TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 9 



Snow. — The average depth of unmelted snowfall was 3.6 inches which 

 is 1.6 inches above the normal; by sections the amounts were as follows: 

 Northern section, 7.0 inches; Central section 3.1 inches; and Southern 

 section 0.7 inch. The greatest depth was 12.5 inches, at Fayette, Fayette 

 County, and none occurred at six stations. 



Sunshine and Cloudiness. — The average number of clear days was 11, 

 partly cloudy, 8; cloudy, 11. The duration of sunshine was about the 

 normal, the percentage of the possible amount being 60 at Charles City; 

 59 at Devenport; 60 at Des Moines; 48 at Dubupue; 54 at Keokuk; and 

 45 at Sioux City. 



Wind. — Southeast winds prevailed. The highest velocity reported was 

 73 miles per hour from the northwest, at Sioux City, Woodbury County, on 

 the 12th. 



CONDITION OF FRUIT TREES. 



The Secratary of the State Horticultural Society reports the condition 

 of the fruit trees and plants in Iowa, on May 10, 1911, as follows: "Apples, 

 92 per cent; pears, 66; plums, 95; cherries, 93; peaches, 16; grapes, 85; 

 red raspberries, 74; black raspberries, 79; black berries, 88; currants, 

 87; gooseberries, 85; strawberries, 83 per cent of a full crop. 



Very little damage reported to fruit bloom from the frost the first week 

 in May. The low percentage on pears is due to the weak condition of the 

 trees caused by the freeze of last year. The drouth of last season reduced 

 the number of plants in many strawberry fields, which gives a lower 

 percentage than usual. Anthracnose has reduced the vitality of rasp- 

 berry plants in many places. There will not be much fruit on budded 

 peach trees, but seedlings will give a fairly good crop. The outlook, on 

 the whole is very promising for a good crop of fruit this year." 



The condition of fruit on May 1, 1910, was given as follows: Apples, 

 8 per cent; pears, less than 1 per cent; American plums, 1 per cent; 

 domestic plums, Japanese plums and peaches, less than 1 per cent; cher- 

 ries, 6 per cent; grapes, 20 per cent; red raspberries, 10 per cent; black 

 raspberries, 12 per cent; blackberries, 21 per cent; currants, 5 per cent; 

 gooseberries, 4 per cent; strawberries, 38 per cent of a full crop. 



MAY. 



The first five days of the month were cool, the temperature being con- 

 siderably below freezing in the northern counties, on one or more days, 

 and slightly below freezing at many stations in the southern districts. 

 From 1 to 4 inches of snow fell in the northern part of the state on the 

 first, and snow flurries were quite general on that day in the central 

 districts. After the 5th, the temperature was above the normal except 

 on 2 or 3 days; the warmest period being from the 24th to the 26th, in- 

 clusive, when temperatures of 90°, or higher, were general, the highest, 

 98°, occurring at Fort Dodge, on the 25th. Most of the precipitation came 

 in the form of local showers, which were well distributed throughout the 



