FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 77 



As the value of farm land increases, so must the farmers' knowl- 

 edge of how to produce greater results per acre Increase. A farmer, like 

 a professional or business man, must be a close student of the work 

 he is following. A study of the Government census report for 1900 

 shows that the increase of population of the United States for the pre- 

 ceding ten years was over fourteen millions, or about twenty per cent 

 of our total population. Iowa's population is shown by the same census 

 to be a fraction over two million two hundred thousand, or about one 

 sixth of the total increase for the whole United States for the ten years 

 just mentioned. The amount of food consumed yearly by this great 

 increase of population is enormous, and with a yearly decrease in the 

 acreage of new agricultural land, but one choice is left, we must pro- 

 duce more bushels per acre on land now cultivated, and raise cattle and 

 hogs that will take on more meat per pound of grain and forage con- 

 sumed. To accomplish this the farmer must keep in close touch with 

 experiments continually being conducted, and by a careful observation 

 of the results of his own work. Many improvements for the decrease 

 in the cost of production, or increase in yield per acre, are noted by the 

 exhiljits shown at the annual State fair from year to year If the same 

 relative percentage of increase in the population of the United States 

 is returned fom the census of 1910 as that of 1900, it will give us an 

 increase of over twenty millions, or nine times the total population of 

 the State of Iowa. Iowa farmers must do their part toward furnishing 

 food for this great army of people. Anything that tends to increase 

 their knowledge along these lines is of great importance, and that is 

 the purpose of the Iowa State fair. 



The future never looked brighter for the fair than at the present 

 time, but we must not cease in our efforts if continued progress is to 

 be made. While the condition of the grounds is now better than ever 

 before, this can not be truthfully said of the buildings thereon. Many 

 of them have been repaired and patched so often that there is now little 

 left other than the repairs. T.he time is soon coming, if indeed it is 

 not already here, when many of the buildings will have to be replaced 

 if a fair is to be held. The only way in which permanent fireproof 

 buildings can be erected is by appropriations from the legislature. It 

 is absurd to think that sufficient money can be secured from gate ad- 

 missions for this purpose, when the burden of keeping the old build- 

 ings now on the grounds in a safe and habitable condition is increasing 

 yearly. Does the State expect its other educational institutions to erect 

 and maintain their buildings? And are not the educational features 

 of the State fair worthy of support of our great State? The question 

 is often asked, why the management does not erect permanent buildings 

 out of the funds on hand. This can better be answered by a statement 

 of the improvements and repairs that are needed at this time. 



At the last session of the legislature the State Board of Agriculture 

 asked and received an appropriation of thirty-seven thousand dollars, 

 for the erection of the live stock judging pavilion. A total of forty- 

 four thousand three hundred twelve dollars and fifty-one cents has been' 

 expended during the past two years for permanent impovements and 



