Show REVIEW HF THE CROP SEASN 1899 s I I I i I j Heavy falls of anow over the northern I north-ern and central portions of the State during February uamired a bountiful supply of water for Irrigation to those sections From February 1th to 7th Inclusive unusually low temperatures prevailed over the State Many apricot apri-cot and peach buds were killed by 1 this freese aPricots suffering lie most Other varieties of fruit were generally not far enough advanced to be 1 Injured except localities In the southern portion por-tion of the State where all kinds of fruit were badly damaged Wheat IkIds were generally covered with snow and but little Injury resulted to that crop Murcn was not a favorable month for 1 farm work Over the northern and central portions of the State the fields were well aoalced or covered with snow at the bcglnlng of the month and the continued precipitation and generally cloudy weather prevented them from drying out sulllclently to allow much ploughing Up to the lust few days of the month an entirely different l condition condi-tion I pievalled In the southern portion There the drought of former months continued with plenty of wind and sunshine rendering the ground In many places too dry to plough unless irrigated I irri-gated After the 20th the precipitation advanced further southward and at the close of the month the drought area was confined to tho southeastern and extreme bouthern portions of the State In the central and southern portions a few gardens were made and some oats and spring wheat sown Snow fell over a large portion of the State on April 2nd but this was fol olwed by a period of dry weather which lasted until the 27th The precipitation which fell from the 27th to 29th inclusive Inclu-sive was beneficial Temperature was generally excessive until about the 25th after which it I wag considerably below the normal Prevailing sunshine and high winds soon placed the wet Holds In the northern and central sections In slmpo for cultivation and ploughing and planting progressed rapidly The sowing of outs and spring wheat and the planting of sugar beets and potatoes pota-toes continued throughout the month The condition of winter wheat at the end of April ranged poor to fair the stands generally being thin Heavy frosts occurred on several dates during the last decade doing some damage to lucern early fruits and gardens The temperature for the week ended May 15th was nearly up to normal but during the rest of the month there was quite a decided deficiency The cool weather permitted very little growth and at the close of the month most crops were from two to four weeks later than usual On the mornings of Iho 2nd and 3rd temperatures were from 3 to 17 degrees below freezing This freeze killed l nearly all the stone fruit which had escaped former cold snaps and greatly damaged apples and pears over the greater portion of the State The fruit In the extreme northern and southern portions suffered least from the low temperatures Frosts and freezing freez-ing temperature l occurred In many localities lo-calities during the week ended the 22ml doing slight damage to tender plants potatoes suffering most extensively therefrom Frost was quite general uEnln on the 2Gth and 27th but did no serious damage beyond nipping potatoes pota-toes garden truck and other tender plants In I favorable localities The precipitation pre-cipitation though deficient v us well distributed both as to amount and time of fall over the sections under cultivation cultiva-tion and It Is due to this that crops were In such good condition at the close of May The heavy snowfall of the 1st was very beneficial giving the fields a thorough soaking Fall wheat did very well during the month but Its condition continued much below the average Some fields of spring wheat and oats were up and In good condition II at the opening of the month but the sowing of those crops was not completed i com-pleted until about thu 15th The planting i plant-ing of sugar beets was completed by the end of the second decade the early planted were up at that time and some were being thinned The stands were good and at the close of the month this crop was in firstclass condition the cold weather having Interfered but little lit-tle with Its growth Potato planting was completed shortly after the middle mid-dle of the month and Buffered quite extensively from the frosts Corn planting had become quite general by the 15th and by the close of the month I good stands were reported I Plant growth was retarded during the first half of June by the deficiency of temperature Heavy or killing frosts I occurred on several mornings during i this period but were most destructive I and general on the 6th and 14th rIte i I frost of tho GUt was heaviest over the northern half of the State while that of the 14th was heaviest and most in jurious In the southern counties These frosts badly damaged potatoes toma toes beans cucumbers and other ten der plants Considerable fruit In the northern tier of counties had escaped Injury from former frosts but cherries i plums and pears In that region were I seriously damaged by the frost of the I Gth It was warmer during the latter half of the month and all crops made rapid advancement Good showers fell over tho State during the first four i days of June and were very beneficial During the remainder of the month I the rainfall was not general or heavy enough to be of much value and by Its close dry farm crops were burning up Ilowevev the drought did not re fect the crops on Irrigated hinds as there was an abundance of water for 5 I Irrigation Winter wheat was heading at the beginning of June and ripening at Its close Spring wheat continued in good condition throughout the month and was heading at Its close Corn nicely The cut t and sugar beets grew ting of the first crop of lucern commenced V c com-menced during the second decade and S was still In progress at the end of tho t I month the dry farm weather favored Ii i its I harvest and while tho yield was 1 I less than the average its quality was I first class New potatoes were ready t vv T for the market by the end of the month r1 e Strawberrleo were being marketed by c the 15th but the yield was much lighter t than usual li t The average temperature and rainfall qIY rain-fall for July were about normal both I being very slightly excessive Heavy 1 I float In Rich and Summit counties on the morning of the 2ord did some dam I nte to corn potatoes and other tender plants The precipitation fell III showers 1 show-ers and was quite well distributed t I throughout the month but was not very well distributed over the different sections h sec-tions of the State Most of the first crop of lUC Ln had been stored by tho 1 I 9th and therefore very little of it was showers 1 damaged by the numerous I which fell during the week beginning 4 the 10th Dryfarm crops were suffering i 1 suffer-ing for rain at the close of June and I as very little rain fell during the first I I nine days of July the dryfarm grain was cut very short Water continued plentiful and irrigated crops made good progress During the latter portion of the month most of the winter wheat barley and rye were harvested and threshing was commenced The harvesting har-vesting of spring wheat was commenced com-menced during the last few days of 1 the mouth Tin end of the month 1 found corn In good condition and ear lag Potatoes did well in all section until near the end of tho month when I complaints came from portions ot I Beaver Iron Garfield and Sevler counties coun-ties that very few tubers were forming I form-Ing although the tops were large and healthylooking Quite a good crop ot mall fruit such as raspberries gooseberries goose-berries currants etc wits harvested during Iho month The cool weather of August where not accompanied by frost was not Injurious In-jurious to growing crops On the mornings morn-ings of the 15th ICth and 17lh heavy frosts In portions of Summit Sanpete Sevier Piute Vs ayne Iron and Uarlleld counties slightly damaged late wheat corn potatoes and tender plants On the mornings of the 22nd and 23rd heavy frosts In Box Elder Cache Rich Weber We-ber Morgan Summit Wasatch Plute Wayne and Garfield counties killed potatoes po-tatoes tomatoes squash melons cucumbers cu-cumbers and damaged corn and late wheat The showers of the first seven days Interfered with haying and harvesting har-vesting but were very beneficial to growing crops The dry weather following fol-lowing the first week was favorable for the harvesting of grain which was nearly completed by the 31st Threshing Thresh-ing continued throughout the month Potatoes declined during the first Jlf ttvn days The second crop of lucerne which wits somewhat lighter than usual was cut and stored during the month Sugar beets continued in good condition and by the close of the montb an average crop was assured September was a month of sunshine with a mean temperature slightly above the normal The rainfall was vtry light over all sections and largo areas of the State received no precipitation precipi-tation at all The dry weather was favorable fa-vorable for threshing which was about completed by the close of the month Winter wheat gave light yields Taking Tak-ing the State an a whole spring wheat may be said to have given a fair yield In Cache Weber Davis Salt Lake and Utah counties the returns were about r the average but In a number of counties coun-ties the yields were light The yields from oats barley and rye were generally gener-ally quite satisfactory Corn not injured in-jured by frost matured nicely and most c of it was cut for fodder The lost crop of lucern was cut and secured and while rather light was of good quality Beets were being dug and hauled to the factories during the latter part of the month Potatoes made a fair average av-erage crop in the central counties but In other sections the yields were generally gen-erally light Notwithstanding the dry condition of the ground considerable 4 fall ploughing and seeding were done An abundance of precipitation in tho form of ruin and snow fell from October Octo-ber 10th to loth inclusive and was very beneficial It placed the ground in good shape for ploughing and sowing mado It possible for sown grain to germinate and greatly improved the ranges While the average temperature for the month i was considerably below the normal killing frosts did not occur until later than usual Thin gave late crops an abundance of time to mature and lio 4 gathered November was a warm month with no snowfall In the valleys Sufficient rain fell to keep the ground and ranges In good condition Sugarbeet digging was completed durlrrg the month Tho yield from this crop was fully up to the average and was the most satisfactory satisfac-tory of the season Much ploughing was done The sowing of fall grain continued throughout the month EarlY sown wheat rye and barley were In excellent condition at the close of tuG month L IT MURDOCH Section Director Weather Bureau |