830 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
who make the show. It has demonstrated the progress and improve- 
ment that is being made in the various industries in its territory. Sioux 
City is located in the center of the finest stock breeding countries in the 
world and should support one of the best fairs in t.-e country. It has 
taken nerve to accomplish the good that has been done, and the manage- 
ment will never falter if proper encouragement is given it by the resi- 
dents of Woodbury county. It has a generous support from outside terri- 
tory. 
FARM PEODUCTS. 
Every available inch of space was taken in the agricultural hall. 
Nearly every known variety of grain, grasses and vegetables grown in 
this territory were shown in profusion. The interior of the building w^as 
nicely decorated with bunting and on all sides were artistically arranged 
booths in grain and grasses. The exhibit of corn was pronounced by 
experts to be the largest and best ever exhibited in the corn growing 
district at this season of the year, much of it being fully matured. The 
grand show of many varieties won the admiration of every visitor. Vege- 
tables of all kinds were fine and produced in plenty, some ot our gar- 
deners shipping surplus to other points. 
The management was happily disappointed in the exhibits of this de- 
partment, the reported shortage leaving the impression tnat there would 
be a meagre show of fruit, but the showing made convinced the most 
skeptical that this climate and section of the country will produce as fine 
fruit as is grown in the land. The production of peaches, pears and 
plums grown in this vicinity, of which there was a most creditable dis- 
play, were equal, if not better, than of foreign growth. A tree of Russian 
olives grown on city soil attracted much attention. The fruit is not eaten, 
the tree being grown for ornamentation, having a peculiar and artistic 
foliage. 
THE DAIRY. 
Increasing interest prevails in this department. One hundred and 
fifteen exhibitors competed for the four hundred and twenty-five dollar 
offerings on butter. Representatives came from Iowa, Minnesota, South 
Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin, showing the wide scope 
that attracts exhibitors to the interstate fair. 
APIARY EXHIBIT. 
While the lack of continuous spells of warm weather made it a poor 
year for the busy bee, detracting from the usual production of honey, 
the exhibits and number of exhibitors averaged well with former fairs. 
One building is entirely devoted to this exhibit and there was no lack of 
interest. An interesting and educational feature being the handling of 
bees and the methods of extracting honey by illustration twice each day. 
