26 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



ern counties the ice was intact on the 31st. Practically all of the frost was 

 out of the ground by the close of the month. No field work was practicable, 

 but fall sown grains were showing up in good condition after the disap- 

 pearance of the heavy snow, which had covered the fields since December 

 17th. 



The most important features of April were the destructive wind storms 

 at Earlham and Boone, on the 13th, and the unusually heavy snowstorm 

 over the southern and eastern counties on the 17th. Thirty-six stations 

 within the area of the storm reported an average of 4.0 inches of snow- 

 fall; the greatest amount being 12,0 inches at Wapello. As a whole, the 

 month was quite favorable for farm operations, but owing to the fact that 

 no field work was done in March, spring seeding was not completed until 

 the close of the month. At the end of the month the early sown oats were 

 up. grass was improved and some stock was in pasture. Cherry and plum 

 trees were beginning to bloom in the southern counties, but in the re- 

 mainder of the state the buds were still dormant or just beginning to swell. 



May was warm and moderately dry, but on the whole the conditions 

 were favorable for agricultural pursuits. The average temperature was 

 above the normal, but freezing temperatures occurred in all but the extreme 

 southern counties on the 14th, though no material damage was done except 

 to prevent the germination of corn that had been planted. Owing to poor 

 seed, cold weather, cut and wire worms, considerable replanting was nec- 

 essary, but at the close of the month nearly all of the corn was planted 

 and the early planting was up. The cool weather and frequent showers 

 were beneficial to small grains and grasses. 



From an agricultural viewpoint, June was a very favorable month, not- 

 withstanding the fact that the weather was too cool for corn during the 

 first 20 days. The average temperature and rainfall were below normal, 

 but temperatures ranging from 90° to 101° were recorded between the 26th 

 and 29th, and light showers were frequent prior to the 20th. After the 

 20th the weather was very dry. All vegetation made rapid growth, how- 

 ever, and at the close of the month small grains were beginning to ripen 

 in the southern and were headed out and filling nicely in the northern part 

 of the state. 



The temperature was generally above the normal during the first decade 

 of July, and was below the seasonable average most of the time after the 

 15th. although there were one or two days during that period when the day 

 temperatures approached, or were slightly above, 100°. The showers were 

 generally light, but all parts of the state received enough moisture to 

 keep growing crops in prime condition except in a few localities in the 

 southern counties, where late corn, pastures and potatoes would have been 

 benefited by a more generous supply. As most of the showers occurred 

 at night, rapid progress was made in haying and harvesting, and the bulk 

 of the hay and small grain crops were secured in fine condition. Threshing 

 was well advanced by the end of the month in the southern, and good 

 progress was made in the central districts. 



The temperature was generally below the normal during the first 15 days, 

 and above the average during the latter half of August. Although the 

 average rainfall was slightly below the normal, showers were frequent and 

 fairly well distributed. The frequent showers interfered with threshing 



