278 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



is as follows: Dirties, 2 per cent; breakage. 2 per cent; chick development, 

 5 per cent; heat and shrunken, 5 per cent; rotten eggs, 2.5 per cent; moldy 

 and badly flavored eggs, '^ per cent; total loss, 17 per cent. Experts were 

 present to show how each of these losses might be dispensed with, the 

 following being the main hints for producing better eggs: Do not keep 

 mongrel stock; keep the nests clean; do not market small or inferior 

 eggs; separate the males from the females as soon as the breeding season 

 is over; keep all eggs in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place; never wash 

 the eggs. The poultry products being one of the chief sources of revenue 

 for the farm woman, this display was inspected with Interest by thou- 

 sands, while the advice was listened to avidly and the literature which 

 was offered taken eagerly. The college authorities are hopeful that such 

 striking object lessons will minimize the poultry loss on the farm and 

 add materially to a side source of income, the possibilities of which can 

 hardly be overestimated. 



Visitors to thq country from the city marvel at the number of fine, 

 new farmhouses which are being built literally by the thousands, these 

 days. In most cases these fine, new, modern structures are placed im- 

 mediately in front of the old, outgrown and dilapidated building, show- 

 ing the improvement stages in farm life. That all tliis farm home build- 

 ing is warranted and that it is costing the farmer little more to build a 

 modern, up-to-date house, with every desired convenience, tlian it did 

 to erect a much poorer, smaller structure in the old days, was proved by 

 the exhibit of one of the principal firms which sells ready-made houses 

 and general building materials direct to the farmer. This concern ex- 

 hibited a very neat and home-like house, with a large placard announcing 

 that in 1914 it took 2,103 bushels of corn to pay for the place, while this 

 year it takes only 904 bushels. The fact is, the farmer was never in a 

 better condition to enjoy the conveniences and luxuries of life, hence the 

 great increase in farm-home building within the last few years. 



The cheese-making energies of the state college of agriculture were 

 well set forth in a display at the state' college building. The value of 

 cheese as a food, as well as its financial profits to the maker, are com- 

 ing to be well realized. At this exhibit literature was given away show- 

 ing the food value of soft cheese, and the manner in which it is made, 

 in its various forms. The food value of cottage' cheese was shown by 

 placards. For supplying protein, one pound of cottage cheese equals 1.27 

 pounds sirloin steak, 1.09 pounds round steak, 1.37 pounds chuck rib beef, 

 1.52 pounds fowl, 1.46 pounds fresh ham, 1.44 pounds smoked ham, 1.58 

 pounds loin pork chop, 1.31 pounds hind leg of lamb, 1.37 pounds breast 

 of veal. On the basis of energy supplied, one pound of cottage cheese 

 equals; 8 1-3 ounces sirloin steak, 11^/4 ounces round steak, 11^/4 ounces 

 chuck rib beef, 10% ounces fowl, 51/2 ounces of fresh ham, 5 ounces 

 smoked ham, 6 ounces loin pork chop, 7 1-3 ounces hind leg of lamb, 

 12% ounces breast of veal. It is seldom that the state college exhibit 

 has 'been more varied, more instructive, more valuable or more interest- 

 ing to the general farm visitor. 



The farmers of Iowa now have more than $125,000,000 invested in farm 

 machinery. They are the best customers the manufacturer and jobber 

 have. They are the quickest to discern the need of labor-saving devices 

 and the quickest to buy these, once their worth has been practically 

 demonstrated to them. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that the 

 machinery exhibit of the Iowa State Fair sliould stand second to none 

 and that it should attract thousands of farmers every day, who spend 

 hours inspecting the various devices and appliances, watching their prac- 

 tical working and arranging for their installation on their own farms. 

 The machinery exhibit is by all odds the busiest place on the fair grounds. 

 It is a scene of industry which is eloquent testimony to the efficiency 



