EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IX. 407 



Mine mule fifteen liands or over was won by H. L. Orcutt, lie taking first 

 and second. Best mule, any age, went to Orcutt. In pair of mules over 

 2,400 pounds, only a second was given, that being won by Williams, who 

 also got only a second with a single entry in class for pair mules any age or 

 weight. Pair under 2,400 pounds was won by Orcutt, who was allowed 

 only a second by Judge W. J. Rutherford, of Winnepeg, Canada. 



SWINE. 



DUROC JERSEYS. 



Probably the largest and best show of this breed that was ever wit- 

 nessed was made last week on the Iowa State Fair grounds. With nearly 

 1,200 animals in the pens it assumed the proportions of what might have 

 been expected of a corn-belt exposition of the breed. Something like 330 

 were brought out in the individual classes, to say nothing of the numbers 

 in the group classes. Those who came to see the exhibit were much im- 

 pressed with the headway being made by this breed and no doubt scores 

 of converts returned home with the expectation of helping the breeder 

 on to greater popularity. Breeders spared neither time nor expense to 

 bring the best from the best herds in the land together. Ohio and Illinois 

 sent herds of conservative types, while Nebraska came over with big ones 

 and of splendid merit. Ribbons were pretty well scattered, and .1. E. 

 Drake, of Yellow Springs, Ohio, who placed them, worked hard to please 

 all interested. He was very particular in passing by no defects and with 

 a few exceptions, in both the boar and sow classes, awards met the ap- 

 proval of ringsiders until the selection of a champion boar. It was gener- 

 ally expected that this prize would fall to Iowa. However, this hope 

 failed to materialize. Never before were classes so large and so uni- 

 formly good. With the one exception of the second boar class, the whole 

 space of the new pavilion was frequently required. The proportion of 

 males to females was about equal and in the under six months old class 

 of boars seventy-six were shown, while sixty gilt came out in the females 

 of this age. One of the features of the show was the strong backs, but 

 good feet and pasterns were altogether too uncommon in view of the fact 

 that the supporters of the breed claim this to be one of its strong points. 

 Every person interested in the future popularity of the breed should use 

 their influence to impress upon exhibitors the importance of showing only 

 sure-footed animals. Much good judgment was shown by breeders in fit- 

 ting and animals loaded with uncomfortable rolls of fat were few. This 

 was gratifying. 



POLAND CHINAS. 



Wilson Rowe, of Ames, Iowa, who made the awards on this breed, found 

 the show so good that he took a day and a half to judge it. His 

 type of Poland is a hog of medium size, with abundance of quality. Speci- 

 mens of the highest type were found at the top in the awards. The plac- 

 ing was generally conceded as consistent. Plenty of material was on hand 

 and from the abundance it was not a little difficult to select the seven tops. 

 Classes, barring the groups, averaged three times the number for which 



