S30 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



sections, and in the southern counties the average maximum tempera- 

 tures ranged from 100 to 103 degrees. The sky was nearly cloudless and 

 the sunshine intense. There was no rainfall except a few light showers 

 over the northern districts on Tuesday night. The intense heat, bright 

 sunshine and brisk winds have dried the ground and all vegetation 

 rapidly. Corn is being rushed toward maturity, and much of it in the 

 southern part of the state is dry and dead. Corn binders have, however, 

 been at work during the entire week. The drought and hot weather 

 has also been very damaging to late potatoes, grass and fruit, and if 

 rain does not come soon the acreage of fall sown grain will be materially 

 reduced. Potatoes are practically ruined in many sections, pastures are 

 dry and browh, wells are failing and water for stock is scarce in the 

 southern counties. 



Bulletin No. 24, for the week ending September 14. — A marked change 

 in temperature occurred on the 8th, and the past week was cool and pleas- 

 ont. The average temperature was, however, slightly above the normal, al- 

 though light frost was observed in many localities on Friday and Saturday 

 mornings. Copious to heavy rains fell in all parts of the state, except the 

 extreme southeastern and northwestern counties, on Wednesday night 

 and Thursday. Pastures have revived and show considerable improve- 

 ment, but the rains came too late to be of benefit to corn or late potatoes 

 except in a few localities where the potato vines were still green. The 

 rains were, however, sufBcient to facilitate plowing in many sections, 

 but not enough to be of material benefit to the water supply. The ex- 

 cessively hot, dry weather during the first seven days of the month 

 hurried corn to a premature death and stopped the filling process that 

 usually occurs during all of September and part of October, and as a 

 result the crop will be lighter than was indicated on September 1st. 

 Much corn was cut and many silos were filled during the week. 



Bulletin No. 25, for the week ending September 21. — The past week 

 was cooler than usual, the average daily deficiency in temperature being 

 about 4 degrees, and the week closes with a cool wave which will probably 

 ably result in light to heavy frost tonight. Light to copious showers oc- 

 curred on several days, and while there has not been enough moisture to 

 effectually break the drought or increase the water supply, the ground 

 has been softened and much plowing and seeding of winter wheat has 

 been done. Pastures and meadows nave been greatly improved and in 

 some sections late potatoes have been benefited. Potatoes will, how- 

 ever, yield only about 50 per cent of a normal crop. The bulk of the 

 corn is now beyond danger of injury by frost, and practically all of it 

 will be matured by the close of the month. Probably a little more than 

 the usual amount of corn has been put in shock, and the amount cut 

 for ensilage is much greater than ever before. Reports received Monday 

 morning, September 22d, show that freezing temperatures occurred in 

 all parts of the S'tate, the lowest reporlfd IwiiiK 21 degrees at Sibley, 

 Osceola Ck)unty. 



