780 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



Secretary J. C. Simpson's practical dreams are growing into splendid 

 realities. This fair is his pleasant obsession. Focusing upon its devel- 

 opment the wisdom of the managing board and the searchlight of his 

 own experience and study, he has made it a telling advertisement of 

 Iowa's agricultural resources and possibilities. Exploitational to a proper 

 extent, it is fundamentally educational, inspirational and constructive. 

 Its purpose is not so much to demonstrate an acknowledged agricultural 

 supremacy as to encourage intensive development. A "greater Iowa," 

 to quote the secretary's phrase, is its prime object, and its mighty trend 

 in that direction was never so sweeping and marked as on this occasion. 



In the wealth and magnificence of its exhibits, which filled to over- 

 flowing almost every department, there was not the faintest token of 

 a lean year. In the tremendous attendance and infectious optimism of 

 the people there were no hints of pinching conditions. Every sign 

 by which a state's rural health may fairly be judged spelled "all right," 

 and these were the words which were audible throughout the loud 

 chorus of the fair's glad song. Iowa has had many a better and larger 

 hay crop than it put away this summer, it has counted on more bushels 

 of corn at this season than it is now expecting, and it possessed more 

 millions of dollars' worth of hogs a year ago than it has now, but the 

 net damage due to a treacherous spring and a summer drouth is over- 

 shadowed by old reserves and the bounteous certainties of the year. Re- 

 cent rains have revived pastures and saved tons of corn. Early frosts 

 would damage considerable corn, and fields here and there probably 

 are doomed, but the bulk of the crop is almost as safe as old wheat in 

 the mill. Late plantings, come the worst, will yield a large crop of 

 filled silos, which Iowa farmers are coming to appreciate at their full 

 value. 



Rain on Sunday, which interfered somewhat with the sacred concert 

 of the day, and on Monday and a shower early Tuesday morning were the 

 climatic handicaps of the week; but they did not materially upset pro- 

 grammes or the plans of visitors. Besides, the Iowa fair is beginning 

 to shed water in such large spots that rains have lost their old-time terror 

 on these grounds. Wednesday was the banner day; more than 57,000 

 people were in attendance. Last year was the most successful in the 

 history of the fair; this season's attendance and income are larger 

 by substantial margins. In this comparison is the condensed story 

 of the so-called "bad year" of 1910. 



Hogs alone showed a decrease in entries compared with last year. In 

 all other sections appreciable increases were registered, the exhibit of 

 farm machinery being limited merely by the ground space available. 

 Cattle, horses and sheep made the strongest and best shows ever seen 

 at Des Moines. Herefords, Guernseys, Percherons, Belgians, Shetland 

 Ponies and Shropshires loomed up with a prominence which they have 

 never hitherto attained at this show. Field, orchard and garden crops, 

 dairy products, poultry and special exhibits by companies and individu- 

 als were in profuse abundance, improvement in numbers and character 



