924 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



CERRO GORDO. 



ARTHUK PICKFORD, MASON CITY, OCTOBER 24, 1913. 



General Condition of Crops and Season — Good crops; moisture was 

 abundant and there was an entire lack of disastrous storms and injury 

 by insect foes. 



Corn — While the weather was cold and wet at planting time the month 

 of June and July was hot and rain was plentiful. The crop ripened 

 naturally and is much better than the average. 



Oats — Were not damaged by the hot weather and were secured without 

 injury from storms or rust. 



Rye — Came through the winter in good shape and an average crop was 

 harvested. Only a small acreage is grown here. 



Barley — The dry hot weather made the straw short but the grain was 

 of good color and a fairly good crop was harvested. 



Flax — Very little grown and this made only a fair crop. 



Timothy — Comparatively little timothy is grown since the price of 

 seed has fallen off. The crop was fairly good. 



Clover — Came through the winter in good shape and a good crop of 

 hay was cut; many cutting the second crop for seed. 



Prairie Hay — Very little wild hay left and what there is here gives a 

 very light yield. 



Potatoes — Very uneven crop; on sandy soil the yield is poor. On 

 heavier soils, with abundant moisture, a good crop was grown. 



Vegetables — Generally good. 



Apples — Very good crop; the ground was covered with windfalls and 

 still there was enough left on the trees to make a good yield. 



Other Fruits — Small fruits and grapes were abundant. 



Cattle — Scarce and high in price. 



Horses — About the usual number of colts were foaled this year and 

 no disease among them. 



Sioine — Probably one-half of the pig crop was lost by cholera or swine 

 disease. Older hogs did not suffer so seriously. 



Sheep — Generally healthy but not grown in sufficient numbers. 



Poultry — A good year for young chickens and no disease. 



Bees — Plenty of bloom furnished them with honey material and so 

 far as known there is no disease. 



Drainage — Tiling is a continuous performance and more land is being 

 brought under cultivation. 



Other Industries — Beet raising is a growing industry. 



Lands — Are advancing in value. Sales are being made, ranging in 

 price from $100.00 to $200.00 per acre, according to location and improve- 

 ments. Fairly improved farms sell at from $125.00 to $150.00 per acre. 



Report of Fair — Held September 8-12 inclusive. This was the seventh 

 annual fair of the society and speaking generally it was the best, al- 

 though there was a shortage of cattle and swine exhibited as compared 

 with some previous years; otlier exhibits wore good and the attendance 

 was satisfactory. 



