THE IOWA STATE FAIR AND EXPOSITION 



It gives me much pleasure to again report a successful show — such 

 being the unanimous verdict for the Iowa State Fair and Exposition for 

 1910. It was the best and most useful fair ever held, notwithstanding 

 the inclement weather on six of the seven days the fair was open to 

 the public, which caused a marked decrease in the attendance. The report 

 of the ticket auditing department shows that 231,233 people passed through 

 the gates, being 20,000, or 10 per cent more than ever before, and an in- 

 crease of nearly 60,000, or 33 1-3 per cent gain in three years. 



The net receipts for the 1910 fair were $157,259.77, an increase of $19,- 

 952.37, or liy 2 per cent over 1909, and 52,000 or over 50 per cent larger 

 than three years ago. A very conservative estimate would place the loss 

 of receipts on account of rain at $15,000.00. Attached to and made a 

 part of this report will be given a full and detailed statement of all re- 

 ceipts and disbursements of the department for the year. 



Fourteen hundred and seventy-three exhibitors made 14,004 entries at 

 the 1910 fair. By far the largest number of exhibitors were registered in 

 the live stock and machinery sections — 367 in the four stock departments 

 and 320 in the machinery department. There were 141 exhibitors of 

 agricultural products; 118 in the pantry department; 106 in the educa- 

 tional department; and 216 in the fine arts department. Never before 

 was there such a show of horses as at the Iowa State Fair this year. One 

 hundred and one exhibitors entered over 1,100 horses, valued at over 

 $1,000,000.00. All breeds were represented, from the smallest pony to 

 the ton draft horse. Of course the entries in the draft horse breeds 

 were larger than those in the light harness and coach breeds, for Iowa 

 is a draft horse state. It has been many years since such a magnificent 

 show of Shetland ponies has been made; it was truly a wonderland for 

 the little folks. 



The show of beef cattle was somewhat larger than in the preceding 

 year and much improved in quality. The management was fortunate in 

 being able to secure, as a judge of Short Horn cattle, the services of J. 

 Deane Willis of England, who is one of the best known living Short Horn 

 breeders. His decisions were eagerly watched for and his work followed 

 by many hundreds of cattle breeders. The exhibit of dairy cattle was 

 not so large in numbers as in 1909 but the loss in numbers was partially 

 made up for by having on exhibition the champion three year old dairy 

 cow of the world, "Dairy Maid of Pinehurst," a Guernsey heifer owned 

 by W. W. Marsh of Waterloo, Iowa. 



The show of hogs, as had been expected, was somewhat smaller than 

 for the previous year; this owing to the shortage of hogs in the hands 

 of the breeder. It has been many years since the available hog supply 

 has been so low as in the past twelve months. There were in the pens 



