670 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



imder consideration in the legislature, but some members are hesitating 

 lest money set apart for use in the establishment of a fair representative 

 of the agriculture of the State shall be deemed as diverted from educa- 

 tional channels. The live farmers of that great old State should by 

 personal appeals to their representatives and senators remove any such 

 serious misconception. State aid for agricultural fairs is an investment 

 that touches the material as well as the mental condition of agriculturists. 

 It is educational in the highest sense of the word. 



THE SOCIAL SIDE OF THE STATE FAIR. 



Wallaces' Farmer. 



The complaint of isolation has long been made against farm life. 

 Rural delivery, the rural telephone and the extension of railroad and 

 interurban facilities have done much in the past few years to remove 

 this isolation. These do not, however, remove it altogether. It is neces- 

 sary for the farmer and as many of his family as possible to get entirely 

 away from the farm once a year and meet with their kindred and friends, 

 whether of country or city, and enjoy the rest and recreation which such 

 meetings invariably bring. The State fairs which are now beginning and 

 will be continued for several weeks in the Mississippi valley furnish a 

 most excellent opportunity for social fellowship. The necessity for this 

 social fellowship is laid very deep in human nature. If our readers will 

 turn to Leviticus, 23:39-44, they will see that provision was made for 

 this kind of life in the ancient Israelitish code. There were three great 

 ingatherings every year at which as far as possible the families were 

 expected to attend, and one of them corresponds very nearly with our 

 State fair. It was the harvest festival, and during that festival the 

 people were required absolutely to dwell in tents or booths, as recorded 

 in the passage above quoted. 



We sometimes think that healthy, normal development of humanity 

 requires that once a year we should get out of the house and go into 

 tents, getting an abundance of fresh air, sleep such as can not be found 

 in the best bed at home, and get away as far as possible from the con- 

 ventionalities and restrictions of house life. We sometimes think there 

 must have been a good deal of scrapping for brush when the hosts of 

 Israel met to build their tents, probably ending in fights for the best 

 palm leaves, willow brushes and straight brush. There will be none 

 of this at the State fairs this year, for farmers can bring their tents 

 with them or the tent and awning companies will rent them wherever 

 desired. There will be no long journeys for water, for pipes are laid all 

 over most fair grounds and all that you have to do is to turn the faucet. 

 Wherever farmers can possibly do so. they should bring their farm 

 teams, their provisions, fried chickens, hams, butter, cheese, and other 

 good things too numerous to mention, and should leave only enough of 

 their family at home to take care of the stock and see that things are 

 going right there, and attend the fair. 



