766 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



STUDENTS' JUDGING CONTEST AT DES MOINES. 



The Boys' Judging Contest at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 24 sur- 

 passed any previous mark by fifty per cent and established what may be 

 termed a world's record. There were ninety-eight boys from all parts 

 of the state entered, thirty more than participated in last year's contest. 

 Each contestant was a farm boy under twenty-one years of age who had 

 never taken a regular course in any agricultural college. The prizes 

 offered were scholarships in the Iowa State College worth $200, $150, 

 $125, $100 and $25 respectively, the last to apply to a short course 

 session. 



Two rings each of draft horses, beef cattle and swine were judged 

 in the forenoon, and two samples of corn were placed by the boys in the 

 afternoon. This was the ninth contest at the state fair and the grov/th 

 from the four or five first entered to the present number has been re- 

 markable. The boys' camp contributed fifty of the contestants. It is 

 probable that the judging work will be made a part of the programme 

 of the camp for all of the boys next year. 



The holder of the first scholarship is a boy who has pushed rapidly 

 to the front as a poultry judge entirely on his own resources. He is a 

 recognized official at Iowa county fairs although only nineteen years of 

 age. The winner of third place is a brother of the two D'owells who won 

 the Gray beef cattle and Dinsmore draft horse medals at the Iowa State 

 College in 1911. 



Wallaces' Farmer, Des Moines, loiim. 



It was to be expected that the Iowa State Fair this year would be 

 successful, and the expectation was realized. Taken all in all, it was 

 the best and most representative State Fair which has ever been held 

 in the state, and this is equivalent to saying that it was the best agri- 

 cultural fair which has been held in any state. Although much remains 

 to be done to make it everything the Iowa State Fair should be, each 

 year witnesses decided progress. One by one the crude buildings of the 

 earlier days are passing away and are replaced by substantial buildings 

 of brick, with concrete fioors. The system of walks and drives is grad- 

 ually being extended. Increased provision is being made constantly for 

 that class of exhibits which has, in the past, been obliged to seek shelter 

 under the open skies or flimsy tents. While heavy rain would seriously 

 interfere with full enjoyment of the fair, the time has gone by when 

 people who really wish to attend it are deferred by cloudy skies. There 

 are now on the grounds enough well-constructed buildings to afford 

 shelter and entertainment even with unfavorable weather. 



The attendance was not as great as had been hoped, and not nearly so 

 large as it would have been had the railroads made the reduction in rates. 

 Iowa is entitled to reduced rates to the State Fair — not because it is the 

 State Fair, but because the service rendered is not worth the usual two 

 cents a mile. The fair traffic is very large; the cars are crowded to the 



