Weather
RAINS BENEFITED VEGETATION IN MANY INTERIOR DISTRICTS
Conditions Mostly Favorable for Cotton—Wheat Too Far Advanced for Much Rust Damage.
Beneficial rains were received during the week ending Aug. 1 in many Central Valley districts, but the rainfall was of rather local character and many areas were still in need of moisture. The rainfall was especially beneficial for growing crops in Iowa, much of South Dakota, portions of Kansas, and parts of the Ohio Valley States. Vegetation was improved also in the northwestern Plains area and in many sections of the central Rocky Mountain States.
Showers brought some relief in the far Southwest, particularly in portions of Arizona and northern New Mexico, but other localities in that area were still in need of rain. Very little rain occurred from the lower Great Plains southward and the high temperatures in that area were accompanied in some localities by destructive hot winds. Late truck needed rain also in some other Southern States. Farm work made good progress generally, except for some delay, principally in north Central States, caused by heavy rainfall. Roads were mostly in good condition.
THRASHING SOMEWHAT RETARDED.
Small grains.—There was considerable rainfall during the week in many localities of the North Central States, and thrashing of small grains was retarded in this section. There was some injury to grain in shock also in portions of the upper Mississippi Valley, particularly in Iowa. East of the Mississippi River this work made generally good progress under favorable weather conditions, while harvesting of late grain and thrashing progressed rapidly in the far Northwestern States. Plowing for fall seeding showed progress in the lower Missouri Valley, the north central Great Plains States, and in some Ohio Valley districts, with the soil mostly in good condition.
Reports of black rust in spring wheat continued from the central and eastern portions of North Dakota, but the crop was too far advanced to suffer serious damage. There was some local damage by hail in Minnesota, and the condition of spring wheat is variable in that State, though on the whole it is generally fair. The crop was largely harvested in South Dakota and some thrashing was done with fair yields with the grain of good to excellent quality.
Oat and barley harvests continued in the Northeastern States, and thrashing progressed in the Ohio Valley region. The yields in the latter area were mostly disappointing. Considerable oats in shock were damaged in Iowa by molding, rotting, and sprouting due to wet weather. Oats were benefited in many of the later western districts by the showers of the week. Flax was reported in mostly good condition in South Dakota. Rice did well in California and the condition and progress of this crop was reported as good in Texas. Harvest of the early rice crop was in progress in Louisiana.
Corn.—The rainfall in the central and upper Mississippi Valley, much of the Great Plains area, and in localities of the Ohio Valley was very beneficial to corn. The late crop, however, in the lower Great Plains, in Texas, and some other southern localities needed rain badly. The condition and development of the crop were reported as excellent in all sections of Missouri and fair to very good in Iowa. Moderately heavy rains occurred in the last-named State, especially in the western portion, where moisture had been badly needed. The progress of the crop was very good in Illinois, fair to very good in Indiana generally, although it needed rain in the eastern portion of the latter State. Corn was in good condition in Ohio but needed rain in many places.
The crop was favorably affected by the weather in the Middle Atlantic States and was doing well in northeastern districts. The nights continued too cool for best development of this crop in the western upper Lake region, where growth was backward. Fields were uneven but generally fair and showed some improvement in Minnesota. Corn had mostly tasseled out to the extreme north central portion of the country. Broom corn was damaged by drought in the southern Great Plains, especially in western Oklahoma.