/8 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



repairs out of the gate receipts, which is seven tnousand three hundred 

 twelve dollars and fifty-one cents more than the appropriation received 

 from the State during the same period. A very serious problem now 

 confronts the Board, in knowing just how to proceed with the improve- 

 ments and repairs necessary for the future. Of the fifty-one stock barns, 

 at least fifty of them are in need of new roofing; part of the fence sur- 

 rounding the grounds will have to be replaced; a more prominent en- 

 trance should be erected at the Grand Avenue gate, and more sidewalks 

 should be laid. The west part of the grounds must be drained; com- 

 bined curbs and gutters should be put in along the streets to properly 

 care for the surface water; many of the buildings are badly in need of 

 paint; and other improvements and repairs too numerous to mention 

 should be given attention. Thousands of dollars will be needed for all 

 these improvements; much more, in fact, than the Board will have at 

 its disposal, therefore some of them will have to go over. 



An appropriation from the Thirtieth General Assembly should be 

 asked for the erection of a combined agricultural, horticultural and 

 dairy building; also for at least three hog barns. Should the State 

 Board of Agriculture decide to go before the legisalture and ask for these 

 appropriations, they should have the combined efforts of all the agri- 

 ■cultural interests of the State. If an appropriation for the erection of 

 the first building mentioned is secured, it will give much needed room 

 in other departments. What is now agricultural hall could be easily 

 arranged into a large poultry building. The one used at present is not 

 half large enough for the exhibit, besides there being no room for the 

 t'xhibit of incubators, which should properly be shown in the poultry 

 building. The poultry and dairy buildings could be remodeled into 

 sheep barns, for if something is not done to better the condition of this 

 department, it will not be long until the sheep show at the Iowa State 

 Fair will be a thing of the past. Horticultural hall could be rearranged 

 for the women's building. The urgent necessity of a building of this 

 character was never more apparent than at the last fair. All great 

 expositions, and even the railway companies, have buildings or rooms 

 fitted with every comfort and convenience for women. Every mother 

 knows the hardships to be endured traveling with small children. If 

 it were to become generally known that a building of this kind was 

 located upon the grounds, where the mother could go with her children 

 for a little rest, after a tiresome ride on a crowded excursion train, it 

 would greatly popularize our fair. In our endeavor to better arrange 

 for the comfort of fair visitors, the ladies should not be forgotten. 



Many improvements were made on the grounds during the past sea- 

 son. More than one hundred thousand paving brick were laid in walks; 

 a greenhouse and swine judging pavilion were erected; the seating 

 capacity of the grand stand wa.^ increased by an additional twenty-five 

 hundlred seats; a street car station was erected, one half of the cost 

 being paid by the Board; and four hundred more hog pens were built. 

 All the space in the Iowa building could not be rented while the building 

 stood in the old location, and it was moved to the present site, thereby 

 increasing the floor space in the machinery department about six thous- 



