712 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PAGE COUNTY. 



C. E. Young. 



Fair held at Shenandoah, August 12 and 13, 1903. 



The fair was a success financially and otherwise. 



Agricultural conditions in this county are good, the yield being much 

 better than at first anticipated. Small grain was good both in quality 

 and yield. Potatoes are rough, but selling at $1 per bushel. Corn is 

 an average with former years, both in quality and yield. 



PALO ALTO COUNTY. 



P. V. Hand. 



Fair held at Emmetsburg. August 18, 19, 20 and 21, 1903. 



With regard to the amounts of agricultural exhibits at our fair, they 

 were not as good as we would have liked to have seen, but owing to our 

 early dates were all that could be expected. Furthermore, the weather 

 was very bad, and the roads in' some parts of the county almost impas- 

 sable, making it impossible for some farmers to bring in their exhibits, 

 so that the display in this department would be no criterion as to the 

 general condition of crops in the county. 



Corn, our principal crop, is about the average in quality with former 

 years, but acreage is short, owing to the wet condition of the land in 

 the spring causing late planting. Some of the corn will be soft, but the 

 bulk of the crop, however, is well matured, the lateness of killing frosts 

 being a great help to it. 



The ioat crop was as good as the average, but some are light in 

 weight. Potatoes were above the average, both in yield and quality. 

 Pasturage this season was of the very best, and the dairy interests in 

 the county, which are very extensive, reaped a rich harvest. The writer 

 is treasurer of the creamery at this place (Emmetsburg) and we have 

 paid to the farmers for milk each month since May an average of $5,000. 



The apple crop was more than an average, both in quality and quan- 

 tity, but were mostly of early varieties. 



There has been no epidemic of h;og disease this year, and taking 

 everything into consideration, I would say that the farmers of this county 

 are in a prosperous condition. 



POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Caleh Smith. 



Fair held at Avoca, September 8, 9, 10 and 11, 1903. 

 As far as the entries and exhibits were concerned the fair was a 

 success, all departments being well filled, with the exception of horses. 



