204 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The exhibition at our international show of beef production commands 

 the admiration of the old world, and from now and henceforward we 

 wield the sceptre and wear the crown before the civilized world along this 

 line. I maintain, therefore, the outlook for the breeder of pure bred cat- 

 tle in Iowa is encouraging if practical, economical methods are adopted. 

 We are an important factor in the commercial transactions of the coun- 

 try, subject to the reverses and depressions of finance and hence gov- 

 erned by the fluctuations of trade, the same as all industries. 



We have an important and desirable mission in the cultivation of 

 new territory where we will have a market for our surplus stock. Our 

 work must be aggressive like every other good work. To this end our 

 best thought and judgment should be displayed. 



I do not desire to boast of our superiority over our sister states 

 adjoining us. The reliable statistics of our agricultural department show 

 our standing. We have the motto of success inscribed upon our banner. 

 I enjoy the proud honor of having lived in the grand state fifty years, a 

 half century of development. 



Spiritual discernment could hardly have portrayed the magnificent 

 growth of this period. It is simply grand to me to be one of the fortunate 

 number who have lived this past fifty years, and I bless the memory of 

 my father for possessing the spirit of conquest, and desire for bettering 

 the condition of his family that caused him to sever his boyhood connec- 

 tions in eastern Ohio and push out into this "Beautiful Land." 



I predict a magnificent future for our industry. A careful, conserva- 

 tive, intelligent course is demanded and to the breeder of pure bred cat- 

 tle in Iowa will be allotted a full share of the credit due every breeder in 

 this grand union. 



THE ODEBOLT EXPERIMENT. 



R. J. Kinzer, Ames, Iowa. 

 Mr. President and Members of the Iowa Improved Stock Breeders' As- 

 sociation: There has been so much said and written about the Odebolt 

 experiment during the last year that it seems like threshing old straw 

 over again in discussing it at this meeting. The agricultural papers all 

 over this country have reviewed it in their columns and pointed out its 

 great value to the cattle feeders of the country and I shall only endeavor 

 to give you a brief review of some of the minor details. 



About a year before this experiment started, Professor Curtiss began, 

 looking around over this state for a place to do some experimental feed- 

 ing under ordinary farm conditions. Many of the experiments at the 

 Iowa station as well as at other stations, have been conducted on so 

 small a scale that they have been of little value to the practical feeder. 

 And the Iowa station was very fortunate in securing the facilities offered 

 by the Brookmont farms where there was ample room for the feeding of 

 carload lots of cattle under conditions no better, if as good, as the Iowa 



