10 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



is 1.36 inches below the normal. The greatest amount, 4.86 inches, oc- 

 curred at Burlington, Des Moines county, and the least, 0.10 inch, at Web- 

 ster City, Hamilton county. The greatest amount in twenty-four hours, 

 1.83 inches, occurred at Keosauqua, Van Buren county, on the 6th. The 

 average amount of unmelted snowfall was 3.0 inches, averaging as fol- 

 lows: Northern section, 4.3 inches; Central section, 2.3 inches; Southern 

 section, 2.3 inches; the greatest amount was 11.3 inches at Ridgeway, Win- 

 neshiek county, while at eight stations only a trace occurred. Measurable 

 precipitation occurred on an average of seven days. 



Sunshine and Cloudiness. — The average number of clear days was 14; 

 partly cloudy, 7; cloudy, 9. The duration of sunshine was slightly below 

 the normal, the percentage of the possible amount being 71 at Charles City; 

 61 at Davenport; 50 at Des Moines; 46 at Keokuk, and 61 at Sioux City. 



Wind. — Northwest winds prevailed. The highest velocity reported was 

 65 miles per hour from the north, at Sioux City, Woodbury county, on the 

 23d. 



CONDITION OF FRUIT TREES. 



The following report issued by the Secretary Iowa State Horticultural 

 Society, shows the average condition of fruit trees and plants on April 

 1, 1910: 



"Apples, 85 per cent; pears, 80 per cent; American plums, 89 per cent; 

 domest'ca plums, 70 per cent; Japanese plums, 69 per cent; cherries, 83 

 per cent; peaches, 3 per cent; grapes, 80 per cent; red raspberries, 52 per 

 cent; black raspberries, 53 per cent; blackberries, 65 per cent; strawber- 

 ries, 86 per cent. 



"Peach trees are badly injured in many places; raspberry canes are 

 killed to the ground in some localities; climbing roses are also damaged. 

 The injury to trees and plants is attributed to the freeze in October which 

 caused the leaves to fall before the wood was mature; followed by warm, 

 wet weather which pushed bud development on the defoliated plants too 

 far in the fall to withstand the winter. 



"Bloom on plum and cherry trees is two weeks in advance of 1871, the 

 earliest record we have since the Society was organized." 



WIND STORMS IN DES MOINES. 



A small tornado passed over the northwestern part of the city of Des 

 Moines shartly after 11 o'clock on the night of the 3d, which did consider- 

 able damage to several dwellings and small outbuildings. The storm struck 

 and unroofed the residence of E. A. Paul, No. 4106 Kingman avenue, then 

 passed diagonally across the street north of east, striking and blowing the 

 roof off the residence of Charles Barchaus, No. 4003 Kingman avenue. The 

 storm track was very narrow as buildings on the adjacent lots of either 

 side of Mr. Paul's house were not injured, and the path of destructive vio- 

 lence was only about 400 feet long. There was, however, some slight 

 damage done to trees and small outbuildings on the north side of the 



