S22 TOW A DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



Bulletin No. 3, for the week ending April 20'. — Nearly a full week of 

 bright sunshine, with practically no rain ha.s started the growth of all 

 vegetation, put the ground in fairly goorl condition, and enabled farmers 

 to do a great amount of field work. The average temperature was about 

 seven degrees above the normal, and the daily maximum temperatures 

 ranged from 60 to SO degrees. Except on low and untiled ground, where 

 the soil is still too wet, rapid progress was made in seeding and plowing. 

 The bulk of the oats is now in, and with favorable weather, all small 

 grain will be sown before the close of the coming week. In many local- 

 ities early potatoes have been planted, and a good start has been made in 

 preparing ground for corn. Grass is starting nicely, and is earlier than 

 usual although farm work is two weeks late. Winter grains are in fine 

 condition. Peach and plum trees are in blossom in the extreme south- 

 eastern counties and all fruit trees show an abundance of healthy buds. 



Bulletin No. 4, for the week ending April 27. — The past week was, as a 

 whole, favorable for farm work, and over the larger part of the state, 

 rapid progress was made in sowing small grain and plowing for corn. 

 Work was, however, retarded in the northwestern counties by heavy 

 rains on the 23d and 24th, which were followed in all sections by light 

 to heavy frosts on the last three mornings of the week. 



About 90 per cent of the seeding has been finished, and the remainder 

 will be completed within the next few days. In the northwestern coun- 

 ties, where the rainfall was the heaviest and field work seriously re- 

 tarded, considerable of the acreage intended for oats will be reserved for 

 corn. The early sown grain is up and shows a good stand. Grass is 

 growing nicely, and in some localities stock is in pasture. Fruit trees 

 are still in fine condition. Plum trees are in blossom in the central 

 districts and all fruit buds are beginning to swell in northern counties. 

 The spring pig crop is reported to be short in many localities and 

 especially where cholera was prevalent last year. 



The indications at the close of the week are favorable for rising tem- 

 perature, and with warm weather corn, planting will begin during the 

 coming week. 



Bulletin No. 5, for the week ending May 4. — Another week with much 

 sunshine and no rain until Friday night has advanced farm work rapidly. 

 A large acreage of ground is ready for the planter, and in many locali- 

 ties, in the southern counties, corn planting has begun. The first few 

 days of the week were too cool for normal growth of vegetation, and. the 

 heavy frost on the 28th endangered the prospects of a fruit crop, but late 

 reports do not show any damage done. After the 28th the days were 

 warm enough to bring the average temperature for the week to about 

 eight degrees above the normal. Copious to heavy showers occurred 

 Friday night, Saturday or Sunday in all parts of the state. The needed 

 moisture will be highly beneficial to all vegetation, and especially to 

 small grains, grasses and early potatoes. 



The Iowa Horticultural Experiment Station at Council Bluffs reports: 

 "All varieties of apples show a full crop of blossoms, even where they 

 bore heavily last fall; the Jonathan, perhaps, showing the heaviest. Next 



