382 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



There are thirty-five and a half millions (35,504,000) of acres of 

 land in Iowa. And according to the last census more than thirty-four and 

 a half millions (34,574,337) acres, or 97.4 per cent, are included as farm 

 lands. And nearly thirty millions (29,897,552) acres, or 86.5 per cent, are 

 improved. 



No other state in the union has so large a number of acres in farms, 

 nor has any other state so many acres of improved land as Iowa has. It 

 also has a larger per cent of improved lands in proportion to the total 

 number of acres. 



The value of live stock sold the census year exceeded that of any 

 other state, and the total value of farm products exceeded that of any 

 other state by many millions. I need not continue the citations of* proof 

 of the excellence and grandeur of Iowa. The character of her people, 

 who are energetic and progressive, have had much responsibility in the 

 attainment of the high standing and importance it now enjoys. Her past 

 progress has been so rapid and wonderful that it has surprised our own 

 people — her future development may astonish the world. 



It is natural and proper that we extol the virtues and importance of 

 our own homes and our beloved state. It is a principle and a character- 

 istic which we have inherited all along the line of centuries from our 

 ancient forefathers. While we love Iowa best of all, we are not unmind- 

 ful of the attainments and importance of our neighbor states. 



Illinois has the advantage of us in population, cities, manufacturing, 

 etc., and furnishes us a market for a large portion of our surplus prod- 

 ucts. But time will materially change these conditions. Minnesota is 

 drawing quite a number of our people within her borders, who having had 

 experience in Iowa, know a good country when they see it. 



Missouri has attained to a position of such importance that her citi- 

 zens have the dignity to look one squarely in the face and assert that 

 they are going to hold, in St. Louis, in 1904, the most magnificent exposi- 

 tion that the world has ever witnessed; and judging from the prepara- 

 tion that they are making and the energy that they are devoting to the 

 matter they will dc it. 



Our neighbor on the west, Nebraska, although twenty years our junior 

 in statehood, is making wonderful advancement and producing results of 

 which they may justly feel proud; and it is demonstrating what an intelli- 

 gent people possessing the spirit of industry and enterprise may accom- 

 plish under favorable conditions. It is the abiding place of that eloquent 

 gentleman who prefers silver to gold. It is also the home of other elo- 

 quent gentlemen, who prefer gold to silver. They have made a part of 

 the state blossom like the proverbial rose, but it will be many summers 

 before other parts of the state blossom much. 



There are other interests beside agriculture and animal industry that 

 are also of vital importance to our people. The opening sentence of the 

 act creating this department is as follows: For the promotion of agri- 

 culture, horticulture, forestry, animal industry, manufactures and the 

 domestic arts there is hereby established a department of agriculture. 



