EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IX. 401 



This contest terminated satisfactorily in every way and it is altogether 

 likely that the department of agriculture will add a new building in the 

 very near future so that it may be greatly enlarged. Illinois fair has 

 made this a feature for many years and much good has been accomplished 

 by way of disseminating sound principles relating to cooking, sanitation 

 and the care of the sick. 



It is hardly possible to give credit to all those who contributed to make 

 the fair the great success that it proved to be. The city railway never 

 handled the crowds better, and we believe that the citizens' committee of 

 Des Moines made good their promise to care for those who made applica- 

 tion for lodging and for board. Des Moines had room for all visitors and 

 every precaution was taken to prevent strangers from being hoodwinked. 

 Considering the large number to be cared for, we believe that the city is 

 entitled to no small degree of credit for the record made. Officers of the 

 fair have profited each year by the last year's experience, and the manage- 

 ment this year not only in a general way, but in detail, was better than 

 ever. Things were made convenient for exhibitors, there being less than 

 the usual amount of red tape that is found at the average fair, while 

 visitors wore handled as if they were in the hands of their friends. Of 

 course the management is greatly handicapped by lack of a proper amphi- 

 theater to care for the crowd, and we repeat that the State should over- 

 come this difficulty by making a suitable appropriation for a new structure 

 of this character. 



CATTLE. 



SHOKT-IIORNS. 



The Short-horns make important history at the Iowa State Fair each 

 year, as it is the first fair in the great corn belt circuit. The history 

 made last week by this notable breed will always remain an important 

 page in the annals of the red, white and roan. There were upwards of 

 300 animals of this breed entered and more than 275 actually on exhibi- 

 tion. This number exceeds any former record at the Iowa fair, being 

 practically, equal to the record of the 1906 International. Some idea of 

 the merit of this class may be conveyed by staling that in 1906 Mr. F. 

 A. Edwards, of Webster City, won third on the Cruickshank bull, Secret 

 Viscount. This year the same bull was up again in fully as good form 

 and stood in tenth position. This was largely due to the competition 

 found in new material introduced this year. 



HEREPORDS. 



The white face contingent was not as much in evidence as has been 

 seen on Iowa grounds. Some good Herefords were on exhibition, however, 

 from "Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri, as well as a number of Iowa herds. 



ABERDEEN ANGUS. 



The Aberdeen Angus show was confined almost exclusively to Iowa. 

 The old guard of Angus breeders from the Hawkeye state were nearly 

 all out. 

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