726 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Muscatine county land is selling at $100 to $117 per acre, and rents 

 at $3.50 to $4.25. The county has ten county telephone lines and many 

 rural routes. 



O'BRIEN COUNTY. 



J. C. Briggs. 



Fair held at Sutherland, September 3, 4 and 5. 



The attendance was not so large as usual. The exhibits were good 

 with the exception of grain. 



The wet weather of summer greatly damaged small grains. Frost 

 caught the corn, thereby causing a great deal of soft ears. The yield 

 was good however. 



The soil of O'Brien county is a black loam, and adapted to all kinds 

 of farming. 



Farm lands are selling at $60 to $90 per acre. 



O'BRIEN COUNTY. 



E. L. Richards. 



Fair held at Sheldon, August 27, 28 and 29, 1902. 



While the success of the meeting was very gratifying, it would have 

 been still more so had the weather been pleasant. One hundred and twenty- 

 three head of cattle were shown as were 156 head of swine. There was also 

 a good showing of horses and sheep. 



I believe I am safe in saying that the yield of crops was not more 

 than fifty per cent of that of 1901. The extreme wet weather of the sum- 

 mer was very damaging to grains of all kinds and corn instead of ripening 

 continued to grow until checked by the heavy frosts. 



PAGE COUNTY. 



C. E. Ton n g. 



Fair held at Shenandoah, August 12 to 15, 1902. 



The fair was a success in exhibits, attendance and financially. The 

 exhibits in most departments were better than those of the year before. 



The corn yield in Page county last fall was good, and wheat, oats and 

 hay were really better than were expected. Owing to the great amount of 



