298 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



nated. The management has been progressive in handling this evil, and 

 a step farther would secure the unqualified approval of thoughtful folk, 

 and the certain safeguarding of the ignorant or careless. 



Horse and cattle entries lay on an even keel vi^ith last year. The couTit 

 tipped up and down with some of the breeds, but totaled around 1,000 

 head. Swine lost materially by reason of the scourge of swine plague, 

 and the announced requirement that only vaccinated hogs would be ad- 

 mitted to the grounds. The impossibility of securing sufficient vaccine led 

 the authorities to waive the rule at the last, but empty pens were in evi- 

 dence. More sheep could have been accommodated also, but the growth in 

 the entries of sheep from Iowa was gratifying. As usual wide stretches 

 of territory were laid under tribute in drawing entries for the stock de- 

 partment. More importers of stock have been represented on the list 

 of exhibitors, but never more breeders. The quality suffered a little in 

 some sections, and rose to triumphant heights in others. 



The agricultural building holds Iowa exhibits. Some enterprising states, 

 valuing rightly the yeomanry of the Hawkeye State, have aforetime se- 

 cured space in this building wherein to exploit newer sections, but they 

 have now taken to tents and booths, and their spaces have been more 

 suitably filled with collective farm exhibits from Iowa farms. These hold 

 rare interest to visitors by reason of their attractive presentation and 

 their variety and excellence. The judges pronounced these exhibits con- 

 siderably more satisfactory than last season, notwithstanding the fact that 

 the fair comes too early to emphasize Iowa's chief agricultural product. 

 Some old corn was on exhibition, but only a few ears of the 1913 crop — 

 probably an average yield, although far below the bumper crop of last 

 year — now rapidly aproaching maturity. 



The dairy exhibit in this building is impressive but scarcely adequate. 

 The time is coming when this industry will ask and deserve a separate 

 building. The dairy and food commission continues its valuable work of 

 teaching by precept and example the importance of modern methods of 

 dairying and warning of the latter-day adulteration of food stuffs. In the 

 refrigerated glass exhibit case the lesson of profitable production through 

 breed improvement was driven home. A square of butter represented the 

 annual production of the average Iowa dairy cow — 140 pounds, which at 

 thirty cents represented a gross income of $42. Over against it stood a 

 huge block of butter, representing the yearly yield of the world's cham- 

 pion butter cow, Banostine Belle DeKol, weighing 1,270 pounds and valued 

 at the same price per pound, at $381. It is the highest province of a fair 

 to enforce just such lessons. 



Poultry entries increased 43 per cent. There were 2,060 birds crowded 

 into the pens, against a previous mark of 1,400. This was in face of 

 the bad season for chicks. Amjjle proof that the turkey industry does 

 not thrive in Iowa was found in an exhibit of only nine birds. The lay- 

 ing competition for pens of six fowls each attracted much attention. The 

 winning pen produced twenty-two egga in five days. The college at Ames 



