ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XIII 945 



CERRO GORDO. 

 AIM III l: I'H KloKh. MASON CITY, OOTOBEB 18, 1910. 



General Condition of Crops and Season — The season was unusually dry 

 and as a consequence the yield of all crops was lessened in amount. This 

 was partially offset by the increase in quality of all grains and grasses. 

 No disastrous storms occurred and the frost except in a few localities 

 held off until well into October. 



Corn — The generally poor quality of seed planted necessarily gave a 

 poor stand. The continued drouth during the growing season shortened 

 the yield. There is much complaint of barren stalks but the corn is 

 sound. 



Oats — Drilled oats showed up much better than the ones sown broad- 

 cast. The yield varied greatly, depending upon the amount of rainfall. 

 The quality was good and the straw the best in many years. 



Wheat — Best crop we have had for years. Some winter wheat sown. 

 Spring wheat sown alone and with oats yielded well and had a very 

 good berry. 



Rye — The dry spring, especially in May and June, was unfavorable to 

 rye which was generally short and not well filled. 



Barley — Excellent color and good yield. 



Flax — Very little flax sown but what there was was a fair crop and 

 was secured in good condition. 



Buckwheat — Buckwheat was a failure because of lack of moisture. 



Millet — Very little sown; yield was poor. 



Sorghum — Good crop. 



Timothy-, — The drouth made the hay crop a failure and no seed was 

 threshed. 



Clover — Clover was about one-fourth of a crop at the first cutting and 

 one-half crop at the second cutting. No seed was threshed. 



Prairie Hay — Very little prairie hay grown here and that is on wet 

 land, making about half a crop. 



Potatoes — Early potatoes were a failure; some were not worth digging. 

 Late potatoes grew until cut down by frost, making about one-half of a 

 crop. 



Vegetables — Where gardens could be watered there was a good yield of 

 vegetables but ordinarily the crop was poor. 



Apples — Practically no apples in the county; all killed by late frost. 



Other Fruits — Small fruits were all killed by late frosts in the spring. 



Cattle — Cattle have been fat all summer in spite of the short feed. 

 They are in good demand at fair prices. 



Horses — Bringing good prices; spring colts are scarce. Stock generally 

 healthy. 



Swine — A general scarcity of brood sows last fall resulted in a short 

 lot of pigs. No hog cholera or other diseases among the swine. 



Sheep — The season has been favorable to lambs and flocks are in good 

 shape for winter. 

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