60 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



and their calves. Through it all the youthful owners stood pa- 

 tiently waiting the judge's pleasure. Some of the calves were 

 exceptionally good and showed care and judgment in fitting. One's 

 heart went out to the youngsters that had to make the tail end of 

 that procession of 107 calves, and longings were stirred for the 

 possession of the riches of a Carnegie or some other purse-fattened 

 favorite of the gods of wealth that he might bestow a substantia] 

 prize upon every mother's son and daughter of the lot. 



Cattle and horses, if not out in such liberal numbers as on 

 some other occasions, were good enough individually and collec- 

 tively to make up for any lack of quantity. The city dweller who 

 could look unmoved on those parades of prize-winning cattle at 

 iJie night shows in the Stock Pavilion without being swept with 

 a desire to throw everything else to the winds and get himself in 

 some way identified with the production of such splendid animals, 

 must have been hopelessly rutted in other lines, Iowa stables fur- 

 nished the greater part of the heavy-horse show and contributed 

 liberally to the show of light harness horses and saddlers. After 

 watching the splendid big drafters one realizes that at last the 

 Iowa farmer-breeder is learning the lesson of liberal feeding from 

 weaning time to maturity in order to develop the weight de- 

 manded in the open markets. Small breeders and new exhibitors 

 v/ere numerous. The Shetlands were out in strong numbers and 

 with quite as many youthful admirers swarming about the stalls. 



The swine show was up to the Iowa standard, which is saying 

 more than a little. Approximately 2,500 animals were actually 

 in the pens. Thousand-pound hogs were common. Eight differ- 

 ent breeds were represented and each appeared to have plenty of 

 admirers. One could not but marvel at the money value of that 

 great aggregation of pure-bred swine. There may have been a few 

 young porkers that could have been bought for $50, but the major- 

 ity of them would easily command from $100 up, as prices go at 

 present, more than a few of them running into the thousands. 

 Even the shipping crates ran into money pretty fast, for more than 

 half of that great gathering traveled to and from the fair in crates. 

 One man said his crates cost him about $3.50 more than a year 

 ago. Another, with a brand-new outfit, said his crates cost $4.50 

 each in addition to his own labor contribution toward the building 

 of them. This state fair show is a popular market place and sales 

 were many. The several members of a single litter brought $1,000 

 for the breeder. Another exhibitor sold 15 out of 19 head, each 



