NINETEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV 307 



optional whether or not to exhibit at the fair. The final awards do not 

 always correspond with tlie decisions at the lair, as other points are taken 

 into consideration. 



Among- the new attractions was the government mine rescue car, to- 

 gether with the practical demonstrations in work of this kind. The car 

 contained apparatus and equipment used in mines after a disaster, and 

 there were gas maslis, sensitive birds, surgical equipment and about 

 everything which would be needed in such emergencies. The government 

 maintains eight of these rescue cars in different parts of the country, and 

 one can be rushed to almost any mine within a few hours after an ex- 

 plosion, to a city after a big Are, or to a flooded district. Just what the 

 men have to do in mine rescue work was demonstrated in a specially-built 

 glass house on Main street. This was filled with poisonous gases, such as 

 are encountered in mines, and which were so dense one could hardly see 

 the demonstrator within. The masks worn are similar to trench masks, 

 which make German gas attacks of minor importance, the wearer being fed 

 pure oxygen for breathing by means of a tube connected to a light con- 

 tainer. 



The biggest part of the machinery exhibit consisted of tractors, which 

 were represented in lai'ge numbers. Iowa is a fertile field for the sale 

 of tractors, and manufacturers and dealers like to take advantage of the 

 Iowa State Fair crowds to display their machines. There was no lack of 

 interest on the part of the rural visitors, and city guests watched the 

 demonstrations out of curiosity. Scarcity of labor thruout the state has 

 made farmers devote more attention to machines for replacing human 

 hands, and at no fair were farmers more on the lookout for implements 

 and machines which either would replace men and horses or malie the 

 available supply accomplish more. 



As usual, the center of interest in the W.omen and Childrens Building- 

 was the baby health contest. Judging and examinations of babies went 

 on in the forenoon. In the afternoon an eager group of women watched 

 living models on which were displayed art and conservation in clothing, 

 showing- practical and pretty clothes on living models. An interesting- ex- 

 hibit was that of the Iowa State Board of Health, illustrating by charts 

 and models conditions of health and disease. Red Cross headquarters was 

 tlironged with inquirers for patterns, plans and information. A large doll 

 was used as a model for demonstrations. One of the prettiest perform- 

 ances staged in the building was the Pageant of Iowa Wildflowers. Miss 

 Hathaway, of Des Moines, the originator of this pageant, was present 

 every afternoon, for a conference on pageants and pageantry. 



Rabbits and Belgian hares were in evidence at the Iowa State Pair this 

 year, joining the ranks of meat producers, to the great satisfaction of the 

 pet siock men. 



THE STOCK SHOW. 



With the winning- of the war the main business, and the consequent 

 •shortage of lielp and feed, the live stock exhibit at Des Moines last week 

 was all that could be hoped for. In both numbers and quality, it was up 

 to the higii standard set by tlie Iowa State Fair some years ago, when 

 Iowa took the lead over other state fairs in the magnitude of its annual 

 exposition of pure-bred stock, horses, cattle, swine and sheep. But the 

 live stock show on the whole was not up to the big showing made at Des 



