132 TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 



types. Twenty silos of different construction are permanent fixtures in 

 the machinery division, which was more interesting, instructive and pop- 

 ular than it has ever been before. Manufacturers and distributors who 

 exhibit farm machinery and implements at the fairs are abandoning their 

 old attitude of an impersonal salesmanship, with a purely mercenary 

 interest in farmers. The new attitude is that of personal, interested co- 

 operation with farmers, whom they are spending money to serve. Farm- 

 ing from now henceforward is going to employ so much machinery tor 

 so many purposes that the service idea on the part of manufacturers is a 

 heartening augury. 



In the agricultural building, captivatingly decorated with gladioli and 

 smilax, sixteen Iowa counties and a dozen individual farms in different 

 sections of the state were represented in booths by composite farm, 

 orchard and garden exhibits, all entered for large cash prizes. Polk 

 county was the highest scoring county, and E. M. Wilson, of Guthrie 

 county, the highest scoring individual. 



Exhibits of public interest and value were made by sixteen educational, 

 eleemosynary and penal institutions, under the Iowa State Board of 

 Control. 



First-class concerts by a number of bands, abbreviated grand opera 

 (in which 100 people sang) each evening before the grand stand, at- 

 tractive decorations in the exhibition buildings, and the maintaining of 

 a high standard of floral, vine and shrub landscaping on the grounds, 

 prove that the fair managers are making the fair a cultural influence, as 

 well as a useful institution. 



The Chicago Board of Trade was represented by an effective exhibit 

 (seen at the Aurora, 111., fair two weeks ago) showing a miniature grain 

 elevator in operation, and the principles and details of grain inspection 

 and grading. 



Perhaps the most popular human interest feature of the fair was the 

 combined state and national horseshoe pitchers' tournaments, in which 

 more than $2,000 was awarded in prizes. Eighty-one men and boys (some 

 of the latter barely out of their "teens"), mostly from farms, competed 

 in the men's state contest, and 75 from 12 states in the national. A dozen 

 women and girls from four states competed in the women's national. 

 Thousands of people, in the bleachers on either side of the "court," 

 witnessed and applauded the pitchers throughout the five days of the 

 tournament. A dozen or more pitchers in pairs were in action at the 

 same time, each playing on a separate pair of pegs. The clank of the 

 steel shoes, the incredibly high percentage of ringers thrown, the rat- 

 killing earnestness and speed of the players, the activity of the official 

 scorers, the real farm "uniforms" of all shades, patterns and ages worn 

 by the contestants, and the interest manifested by the spectators made 

 the tournaments a memorable success. We should like to see this good, 

 old-fashioned game restored everywhere to its pioneer popularity. 



Eighty acres of the grounds are used as a camping site by farm fam- 

 ilies, who, arriving in autos, spend several days to a week at the fair. 

 The tents used are rented; a store, meat shop and postoffice are on the 



