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iOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURES 



year. Considering the conditions this is a showing to be proud of and 

 no doubt was unequaled by that of any other state. A feature of the 

 show which attracted considerable attention was the awarding of the 

 Live Stock World's Poland China Futurity prizes, amoumting to 

 $420.00 for boar and sow pigs. 



The following tabulation gives the number of exhibitors and the 

 number of swine shown in each class compared with 1911: 



The sheep show was somewhat different from that of former years, 

 being made up principally of American bred sheep. The foot and 

 mouth disease prevented importations from arriving in time for our 

 show. Twenty-seven exhibitors showed about 700 head of sheep, a de- 

 crease of 75 or 100 from last year. The few vacant pens in the east 

 section of the swine barn were used to house a part of the sheep exhibit 

 and this partially relieved the situation. However, at this the manage- 

 ment found it necessary to build temporary pens alongside of the old 

 sheds in order to take care of the exhibit. Before the management 

 can expect to induce exhibitors to bring their sheep to the Iowa State 

 P'air in large numbers, and otherwise enhance the value of the ex- 

 hibit, more adequate quarters must be provided for housing and show- 

 ing the sheep. 



The poultry department was in many respects better than any of 

 the previous exhibits at the fair. The management incorporated in the 

 premium list a rule limiting a non-resident exhibitor from showing 

 more than fifty birds. This resulted in eliminating the professional ex- 

 hibitor or huckster who picks up an unworthy lot of birds for classes 

 where competition is not strong and makes a circuit of fairs for the 

 premiums he can win. The exhibit was made by ninety-seven exhibi- 

 tors, most of whom were from Iowa, and they showed 1,508 birds of 

 practical breeds for Iowa farmers. The egg laying contest and the 

 educational exhibit made by the poultry division of the Iowa State 

 College at Ames proved an attractive feature to all who visited the 

 poultry building. 



The exhibit of agricultural products was by far the best in years. 

 The center section of the building was well filled with the products of 

 field and garden, and down each side along the walls were lined the 

 individual farm exhibits, all indicating that Iowa would harvest a 

 bounteous crop this year. 



