NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 21 
the maximum temperatures ranging from 52° to 89°, and the minimum 
from 31° to 65°; but during the last decade, the temperature was con- 
siderably lower, the average for the month being slightly below the 
normal. From the 19th to the 28th, inclusive, the weather was cloudy 
with almost continuous rain. The average rainfall for the month was 
considerably above the normal for October and has been exceeded but 
four times during the past 19 years. Snow flurries were quite general 
over the western half of the State on the 22d and 23d, but the amounts 
of snowfall were small except over the southwestern counties where they 
ranged from one to eleven inches, which is unusual for that section of 
the State so early in the season. 
There was a deficiency in the amount of sunshine, notwithstanding the 
fact that there was a large excess during the first half of the month. The 
dry weather and brisk winds during the first half of the month were 
favorable for drying out the corn crop and husking began between the 
15th and 18th, and more than the usual amount would have been cribbed, 
during October but for the rains between the 19th and 28th which pre- 
vented all field work. Husking was resumed on the 29th, and it is 
estimated that fully 15% of the crop had been harvested by the close 
of the month, at which time the work was being vigorously pushed. 
The rains near the close of September revived pastures and put the 
soil in good condition to plow, and considerable plowing and fall seeding 
was done during the first ten days of October when it again became too 
dry, and that work was suspended until after the 27th, since which time 
plowing has been resumed. The long continued and, in many places, 
heavy rains between October 19th and 28th, replenished the water supply, 
revived the pastures and meadows and put the soil in excellent condition 
for winter. 
Tempebatuke. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown 
by the records of 110 stations, was 51.1°, which is 0.8° below the normal 
for Iowa. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern 
section, 49.6°, which is 0.5° below the normal; Central section, 51.2°, which 
is 0.6° below the normal; Southern section 52.6°, which is 1.1° below the 
normal. The highest monthly mean was 54.4°, at Burlington and Keokuk, 
Des Moines and Lee counties, and the lowest monthly mean 46.6°, at Sib- 
ley, Osceola county. The highest temperature reported was 89°, at Cla- 
rinda, Ottumwa, Ames and "Woodburn, Page, Wapello, Story and Clarke 
counties, on the 14th and 16th; the lowest temperature reported was 17°, 
at Atlantic, Cass county, on the 12th. The average monthly maximum 
was 82.9°, and the average monthly minimum was 24.7°. The greatest 
daily range was 58°, at Clarinda, Page county. The average of the 
greatest daily ranges was 38.5°. 
Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the State, as shown 
by the records of 118 stations, was 3.38 inches, which is 1.03 inches 
above the normal. By sections the averages were as follows: North- 
ern section, 3.37 inches, which is 1.10 inches above the normal; Cen- 
tral section, 3.13 inches, which is .69 inch above the normal; Southern 
section, 3.64 inches; which is 1.29 inches above the normal. The great- 
est amount, 8.83 inches, occurred at Lamoni, Decatur county, and the 
least, .58 inch, at Clinton, Clinton county. The greatest amount in twen- 
