EDITORIAL. 4lM 



Curtiss about a year ago from a carload lot al the stockyards, and fed 

 at the * * < » 1 1 * * i_^- « * . The reserve champion was also from the college, a 

 quite remarkable fact. This is the fourth year that the grand chain 

 pionship has fallen upon a college or station animal. In L902 it went 

 to Iowa, in L903 to Nebraska, and in L904 to Minnesota. The -how 

 ino- made by the colleges in the fat stock classes has demonstrated their 

 high ability to pick out prize animals from market lot- and to feed and 

 finish them to perfection. 



Tin' champion steer among the Shorthorns was from Purdue Uni 

 versity, and the University of Nebraska won a prize on a yearling 

 steer. Ohio State University took a large number of prizes on its 

 swine, including the grand championship in several classes. Numer- 

 ous awards were also made to the Iowa College <>n it- pigs, and to the 

 University of Wisconsin on it- sheep and on finished carcasses, in 

 addition to those in the college and station specials. 



ddie showing made by the colleges in the open classes was very 

 gratifying in view of the limited means of these institutions for acquir 

 ing and breeding live stock. Their success has again given rise to 

 complaint against allowing them to participate, on the ground that 

 they are backed by public funds. It hardly seems probable that such 

 a protest voices the feeling of any considerable number of exhibitors, 

 or that it can represent the more liberal and broad-minded (dement 

 among them. It is understood to carry no antagonism toward the 

 colleges, but to be one of principle against the competition of private 

 exhibitors with public institutions. As such, however, the objection 

 does not seem to be well taken or to represent the highest interests of 

 the live-stock industry. As one of the leading agricultural papers has 

 remarked, theobject of the exposition, conducted at such ureat expense, 

 is to educate by the exhibition of the highest class of animals, a\\<\ 

 rises far above the mere division of prize money among individual 

 exhibitors. 



A.s a matter of fact, the grand champions for the past four years have 

 been purchased in the open market at market prices, or at auction, and 

 any advantage which the colleges and stations may have had has been 

 in the line of ability rather than of funds. In feeding and fitting 

 these animals no secret practices have been followed. The condition- 

 are a matter of careful record and the results are therefore a contribu- 

 tion to the practice 4 of feeding. The protest is a compliment to the insti- 

 tutions, for it is an acknowledgment of their abilitie- and their facilities 

 for teaching animal husbandry. "If the college men can beat the 

 practical breeders in breeding, selecting, and feeding animal-, it i- a 

 fine thine- for the public to know." They have -<> long been held 

 in disregard, and so recently in connection with tin- International 

 Exposition, that if they are now showing unmistakably that they are 



