742 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



heated may have been hotter; if so Shadrach and the rest of them must 

 have been a trifle scorched. But the heat was badly needed to mature 

 the wonderful corn crop, and so all smiled and perspired. A shower 

 broke on Monday morning but people were well out at the grounds before 

 it came. Wednesday carried the threat of rain most of the day, but gate 

 receipts were seemingly not affected. At this early writing nothing 

 definite as to financial outcome can be submitted, but the first half of 

 the week certainly brought gratifying returns to the state fair coffers. 



The live stock departments were numerously filled. This story will 

 be developed somewhat in detail, but in brief, numbers held up well, 

 although in a few sections the absence of leading breeders and im- 

 porters caused a lowering of the average excellence. Horses occu- 

 pied the Coliseum arena in the morning and cattle in the afternoon, so 

 that the dangerously congested condition witnessed in the arenas of 

 some state fairs, when both cattle and horses are in the arena simul- 

 taneously, was absent. The judging for the most part presented the 

 conclusions of trained men and was largely accepted without murmur by 

 exhibitors. The entire record of this show was creditable alike to the 

 management and the exhibitors who contributed to one of the most 

 satisfying fairs ever held in the cornbelt. 



THE SHORT-HORNS. 



Exhibitors were plentiful enough and top entries appeared in all rings, 

 although the sensation of numbers usually seen in this arena was want- 

 ing. It was largely an Iowa show, although Wisconsin, Illinois, Mis- 

 souri, Nebraska and Kansas breeders also made entries. Some splendid 

 cattle were forward, but in many classes after the tops were sorted the 

 average of excellence dropped off rather sharply. The absence of a 

 number of the most prominent herds of recent years occasioned a gap 

 among the real good ones that was plainly noticeable. Very few com- 

 mon ones were shown; nearly all the entries were of useful character 

 and most of them well conditioned, but candor compels the comment 

 that the exhibit as a whole, did not rank with the great shows on 

 these grounds in recent years. 



It fell to A. J. Ryden, Abingdon, 111., to make official choice of 

 candidates for honors, and his work lined up largely with the prevailing 

 sentiment. In one or two classes there was a very active "post mortem" 

 by ringside talent after the ribbons were tied. 



THE BULL CLASSES. 



Diamond Goods from Missouri successfully coped with imported White 

 Star among the company of aged bulls. This son of Good Choice is some- 

 what of a wonder in his way. He is so extremely wide and deep that he 

 looks more of a "chunk" than he really is. His weight is quite sufficient 

 as a three-year-old and in his massiveness, his trueness of outline and 

 set of underpinning the bull commands profound respect. The thickness 

 of this bull, the smoothness with which he is covered, the heft of hind 



