580 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



A severe hailstorm June 27th, damaged crops about 60 per cent in about eight 

 townships In southeastern Polk, northern Marlon and southern Jasper counties. 

 Damaging hail occurred in several other counties on this date. 



Grasshoppers are damaging all crops, particularly pastures In the southwestern 

 counties. Some pastures are brown and bare and stock Is being fed. 



Bulletin No. 14, July 9, 1918 — 



The week opened hot with temperatures above 90, but turned cool and cloudy. 

 The deficiency in temperature averaged about 2 degrees. Frequent and heavy ralna 

 in the northern and eastern portions of the State delayed harvesting and haying 

 and caused oats to lodge badly in some sections. Scab and rust attacked spring wheat 

 in some counties. Drouth and grasshoppers continue to damage all crops in the 

 southwest and west central counties. Corn is far advanced, being mostly laid by and 

 beginning to tassel in all sections. Harvest is In full progress In the central portion 

 of the state and beginning In the north. Threshing has begun in Fremont county. 

 Indications are that the yield of spring wheat, winter wheat and barley will be 

 good ; that of oats, fair, but considerably below last year. 



Bulletin No. 15, July 16, 1918 — 



Cool, dry weather prevailed till near the close of the week, when good rains 

 occurred in the northern and light showers in the southern portions of the state. 

 Temperatures averaged about 6 degrees below normal in the eastern and about 1 

 degree below In the westren portions. Sunshine was much above normal, except 

 the extreme western and northern counties. The drouth in the southwestern part of 

 the state Is becoming serious. 



Conditions were Ideal for using labor and horse power to the best possible advan- 

 tage in haying and harvesting. Though put to a supreme test, farmers have been 

 able to cope with the difficult labor situation. In some cases business men have 

 gone out from the towns to help in the late afternoon and evening. Winter wheat 

 and early oats harvest Is completed In the southern districts and beginning along 

 the north line. Uneven germination due to lack of moisture last fall has caused 

 winter wheat to ripen unevenly. Spring wheat harvest Is In full progress In the 

 central and western districts and will begin In the north central and northeast dis- 

 tricts about the 23d-25th. Rye harvest Is completed except In the north central 

 district. Barley harvest Is completed In the southern and central districts and Is 

 in full progress In the northern districts. Oats threshing began in Van Buren 

 county on the 12th, yielding 48 bushels per acre ; and In Pottawattamie county 

 .on the 13th, yielding 41 bushels. In Davis county winter wheat yielded 31 bushels. 

 Second crop alfalfa is ready to cut. Much other hay of excellent quality has been 

 harvested. 



Corn made good progress except In the southwest district, is tasseling rapidly In 

 most sections, and silking In some. Unless a good soaking rain comes soon the crop 

 will be seriously damaged In the southwest district where the leaves rolled badly 

 during the past week with comparatively moderate temperatures. 



Pastures are generally short in the southwestern third of the state and are brown 

 and bare in the extreme southwest counties, where on many farms stock has been 

 fed for the past three weeks and much live stock is being sold to avoid using ex- 

 pensive feed. 



Bulletin No. 16, July 23, 1918 — 



Ideal weather for harvesting, haying, threshing and most crops, prevailed in nearly 

 all parts of the state. The week opened cool and cloudy, but became sunny and 

 hot with maximum temperatures above 90 Friday to Monday afternoons. The high- 

 est reported was 100 at Boone and Clarlnda. Temperatures averaged slightly above 

 normal. Infrequent rains have favored harvesting and haying, yet the moisture has 

 been generally sufficient. The drouth in the extreme southwest counties was broken 

 by good rains on the 17th. More rain Is badly needed In Cass and Adams counties 

 and eastward over Warren and Lucas counties, where corn rolled considerably 

 toward the close of the week. Corn is generally In good condition, tasseling and 

 silking in the central and north and earing well in the south. Grasshoppers have 

 Injured corn and late oats in Sac county and southward to Adams county ; and 

 farmers are combating them with dozers and poison. 



