EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX. 383 



themselves with large placards bearing their names to be placed on their 

 tents and thus enable friends to find them. Had this suggestion been fol- 

 lowed it would have saved an immense amount of time and trouble. The 

 number of people who camp on the grounds is increasing each year. 

 This is really the satisfactory way to see the fair when a number of the 

 family come. The annoyance of going back and forth from town is done 

 away with, and by living on the grounds one can go over the exhibits 

 in a leisurely way and at a time when he is not crowded and can thus 

 get the greatest good from them. An effort was made this year to erect 

 the tents in an orderly way on streets. This should be worked out 

 another year. The tenting ground should be completely platted, streets 

 laid out and numbered and named and a record kept of the occupants 

 of each street. If this is done and the names of the occupants of each 

 tent displayed in plain sight it would make the tent life on the grounds 

 still more popular. 



If there are any pessimists among Iowa farmers they do not come 

 to the State Fair, or if they do come, do not make themselves known. 

 Wallaces' Farmer's pavilion was thronged each day with farmers from 

 all parts of the State, and we made it a point to ask each one with whom 

 we talked concerning the crops in his locality. We found the reports gath- 

 ered in this way confirm the judgment we have already expressed in the 

 paper. It is not a bumper year, but the general expression was that 

 there would be plenty and to spare, while the high prices prevailing for all 

 sorts of farm products leaves the producer in a most comfortable condition 

 financially. The Iowa farmer is feeling pretty well satisfied with his 

 conditions. 



Notwithstanding the unfavorable conditions early in the season, the 

 fruit exhibit in the Agricultural building was particularly strong. In 

 point of numbers the display of all classes of fruit was greater than in 

 former years, but it was not up to the standard in quality, most speci- 

 mens being off in color and undersized. A very interesting thing in the 

 fruit department was a plate of seedling gooseberries exhibited by the 

 horticultural department of the Iowa Agricultural College. This particu- 

 lar variety is known as the Craighead gooseberry, and was introduced 

 from Utah, where they have been propagated, by Professor Beach. This 

 variety promises to be of great value and Professor Beach will determine 

 its hardiness in this State in the nursery plots at the Iowa experiment 

 station. The Craighead came from a native Utah variety and promises 

 to be very productive. 



The dairy interests of the State were well represented, there being 116 

 tubs of butter scored by Professor McKay. The buttermakers scoring 

 highest were L. C. Peterson, of Story City, with 97 Va points; F. H. Fisher, 

 Greene, Iowa, with 97^4 points; and P. N. Peterson, Rake, Iowa, with 97 

 points. In the ladies' buttermaking contest first place was given to Mrs. 

 J. A. Peters, of Ankeny, Iowa, who has been the champion buttermaker of 

 the State in the ladies' class for the past several years. Mrs. Peters' but- 

 ter scored 95 points. There was the usual display of dairy machinery and 

 utensils, with practical demonstrations during the day. 



