72 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



bers and general interest, many new breeders appearing to compete with 

 the older establishments for honors. 



While sheep, in point of numbers, take fourth place in the estimate of 

 Iowa farmers, there were at the Iowa State Fair 33 exhibitors who proved 

 by the fine examples of the various breeds of mutton and wool producers, 

 that sheep are growing in favor on the farms of this region, and that with 

 proper encouragement the size and number of flocks will increase stead- 

 ily until the lessening production on the range is offset by more inten- 

 sive production on farms where sheep raising and sheep feeding should 

 go hand in hand. 



Poultry enthusiasts — and every poultry raiser is an enthusiast — found 

 all they could desire in the very creditable exhibit of fowls of all grades, 

 breeds and classes in the poultry building on the hill. Tagging all pens 

 and coops with the name, age and sex of each bird enabled the casual 

 visitor to study with accuracy the distinguishing marks and characteris- 

 tics of the different kinds of chickens, geese, etc., that were on display. 



Special days were given over to the American Legion, the old soldiers, 

 the farm bureau, the boys and girls' clubs, the live stock parade and 

 the auto races, with the Sunday intervening especially devoted to a 

 musical program. 



On Thursday, September 2d, which was set apart as Live Stock Pa- 

 rade Day, more than 700 prize winners marched through the grounds and 

 in front of the grandstand. That this was easily a "million-dollar pa- 

 rade" can be seen from the fact that values of many of these champions 

 run into five figures. It would be difficult to find anywhere on earth a 

 better array of live stock of high character and breeding. 



Farm Bureau Day was Monday, August 30th, and interest in this move- 

 ment was illustrated by the attendance on that day — the largest for any 

 previous Monday — something over 61,000 visitors being registered at the 

 gates. It is understood that Monday will be regularly observed as Farm 

 Bureau Day hereafter. This year members and others were favored by 

 the presence of J. R. Howard, president of the American Farm Bureau 

 Federation, who talked simply, but pointedly, of what the national organ- 

 ization has accomplished and what it hopes to do. National Secretary 

 John W. Coverdale was also present, and notable speakers from other 

 states contributed to a remarkably illuminating program. 



There were 91 competitors in the Boys' and Girls' Baby Beef Club, and 

 157 in the Pig Club. In the county exhibit, in which 10 pure-bred beef 

 heifers were shown from each county, there were 31 boys and girls entered 

 as contestants. 



RURAL IOWA ON PARADE. 

 From Wallace's Farmer, Des Moines, Iowa. 



Why do they come to the fair? 



Probably 100,000 Iowa farm people made their way through the turn- 

 stiles at the Des Moines fair grounds fair week. What drew them? 



