SEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX. 459 



inspire the comment that the country is full of hogs, notwithstanding 

 the fact that a shortage of about 50 per cent in last spring's pig 

 crop has been numerously reported. Hog stocks undoubtedly have in- 

 creased substantially in the corn belt in recent years, and the multi- 

 plication in numbers has probably not exceeded the improvement in 

 blood, due to the diffusion of pure-bred boars. The value of pure blood 

 in improving the pork-making qualities of the common stock has 

 been so thoroughly demonstrated in the corn country that breeders of 

 pedigreed hogs have enjoyed profitable prices for all they have offered 

 for sale. Never has the demand been keener than at present, judging 

 from the rapidity with which prize winners and others sold during 

 the fair at good prices. Breeders are in fine spirits as to the future of 

 the business, which rests on a solid foundation, and the outlook is 

 distinctly optimistic. "We have had a lot of hog days in recent years, 

 and they do not promise soon to abate. This is an abiding faith among 

 the leading breeders, and it is reflected in the operations of hundreds 

 of farmers who are starting in pure-breds. 



The hog has cancelled the mortgages on Iowa farms and been per- 

 haps the most important factor in the State's prosperity. It, there- 

 fore, seems fitting that he should be generously recognized at the State 

 Fair. Whatever he has deserved in this regard has been accorded him, 

 but more is coming. 



About 1,100 Poland Chinas, 1,000 Duroc-Jerseys, 467 Chester 

 Whites, 167 Berkshires, 45 Large Yorkshires and 27 Tamworths were 

 shown. In round numbers there were 215 exhibitors. Of these 190 

 were from Iowa. Nebraska, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wiscon- 

 sin and Minnesota also were represented. It will be seen that it was 

 an Iowa show. Throughout, in fact, it was an Iowa fair, home exhib- 

 its being in large majority in every department. On the whole the 

 collection of hogs was superior to that shown last year, although there 

 was a considerable number of entries that, being intended primarily 

 for sale, were not properly fitted for the show. Indeed, many of 

 them could not by any stretch of charity be considered show hogs. 

 The entries of experienced showmen were for the most part nicely 

 fitted and many beginners showed hogs in beautiful bloom. It was 

 an exhibit of peculiar interest to the student of our swine stocks. 



A number of Iowa breeders wanted three judges for each of the 

 principal breeds, but the fair management did not see the necessity 

 for this old system of judging, and turned down the petition. A com- 

 promise was effected by appointing two judges for each of four 

 breeds, one to serve in an advisory capacity. Ed Klever, Bloomings- 

 burg, Ohio, judged the Poland Chinas, W. E. Spicer acted as consulting 

 judge. In Berkshires the order was reversed. Good work was done in 

 both breeds. W. Z. Swallow, Waukee, Iowa, and L. H. Roberts, Paton, 

 Iowa, judged the Chester Whites and Duroc-Jerseys. Prof. Thos. 

 Shaw, St. Anthony Park, Minn., passed on Large Yorkshires and Tam- 

 worths. 



