690 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



given over to the wilderness and the Indian yielded up their crop treas- 

 ures, not grudgingly, but bountifully, beyond the agricultural dreams of 

 avarice when the first state fair was held. Instead of a handful of peo- 

 ple in attendance, there were a quarter of a million. Instead of coming 

 to an outpost on the western frontier, they came to a bustling, thriving, 

 prosperous city of 100,000 inhabitants, "back east" to hundreds and hun- 

 dreds of grandsons and granddaughters of those visitors to the first Iowa 

 State Fair. 



Fifty-five years ago Iowa set its fair the task of exploiting the possi- 

 bilities and displaying the fulfillments of the state. As the years have 

 passed both the possibilities and the fulfillments have increased. The 

 brain and the brawn of eastern agricultural sections have settled in Iowa 

 and been assimilated by the spirit of progress. New ideas have been eag- 

 erly accepted and modern methods followed, until the productiveness of 

 acres has vastly increased. So the succeeding fairs have found larger and 

 better displays, a more contented and prosperous people, and records have 

 gone on being broken with almost monotonous regularity. It remained 

 for the 1909 state fair, however, to eclipse all the others and more con- 

 clusively prove beyond shadow of doubt to all the outside world that 

 Iowa is the Promised Land of plenty. Never before was prosperity so 

 evident on every hand; never before did so many people attend the fair 

 and show so much interest in the exhibits; never before were the possi- 

 bilities of Iowa for the future so blended with the fulfillments of Iowa 

 for the past. For agricultural Iowa is bordering on another Promised 

 Land of plenty this year, as it was when the first state fair was held. 

 Real, profitable dairying is just beginning; the ordinary cow is being dis- 

 placed by the pedigreed; the uncertain profits of the past are about to 

 give way to the certain, stable profits of modern, scientific dairying. Im- 

 proved machinery and the dissemination of up-to-date agronomy ideas are 

 working together to make acres yield more bushels and tons than ever be- 

 fore. And so a quarter of a million people passed through the gates of the 

 fair that they might jubilate over the past and learn for the future. 

 Herein lies the real, true value of such expositions as Iowa has been hold- 

 ing for the past fifty-five years. 



Weather is always an important factor in state fairs and this year 

 it was both excellent and poor. Two days before the fair opened the dry 

 spell which had extended over practically the entire state and had lasted 

 uninterruptedly for more than a month gave way before a drenching, 

 cooling rain which was worth millions of dollars to the crops. That rain 

 undoubtedly played an important part in the success of the fair, for doubts 

 as to the yield of numerous crops were dispelled and farmers were able 

 to leave home for a few days, content that the autumn held promise of 

 profit. Wednesday a chilly wave set in and overcoats and wraps quickly 

 became necessary, while the inevitable vendors of cold drinks, ice cream' 

 cones and chilled w^atermelon found themselves with a supply far exceed- 

 ing the demand. But while the fair officials state that hot weather is the 

 best for bring out crowds, the fact remains that cool days are the most 

 pleasant for getting about the grounds and seeing the sights. The even- 



