68 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



436 and more interest was manifested in the show of equine beauties 

 than has been the case for a number of years past. 



There is nothing new in saying that Iowa is a great hog state, yet it is 

 worth recalling that on the first of this year the bureau statistics of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture reported 10,389,000 hogs for Iowa, 

 or twice as many as were owned at that time in the second largest hog- 

 producing state, Illinois. In view of this large number of hogs in Iowa, 

 we all expected much from the hog show at Des Moines this year, but 

 no one was quite ready to believe that 4,055 head would be shown on the 

 grounds. This number includes the hogs exhibited by boys' and girls' 

 clubs. 



That interest in sheep breeding is on the increase was quite in evi- 

 dence at the Iowa State Fair this year. There was a good representa- 

 tion of the leading breeds of sheep, particularly from Iowa. In fact, the 

 sheep show was an Iowa show. 



While there was an estimated decrease of 20 per cent in the poultry 

 entries this year, the average quality in the exhibits was increased by 

 a much larger percentage, with the result that the competition for places 

 of all classes was very close. The reason for decreasing entries was 

 due to the exclusion of professional exhibitors, who have brought as 

 high as 500 to 800 fowls to the Iowa fair in other years. "Hucksters," 

 as they are known among breeders, were discouraged this year by a rul- 

 ing of the state fair board that no exhibitor could enter more than 50 

 birds and, as a consequence, the small breeders were greatly encouraged 

 by reason of the better opportunity offered them and will make every 

 effort to have the ruling on "hucksters" continued. 



THE FINEST EXHIBIT AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR, 



The 1920 state fair was one of which all Iowa may well be proud, and 

 with such a wonderful collection of excellent exhibits claiming attention, 

 it might seem a hopeless task to attempt to choose the greatest. But to 

 my way of thinking, there was one which outclassed all others. Every 

 person who visited the fair will testify to the wealth and variety of its 

 attractions — to the fine assortment of grains and vegetables, the lovely 

 display of fruits and flowers, the appetizing pantry stores, the instructive 

 exhibits of the schools, colleges and state institutions, the beautiful works 

 of art, the marvelous machinery exhibit and the grand collection of prize- 

 winning live stock. But while I appreciate every department of the fair, 

 it was not the display of Iowa's wealth and industry that pleased me 

 most. As I gazed at the well-dressed, well-mannered folk, who thronged 

 every part of the grounds, I felt that the finest spectacle — the prize ex- 

 hibit of the Hawkeye state — was the happy, prosperous people, who had 

 created this fair and then assembled in holiday spirit to view the work 

 of their brains and hands. — Editorial by James M. Pierce. 



