EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX. 435 



The prefix "Imp." stands for much at the present time with the breeder 

 and dealer in this class of sheep. It means about 100 per cent added in 

 price over the American-bred sheep of same quality. English imported 

 is the desirable animal. The Canadian is not valued much above the 

 home-grown American, unless of greatly superior quality. The prices 

 now prevailing for rams of breeding age is anywhere from $100 to $150, 

 depending, of course, on the quality and finish of the animal and the 

 elasticity of the conscience of the seller. 



Most breeders buy reputation now days, when getting a breeding ani- 

 mal, and are willing to pay a good price for it. It is a good thing for a 

 breeder to have, especially when it can be used as a commodity in the 

 market. It is often cheaper to buy it in the purchase of a good animal 

 than to attempt to breed up to it. 



SOME OF THE DISADVANTAGES. 



The fine wool classes were not well filled, there being little competi- 

 tion in the American Merino and Delaine Merino class. The throwing of 

 these two breeds of sheep together as one class worked a great disad- 

 vantage to the exhibitors and judge, as they are directly opposite in 

 style and finish, and cannot show together in fairness any more than the 

 coach horse and the saddle horse. The showing of outdoor field sheep 

 was another feature of disadvantage that one breeder saw fit to add to his 

 chances of defeat, which are always suflnciently strong in the show ring 

 under the best system of care and attention. 



The Rambouillet, or French Merino class, was well represented with the 

 usual well-fitted and half-fitted representatives in the ring. The varia- 

 tion that this breed of Merinos encourage and maintain in breeding char- 

 acter, both in form and fleece, gives rise to much difference of opinion 

 as to which should be encouraged. The desirability of a strong-charac- 

 tered animal as a breeder, with heavy, close turned horn, broad head, 

 short, strong neck with some folds about the neck, and heavy dewlap, 

 are recognized properties with experienced breeders in maintaining den- 

 sity of fleece and guarding degeneracy of the one important property of 

 this breed, a large, desirable fleece of excellent wool. 



So desirable have been these qualities in the Rambouillet sheep that 

 over-zealous breeders, it is feared, have gone out of the beaten path of 

 close adherence to family blood and breeding and introduced American 

 Merino blood as a quick and sure way of attaining the desired end. This 

 method, however, carries with it some danger of overdoing the work and 

 producing in the cross a sheep of decidedly American Merino character. 

 A better sheep in many cases than either of the breeds distinct. 



The machinery department affords one of the most generally interest- 

 ing features of the fair. This department has outgrown State fair limits, 

 practically, and might be classed a machinery exposition. It would re- 

 quire several days' constant travel to even take a peep at the thousands 

 of things that are on display in this division of the fair grounds. 



When one stops to consider what constitutes this great exhibit that 

 takes many heavily laden freight trains to bring to the Iowa State Fair, 

 there may be some realization of what is to be seen there. Added to the 

 immensity of this great display the fact that it is almost entirely an ex- 



