874 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



STORY. 



W. D. SMITH, >'EVADA, OCTOBER 25, 1909. 



General Condition of Crops and Season — Spring was about two weeks 

 late and was cold and wet; ground in bad condition for early cultivation. 

 There were excessive rains during the first half of the season and dur- 

 ing the last half it was dry. Some of the oats seed was destroyed by freez- 

 ing after it had been sown. In the southern half of the county there 

 was so little rain during earing time that the yield of corn was natur- 

 ally reduced. The northern half of the county was better as rain fell 

 there during August. 



Corn — In the northern part of the county all fields that were properly 

 tilled will give good returns but in the southern half of the county the 

 yield will be only fair. Corn will probably average about 40 bushels per 

 acre, not taking into account the fields which were destroyed by exces- 

 sive rains. 



Oats — The yield varied greatly; some fields yielded only l.j bushels 

 per acre while others threshed out nearly 50 bushels per acre. The aver- 

 age yield is about 25 bushels per acre. 



Wheat — There was an increased acreage of winter wheat, nearly all of 

 which gave good returns; yielding from 20 to 40 bushels per acre. But 

 little spring wheat sown. 



Barley — Not much grown in this county. The crop was fairly good, both 

 in yield and quality. 



Flax — Not enough raised to be worthy of mention. 



Buckwheat — Very little raised. 



Millet— Good yield. 



Sorghum — None grown. 



Timothy — A large yield. 



Clover — First crop abundant; second crop not of much consequence. 

 Very light yield of seed because of lack of rainfall in latter part of the 

 season. 



Prairie Hay — But little in the county. Wherever the original sod re- 

 mains the growth was heavy this year. 



Potatoes — Early potatoes fairly good crop; late varieties small yield on 

 account of dry weather in the latter part of the season. 



Cattle — I\Iany farmers are taking more interest in improving the 

 breeds. 



Horses — There is increased interest in this industry and quite a large 

 number of farmeis are making a specialty of raising good horses. Sev- 

 eral shipments of imported horses were brought into this county this 

 year. 



Sheep — Not many sheep in this county. 



Bees — Very little honey stored, owing to rainy, cold weather in the 

 spring. It is doubtful if the swarms all have enough to winter them. 



Drainage — Lands requiring drainage, and which could be drained by 

 individual owner have most all been drained. Some quite large district 

 drains have been completed while others are being constructed. Most of 

 those interested in land in this county are strong in the opinion that 

 money expanded for tile drainage is a good investment. 



