32 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
April opened and closed with cool waves during which the tem- 
peratures were below freezing. During the first three days the mini- 
mum temperatures ranged from 11° to 18° over the northern district, and 
from 14° to 24° in the southern district. From the 3d to the 27th the 
weather was moderate and generally very pleasant with maximum tem- 
peratures, at some stations, above 90° on the 13th and 19th. There 
was an excess of sunshine, and, except in a few localities, where heavy 
local showers occurred, there was less than the usual amount of rainfall, 
the greatest deficiency occurring over the southwestern and southern 
counties. The conditions were exceptionally favorable for work in the 
fields, and the seeding of small grain was practically completed at the 
beginning of the third decade, and at the close of the month more than 
the usual amount of ground had been prepared for corn. Up to the 27th, 
the prospects for a fruit crop were never better, but the frosts and 
freezing temperatures during the last three days of the month did 
considerable damage to the buds, especially in southern counties. 
The cool wave, which swept over the state during the last three 
days of April, continued until the 3d of May, causing heavy to killing 
frost in all parts of the state on the 2d, which resulted in further 
injury to fruit and garden truck. From the 3d to the close of the 
month there were no decided changes in temperature, it being quite 
moderate and uniform, so that the monthly average was but a fraction 
of a degree below the normal. The month was, however, characterized 
by abnormally heavy rainfall and the frequency of showers. Rain fell 
in some part of the state on every day of the month. The average 
amount of precipitation was 8.34 inches, or 3.84 inches above the 
normal. This record has been exceeded in May but twice during the past 
19 years, viz.: 1892 and 1903, with an average amount of 8.77 and 8.55 
inches respectively. The excessive rainfall caused flood stages in all 
streams and rivers, washed hillsides, overflowed low and bottom lands, 
prevented the completion of corn planting and the cultivation of the 
early planted fields. There was about 20% of the corn area to be 
planted at the close of the month and a great deal of replanting to be 
done. 
During June the average temperature was below the normal and the 
rainfall exceeded the normal by 1.14 inch. In the western portion of 
the upper Des Moines river valley, the excess ranged from 4 to over 7 
inches; the greatest monthly rainfall reported was 11.88 inches at Plover 
in Pocahontas county. Severe thunderstorms, accompanied by wind 
squalls and hail, were frequent; the most damaging wind storm occurred 
at Charles City, in Floyd county, on the afternoon of the 7th, and one 
of the worst hailstorms on record in this state swept over Howard, 
Winneshiek, Allamakee and Clayton counties on the evening of the 20th, 
causing damage to the extent of over $400,000. The frequent and heavy 
rains prevented work in the fields, kept the rivers up to flood stages, 
flooded all low and flat lands and caused considerable washing of the 
soil on hillsides, and as a result, farmers in some sections of tne state 
were planting or replanting corn up to the close of the month. But in 
spite of the adverse conditions the early planted corn on high and well 
