NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 581 
There was the little shirt band, the skirt fastened over the shoulders with 
two pearl buttons, the night gown made to draw up in a bag below the 
feet— all these of softest flannel. The dresses were noticeable for length, 
being very short, and very plain, two very sensible ideas for first clothes. 
The teacher in charge of the exhibit said the cost of such an outfit had 
not been estimated, although it would be interesting to know. 
Ctfokery forms such an important part of a housewife's daily life it 
was not surprising that the bread and cake exhibit proved one of the 
attractions that always held a crowd. Women struggled for a place be- 
fore the long glass cases, or waited patiently until they could slip into 
the front row. And after the awards had been made, comment was not 
always in favor of the judge's decision. Many of the cakes looked fine, 
but there were others that were coarser grained, yet bore a red or blue 
card. The only doughnuts exhibited were by the same woman. They 
were in two glass jars, cut extra large and dipped in coarse granulated 
sugar. In fact they looked as though they might have been bought at 
any bake shop. That they received the awards was because they were 
the only ones in their class. But as a whole the bakings were creditable 
to Iowa cooks, as were also the jellies, jams and preserves. 
To go into detail regarding the exhibits would require more time and 
space than I command. But I noted two or three novelties that if per- 
fected might simplify woman's work some day. There was a combination 
range, in which you could build a coal fire to get breakfast, then when 
the kitchen was warmed, throw the grate, turn two gas burners into the 
fire box, and while using one burner for cooking you could, by keeping 
the rest of the lids on to retain the heat, boil a teakettle on the back of 
the range, just the same as if the hot coals had been retained. There 
were kitchen cabinets that w^ere marvels of completeness, everything 
needed in cooking being right at your hand. Fireless cookery w^as de- 
monstrated by airtight wooden chests, containing one, tw^o or three com- 
partments, though for that matter an old trunk converted into a hay 
box, if airtight, would serve the purpose eauaily well. Dish washers 
were in operation, filled with hot soapy water and a few pieces of heavy 
stone china. Anyone, a child even, could turn the handle, similar to a 
w^ashing machine. It seemed to me it might be useful in hotel or re- 
staurant kitchens, but most housekeepers would prefer the good old way. 
I saw a steam cooker, however, it would be a joy to own. Only the other 
day we wanted to steam a chicken, and found that the ordinary size? 
steamer lacks depth. This cooker would go over an ordinary burner, and 
would hold a turkey or a ham. Or it could be used to cook three differ- 
ent dishes at one time, and it was positively guaranteed odorless. 
LIVE STOCK AT IOWA STATE FAIR. 
The live stock industry of the state of Iowa put forward last week, an 
exposition of pure bred animals that stands without a peer in the history 
of live stock shows. 
