EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IX. 425 



from several other states as well, more than 200 herds being represented. 

 Some less than 1,000 entries were rejected on account of want of pens, 

 leaving about 3,200 hogs to make the show. Applicants for pens were 

 served in the order of their requests, first come being first served. Duroc- 

 Jersey breeders took advantage of this situation and were fortunate in 

 securing a lion's share of the space in the new pavilion. By actual count 

 the breeds numbered as follows: Duroc-Jerseys, 1,125; Poland-Chinas, 

 969; Chester Whites, 471; Berkshires, 130; Large Yorkshires. 97; Tam- 

 worths, 53. 



Poland-Chinas were not so strong as a year ago at Dos Moines. They 

 were not so well fitted. Indeed, the exhibit contained a considerable 

 sprinkling of hogs that had no business in the ring. The prize-winners, 

 however, averaged high, probably as good as the breed affords. The aged 

 boars made an excellent impression. Seldom has a more uniformly high- 

 class lot of matured boars- of this breed been seen. Wilson Rowe, Ames, 

 la., distributed the ribbons. 



Each class was little short of sensational in Duroc-Jerseys. Never has 

 this breed made such a stout display of its merits. Never have its breed- 

 ers taken such pains to fit their hogs for the showyard. From the aged 

 boars, of which there were twenty-one good ones shown, down to the pigs, 

 the classes fairly teemed with well fitted hogs. There was not a weak 

 spot in the display. J. B. Drake, Yellow Springs, 0., essayed the big 

 task of allotting the prizes. His work was done with much credit. 



Berkshires made a small showing, and the percentage of good ones 

 fell below that of the other kind. The chief strength of the show was in 

 the younger classes. N. H. Gentry, Scdalia, Mo., awarded the prizes. He 

 also judged the Chester Whites, which made perhaps the best exhibit in 

 the history of the breed. Certainly there never has been a better fitted 

 lot of Chester Wliites than those which breeders presented on this oc- 

 casion. 



Large Yorkshires and Tamworths were well represented, the entries 

 coming almost entirely from Iowa. In the former breed Prof. James 

 Atkinson and B. F. Davidson, both of Iowa, won most of the prizes, the 

 latter securing most of the top honors. Frank Thornber of Illinois had 

 the best of it in Tamworths, though the prizes were well distributed 

 among other exhibitors, including C. C. Roup, J. W. Justice, E. O. 

 Thomas and Nye Patterson, all of Iowa. Prof. J. J. Ferguson, with 

 Swift & Co., Chicago, judged these two bacon breeds. 



THE SHOW OF SHEEP. 



About 40 per cent larger than a year ago is the best word from the 

 sheep pens at the Iowa State Fair this year. All the breeds for which 

 classifications have been provided were represented, though in several of 

 them competition was lacking. So substantial has been the gain in the 

 number of entries of sheep that the management of the fair already is 

 planning larger and better accommodations for this class of stock. Pres- 

 ent quarters are not only inadequate, but unsuited to the purpose in case 

 of rain and storm, as last week. A delay of more than a day in the 



