168 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The attendance is naturally limited to Iowa, although one sees many 

 visitors from other states who are attracted by the large and varied 

 exhibit. The state fair is recognized as an important educational force 

 and is the most effective advertisng medium that the state possesses. 

 The fame of the annual stock show at the Iowa State Pair has gone 

 broadcast throughout the United States and Canada. It is second only 

 to the great international show held annually at Chicago, and as a breeders' 

 show for the four classes of live stock, viz., horses, cattle, swine and 

 sheep, has no equal. 



The imperative need today in Iowa is for a thorough and concerted 

 effort on the part of all for a greater knowledge in the methods of more 

 intensive farming, followed with a well conducted and systematic cam- 

 paign of advertising that will show and prove to the world the almost 

 unlimited resources of our soil, not surpassed by any agricultural lands 

 the world over. For many, many years all our lands have been utilized 

 for farming purposes. This being true, there is no other alternative 

 but for the coming young man or renter to seek new fields, as he has 

 not been properly educated to the methods of more intensive farming. 

 Prove to him that it is possible to produce on eighty acres what his 

 father or grandfather produced on one hundred and sixty and see how 

 quickly he will accept the opportunity to make his future home in Iowa. 

 The average size of the Iowa farm at the last census was 156 acres; 

 it should be less than this. Then again, with the smaller farm the 

 great problem of help is practically solved. The trite saying, "all is 

 not gold that glitters," can well be applied to much of the literature giv- 

 ing glowing accounts of the great possibilities for farming in the semi- 

 arid regions. Thousands of dollars are expended annually in advertising 

 cheaper lands to attract the young man from the Iowa farm. Let us 

 do a little advertising at home, not especially to attract those from the 

 east, west, north or south, but to demonstrate more emphatically to our 

 own people that by the application of more scientific and intensive farm- 

 ing their condition will be bettered by remaining in Iowa. The loioa 

 State Fair and Exposition is the best possible medium, through which the 

 resources and great possibilities of our state may be advertised, for it is 

 here, as at no other place, one may see from year to year what improve- 

 ment is actually taking place. 



The work of improving the fair grounds is constantly being carried 

 on. During the last year some substantial improvements were made. 

 Chief among these was the new hog barn and show pavilion, erected 

 at a cost of $77,000.00. This building is well put up, being of brick and 

 steel, with cement floor in all of the pens. Its construction is open, thus 

 insuring the best light and ventilation. The extreme dimensions of the 

 barn are 35Bx522 feet, built in the shape of the letter "E"; the show 

 pavilion is 113x200 feet; this makes a combined area of over three 

 acres under roof, two and one-half acres in the barn and one-half in 

 the show building. There are 1,156 pens, each 6x7 in size. The maximum 

 capacity of the barn is over 3,000 hogs, and at this there were many dis- 

 appointments this year, by breeders not being able to secure pens and 

 therefore unable to bring their show hogs. There is a tendency with 

 some of the breeders to occupy too many pens with sale hogs. While 



