686 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



AGRICUI.TUBE NOT STRONG. 



The agricultural, horticultural and floral departments are housed in 

 the agricultural buildings and are a part only of the various displays that 

 are used to fill up the exhibition space of this large building. The agri- 

 cultural display of the great state of Iowa, as presented at the Iowa State 

 fair is a surprise and disappointment to visitors generally. The county 

 collective exhibits are participated in by eight or nine counties and are 

 put up on the economical plan in space covered, variety and quality dis- 

 played that is entirely out of proportion with a great agricultural state 

 like Iowa. If the importance of agriculture in Iowa was to be measured 

 by its display at the state fair it would be woefully and fearfully misrep- 

 resented. The quality of its products exhibited, the taste of the exhibitor 

 in putting up these displays are without fault. It is the lack of premium 

 incentive to induce the farmer and gardener to bring the stuff to the fair 

 that gives this department its stinted and out of proportion effect upon the 

 visitor. A few thousand dollars injected into the farm products depart- 

 ment of the premium list would result in crowding the other departments 

 and foreign exhibits of this building which is now designated as agricul- 

 tural hall and Iowa's State fair would take a position where it belongs in 

 the front ranks in the exposition of farm products. 



HORTICtTLTUEAL EXHIBIT. 



The horticultural exhibit was good, as is usually the case at this fair. 

 The display of apples indicated that the Iowa orchardist had been looking 

 after the codling moth, that the sprayer had been in use in the orchard 

 and that orchard care has been observed in at least some of the orchards 

 of Iowa. 



Among the very fine displays we shall mention only a few. Garret Bros, 

 of Polk county had five tables, 4x20 feet, exhibition space, with a full dis- 

 play of all kinds of fruits. The quality was good. 



W. W. Guiou, with an excellent display, was competing for finest artistic 

 design made from fruits. 



B. A. Mathews of Knoxville, la., had a remarkable display of pears. He 

 had seventy-two varieties on exhibition from an orchard that contained 

 175 varieties. Mr. Mathews is called by some a pear crank, but the title 

 of pear expert might be more properly applied to this gentleman, and with 

 very good grace, since he grows pears by the carload. His pear orchard 

 contains 3,100 trees. His preferred kinds and those that he recommends 

 for the common orchard are Keiffer, Warner, Durand Clairgan, Flemish 

 Beauty, Seckel and "Vermont Beauty. 



J. W. Murphy, Mills county, showed 188 varieties of fruits, ninety-seven 

 of these being apples and twelve crabs. His table space was 3,200 square 

 feet, an extra fine show, the result of spraying regularly each year. 



The bee and honey exhibit was good considering the poor season just 

 passing for bees to gather supplies. The dairy products exhibit was not 

 so full as has been shown in former years; the creamery supply depart- 

 ment and separator exhibit was not so active in pushing their interests 

 nor so strongly represented. 



