270 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



management recognizes the fact that the visitors at the fair also seek 

 recreation and relaxation from a strenuous summer's work on the farms 

 and in the factories. In addition to the exhibits and the stock judging, 

 there was an abundance of music by bands and orchestras and drum 

 corps and chorus singers. There were tlirilling- auto races, and hotly 

 contested horse races, which, tho not so dangerous and thrilling, still 

 maintain the keen interest of the crowd, and, in the opinion of many, 

 "beat the auto races a mile" in furnishing clean and enjoyable sport. 

 There were high-class vaudeville acts all afternoon in front of the 

 amphitheater, and again in the evening. There was auto polo, too, which, 

 for real thrills, has auto racing- far outclassed. A big horse show was 

 staged in the stoclc judging pavilion each evening. At the same time, a 

 splendid display of up-to-date fireworks was given in front of the 

 amphitheater, which was attended by thousands. There were merry-go- 

 rounds of many kinds for the kiddies, and roller coasters for those who 

 felt more daring. A midway of a dozen or more sideshows offered many 

 inducements to catch the dimes of visitors. Refreshment stands and 

 souvenir dealers and the inevitable balloon inan confronted one at every 

 Lurn. The inan, woman or child who attended the Iowa State Fair' in 

 1917 and failed to have a good time and clean recreation, had only him- 

 self to blame, for there was variety to satisfy all. 



Undoubtedly one of the greatest of farm losses is that which results 

 from the deterioration of eggs. The poultry department, therefore, in 

 the center of the building, has an exhibit on the best ways of preserving 

 eggs. Saveral methods are illustrated, but preference is given to the 

 water-glass method, wrhich is a composition of nine parts of water and 

 one part of sodium silicate commionly called water-glass. Mr. Bitten- 

 bender was in charge of the poultry exhibit, and was glad to answer all 

 questions concerning any phase of poultry work. 



Every year in Iowa, tuberculosis claims an ever-increas-ng death-toll 

 among hogs and cattle. The percentage of hogs and cattle affected with 

 tuberculosis, as revealed by slaughter tests, is higher in Iowa than in the 

 United States as a whole. And worst of all, the infection has been grow- 

 ing at a very rapid rate. In 1907, only 1.69 per cent of the hogs of Iowa 

 seemed to be affected, but in 1916 about 15 per cent were affected. Among 

 cattle, the rate of infection increased during the same period from .45 of 

 1 per cent to 3.89 per cent. All this is brought out very clearly in exhib- 

 its in one corner of the College Building, and the exact character of the 

 disease is portrayed by specimens of affected animals. 



The engineering people of the college distribute pamphlets on the best 

 way to save coal. The conservation of labor is illustrated by the num- 

 ber of uses to which electricity may be put. The best thing about the 

 college exhibit is that there are people in charge who have the best of 

 really reliable information, and are willing to impart the same to any- 

 one who asks. 



The Cow- Testing Association exhibit has come to be an established 

 feature at the Iowa State Fair, and each year it attracts more and more 

 attention. It was in charge of the extension division of the Iowa Agri- 

 cultural College, and college men were on hand daily to give lectures 

 and explain the value of cow test work. This year the exhibit included 

 nine cows from the West Branch Association, one of the more recent 

 organizations, but an average, typical association. The most profitable 

 cow was a fair-sized grade Holstein, which produced 13,463 pounds of 

 milk during the year, returning a profit of $82.12 above a feed cost of 

 $68. The least profitable, cow also was an under-sized grade Holstein, 

 which produced only 1,890 pounds of milk. She lacked 57 cents of pay- 

 ing for her feed, valued at $31.95. Two of the cows were grade Short- 



