250 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



very gratifying. Mucli of the roughness is disappearing, while losing 

 none of the characteristic rugged appearance and a real dairy machine 

 is fast being developed. The cow, Hildare, shown by Hawthorn Farm, 

 Lake county, 111., is an example of a rugged dairy machine that many 

 dairy men are seeking. She has as capacious and well-shaped an udder 

 and is as well veined as the better cows of other breeds, with the digestive 

 capacity and strength of constitution that are the envy of all dairy 

 breeders. There were others nearly as good, but she is mentioned as an 

 illustration of what this breed can accomplish. H. G. Van Pelt judged 

 the breed. 



AYRSHIBES. 



Ayrshires make a very attractive exhibit when the good ones are 

 brought out, as they were this year. There should be more of them 

 shown, for they undoubtedly have a place in the dairy regions of this 

 section. Only two herds were shown, those of Adam Seitz and the Fern- 

 dell Farms, both of Wisconsin, but these two herds are both repre- 

 sentative of the best of the breed in show type and productive conforma- 

 tion. There was nothing sensational shown, as in some of the other 

 dairy breeders, but neither was there anything that could be called of 

 an inferior sort. These cattle were placed by H. G. Van Pelt, of Waterloo, 

 Iowa. 



DRAFT HORSES. 



The total number of horses shown this year at Des Moines was greater 

 than a year ago, but in the draft section it is doubtful if the show equaled 

 that record. It would be classed as about an average show for the fair, but 

 it must be remembered that the standard which has prevailed in previous 

 years has been a high one. Of the four principal draft breeds, the Perch- 

 eron, as in other years, made the largest showing. On the whole, how- 

 ever, there was missing from the classes of this breed some of the excep- 

 tional entries which have been seen here during the history of the fair. 



The main item of discussion among the horsemen was the probable 

 effect of the disturbances in Europe on the horse business in America. 

 Breeders who are fortunate enough to have a good supply of bred mares 

 on hand were being congratulated, and had good reasons to feel optimistic 

 over the outlook for the future of the business here. 



One of the most attractive parts of the showing was the classes of 

 mares with foals at side. Some great brood mares were brought out. 

 There were better foals than have been shown here before. It was in 

 these classes, too, that the judges of every breed found their greatest 

 difficulties in making the awards on account of the closeness of the 

 animals shown. American bred rings were a little stronger than have 

 been seen in other years, while the number of smaller breeders who 

 entered mares and stallions this year showed a material increase. 



PEECHEEONS. 



American bred Percheron mares are coming to form a larger part of the 

 exhibit of this breed each year. This brings with it the swelling of the 

 lists in the foal classes, a fact which was well demonstrated during the 



