786 IOWA DEPART]\IENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Bulletin No. 4. For the week ending May 3, 1914. — The week as a 

 whole was cold and cloudy. The average temperature was slightly above 

 the normal in the eastern and central and slightly below the normal in 

 the western districts. No frost occurred except in the extreme north- 

 western counties, where the vegetation was not far enough advanced to 

 be injured. Copious to heavy showers occurred in all sections, but the 

 rainfall was generally less than the normal in the east central and was 

 heavy and, in some localities, excessive in the western counties; the 

 greatest amounts being reported from the southwestern district. The wet 

 weather delayed plowing, and the cold nights retarded corn planting. The 

 rain, however, was of great value to grasses and small grains. Cherry, 

 plum and peach trees are in full bloom in the central and southern coun- 

 ties, but many apple trees are not showing the usual amount of blossoms, 

 probably owing to the drought of last summer and the heavy crop pro- 

 duced last year. A heavy and damaging hailstorm occurred in the eastern 

 part of Polk county on the afternoon of May 3d. 



Bulletin No. 5. For the week ending May 10, 1914. — The average tem- 

 perature was slightly above the normal in the extreme eastern districts 

 and below in the central and western. Light frost occurred on low places 

 in many localities on two or three nights, but no damage was done except 

 to check the growth of vegetation and the germination of corn. Local 

 and generally light showers occurred in nearly all parts of the state on 

 one or more days, but the rainfall was not heavy enough to interfere with 

 field work. Plowing, and in some sections, corn planting progressed 

 rapidly. In a few localities more than half of the corn has been planted, 

 and if favorable weather continues the bulk .of the crop will be in by 

 the close of the coming week. Grass and small grains are in good con- 

 dition. Winter wheat is jointing and rye is heading in the extreme south- 

 eastern counties. 



The following report by the secretary of the Iowa State Horticultural 

 Society shows the average condition of fruit on May 1st: Apples, 58 per 

 cent; pears, 78; American plums, 88; European plums, 76; cherries, 90; 

 peaches, 69; grapes, 90; red raspberries, 74; black raspberries, 75; black- 

 berries, 82; currants, 87; gooseberries, 83; strawberries, 78 per cent of 

 perfect condition. The average condition of all fruits is 78 per cent, or 

 1^2 per cent less than in April. 



Bulletin No. 6. For the week ending May 17, 1914. — Unseasonably cool 

 weather prevailed during most of the past week. Frost occurred in nearly 

 all parts of the state and freezing temperatures are reported from the 

 western counties, but no damage was done except to tender garden truck. 

 Excessive rains, accompanied in some localities by hail and high winds, 

 occurred in the central and north central counties on Sunday night and 

 Monday morning. In the areas of heaviest rainfall field work was delayed 

 for one or two days, and considerable damage was done by rain, hail and 

 wind. But for the state as a whole the conditions were favorable for field 

 work, and at the close of the week fully four-fifths of the corn area has 



