TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 149 



of cattle of tho beef type, the exhibit of dairy cattle was the best ever 

 made in Iowa. Over two hundred head of dairy cattle were entered; one 

 herd came from Massachusetts, another from Pennsylvania, three ri'om 

 Wisconsin, one from Illinois, two from Nebraska, and one from Missouri, 

 in addition to the Iowa herds shown. There was also an increase in the 

 number of fat cattle. A less number of hogs was shown, principally for 

 the reason that there lias been a shortage of hogs all season; as to 

 (luality, it was better than ever. More interest in sheep is being taken 

 each year as indicated by the show the sheep men are making. We pre- 

 dict that when it is possible to provide a suitable sanitary sheep barn 

 in which to house this department, the sheep exhibit will be doubled in 

 a few years. 



The number of animals entered in the live stock departments follow^: 



1909 1908 1907 



Horses 922 765 472 



Cattle 888 820 805 



Sheep 650 600 475 



Swine 1.950 2,275 2,345 



While the threshermen did not make an exhibit this year, the number 

 of exhibitors in the implement, machinery and vehicle departments was 

 larger than ever, three hundred and forty exhibitors showing everything 

 which man could want. There is a noticeable increase of interest by the 

 farmers in silos and the various uses of cement for constructive purposes 

 in farm improvements. The educational exhibit of farm corps made by 

 the State Board of Agriculture was one of the most interesting and edu- 

 cational features ever had at the fair. The showing of alfalfa from over 

 one-third of the counties in the state was a revelation to Iowa people. 

 It simply demonstrated the fact that Iowa soil and Iowa people can raise 

 almost any soil crop when they set themselves to do it. 



I can best describe the magnitude of the exhibit by telling the number 

 of cars and trains necessary to transport it: 



Live stock 15 trains of 20 cars each 300 



Machinery 15 trains of 20 cars each 300 



Other exhibits 5 trains of 20 cars each 100 



35 700 



The actual attendance this year was 216,840. This will show an in- 

 crease over last year only from the fact that an actual account was kept. 

 upon the number of children admitted free on Saturday, which had never 

 been done before. The attendance less the number of children on Saturday 

 was about eight thousand less than last season. The rain on Thursday 

 was accountable for this. Every day up to Thursday showed an increased 

 attendance over 1908. The rain came down in torrents Wednesday night 

 and continued throughout most of the day Thursday. The records show 

 decreased attendance for this day over 1908 of 22,000. Following is the 

 attendance by days: 



