Too Much September and October Rain: 1941

VALE, PENDER, BESWICK

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 1/31/2014 at 09:36:08

TOO MUCH SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER RAIN
**Handwritten: 1941

The excess rainfall is no joke to the Iowa farmers who have corn to husk and soy beans to combine.

In many corn fields the excessive rains and strong wind have broken the stalks and caused the ears to fall to the ground where they are now sprouting in the mud.

Rains have been so continuous that the farmers have been unable to husk their corn with mechanical pickers or to havest their beans by combine. Some farmers have tried pulling their combine with two tractors without much success.

Rains have been general but there have also many times been local showers, hence the precipitation varies greatly in different localities, however, it is interesting to note that the rainfall record from the Bruce R. Vale unofficial station shows a total of 6.4 inches for September and 9.9 inches in October up to Monday morning, Oct. 27.

Last year the rainfall at the Vale station in September was .14 of an inch and for October 3.12 inches. The total rainfall for the year 1940 was 26.19 inches, and the total for 1941 up to this date is about 36 inches or the annual average, with two months yet to go.

Following is the rainfall for the 1941 crop season: May 4.14 inches; June 4.73 inches; July 2:09 inches; August 2.67 inches; September 6.4 inches; October 9.9 inches.

The R.L. Pender unofficial station at Bonaparte reports 10.70 inches for the month of October up to Oct. 27.

The Roy Beswick unoffical station at Stockport reports a total of 34.14 inches of precipitation for this year up to Oct. 27, and the following report by months:

Jan. 2.56; Feb. .36; March .67; April 2.55; May 3.88; June 6.05; July 1.84; August 2.38; September 5.05; and for October 8.80 inches.

Those who enjoy figures might entertain themselves by figuring the amount of water which dropped upon Van Buren county during the month of October. An inch of water on an acre makes 27,152 gallons, or about 113 tons.

Ponds and cisterns are well filled and the soil and the sub-soil are saturated. In some ways the excessive rainfall, although causing a loss in the corn, and soy bean crops, may otherwise be a blessing.

"Scrapbook of Unknown Origin"