FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. Ill 



portion of the late planted corn was fairly well matured before the middle 

 of the month. Reports were received of very many fields planted as late 

 as June 15th which were well ripened by October 10th. The amount of 

 fall plowing in the State at large was much greater than in recent years. 

 A limited acreage of fall wheat and rye was sown, and the conditions 

 were favorable for germination and growth, insuring a good stand. The 

 fall pasturage was never better, being very green and succulent at the 

 close of October. The dry weather was favorable to harvesting potatoes, 

 apples, and all the late maturing crops. The potato crop was generally 

 light, with considerable damage by rot, though some localities report 

 a fair yield. The yield of winter apples was much below the average. 

 Forage crops- and {garden truck made excellent yields. As a whole Octo- 

 ber was a remarkably fine month, making an exceptional record in view 

 of the adverse weather conditions of the preceding months. 



November was unusually dry and seasonably warm, with less than 

 the average amount of atmospheric disturbance. Conditions were favor- 

 able for farm operations, and excellent progress was made in cribbing 

 the corn crop. The cobs contained more than the usual amount of mois- 

 ture, but the dry weather and freezing temperature prevented damage 

 by heating in the cribs. The small acreage of fall wheat and rye suffered 

 no material injury from dry weather and freezing. The weather was 

 highly favorable for stock feeding and pastures afforded good feed 

 throughout the month. The supply of water for stock was ample for 

 the winter. 



On the whole the crop season of 1903 was materially better than the 

 preceding season, the quality of the output of the soil being much 

 superior. The forage crops have been exceptionally heavy, and the fall 

 months were favorable for securing the full benefit of the abundant 

 yield of pasturage and fodder. There is much cause for congratulation 

 and thankfulness that, under such unusual conditions, the yield of all 

 staple crops has been sufficient to afford a liberal reward for the labor 

 of the tillers of the soil of this most fertile State. 



CROP REPORT, JUNE 1, 1903. 



Reports of the regular crop correspondents of the Iowa Weather and 

 Crop Service, made June 1st. have been received and tabulated for the 

 State at large. The showing as to the acreage, as compared with last 

 year is somewhat better than we had reason to expect in view of the 

 adverse weather conditions and saturated state of the soil in the seeding 

 and planting season. The county reports were generally mailed about 

 the 27th to 30th of June, when the conditions were at their worst for 

 the formation of a fair estimate as to the status of the crops. 



The percentage of the acreage of the staples are as follows, the figure 

 100 representing the area of last year: 



Winter wheat, 83 per cent; spring wheat, 85; oats. 92; barley. 90; 

 rye, 88; meadows. 101; potatoes. 94; flax, 87. 



