EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV 269 



motk-in fai-ni macliinery, are largely past the educational stage of their 

 business, and the demand is now constant. The manufacturer who has a 

 product of real merit finds that his business is more of a manufacturing 

 problem than a sales problem. As feed increases in price, the silo, with 

 its possibilities as a conservator of feed for live stock, will become more 

 and more popular. 



The automobile show was located in the large space under the amphi- 

 theater, and was well filled with exhibits of the latest types of cars. 

 More firms were represented than for several years, and dealers univer- 

 sally reported satisfactory inquiries and sales. It was noticeable that the 

 higher class and higher priced cars are every year becoming more com- 

 mon among Iowa farm owners. Many prosperous farmers, indeed, own 

 two or more cars, keeping a light one for "knocking around" in bad 

 weather, or when going to town for light hauling, and a big car; for 

 family driving. Many 1918 models were shown at Des Moines for the 

 first time. It is noticeable that the models of most manufacturers change 

 but little from year to year in essential particulars. There is, of course, 

 minor improvement in body lines and design, and in little refinements 

 that add to the convenience of operation or comfort of the driver. Iowa 

 has the record of owning more automobiles in proportion to population 

 than any other state, and, judging from present prices of farm products, 

 and the growing importance of the automobile to successful farm man- 

 agement, the state will continue to furnish the best market of all for 

 the manufacturers of both large and small types of automobiles. 



Farmers took considerable interest in the exhibits of the Iowa State 

 Highway Commission, especially in the improved roads, bridges and 

 culverts. Several types of roads were built at the rear of 'the tent, to 

 show the various kinds made in Iowa. There was the plain dirt road 

 with its mudhole. Then there were oiled dirt roads, oiled gravel, gravel, 

 asphalt macadam, concrete, brick and asphalt. Illustrations showed per- 

 manent bridges and culverts constructed throughout the state during the 

 last few years. The automobile, which is almost as common on the 

 farms as horses, is bringing interest in good roads to a climax, and 

 farmers are beginning to want roads which they can use the year around. 

 The Highway Commission, which has general supervision of all per- 

 manent road and bridge work, has eliminated thousands of dollars' worth 

 of excess profits that tax-payers formerly paid to private contractors. 

 Now improvement work is reduced to a system, and fair contract prices 

 are assured. 



The College Building, which, is always one of the best places on the 

 ground to get real information concerning farming problems, is this year 

 devoted to conservation, and might have been planned by Mr. Hoover 

 him^self. The educational appeal is directed more toward the women 

 folks this year than ever before, and domestic science girls hand out 

 recipes on making different kinds of corn bread, oat meal bread, cottage 

 cheese roast, peanut loaf, etc. In view of the present meat shortage, 

 skim-milk and cottage cheese (which is really nothing more than con- 

 densed skim milk) are peculiarly valuable as suppliers of cheap yet high- 

 quality protein. The dairy people, therefore, are demonstrating in their 

 booth palatable ways of making soft cheese. They point out that cheese 

 of all sorts is not eaten to a sufficient extent in the United States; 

 that in Iowa they do not make over one-tenth of the cheese consumed. 

 We feel that the college exhibit will have been well worth while this 

 year if it leads to a more extensive appreciation of cheeses, both hard 

 and soft, on the part of Iowa people. 



Splendid entertainment was provided for state fair visitors, and of a 

 widely varied character. In addition to the educational features, the 



