grass, alfalfa and fall 

 grains, all of which were in good condition at the close of the month. 

 The rains also assured an abundant water supply for the winter. Fall 

 plowing was still progressing at the close of the month. 



December, 1909, will be noted for its low average temperature, excessive 

 cloudiness and the frequency of snow storms. It was the coldest De- 

 cember since State-wide observations began in 1890 and probably the 

 coldest since 1876. The average was 12.1° lower than the average for 

 December, 1908, and 2.9° lower than that for any other December since 

 1890. At many stations, the minimum temperature was below zero on a 

 greater number of days than ever before recorded during the month of 

 December. The average precipitation was .99 inch above the normal and 

 has been exceeded in December only twice during the past 20 years. Rains 

 were general from the 1st to the 3d or 4th, but after the latter date 

 snowstorms were of frequent occurrence. The amounts were generally 

 small, except on the 24th-25th, when about 12 inches fell over the central 

 and east central districts. The average total snowfall for the State was 

 13.7 inches, and the ground was covered with snow from the 3d in the 

 northern and from the 5th in the southern and eastern districts until the 

 close of the month. There was more good sleighing than for many years 

 so early in the winter. The snow has afforded good protection to winter 

 grains, meadows and alfalfa, and they were in excellent condition at the 

 end of the year. The deep snow and the severe cold weather, however, 

 put a stop to all drainage work and prevented the completion of corn 

 husking. About 25 to 30 per cent of the corn was still in the fields on 

 December 31st, and much of it was covered with ice and snow. The 

 heavy snowfall on the 24th-25th, delayed all freight and the Christmas 

 passenger traffic. 



