TWELFTH ANNTAL YEAR HOOK — PART VI. 241 



105.00 against $389,317,276, or an increase of 30 per cent over the valua- 

 tions reported by this department for the same year. 



In the summary of number and value of domestic animals in Iowa, is- 

 sued by the Bureau of the Census, they give a total valuation of $379,- 

 S01,978.00 against $365,161,227.00, as shown by this department for the 

 same period, or an increase of $14,640,751.00. 



The Bureau of the Census finds the poultry in Iowa worth $12,289,881.00, 

 or an increase of $1,238,528.00 over the figures collected by the various 

 township assessors and tabulated by this department. 



It will be noticed from these comparisons that in every instance the 

 census shows a greater production and valuation of Iowa's farm crops and 

 live stock than is reported to this department by the township assessors, 

 or the estimates of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service. 



The census figures show conclusively that Iowa has not been over-esti- 

 mating her farm products and that she should make a greater effort to col- 

 lect more accurate statistics of everything that is produced on the farm. 

 We have a law upon the statute books which has been in force two years — 

 requiring the collection of crop and other farm statistics annually by the 

 various township assessors who make their reports to the county auditor, 

 who in turn tabulates the assessors reports and makes the returns for the 

 county to the Department of Agriculture. However, it is evident from 

 the returns from some counties and from correspondence with county 

 auditors, that more care should be taken in the selection of township as- 

 sessors and they should be prevailed upon to make a more diligent eiTort 

 to make more accurate and complete returns. 



STATE PUBLICITY BUREAU. 



In Mr. Simpson's report a year ago he discussed this subject thoroughly 

 He made many good suggestions and showed the need of a department of 

 this kind in the state of Iowa. I simply want to nail al.tention to a fev 

 instances v/here a department of this character com Id render the state 

 valuable sen'ice along this line. 



At the recent United States Land and Irrigation Exposition held at 

 Chicago, practically every state occupied space w^ith a state wide exhibit 

 setting forth the advantages and resources of their state. ''I he majurit^^ 

 of these exhibits Avere put on by state departments, either through tb.e 

 Immigration Commissioner or Agricultural Commissioner. We also found 

 that in a number of the western states where there is still a large acre- 

 age of railroad land in the hands of speculators, that tti3 railroads- - 

 through their immigration departments — were greatly inr.e.^r'sted in r.d- 

 vertising the advantages of these western states. We also found iliat 

 land agencies formed exhibit associations to put on exhibits and th-;j 

 passed out wagon loads of carefully prepared literature, exploiting ail the 

 good features, from the climate down, about their states. 



At the time formal notice of this magnificent exposition was received — 

 along with application blanks for space — we Avere obliged to notify tTi-; 

 management that the Iowa Department of Agriculture, nor any other 

 state department, had no authority or funds on which we could draw to 

 make such an exhibit for Iowa. We suggested that the matter be taken 



