414 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



years ago the swine department was rebuilt, and a nice little exhi- 

 bition pavilion erected. When the first class came to be judged, it 

 was found that a very small per cent of the entries could be accommo- 

 dated in the pavilion! The new pavilion will hold them for a while. 

 In the big square there is room to add another row of pens, but when 

 that is done the board certainly will have met all reasonable demands 

 on it for accommodations for this exhibit. It is not incumbent on any fair 

 management to furnish costly quarters for sale stock. Enough has been 

 done when show stock has been comfortably housed. 



Our pictures preclude the necessity of description of the architecture 

 or arrangement of the new swine department. Up to date it has cost 

 around $77,000, and when the judging pavilion is seated and all finishing 

 touches added about $20,000 more will have been expended. The 

 Iowa State Pair does not anticipate its income from receipts or appropria- 

 tions, hence when funds available for the swine department were ex- 

 hausted, it left the plans uncompleted. Fair goers who respect them- 

 selves, their safety, their comfort and the decencies of travel sufficiently 

 to pass by the congested trolly cars and use the capital Rock Island 

 train service to the grounds, will remember a vacant strip between the 

 train sheds and the entrance to the fair. That land has been added to 

 the grounds, and on the east of the main entrance the new swine Qe- 

 partment has been placed. The buildings cover about three and one-half 

 acres, with about one-half acre in a fine high and light show pavilion. 

 The pavilion and pens are built of steel and vitrified brick, with 

 gravel roofs. The pens count up 1,154 and around 3,200 hogs filled them, 

 with something over 1,000 hog entries rejected on account of lack of 

 room. 



These new swine quarters are not only unique; they are grand. 

 Light and ventilation have been sought, along with permanency of 

 construction, and all these ends have been finely attained. Criticism 

 may perhaps be directed at the placing of the show pavilion at one 

 side of the quadrangle formed by the pens. It puts it rather far away 

 from quite a number of the pens, and makes it a long drive, especially 

 if the going happens to be muddy. The desire to obtain ample light 

 and ventilation in the pens led to this placing of the big building. An- 

 other row of pens can be built north of it, and thus fill the square, 

 when the approaches to the pavilion can be roofed over for wet weather. 

 Certain it is that no fair ground boasts so large, so convenient, so costly 

 an equipment for its swine department. In one season it goes far to 

 dim the memory of the nightmare conditions which have attended this de- 

 partment for a quarter of a century. 



Eight acres were added by the purchase of the new land, and directly 

 across the main street to the west of the swine department, a 

 new sheep department will be built on similar lines, although not so 

 extensive a scale. Temporary sheds were needed up on the hillside this 

 year to accommodate the overflow exhibit of sheep, and a new home will 

 assuredly bring out yet more numerous entries. 



