498 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



lines. By the close of the month grass was starting and field 

 work was progressing rapidly in the southern counties, Oats 

 and spring wheat seeding had been completed in a few south- 

 eastern counties; potato planting was reported well north in 

 the central division, and sod plowing was being done as far 

 north as Lyon County in the extreme northwest. Winter wheat, 

 timothy, alfalfa, and clover both old and new were seriously 

 winter-killed. 



Cold, cloudy and rainy weather prevailed during most of April. 

 More snov/ fell in the southern counties than in the preceding 

 three months. Vegetation made slow progress. The acreage of 

 oats, potatoes and corn was increased on account of so much 

 winter-killing of winter wheat and meadows. 



The temperature and rainfall for May were below normal, only 

 May, 1892, and 1907 being cooler in the 28 years of record. Ice, 

 heavy frost, or freezing temperatures were general during the 

 first week, and frost on or about the 23rd damaged potatoes, 

 corn, garden truck and fruit buds in some localities, particularly 

 in the northeast and east central sections. Small grain made 

 good progress but meadows and pastures were slow so that stock 

 feeding had to be continued in many sections until the close of 

 the month. By the 20th about 75 per cent of the corn had been 

 planted, but frequent rains during the last decade delayed field 

 worK and some planting remained to be done at the close of the 

 month, at which time early planted corn was up and was of good 

 stand and color. Apples, plums and cherries were backward, 

 coming into full bloom in the southern counties about the 15th 

 and the northern counties about the 25th. 



June was cool and wet, the rainfall being the greatest since 

 1890. In the central and southern counties many stations had 

 the greatest rainfall of record in June ; some had three times the 

 June normal, and 30 to 40 per cent of the annual normal. Ex- 

 cessive rains during the first week, particularly in the south; 

 overflowed lowlands, destroying thousands of acres of crops. 

 Similar conditions prevailed in the northeastern portion of the 

 State on the 23-26th. Much of the overflowed land was replanted 

 to corn toward the close of the month. The last ten days of the 

 month were favorable but at the close corn averaged 10 days to 

 two weeks late. 



