648 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



ular dairy cow. The ribbons were fairly well divided, with J. B. Smith 

 taking both championships. 



THE FAT STOCK. 



The grand champion steer fight aroused keen interest. The preliminary 

 classes in all breeds had gone off very quietly with but one or two animals 

 being shown in a class. When the grand championship class met there 

 was the champion Shorthorn, Hereford, and Angus, and the champion 

 grade of each of these three breeds competing for the final honors. Of 

 these six animals it simmered down to three two-year-olds, a Shorthorn 

 steer owned by Peak, a Hereford owned by Cargill & Price, and a grade 

 Angus by Miller. The Shorthorn was the biggest of the lot, with great 

 spring of rib, broad loin, and wide thighs. His fleshing was deep over 

 all parts, but it was soft. The Hereford was a lower set fellow with a 

 beautiful conformation; his fleshing, though not so deep, was firmer than 

 the Shorthorn. The Angus was neither as low set as the Hereford nor 

 as pretty in conformation, but his flesh was put on firmer and with less 

 waste than either the Shorthorn or the Hereford. With these three ani- 

 mals before them the three judges of the three breeds, Robson, Mortimer, 

 and Escher could not agree. Each judge seemed to prefer his own, 

 so to decide the matter Professor Craig was called in. At length he an- 

 nounced the grade Angus grand champion, and a cheer went up from the 

 lovers of the blacks. 



The grand champion steer My Choice, shown this year by W. J. Miller, 

 of Newton, Iowa, was bred and first brought out by Silas Igo, of Palmyra, 

 Iowa, who won championship honors with him two years ago. Mr. Igo 

 then sold the steer to the college at Ames, who won championship with 

 him last year. Now Mr. Miller succeeds in the diflBcult task of bring- 

 ing this steer out again in condition to win championship. Besides 

 the premium money offered by the fair association Mr. Miller also gets the 

 $25 prize offered by Silas Igo for a champion steer of his own breeding. 



In the pure bred fat Shorthorns J. R. Peak & Son. Winchester, Illinois, 

 had the only exhibits in the two-year-old and yearling classes. 



In the Galloway classes all prizes for fat stock were awarded to the 

 entries of C. S. Hechtner, Chariton, Iowa, he being the only exhibitor in 

 that division. Likewise in the Aberdeen Angus class, the only entries 

 were made by W. J. Miller, Newton, Iowa, and all prizes were awarded to 

 his entries. 



In the pure bred Hereford fat steer class Cargill & Price, La Crosse, 

 Wisconsin, won first, also on group. Makin Bros.,' Grand View, Missouri, 

 had a single entry in the grade class. The real contest of the fat stock 

 show came for the grand championship steer, which was won by the Mil- 

 ler Angus entry My Choice. The Dunwoody herd won championship over 

 all breeds. 



THE SHEEP. 



An upward tendency in prices for wool and mutton has attracted more 

 people toward the sheep industry, hence a very large show at the Iowa 



