706 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



BUENA VISTA COUNTY. 



C. E. Cameron. 



Fair held August 19, 20, 21 and 22, 1902 at Alta. 



The fair was one of the most successful in the history of the society, 

 both from a financial and exhibition point of view, the attendance being, 

 from 4,000 to 12,000 daily, and the display in every department larger than 

 in any previous year. Considering the year the weather was excellent, 

 having rain only on the first day sufficiently to interfere with the program. 

 The field of speed horses was smaller than in some previous years, but 

 made up in quality what it lacked in quantity and the racing was excellent. 



The past season was a very unfavorable one for the farmers. In com- 

 mon with nearly all portions of the state, the extremely wet season inter- 

 fered with the maturing of grain and all crops were light. There was but 

 little corn in this county that was not injured by frosts on account of the 

 backwardness of the season. Oats would have been a fair crop except for 

 wet weather during harvest and the same will apply to all small grain. For 

 this reason small grain did not yield fifty per cent of a crop. The potato 

 crop was very short on account of rotting. 



Horses and cattle of all kinds are being raised at a profit and the 

 breeds are being rapidly improved. Hogs are plentiful and show very 

 little sickness. There has been an increased interest in sheep raising the 

 past year and we believe this industry will receive more attention from 

 our farmers in the future. Poultry is about an average in numbers and 

 shows a continued improvement in quality. The exhibits as the fair in 

 stock exceeded all previous years both in number and quality, and has set 

 a high standard for future years. 



The increase in the value of land has been over twenty-five per cent. 

 Land is now selling from $75 to $90 per acre and in one case reached as 

 high as $150. The demand for good farms is unprecedented and they will 

 still further advance the coming year. 



BUTLER COUNTY. 



G. E. Burrougk. 



Fair held at Allison, September 1 to 4, 1902. 



The fair, everything considered, was a success. 



The corn crop of the county averaged about sixty per cent of the aver- 

 age yield. Oats were a fair yield but damaged by the rains making them 

 a poor quality. Potatoes in dry ground were a large yield, but in wet 

 ground rotted badly. Hay was a big crop. 



Farm lands have advanced in price at least $25 per acre the past- 

 year and now are selling at $75 to $100 per acre. 



