TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI 071 



tl at have made the Iowa fair the great state fair of the country, I talie 

 leave and bid you God speed. Sincerely, 



S. B. Packard. 



Mr. Jolmston read his report as superintendent of the Swine de- 

 partment, as follows : 



REPORT OF THE SWINE DEPARTMENT. 



R. S. JOHNSTON, SUPERINTENDENT. 



The swine show at the 1009 Iowa State Fair was the most satisfactory 

 of any of the six with which v,e have had anything to do. While the 

 number on exhibition was not as great as some other years, the quality 

 was, if anything, of a higher average. Various causes can be attributed 

 to the decrease in numbers. As all who are familiar with the market 

 reports know, there is a shortage in the marketable number of swine in 

 the corn belt; in other words, there are not as many hogs in the country 

 as there were two years ago. It is reasonable to believe that breeders 

 and farmers have made an effort, but from personal inquiry we are lead 

 to believe there were heavy losses in the 1909 pig crop. And again, the 

 high prices of pork prevailing during 1908 sent many a brood sow to the 

 fattening pen. And as the spring in many sections was extremely late 

 and wet, the breeders neglected their show herds in order to cultivate their 

 crops. 



The bringing of cheap sale stuff to the Iowa State Fair has been dis- 

 couraged, and a herd to win premiums at the Iowa fair is not fitted in 

 a day, but requires a long time and lots of corn and attention. 



The above are general conditions. Below we give a few of the more 

 local reasons. 



For several years there have been more applications for space in the 

 swine department than could be taken care of; and since the erection 

 of the present quarters it has been the policy to refuse space beyond the 

 capacity of the building and large numbers of entries were turned away 

 previous to this year. And we are inclined that some who would have 

 liked to exhibit did not apply for space, thinking there would be no 

 chance to get in. Then again, our present rules prohibit an exhibitor 

 from engaging more than ten pens, and not more than two pens for pigs 

 under six months of age; and he is not allowed to make more than two 

 entries in any one class. 



We feel better satisfied with the show of 1909 than any previous year. 

 In fact we cannot see but what the Iowa swine show now leads all others. 

 We speak from some observation and many reports to that effect. The 

 building that houses this great show is conceded by all to be a model 

 for what it is intended. With the present sanitary conditions the breeder 

 takes few chances of disease, as it has been proven that disease con- 

 tracted before arrival can break cut in this building and be kept from 

 spreading. The completion of the show pavilion the present year gave us 

 a chance to carry out a method of judging that we had had in mind for 

 some time, and we are glad to report the plan a complete success, and 

 further state that we believe the judging this year was the most satis- 

 factory to all concerned that we have had in recent years. 



