The Mexican bean beetle was reported as a serious pest from several counties in Tennessee.
Warm in Southwest during Week.
Moderate midsummer temperatures prevailed in most sections of the country during the week, except for unusually warm weather in some south central districts. Maximum temperatures were frequently above 100° in Oklahoma, western Arkansas, and northern Texas, the highest reported in this area being 104° at Oklahoma City on July 26. Chart 1, page [120], shows that for the week as a whole the temperature averaged below normal in the Northeast, some north central localities, and in most sections west of the Rocky Mountains. Elsewhere the weekly averages were above normal, being decidedly above normal in the lower Great Plains section.
Rainfall was generally of a local character during the week, with light to moderate, and in a few instances heavy, showers reported generally from the Mississippi Valley eastward, as shown by Chart 2, page [120]. Good rains occurred in the northwestern Great Plains, but little or none was received from the southern Plains southward.
Average August Weather.
The last two columns of the table on this page show the normal temperature and precipitation for the month of August at the various Weather Bureau stations throughout the country. The average temperature for August differs but little from that of July, although as a rule August is slightly cooler except on the Pacific coast. East of the Rocky Mountains the coolest August weather usually occurs in the upper Lake region and the Northeastern States, where the monthly normals are about 62° to 65°. The normals are slightly above 80° in much of the Gulf coast section.
Rainfall in August is frequently of a local character, resulting largely from thunderstorms. The highest monthly averages for August vary from 6 ins. to more than 8 ins. and occur in the more southeastern States. The dry season continues over the Pacific Coast States and little or no rain is expected, except for occasional showers in the mountains and in the more northern districts. Thunderstorms during August are usually more frequent along the east Gulf coast than in any other section of the country, occurring on the average on about 20 days during the month. They are usually active also during this month in the far Southwest, this being within the season of maximum rainfall in Arizona and New Mexico and portions of the adjoining States.
Irish Flax Industry Failing.
The Irish flax industry is threatened with extinction, according to a report from the American Consul at Belfast. The area under flax for the present year amounts to only 25,000 acres, compared with 40,000 acres in 1921 and 127,193 acres in 1920.