294 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



of exhibits shown as well as the interest taken in the affairs of the 

 department by the exhibitors and the public. 



The plan of excluding the carlot or huckster exhibitors inaugurated 

 last year proved to be a great success. In spite of the fact that the un- 

 favorable poultry season has caused a shrinkage in the size of all poultry 

 shows during this season our exhibits at the state fair were increased 

 by nearly 200 birds. This we believe is the result of the encouragement 

 offered to legitimate breeders. The income of the department was also 

 substantially increased over that of 1911. Both the egg laying contest 

 and the egg show attracted much attention and proved to be valuable 

 as an educational feature of the poultry department. 



In looking forward to this year's fair I would call your attention to 

 the urgent necessity for more exhibition coops as the exhibits have out- 

 grown the present cooping capacity. With these added facilities the 

 poultry department will keep pace with the other departments of the 

 Iowa State Fair. 



It would receive the most hearty approval of the poultrymen of the 

 state if arrangements could be made whereby several inexpensive silver 

 cups could be awarded to sweepstakes winners; thus definitely designating 

 certain low^a State Fair champions in the poultry department as in several 

 of the other live stock departments. Such trophies need not be expensive 

 as the honor more than the pecuniary value will be considered by the 

 winners. 



Mr. Summers moved that the following recommendations be approved 

 and adopted: To offer cups for sweepstakes cockerel and pullet for the 

 four distinct strains: American, Asiatic, Mediterranean and English; also 

 that additional coops be placed in the poultry building before the 1913 

 fair. Motion seconded and carried. 



IMr. Mullen, superintendent of the machinery department, 

 made the following report and recommendations: 

 To the State Board of Agriculture: 



Gentlemen : I would respectfully recommend that the re-letting of space 

 by exhibitors, either in the buildings, for which they claim ownership, 

 or the outside space owned by the fair association, should be strictly 

 prohibited and notification of that fact be included in each and every 

 contract. 



I would also recommend that one sprinkler be set aside for the use of 

 the machinery department, to be used in machinery hall and the streets 

 running through the machinery exhibits. This could be taken care of by 

 the men who furnish steam and gasoline engines with water. 



I also believe there should be a limit to the amount of space assigned 

 to each outside exhibitor; also that there should be more definite arrange- 

 ments made for exhibitors to secure electric power to run their machinery, 

 and an easier method of obtaining it from the officers of the electric 

 light company. 



It is the opinion of the machinery department officials that the auto- 

 mobile exhibit should be directly under the management, and in charge of 

 the machinery department; also the price of space for the automobile 

 exhibit under the amphitheater should be 25c per square foot. 



