TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 37 



in the southern part of the state on September 1st. The drj-, hot weather 

 is drying out the corn remarkably fast. Much of the early planted is now 

 safe from the damaging effect of a heavy frost, and with another week of 

 such weather as has prevailed during the past four days, over 75 per cent 

 of the crop will be safe from frost by September 15th. Silos are now 

 being filled, and a large portion of the early corn is already in shock. The 

 hay crop being so short, and the prospects for good fall pasturage so poor 

 that much more than the usual amount of corn will be cut and saved for 

 fodder. The anticipated acreage of winter wheat will be greatly reduced 

 if sufficient rain does not come soon to permit fall plowing to be resumed 

 in the southern and western counties, where the drouth is the most severe 

 and, the soil too dry to plow. Thrashing is nearing completion in all 

 sections. A large crop of apples, plums and grapes is being harvested and 

 the fruit is generally of good quality. 



BtTLLETix No. 23. — September 10. — The average temperature was very 

 nearly normal, it being slightly above in the southern and Ijelow in the 

 northern districts. The rainfall was deficient in most of the western and 

 northwestern counties, but was heavy and excessive in the southeastern 

 counties. Many stations in the southern portion of the Des Moines river 

 valley reported amount in excess of three inches, while in counties adja- 

 cent thereto the amounts were generally more than an inch. A marked 

 improvehient has been noted in the condition of pastures and late pota- 

 toes, and fall plowing and seeding has been resumed with the soil in 

 fine tilth except in the southwestern districts where the rainfall was very 

 light. Although the weather was mostly cloudy corn has made rapid 

 advancement toward maturity, and fully 70 per cent of the crop would 

 not be injured by a moderately heavy frost. The work of cutting and 

 shocking corn, and filling silos is progressing rapidly and more fodder 

 will be secured than ever before in the history of the state. Many new 

 silos are being erected. Considerable damage was done to corn, fruit and 

 buildings by hail, high winds and lightning during the heavy shower on 

 the afternoon of the 6th in the southeastern counties. 



Bulletin No. 24. — September 17.- — The conditions during the past week 

 were generally favorable for pastures, plowing, fall seeding, maturing corn 

 and all kinds of farm work. The temperature was considerably above, and 

 the rainfall generally below the normal, except over the northwestern, 

 east central and southeastern counties where there was an excess of mois- 

 ture. All parts of the state, except the southwestern district, have, how- 

 ever, received copious amounts of rainfall during the past ten days and 

 as a result pasturage has made satisfactory advancement and late pota- 

 toes have improved considerably. The soil is generally in good condition 

 and fall plowing and seeding have progressed rapidly. The work of 

 cutting and shocking corn for fodder and filling silos is nearly completed, 

 the amount reported cut, varying from 30 to 90 per cent. The bulk of 

 the corn is now beyond danger of injury by an ordinary frost and prac- 

 tically all of it will be safe with another week of warm weather. Some 

 seed corn has been gathered. A large crop of apples, plums and grapes 

 is being harvested. 



