574 IOWA DEPARTIMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
would object to any such advancement. The corn alone is worthy of such 
an expenditure. It would only he justice to the horticultural and dairy 
displays to provide separate and suitable buildings for them as soon as 
possible. We believe that such improvements will be made at the earliest 
possible moment. 
The railroads made a wise move this year in the reduced rates they 
gave fair visitors and in the magnificent service they gave patrons in 
times of excursion v/hen no one expects the best of service. Trains 
brought people to the capital city by the tens of thousands and all ap- 
preciated the reduced rate given them. There is no losing sight of the 
fact that the state fair being the occasion when a great many people take 
their vacation and it is then when they obtain the greatest enjoyment in 
such a vacation, and they certainly are in a position to appreciate a re- 
duction in the regular fare. 
The special features of the fair this year were of the highest order 
and were instructive as well as entertaining. The evening show in the 
stock pavilion was a most excellent one being a combination of horse and 
trick show. While the fine horses and other stock which were led into 
the ring were most attractive there were such other additional features 
as to make it attractive to such persones who could see no beauty or in- 
terest in a fine specimen of the equine race. We heard many compliments 
favorable to the night show. 
If no other one thing could be seen but the two six-horse teams on 
exhibition by Armour and Pabst, it would repay for making a trip many 
miles to see. These teams are a marvel and w^ould have been among the 
things impossible a decade ago. So large, so fine, matched so w^ell and all 
the accompaniments in the way of harness and wagon so fittingly made 
them presentable in the best manner. We gazed at these teams as in- 
tently as we did the first locomotive we ever saw. Others did the same 
thing. 
If we were called upon to write up the exhibit of implements at the 
state fair we should be compelled to ask for weeks in which to make 
the inspection and then would require a much greater time than that 
usually alloted a writer to give an account of them. We simply became 
exhausted in trying to see everything in the implement line. We followed 
the steam plovv^s with as much eagerness as a small boy escorts a brass 
band through the streets of his town. We did not tire at the practical 
demonstrations of all kinds of field machinery which were being given 
practical tests in a field set apart for that purpose. Vv^e v/ere most 
especially interested in grain drills and their operations, and as we 
looked at their work we only wished we could compel the use of a drill 
wherever small grain is grown. The grain cleaning machinery canie in 
for its share of time and attention. Manure spreaders were there — not 
two or three of them — but by the acre. These were being inspected by 
farmers as never before. The more interest created as to the necessity 
for manure spreaders the better system of soil improvement Vvill be in- 
augurated. 
On Wednesday many thousands gathered at the "big tent" on the hill- 
side to see and hear Secretary Wilson, who spent two days at the fair. 
