236 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



picked for championship. Eddingfield had purchased the McKerrow show 

 flock of Shropshires outright, with the promise that the McKerrows would 

 not show in these classes in the Western circuit. This resulted in a 

 Shropshire prize list, which did not bear McKerrow's name, a curiosity 

 at this fair. A reminder of olden days were the cup trophies awarded to 

 the best ram and the best ewe, of any breed on the grounds, both of which 

 were won by Shropshire entries. 



The Oxford show proved a record breaker. No exhibit of the breed 

 near its equal has been seen here before. McKerrow's high class imported 

 offerings were pushed hard by the very worthy home bred entries of 

 Graham and Craxon, but their more perfect fitting always landed them 

 at the top. 



The Hampshire ranks were weakened by the failure at the last moment 

 of Wm. Cooper & Nephews to appear, but Arnold's Hampshires were 

 ready to compete in open classes with all comers. He has all firsts and 

 some seconds against John Graham & Sons. Arnold also had a fine show 

 of big, sturdy Lincolns, but met with no competition. 



Four flocks of Cotswolds appeared, Anoka's carefully prepared entries 

 taking everything in the open classes. Edgar of New London, and Tay- 

 lor & Sons of Ames, furnished the domestic Cotswolds. 



About a dozen high class Southdowns from the flocks of Arnold and 

 Fautz made some tight competition, especially in the yearling classes. 

 Arnold led in all except aged rams. Postle's beautiful Cheviots and 

 Cherry's big Dorsets met no competition, but it was a pleasure to award 

 the money to entries of such merit. 



Fine wool sheep raising is not one of Iowa's "protected industries" 

 judged by state fair awards. The three Iowa breeders only now and then 

 broke into the high places in competition with King of Wyoming and the 

 Cooks from Ohio, but they furnished some very good tops in the Iowa 

 specials. In Rambouillets King's burly smooth-coated fine wools swept the 

 field. 



THE SWINE SHOW. 



Berkshire men were pleased with the size, quality and fitting of the 

 entries in this show and with the manner in which the prizes were 

 awarded by N. H. Gentry, Sedalia, Mo. The unavoidable conclusion from 

 the show is, however, that the Berkshire breeders must give sharp atten- 

 tion to defenses of the breed in this state. lowana Farms alone repre- 

 sented the Hawkeye breeders, and lowana was compelled to share the 

 ribbons generously with Kansas, Minnesota and Illinois. But lowana did 

 furnish the big feature of the show in its three-year-old sow; she was the 

 true advertising model. 



The dispute on type which has given pause to the united advance of 

 Poland China breeders is melting into harmony. Judged by standards 

 of a few years ago this was strictly a big type show, but at the same time 

 the most severe critic could not offer, as a general comment, that the 

 entries showed coarseness. The Crees aged boar, second in the class, 

 carried 1,090 pounds of pork, but there was never a dent in his back or 



