TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II 73 



"One reason why I came," said a farmer from Blackhawk county, 

 "was to get a real notion of how important the Iowa farmer is. In the 

 last year some of us have been having a pretty tough time and we need 

 to see this exhibition to bolster up our self-respect and to make us feel 

 that we are really an essential part of the business of the country." 



After a winter marked by heavy losses to all live-stock producers and 

 a year characterized by persistent price drives on the part of the gov- 

 ernment, the Iowa farmer perhaps needed something to convince him 

 of his own importance. From the attitude of federal and state authori- 

 ties it had often seemed to him that his business was perhaps of less 

 value than that of a two-by-four manufacturing concern in a third-rate 

 eastern state. For a feeling of this sort, the Iowa fair, with its tremen- 

 dous exhibits of all types of farm products, was a splendid remedy. The 

 only unfortunate thing about it was perhaps that it was not possible to 

 compel the attendance of federal officials who have been underrating the 

 value of agriculture to the country. 



For many men, however, the answer of the Blackhawk county man 

 would be incomplete. While they come to the fair to rejoice in the ex- 

 hibition of the fruitfulness of Iowa, they also come with the purpose of 

 obtaining new ideas from the exhibits presented. The men who spend 

 their hours at the fair in talking with progressive breeders, in investi- 

 gating new types of farm machinery, or in looking over the educational 

 exhibits of the county, state and nation, formed a large percentage of 

 the farm visitors at the fair. 



In addition to this, there was always the feeling in the air that the 

 state fair was a time for relaxation and amusement. To many a very 

 important part of the state fair visit was to take in the numerous amuse- 

 ments that were offered, to watch the races, to enjoy the evening enter- 

 tainments and to make of the week a pleasant and wholesome break from 

 the monotony of their regular work. 



To all of these demands on the part of the fair visitors, the Iowa State 

 Fair of 1920 made an adequate answer. To the farmer who was inter- 

 ested in noting the advance in agricultural progress, the cattle exhibits, 

 now housed in the splendid new cattle barn, the hogs, which overflowed 

 the hog pavilion into the several big tents, the agricultural exhibits in 

 the various other buildings, were all a testimony to the importance of 

 the Iowa farmer. The average farmer visitor could look at this side of 

 the fair and in congratulating the state on its farm progress could also 

 congratulate himself on his fortune in being a citizen of Iowa. 



There was an especial product of the Iowa farm that was sure to make 

 the visitor feel pleased with himself and with the state. This was the 

 group of boy and girl exhibitors of live stock who attended the fair. The 

 Iowa fair seems to be advancing to a place where it may be considered 

 a university for the young people of the Iowa farms. Last year a good 

 many boys and girls were housed on the grounds and were given an 

 opportunity to learn everything possible about the exhibits at the fair. 

 This year the number was increased, as was also the quality of the ex- 

 hibits which the boys and girls were able to present. At least two large 

 buildings were given over entirely to the housing of the boys and girls, 



