534 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
THE RED POLLS. 
The largest and strongest show of Red Polls ever seen at a state fair 
attracted its full share of attention, and the careful, intelligent work of 
the judge, J. W. Martin, Gotham, Wis., was helpful to exhibitors and 
others who followed it. The cattle were judged on the dual-purpose 
basis, and the job was well done. While many admirable show types 
were forward, there was a considerable sprinkling of entries which lacked 
flesh to such an extent that they should humiliate an exhibitor. This has 
been the case for years in this breed. At one end of the big class stands 
a high-class animal in attractive bloom, worthy of the place it occupies, 
while at the other end stands a "skate." It is unfortunate for the breed 
that where there is so much good wheat there should be so much chaff. 
In aged bulls, Cremo demanded that his smoke be watched. He is a 
smooth low-set bull of scale and quality. Itoo, a milk bull, topped the 
two-year-olds. Rutland is chock full of beef and milk quality, an excellent 
blend of the two virtues, and is of pleasing architecture. Bull calves 
were an uneven lot, owing to the diversity of ages represented. They 
should have shown in seniors and juniors, which also applies to the 
heifer calves. A big class of them puzzled the judge, owing to the grada- 
tions in size. Don won because of his fine balance of the qualities prized 
by breeders. He is a quality sort of ample size. He is well grown. 
Inez is a type to imitate. She has reached the matron class a stronger 
candidate than when she headed the two-year-olds last year and gained 
the female championship of the breed. She is a genuine double-decker, 
short, smooth, even-lined, large of barrel and admirably equipped with 
milking parts. Lady was a popular winner among the two-year-olds, a 
very sweet robust heifer with well-defined veins and a fair udder. If the 
yearlings had been divided into senior and juniors the exhibitors would 
have better satisfied and so would the judge. The class was large and 
rich in top-notch show material. Lena made an appropriate headpiece. Her 
sweetness of character and symmetry made her invincible. The calves 
were a big class, with "more than enough good ones to take the prizes. 
THE FAT STEERS. 
Marked improvement in the quality of the pure-bred fat cattle exhibit 
was noted in all the breeds represented, although the number shown was 
about the same as a year ago. Short-horns made a particularly impres- 
sive display, while the Angus came fully up to their usual high standard, 
this breed furnishing the grand champion of the show in Edison, a prime 
bullock that is full of meat. The grand champion group also was "black." 
The steers were judged by the breed judges in each breed and they 
worked together on the championship — Prof. H. W. Mumford, E. T. Davis 
and Capt. T. E. Robson. In the grand championship contest the tug of 
war was between the Angus Edison and the roan Short-horn Look Me 
Over. But for a little softness of flesh the latter would have won. 
