NINETEENTH ANNUAI^ YEAR BOOK— PART X 575 



the night of the 13th-14th. Several stations reported temperatures below 

 20, the lowest being- 14 at Audubon. The average daily deficiency in tem- 

 perature for the State" was about 2 degrees. Ice one-half inch thick was 

 reported on the 8th, 9th and 10th. 



The cold weather was due to an area of high barometric pressure that 

 persisted over the Great Lakes. The outflowing winds from this were as 

 usual east to northeast over Iowa. Generally such winds are accompanied 

 by considerable cloudiness, but in this instance sunshine prevailed. 



The temperature began to moderate Sunday, the 14th, due to the ap- 

 proach of a large general storm that formed in Nevada Saturday. Showers 

 were quite general over the state Monday and Monday night. 



Spring seeded grains have not in general germinated except where suf- 

 ficient moisture came up from the subsoil; germination is, therefore, un- 

 even. Where sufficient moisture is present spring wheat and pastures are 

 beginning to look green. In some of the northern tier of counties, the mois- 

 ture in the soil derived from the heavy snows of March has brought pas- 

 tures along sufficiently for grazing. "Winter wheat with all other vegeta- 

 tion has ben nearly at a standstill, the rain of the 6th serving only to keep 

 it alive. Barley seeding is well davanced in the central portion and pro- 

 gressing rapidly in the north. A largely increased acreage of onions is 

 being seeded, particularly in the northeastern and Mississippi river counties. 

 Corn acreage will be reduced in some counties through scarcity of reliable 

 seed, small grains, mostly wheat, having taken its place. 



The dry weather has been specially favorable for manure hauling, plow- 

 ing, disking and harrowing for corn; also for soft corn in cribs. Farm 

 labor and horse power have been utilized to good advantage during the 

 favorable weather and are ample so far in most sections. 



Bulletin No. 3, April 23, 1918 — 



The week opened warm but soon became abnormally cold, the average 

 daily deficiency in temperature being about 6 degrees. Copious precipitation 

 occurred in the southern tier of counties except Lee, and northward over 

 the Central District. Rains of agricultural importance occurred in nearly 

 all other sections of the state except some of the northwestern and west- 

 central counties where more moisture is badly needed, particularly in Buena 

 Vista and "Woodbury counties. A striking feature was the snowstorm of the 

 19th-21st, which covered the southern and eastern portions of the state, 

 amounting to 20 inches in Decatur and Ringgold counties, and 6 inches in the 

 central portion of the state. Such a storm is unprecedented so late in the sea- 

 son, though a snowstorm of only slightly less intensity occurred in south 

 central Iowa on April 7, 1917. In Adams, Union, Wayne and Jasper counties 

 a drouth of several months was effectually broken. 



The warmth and moisture of the early part of the week germinated most 

 of the oats, the remaining ungerminated wheat in the north, and some of 

 the barley. The freezing and snow are not believed to have caused any 

 damage other than a delay of several days. 



Pears and plums are in full bloom in the southern counties. Plowing for 

 corn is well advanced and a few warm days would start the planters in the 

 southern counties. "Unless unusually favorable conditions of warmth, sun- 

 shine and moisture follow soon the hay crop will be short. The seriousness 

 of the seed corn situation has become more apparent in some of the coun- 

 ties where testing has been thorough. 



Bulletin No. 4, April 30, 1918 — 



Cold and generally cloudy weather prevailed during the past week, the 

 average daily deficiency in temperature being about 8 degrees. Freezing 

 temperature occurred in all but the southern counties and the highest tem- 

 peratures were generally about 65 degrees. The rainfall was well distrib- 

 uted and generally sufficient, though about two-thirds of the normal. The 

 heaviest rains were in the northern and northwestern portions of the State 

 where the need was greatest. 



