788 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



THE RED POLLS. 



Red Polls, shown by W. S. Hill, Alexandria, S. D., and Frank Davis 

 & Sons of Nebraska, were a small class, but many of the rings were re- 

 markably strong. Seldom does one see so much breed character and fi- 

 delity to type as were exposed in the course of the judging. As the breed's 

 senior and grand champion bull, Rutland, is as typical and outstanding 

 as his distinction could warrant. Monarch is a decidedly useful type, 

 with plenty of dual-purpose character in his make-up. Milk was rather 

 more prominent than beef in the exhibit as a whole, but J. W. Martin, 

 Gotham, Wis., w r ho awarded the prizes, struck the right note of balance 

 between the two types in his excellent judging. In the females the Flor- 

 ences had the championships. Florence is a very good name, but Red 

 Poll breeders are overworking it a little. 



FAT STEEBS. 



Shorthorn, Hereford and Angus steers with a few Galloways were for- 

 ward in numbers and condition to make a strong supplement to the 

 breeding cattle. Both pure breds and grades were exhibited, and, as 

 usual, keen interest centered in the grand championships. S. L. Brock's 

 cross-bred Hereford yearling Paragon A. was the grand champion steer, 

 and Carpenter & Ross' Shorthorns were the grand champion group. As 

 is customary, the judges of the breeding classes worked together in 

 awarding these prizes. Paragon A. is a remarkably smooth, thick- 

 fleshed bullock of correct type, and while his covering was not so firm 

 as could be desired, he is a great block of beef. Chancellor's Seal and 

 Red King, both extra good Shorthorn steers, made Mr. Willis' work par- 

 ticularly interesting in the two-year-old class of pure-breds, and Donald 

 Lad 5th, a yearling, was the sensation of a first-class collection of Here- 

 ford steers. Prof. Kinzer made him champion of the breed. Mr. Mil- 

 ler's cross-bred Angus yearling Victor was the candidate of the "blacks" 

 for the grand championship, and he had many ringside votes for the 

 honor. Mr. Bradfute considered him the best butcher's beast in the show. 



THE DAIRY CATTLE. 



All the leading breeds of dairy cattle were shown in numbers of marked 

 collective strength, Guernseys making an especially high-class exhibit. 

 Gradually during the past 10 years, and much more rapidly within the 

 past five, interest in this department of the fair has increased to a signi- 

 ficant extent. There can be no doubt that the West is going in for an 

 immensely larger number and a much higher grade of dairy cows than it 

 now possesses. Its dairy farmers are intent on weeding out unprofitable 

 performers, determined to improve working herds by using the best blood 

 that advanced registry breeding has developed, and they have shown a 

 remarkable willingness to put time and money into every phase of the 

 business. It is therefore no wonder that the show of the dairy breed at 

 Des Moines, a city noted for an inadequate and an inferior milk supply, 

 and situated in the heart of a territory wherein dairying is sure to take 

 strong hold, should assume larger proportions with the lapse of years. 



