162 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



today is the big John of tomorrow, bringing his little Johnnies to see our 

 fair, and our anticipation of future development of the present-day fair is 

 what is going to make these boys like our future fair as their father en- 

 joys the fair of the present. 



The lad of today with his candy and bag of peanuts watching with 

 open-eyed astonishment the big hog, the sleek cattle, and the shinmg 

 horses is the big John of tomorrow leading the blue-ribbon bull or the 

 prize stallion through the . judging ring, making little Johnnie gasp at 

 the results of his achievement. The impression he receives from our fair 

 today is the impression that he carries away and retains until he returns 

 ten, fifteen or twenty years hence and brings exhibits to our fair and as- 

 sists us in that we are striving to attain — an exhibition of the best in 

 agricultural achievement. 



Future improvements for our grounds must be planned for today in 

 order to bring our fair up to the standard which big John will demand to- 

 morrow. Unless we foresee his needs and his desires at our futiire fairs, 

 he will be as badly disappointed as if he had not received the attention 

 which he deserves at our present fair. 



The fair of today stands for a great deal more than the fair of yester- 

 day, and the fair of tomorrow will mean just exactly what we make it 

 mean, and no more. 



Attendance at a fair is an education in itself, and must be balanced in 

 exhibits and entertainment just as an education. Too many races, too 

 little live stock, too many concessions, or too few agricultural products is 

 just as bad for Johnny as too much algebra or too much grammar. 



The concessions, races and free attractions are a necessity, but they 

 are only a means toward an end. The end is to give the farmer, the fruit 

 and vegetable grower, the mining operator, the lumberman, the manufac- 

 turer and the merchant an opportunity to place before the public their 

 responsibility and their place in the great scheme of production. 



The fair is a far-flung competitive market where every variety of prod- 

 uct and every type of machinery is on display. On some fair grounds as 

 high as twenty acres is turned over to the jobbers of tractors, engines, 

 automobiles, silos, farm implements, lighting systems, heating plants, 

 sewage disposal plants, dairy equipment, and labor-saving devices for the 

 home. 



All this display of equipment means an economy of time and money to 

 the farmer anticipating purchases, and on the other hand the industrial 

 concerns reap a harvest of orders as a result of their display at one place 

 during one period. 



It is the farmers' best chance to reach the largest number of people 

 at one time, and it brings the public in contact with the best methods of 

 production and the finest produce and live stock of the leading growers 

 and breeders of that section. 



Of all the producers, the manufacturers and merchants have the best 

 chance to display their wares dunng twelve months of the year, while 

 the farmer is placed under a decided handicap unless he is given an op- 

 portunity to display his wares at our fairs. 



The pure-bred live stock man grasps every opportunity to display his 



