984 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the strict business principles which progressive fair managers are fol- 

 lowing. For most of the shortcomings in any department there is a 

 practical remedy, but in some cases it seems a little unpleasant to apply it. 



Altogether, the work of the judges in the live stock section was very 

 well done. Men were selected who have the experience and character 

 to acquit themselves with credit, and this is what they did almost with- 

 out exception.. Some exceedingly difficult classes were up for adjudi- 

 cation in several breeds of cattle, sheep and hogs, and there was ample 

 opportunity to make decisions which could be overturned or sutained 

 with equal warrant. Perhaps the hardest nuts to crack were exposed 

 in the Angus competitions. 



The work was about equally divided between practical breeders and 

 professors. The admirable work of the latter did not lend any encour- 

 agement to those who imagine that college men do not know how to 

 judge stock because they are not "practical breeders". We guess that 

 the day of the chronic knockers on professional judging, which admit- 

 tedly has been verj^ bad now and then, is gone never to return. Scien- 

 tific education does not unfit for practical performance. It has taken 

 several years to ground this truth in some agricultural sections. The 

 fact is, as between the college professor and the breeder as judges of 

 live stock experience seems to show that so far as results are concerned, 

 the one gives as good satisfaction as the other. 



The trolley line and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway 

 improved their reputation in hauling the crowds to and from the fair 

 grounds. The service was materially better than last 5'ear. Especi- 

 ally commendable was the train service. Trains of six to eight coaches 

 were i*un every ten minutes each way between Des Moines and the 

 grounds. The capacity of eight coaches makes a big hole in a crowd. 

 It took about ten minutes to make the trip on the train, and from 30 

 to 103 (we kept time on one trip) on street cars. On several occasions 

 the electric cars could not get the necessary power for regulation speed 

 and just as often they were delayed by accidents. They were always 

 crowded to the limit. 



For handling fair crowds there is absolutely no comparison between 

 the steam and the electric car. Wherever a comparison can be made 

 this is the inevitable conclusion. The transportation problem will con- 

 tinue to press for a satisfactory solution at the big fairs like Iowa, 

 Minnesota and Illinois. 



A number of 'night attractions drew big crowds and made a lot of 

 money for the fair. These consisted of a vaudeville show and a spec- 

 tacular fire works display secured in "The Siege of Port Arthur". The 

 grandstand was comfortably filled for each evening's performance. The 

 nocturnal attractions were put on the first of the week and continued 

 until Friday night. Effort will be made to secure a larger and better 

 class of night entertainments for next year, the management having 

 satisfactory evidence that the people will support such features. 



It was impossible for the crew of 18 men to keep the grounds free 

 from waste paper, pasteboard boxes and other debris during the fair. 

 A cleaning was made every afternoon, but the spread of luncheons the 



