TWENTIETH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I] 113 



but this year all records were smashed and as load after load of 

 promising porkers came into the yards the officials of the swine division 

 were put to their last resources to find accommodations. When the of- 

 ficial count was made on Thursday it was found that there were about 

 3,200 hogs on the grounds — twice the average for a show of this kind 

 and a third greater than the total for 1918. Indeed, the great National 

 Swine Show to be held at Des Moines this month will do well if it af- 

 fords a more overwhelming testimonial to the merits of the bred-for- 

 production hog than our state fair just closed has done. 



Every breed of profitable, big-bone, modern-scale hog was represented 

 at the show with individuals and groups that would be hard to outclass 

 in any sort of select company. The Durocs and the Polands were close 

 contenders for premier honors in point of numbers at the show, although 

 the former probably came out a bit in the lead, having a total of over 

 900 animals in pens. The Poland Chinas were represented by 865 head. 

 Chesters numbered 633, Hampshires 390, Spotted Polands 143, Berk- 

 shires 76, Tamworths 47, Yorkshires 41, Mulefoots 21, and the boys' and 

 girls' amateur entries were 78, making the grand total well up toward 

 3,200 — a record that no state fair in the country will be apt to beat for 

 some time. 



Harmony and satisfaction was prevailingly evident at the show, and the 

 decisions of th ^ judges without exception proved pleasing to spectators as 

 well as exhibitors, as the type each judge had in mind seemed quite in 

 line with the accepted standards for the various breeds. 



The Duroc Jersey, the Chester White and the Poland China rings were 

 naturally the most crowded with interested visitors during the progress 

 of the awards, owing to the predominance of those breeds in Iowa. 

 Much growth is evident, however, in the strength of the Hampshire 

 and Spotted Poland breeds and their devotees are ever increasing with 

 the wider demand for profitable production of pork. Some fine, clean, 

 large-type Yorkshires and a few pens of choice Tamworths lent variety to 

 the show. The Berkshire men also led some very excellent animals 

 ringward. Officials of the Poland, Chester White and Duroc Jersey 

 breed headquarters were on hand at the show and without exception 

 they marveled much at the extent of Iowa's progress in swine husbandry 

 as reflected in the number of swine shown and the increasing interest 

 evident among the fair visitors. Secretary Carmichael of the National 

 Swine Show was also present and expressed gratification over the quan- 

 tity and quality of the entries. Altogether, it was the biggest swine 

 week that Iowa has ever seen, with this fact foremost, that the entries 

 were of the real kind that make good under average farm conditions be- 

 cause of their inherent qualities of size, bone and substance now being 

 insisted upon for economy's sake. 



SHEEP, 



The sheep show was a very strong one, both from the standpoint of 

 size and quality of the entries. There were 784 sheep on the grounds. 

 As usual, the Shropshires led, this time with 275 head; they were fol- 

 lowed by the Oxfords with 121 head and the Cotswolds with 93 head. 



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