574 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



excellent, though no extensive tests have yet been made and much will 

 depend on the care used in storing this seed. 



Sweet corn yielded well, outside of the drouthy section, but suffered 

 unusual damage from the corn ear worm, Hcliothus obsoleta, for which, as 

 yet, entomologists have discovered no remedy within the bounds of econ- 

 omy. 



A determined campaign to increase the acreage seeded to winter wheat 

 this fall has brought about large results in the sections of the State where 

 the crop is usually grown, but not much extension to new territory. It 

 is impossible at this time to state what the acreage is, but it is probably 

 somewhat less than the million-acre goal set. The crop is entering the 

 winter in unusually good condition, 95 per cent of the acreage having made 

 good to rank growth and become well established. Four per cent has 

 germinated but made little showing above ground, and only one per cent 

 has apparently not germinated. 



With all of its vicissitudes the crop season of 1918 finally resulted in 

 the usual large cash balance for the State. 



Bnlletin No. 1, April 9, 1918 — 



The first half of the past winter was severely and continuously cold, with 

 a good snow covering-. March and the latter part of February were mild. 

 Frost was out of the ground early in March, not having penetrated as 

 deeply as usual during the winter. At the close of March the season was 

 about two weeks earlier than normal; farm work was well advanced; soil 

 in fine condition; seeding of spring wheat and oats completed in the south 

 and progressing rapidly in the north. Most of the 1917 corn crop remaining 

 unhusked in the fields was husked during March though a little was left 

 to be done in the early days of April. Wheat wintered well, especially in 

 the southeast, where moisture was abundant. Some wheat that failed to 

 germinate last fall, germinated in March. During the past two weeks win- 

 ter wheat has suffered from drouth in all but the southeast section where 

 the rainfall has generally exceeded one inch. In considerable areas over 

 the southwestern and west-central portions, the rainfall has been very de- 

 ficient and winter wheat has been plowed up or cross drilled with early 

 spring wheat. In Adams and Jasper counties the water supply is failing. 



A remarkably large acreage of spring wheat has been seeded. In many 

 counties nearly every farm has a small piece of wheat seeded through pa- 

 triotic motives and regarded as experimental in those sections where it has 

 not been hitherto raised. A much larger acreage would have been 

 devoted to w^heat if cars had been available to ship in the seed. Oats seed- 

 ing is nearing completion in the north, about the usual area having been 

 seeded. Barley seeding is well under way. 



Meadows and pastures generally wintered well, but are badly needing 

 rain. 



Dry soil has retarded or prevented germination of small grain in all but 

 the southeast portion. Good rains occurred in nearly all sections Friday 

 night and Saturday. More than the usual amount of gardening and potato 

 planting has been done. 



Plowing for corn is well advanced. Seed corn testing and seed distribu- 

 tion have been proceeding rapidly during the last few weeks. 



Live stock is in good condition, except in some sections where roughage 

 has been short. The mild, dry weather has been especially favorable for 

 the pig and lamb crop. 



Bulletin No. 2, April 16, 1918 — 



Cold, dry, sunshiny weather prevailed the fore part of the week with 

 freezing temperatures or frosts in all portions of the state each night till 



