FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 651' 



PRESS REPORTS OF THE FIRST STATE FAIR. 



1854. 



[From the Fairfield Ledger, November 2, 1854.] 



The first fair of the Iowa State Agricultural Society was held at this place 

 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week. The attendance was 

 large — far beyond our most sanguine expectations. For several days before 

 the fair strangers commenced pouring into Fairfield by scores; the day before 

 the fair commenced they came by hundreds; and on the first and second 

 days of the fair they crowded in by thousands. Such a concourse of people 

 never before assembled in Iowa. We think we are safe in estimating the 

 number at seven or eight thousand. Every portion of the State 

 was represented, and all seemed deeply interested in this first great organized 

 struggle of the agricultural interests of Iowa. The zeal manifested by the 

 thousands who met together in the great agricultural peace counsel , amounted 

 to enthusiasm, and augured well for the future of the State society. Every 

 member of the society seemed to manifest a determination that the word 

 "fail" should never have any connection with the great agricultural move- 

 ment, of which the late fair was the first development. 



The first day was devoted to the exhibition of stock, and we doubt 

 whether any State fair in the Union ever had a finer display of choice stock 

 at their first State fair, than was on that day exhibited by the enterprising 

 Hawkeyes. Horses, cattle, mules, sheep and hogs, of the best quality, 

 finest blood and most perfect development, were on the ground in large 

 numbers, and in the best possible condition. There were many animals in 

 the above classes of stock that would attract attention at any State fair in 

 the Union. One mule was very large, measuring sixteen hands high. We 

 were somewhat taken by surprise when we saw such an array of thorough- 

 bred stock; but there is no telling what people c'an do in such a State as 

 Iowa, until you give them a chance to "prove out. " 



The second day was one of greatest attraction. To attempt to enumerate 

 all the articles on exhibition on this day would require much more time and 

 space than we now have at our command. 



The display of agricultural implements was very good, consisting of 

 plows, harrows, corn planters, reapers, threshing machines, fanning mills, 

 corn crushers, and, in fact, nearly everything that the farmer could wish 

 for. There was one reaper that combined with it an apparatus for raking, 

 which struck our mind as being one of the greatest improvements on the 

 ground. We did not learn the name of the patentee, but understand that 

 the machine belongs to Mr. Gaines of this county. If it reaps as well as it 

 rakes, it is a most invaluable improvement. We noticed that our friend 

 Ray, of Burlington, had some very fine plows on the ground which were 

 universally admired. Not having worked on a farm for several years, we 

 are not much of an agricultor now; there having been so many improve- 

 ments in husbandry we would feel at some loss now to go about it, but judg- 

 ing from the principles which seemed to be combined in the various 



