TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK—PART XI 685 



The Poland-Chinas were in evidence in large numbers, but owing to a 

 divergence in type that has developed into what is termed the small-boned 

 and the large-boned Poland-Chinas, there is not the exhibition interest 

 in this breed that formerly prevailed. It seems that this big type and 

 small type idea has grown so pronounced with breeders that there is rea- 

 son for a separate classification in order to satisfy the exhibition de- 

 mands. The judge, if he be of the big type idea, could not consistently 

 make the small type hog fill his ideal when judging, consequnetly would 

 be disqualified for this duty, and vice versa, should the judge be of the 

 small type persuasion. 



It would seem a useless task to try to convert one of these factions or 

 class of breeders over to the other. They could not be persuaded to take 

 a medium position even. The quickest way out would be for the fair as- 

 sociations to satisfy these extremes by classification and fix a standard ofi 

 weights to get into the big types similar to the plan in use by the poultry 

 breeders of the big breeds. This would cut the strings and let the big 

 hog breeder go uninterruptedly forward, making his ideal just as big as 

 his fancy seemed to justify in this particular feature. The hog display 

 was estimated to be almost one-third less in numbers this year in com- 

 parison with former years, but fully up in qualitj^ many asserting that 

 they never saw so few hogs at this fair that could not be classed as good, 

 both in quality and condition. 



SHEEP INDUSTRY GKOWING. 



The sheep industry in Iowa is steadily advancing and upon a basis of 

 better animals and more flocks. The farm flock is getting to be more 

 common in Iowa and these are generally being started upon a pure-bred 

 foundation. Seven years ago, when the present superintendent, H. L. 

 Pike, first took charge of this department, there were less than 200 sheep 

 exhibited by ten exhibitors. This division of the fair has steadily in- 

 creased until there are now three times this number of sheep on exhibi- 

 tion by three times the number of owners. The Iowa State fair has de- 

 veloped this department into one of the best sheep shows in the country. 

 Patrons come now from eight different states to get the advertising ad- 

 vantage that this fair affords. 



The poultry department has taken on new life and this year shows a 

 greatly increased display of fowls and of better quality. The state fair 

 management has added to the exhibition facilities of this feature of their 

 fair a new equipment of cooping, consisting of 800 of the new wire coops 

 at a cost of $1,800. This is said to have revived a disposition to show 

 among many fanciers who w-ere not pleased with the old plan of cooping 

 in all sorts of boxes and styles of coops. The department is so wonder- 

 fully improved by this new furniture that the general features of the show 

 are scarcely recognizable, even by the old every-year exhibitor who has 

 been coming since the fair was first organized. It pays to dress up occa- 

 sionally, even if it is no more than getting new chicken coops. 



