978 ' IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



The charges for this were only ten cents per hour, and the babies 

 •were cared for as well as the mothers themselves could care for them. 

 This feature was much appreciated. It will be continued next year, 

 and the facilities of it will be increased. 



In the agricultural building, the horticultural, agriculture and 

 dairy displays were larger and better than ever. The county exhibits 

 were more numerous and of better quality than usual. More induce- 

 ments had been offered for county exhibits this year, and the result 

 was gratifying. Cass county was awarded the first premium. More 

 attention will be paid to county exhibits in the future, as this year's 

 showing encouraged the management and caused them to realize that 

 this feature is really one of great importance. A good exhibit at a 

 state fair is one of the best and most paying advertisements a county 

 can secure. County exhibits, if representative of the agriculture of the 

 section they represent, are very instructive and serve to give visitors a 

 comprehensive view of the agricultural pursuits and resources of the 

 whole state. 



A number of excellent pictures were to be seen in the agricultural 

 building. One picture showed the old Iowa state capitol that stood at 

 Iowa City when that town was the seat of government; another showed 

 the present magnificent capitol at Des Moines, while a third was a 

 beautiful representation of grasses and grains. These pictures were 

 made by the state at an expense of $500, and were exhibited at the 

 St. Louis exposition last year. 



The Iowa State College exhibit was very instructive. One feature 

 of this exhibit that attracted much attention was the chemical com- 

 position of corn. Five jars contained the relative amounts of starchy 

 protein, fat, crude fiber and ash found in corn. The large per cent of 

 starch and the relatively small per cent of protein which corn contains 

 could be seen at a glance, and to many farmers, to whom the term 

 "protein" had heretofore carried no definite meaning, the chemical con- 

 position of corn became intelligible and comprehensible. Another inter- 

 esting feature in connection with the college exhibit was a number of 

 boxes prepared for testing the germinating power of corn. The different 

 stages of development of corn silk from its first appearance until it 

 has fully performed its function, were shown in glass jars by means 

 of specimens preserved in alcohol. Numerous commercial products man- 

 ufactured from corn were exhibited in bottles which enabled the farmers 

 to more fully realize why it is impossible for corn ever to become the 

 drug on the market it was some years ago. A complete root system of 

 the matured plant which was dug from the ground and prepared by the 

 . Iowa State College, and which was neatly kept in a glass case, opened 

 the eyes of many; farmers who were confident believers in deep cultiva- 

 tion were heard to remark: "I can now see why deep cultivation of corn 

 is not desirable. I would never have believed that corn roots grow so 

 large and spread over so much ground had some one simply told me 

 the facts. This exhibition will cause me to stop root pruning of corn 

 in the future". Could one have heard all the words spoken and read 

 the thoughts that passed through the brains of those who gave no verbal 



