Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-12
FIRST CROP BULLETIN
FARM WORK FAR IN ADVANCE
OF SEASON IN ALL SEC
TloNe.
SOME WINTER KILLING OF
SMALL GRAINS REPORTED
indication. Are For Increased Acreage
of oats-Fruit Conditions Excellent
at Present, Except Peaches, Which
Will Be Complete Failure, Because
Of Freeze in October.
pecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, April 12.-T41e first of
the weekly crop bulletins for the sea-
son of 1910 was issued today by Di-
rector Chapel, and is as follows:
After winter of mutually heavy
snowfall and steady cold yeather, the
crop season Of 1910 opens under very
favorable conditions, and from to 5
weeks earlier than last year. The
larger part of the state was covered
with ice and snow from Dec. 5, 1909,
to the end of February, which afforded
good protection to grasses and winter
grains and prevented the soil from
freezing, except on the surface. Altho
the snow melted rapidly during the last
two or three days of February and the
first week of March, most of the wa
ter was absorbed by the soil. The last
month was the warmest and proba bly,
the dryest March in the history Of the
state. The temperature was continue
ously and. most of the time, abnor-
many high; and as there was no
snow and only little rain, farm oper-
ations began much earlier than usual
The remaining 20 per cent of last
years corn crop was gathered, most
of the spring wheat and fully so per
cent of the oats were soWn; plum
trees were coming in bloom, many Of
the forest trees, pastures and mead
ows were green; much of the corn
ground had been plowed, gardens
made and some vegetables up by the
end of the month.
Since the first Of April the weather
has continued favorable for farm
work The seeding of small grain is
nearly completed and rapid progress
has been made in preparing the
ground for corn. During the last
week the temperature was above the
normal, altho light frosts occurred on
the 9Th and 7th.
Copious showers occurred over the
southern and eastern counties, but
fair weather continued over the
northwestern districts, and in the lat
ter sections the surface soil is becom-
ing dry. Spring wheat and oats show
good stand except in western and
northwestern counties, where oats,
sown broadcast and not well covered,
are terminating unevenly. Winter
grains, pastures, and meadows are
generally in good condition. but re-
ports indicate some winter killing,
especially In western and southern
counties. The indications are favor
able for an Increased acreage of oats.
Many potatoes have been planted.
Good seed corn is scarce.
The following is summary of the
reports received by the secretary OF
the State Horticultural Society, show
ing the average condition of fruit
trees on April 1:
"Apples, IS per cent; pears, SO;
American plums, 80; Domestica plums.
70; Japanese plums, SO; cherries, 49,;
peaches, 3; grapes, 80; red raspber-
ries, 81; black raspberries, SO; black
berries, 65; strawberries, SO. Peach
trees are badly injured in many places;
raspberries 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 ma
ture, 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--we6ks in adj
vance of 1871, the earliest record we
have since the society was organized"
North Central District.
Kossuth (Algona)-No rain; seed
ing of small grain completed; leaves on
trees over half out and plum trees are
in blossom; meadows and pastures
need rain.
Hancock (Britt)-Rain, trace; there
was light frost on the 9Th, but there
was no apparent damage done; the
season continues very forward; the soil
is very. dry, thereby retarding the
growth of seed.
Cerro Gordo Mora Springs)-Fine
week for putting in crops; rain needed
to start grain; seeding well along and
grass growing nicely.
Floys, (Charles City)-Rain .21; seed
ing of small grain and blowing for corn
general and fine progress made.
Franklin (Geneva)-The week has
been cool and dry; thin ice formed on
the 9Th and 18th, but no damage done:
oats nearly all sown; pastures getting
green; wild plum and early apples will
soon be in full bloom; surface OF
ground getting dry and streams are
low Hampton)-No rain; seeding
nearly completed, but sprouting slow
ly; plum trees in full bloom; currants
poisoning and apples showing bios
SONS; light frost on 9Th; rain needed.
Wright (Belmond )-Rain, trace: rain