64 TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II 



The cattle show this year was one of the largest ever held at 

 the Iowa State Fair. Twelve hundred and ten head of exhibition 

 cattle were housed in the new brick cattle barn. Of this number 

 145 head of baby beeves and 47 pure bred heifers were shown in 

 the boys' and girls' club department. Competent judges and the 

 agricultural press seem to be almost unanimous in their opinion 

 that it was the greatest quality showing of cattle ever held at the 

 Iowa State Fair. It is also conceded to be the largest cattle show 

 held in connection with any state fair in America this year. 



In the horse department, the show was uniformly well balanced. 

 Strong competition was found in all draft horse classes, with the 

 finest specimens of the breed competing. The showing of saddle 

 and harness horses was without question considerably above the 

 average, both in number and quality, and included some of the 

 finest stables of show horses in the Middle West. 



The live stock and horse show in the live stock pavilion each 

 evening provided a treat for the admirers of the horse and was 

 well attended, standing room being sold on Monday and Tuesday 

 evenings. 



The sheep entries totalled 643 and it was considered an excellent 

 showing by the breeders in the face of present conditions. The 

 Iowa Fleece & Wool Growers' Association set a new standard for 

 wool exhibits this year, attracting wide attention on the part of 

 all fair visitors. 



A total of 54 goats were entered in the goat department. 



In spite of the fact that the greatest interest among farmers cen- 

 tered in the live stock competition and live stock judging, the agri- 

 cultural department, and more especially the section devoted to the 

 county and individual farm exhibits, attracted wide attention. 

 These exhibits were the backbone of the agricultural showing and 

 consisted of twenty county exhibits and thirteen individual farm 

 exhibits. This was an increase of three county exhibits over last 

 year. The quality of the products exhibited and the manner of ar- 

 rangement and display was excellent. Polk county carried off the 

 grand championship in the county exhibit class. 



One of the most valuable and educational features of the fair 

 to the farmers and stockmen was the Cow Test Association exhibit 

 and the pure bred sire exhibit in the brick cattle barn. This ex- 

 hibit brought out, in a forceful manner, the necessity of testing 

 dairy cattle, and also some striking results in the use of pure bred 

 sires. The various generations of offspring of pure bred sires and 



