SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK--PAKT IX. 995 



The farmer no longer has to shovel his grain out of his wagon by 

 hand. What a backache it makes! He can get an elevator that will 

 dump his load and put it into the bin or crib in no time, and fill both 

 fuller than by hand shoveling. Maybe you didn't see those things. 

 They were there. 



Many men will cut corn with a binder this fall. As usual the stubs 

 will stand about a foot high. Those stubs will extract profanity from 

 your lips as you stumble over them shocking corn. Those stubs will be 

 there when you plow and cause trouble. But I saw an attachment at the 

 fair that can be put on the binder and cuts those stubs close to the ground 

 so they will be out of the way and sooner become rotted. 



These are but hints of the many useful things the farmer can get a 

 chance to investigate at the state fair. 



Everyone Sees the Races. 



After all has been said concerning what the farmer may learn, what 

 he ought to see at the fair, we must confess that there is but one thing 

 they all see when they go there. Everyone sees the races. What thera 

 is about it that so universally attracts is beyond our comprehension. The 

 farmer does not raise race horses; he has no use for them on the farm. 

 But somehow he wants to see the race. He will stand all day in a fry- 

 ing sun, stick his toes through the picket fence to catch a crossrail, lean 

 over the pickets and yell himself hoarse to see the horse race. The 

 great amphitheater, seating 5,000 or 6,000 people, was crowded with ovei 

 8,000 crazy specimens of humanity on Thursday, and every foot of space 

 around the track, inside and out, was packed with some more of the same 

 breed, just to see Dan Patch spin around the track. Each person could 

 only see the horse for a few rods, and the whole thing lasted but a few 

 seconds, but that crowd stood all the afternoon to get sight of a horse 

 that had a record. Can't understand it. 



Besides the races by professional race horses, there were some in- 

 teresting contests between fire company teams. Jack and Jack, supposed 

 to be the fastest fire team, received their share of applause. Speed Is 

 put to good use when hitched to a fire wagon. 



The acrobatic preformances of the Dunbars and Japanese troupes 

 were very entertaining. There were feats of skill and daring that made 

 one's heart stand still. There were feats of strength and coolheadedness 

 that were worth going to see. The farmer boy thinks he's pretty clever 

 and strong, but after seeing those men do with ease what seemed impos- 

 sible, he no doubt has less conceit. It frho^rs what constant training can 

 do for a man. If the farmer would take as much pride in doing a 

 little better each year agriculture would make rapid advancement. 



It is worth while to attend the state fair. Every farmer should make 

 an effort to visit the one nearest to his home at least and every citizen of 

 Iowa should support the Iowa State fair. 



