SEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IX. 427 



OTHER CLASSES. 



The Standard driving horses, saddle horses, Shetland ponies, and 

 coa.ch horses made a nice display. On account of the large classes in 

 the cattle and draft horse divisions, the harness horses were shown on 

 the race track in front of the ampitheater. Another iteresting feature 

 of the show was the exhibit of draft teams in harness. A number of 

 farm teams were entered in this class. Grades and registered horses 

 competed all in the same class. A class for farm teams only would 

 make an interesting show. 



POULTRY AT THE WW \ STATE F.\IR. 



Poultry breeders are well pleased with the exhibit at the Iowa 

 State Fair this year. The largest number of birds shown in Des 

 Moines for years was on the grounds, but there was room for more. 

 The quality was good, possibly not so many of fancy quality as for- 

 merly, but a good, practical lot of fowls, such as should be seen at an 

 agricultural show — birds that the farmer can afford to buy. Probably 

 the largest class was the Barred Rocks. Many Buff and White Rocks 

 of good quality and size were also in evidence. The Wyandotte breed, 

 in all varieties, is apparently increasing in popularity in Iowa, and 

 the Cochins and Langshans seem to be holding their own. The ad- 

 mirers of these latter breeds continue to breed and show good fowls 

 themselves while waiting for the boom which they feel their favorites 

 deserve. A few Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds were on hands, 

 and a fairly large class of Leghorns. The Leghorn always shows off 

 well. Owing to its size it does not seem to suffer from the heat as the 

 larger breds do, and its alert, bright appearance never fails to attract 

 those who are interested in chickens only in a general way. The 

 exhibit of turkeys, ducks and geese was not large, but of good quality. 

 Some of the geese attracted much attention because of their size. 

 We judge from the interest shown in these and in ducks that more 

 farmers are going into the geese and duck breeding than ever before. 

 Turkey raising is becoming a more difficult undertaking each year, and 

 the farmer seems turning toward geese and ducks to take their place. 

 The exhibit of incubators and poultry suplies was small. It seemed 

 to us that in the matter of beef scraps and animal foods in general a 

 good exhibit might have been made. 



The poultry hall was well filled most of the time, the sentiment of 

 the people being well expressed by one lady we overheard saying to 

 her companion, "Poultry is getting to be such a large factor in our 

 commercial world, and the revenue from it so great that I feel that I 

 must keep in touch with what is going on in the poultry world in 

 order to keep up to date and well informed on matters of general 

 interest." This spirit is bound to increase the value of exhibiting at 

 the agricultural fairs. When chickens get to be the style, when peo- 

 ple throng the poultry hall as they do the exhibition hall, as they 

 are beginning to do now, the poultry breeders of the State will feel 

 that they can't afford not to show, the exhibits will draw the crowd, 

 and the crowd the exhibits. 



