222 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



figure out just exactly how far we can go. The stock raiser and 

 breeder of today is an up-to-date man. He would like to exhibit 

 his stock, and will if he has proper encouragement. I find that 

 very proper encouragement is that they can take the book and 

 figure out just about what he would get out of it if he should 

 get any money at all, and invariably they pass it up. The men 

 devoting their time to breeding livestock today, if they have any 

 kind of chance, they have got to receive some money for exhibit- 

 ing their stock. And it simply means to the state of Iowa that 

 it is a handicap on their county fairs. The public today expects 

 a great deal for its money, and you have to give it a show that is 

 somewhere in keeping with that demand. If you charge them 

 you have got to give them an exhibition something near com- 

 mensurate with the charge. Now, in order to show a good, first- 

 class fair you have got to have a book that shows there is enough 

 premiums that these people can come in, and as I said, get at 

 least a part of the money to pay their expenses ; otherwise, they 

 will not come, and if they do not not go to the fair you will 

 have a deficit on the books, simply because you have failed to 

 provide for sufficient premiums. You cannot afford to lose them 

 because you are depending entirely on the gate receipts and you 

 can't offer in your book a sufficient amount for their stock for 

 the people to see when they do come. Figuring out the thing as 

 I have had to do both in Iowa and Illinois, it is a serious handi- 

 cap. The United States government at this time is paying part 

 of the salary for a county expert in Iowa and other states. The 

 state, I believe, pays part of this and the United States govern- 

 ment the balance. The United States government realizes and 

 recognizes the fact that agriculture today is the principal thing 

 upon which everybody relies. It is the real foundation, and 

 they are willing to spend their money along these lines. After 

 the county expert has been through the county and the associa- 

 tion has influenced the men to take up the more scientific 

 methods of farming if he produces an article either in the way 

 of livestock or in grain, or some articles of agriculture for the 

 county, district or state fair, they have to carry on the work 

 at the original expense of the United States government and 

 they ought to have some help. It is something that can be made 

 a good thing. Another thing, the United States government has 



