SEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IX. 463 



RAMBOUILLETS AND MERINOS. 



The exhibit of fine-wools was the strongest ever shown at Des 

 Moines. Harding was out with a strong flock of Rambouillets which 

 came in for a number of firsts and carried away the ram champion hon- 

 ors. W. S. Dixon showed the champion Rambouillet ewe, a "typy" one 

 of excellent fleece. In the American, Spanish and Delaine classes 

 honors were well divided between Green, Moore and Dixon. Exhibitors 

 of Rambouilletts were F. W. Harding, Waukesha, Wisconsin; E. M. Moore 

 of Michigan; W. S. Dixon of Wisconsin. 



Merino exhibitors were F. M. Moore, Michigan; A. E. Green of Michi- 

 gan, W. S. Dixon of Wisconsin. M. W. Wheeler, Blakesburg, Iowa, tied 

 the ribbons in a satisfactory manner. 



HORSES IN THE ARENA. 



The horseless age is farthest from the dreams of the Iowa farmer. 

 He fears not the chug-chug of the motor car. Unmoved by the threats 

 of mechanical invention, and with his eyes glued to the importunate 

 demands of the market places, he is stocking his farm with horses, 

 and enlarging his . breeding operations. His interest seems to center 

 in the draft horse, but he is by no means blinded to the beauty of the 

 coacher, as out of Iowa have come many high-priced products of the 

 blood of the imported coach sires. And the road horse has his attrac- 

 tion's, as was demonstrated when an old-time Illinois exhibitor, who 

 has made good in many warm competition for a score of years, retired 

 with a string of ribbons chiefly red in color, having been beaten in 

 every class after the aged stallion by individual exhibitors with an 

 animal in a class. In the making of prime drafters the Hawkeye State 

 has long enjoyed a superior reputation, the blood of the imported stal- 

 lions of a quarter of a century ago adding untold wealth to the stock 

 interests of the State. And they are at it again hammer and tongs. 

 The big importers are still operating in the State, new men are enter- 

 ing the industry, and some of the most extensive importers of other 

 states find it advantageous to set forth the merits of their stables to 

 the thousands of Iowa farmers who annually gather at this State Fair. 



Speaking by the card the exhibit of horses was 50 per cent larger 

 than last year. The horses shown in hand were judged in the arena, 

 while the harness horses had to take to the track in front of the grand 

 stand, so crowded was the arena. The keenest interest was manifested 

 in the draft horses, and a convincing demonstration of the development 

 of the breeding interest in this country was evidenced in the exhibit of 

 mares. 



THE PEBCHER0>-S. 



Not in years — some say never — was such an exhibit of Percherons 

 seen. Nineteen different exhibitors were represented and fifteen of 

 them were Iowa men. This is the essence of the Percheron story. Four 

 classes had been added to the list of the encouragement of State breed- 



