SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 973 



srand popular features of the fair. The agricultural display, apart 

 from the county exhibits, was excellent and of fairly large propoi- 

 tions. The horticultural display was excellent in quality and exten- 

 sive enough to furnish the visitor interested in this line with plenty 

 of material to inspect. 



A very interesting judging contest was held, twenty-six young men 

 under twenty-one competing for the $200 scholarship prize at the Iowa 

 Agricultural College. This contest was won by Roy L. Igo, of Indian- 

 ola, Iowa, his score being 698^4 points out of a possibly 800. His 

 nearest competitor was Wm. R. Gross, of Avoca, Iowa, with 689 points. 

 the third being Murl McDonald, of Shenandoah, Iowa, with 671V> points. 



CATTLE. 



It is doubtful if there has ever been made a better show of cattle 

 than that made in Des Moines last week. Certainly Iowa has never in 

 past shears reached so high a standard, taking into consideration all 

 classes of cattle. True it is that in some breeds stronger showings have 

 lieen made in the past, but taking into account all breeds the above 

 statement is absolutely correct. Men who have been attending the 

 feir for more than a quarter of a century acknow^ledge that the quality 

 was never so high. They noted particularly the absence of what might 

 lie called low-grade pure-breds, and many called attention to the fact 

 that the fair was greatly improved by bringing out only animals that 

 are worthy of a premium in the absence of competition. It is well 

 Itnown that in the past at many fairs the live stock departments are 

 filled up with considerable rubbish simply to clean up the premiums. 

 There was scarcely a single instance of this kind in Des Moines last 

 \Feek. The idea of offering premiums for exhibitors who live within 

 the boundaries of the state is an excellent one and the contests this 

 year have absolutely established the fact that the principle is right. 



HORSES. 



The horse division of the Iowa State Fair proved to be one of the 

 Kg departments this year, as indicated by the fact that the capacity 

 of the stabling was more than taxed by the number on exhibition. Al- 

 though a few of the large breeders who were formerly represented 

 at the Iowa State Fair were absent this year, yet their place was taken 

 Ijy a number of new exhibitors. This in itself is a most hopeful fea- 

 ture, and indicates rather a better situation than if a few breeders 

 came in and swept the board. The quality would average high through- 

 out and even in a few classes that were not well filled the winning 

 animals would have been factors in any kind of competition. 



SWINE. 



DUROC-JERSEYS. 



It is not near enough the mark to say that the Duroc show at the 

 Iowa State Fair was one of the best that has ever been made — ^it was 

 actually the best. The exhibit of Durocs numbered between 800 and 



