808 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



One of the innovations was the contest for honors in individual farms, 

 this taking the place of the county exhibits which were dispensed with 

 for the first time. This feature of the fair showed splendid results. The 

 exhibits were numerous and highly creditable. It is more important that 

 individual farms should be recognized and should be brought to a high 

 state of perfection than that the ninety-nine counties of the state should 

 vie with one another to secure honors. The prosperity and the future 

 of agricultural interests in Iowa depend far more on the individual than 

 on the county. There is every reason to believe that this individual 

 farm contest will prove one of the most attractive and valuable features 

 of future fairs. 



The crowds were orderly and well handled. No serious trouble of 

 any kind occurred on the grounds throughout the entire week. Superin- 

 tendent Wentworth had his large force of officers well in hand and was 

 able to cope with every situation as it arose. There were fewer com- 

 plaints of overcharging than ever before and the summary hand of the 

 law snatched up those offenders who were not satisfied with a reasonable 

 profit. Superintendent Wentworth is deserving of praise for the way the 

 crowds were; handled and for the condition of the grounds. The work 

 was never better done. 



The game department "zoo" attracted large crowds. It was a new 

 feature and a pleasing one. The exhibit of 2,500 pheasants attracted the 

 greatest interest. The state game warden intends to do all that he can 

 to stock the state with game birds. To this end money secured from 

 the licensing of hunters was speant in buying pheasants for free distri- 

 bution to farmers who would agree to take good care of the birds. The 

 pheasants were distributed the closing day of the fair and several times 

 the total number could have been given away. It is highly important 

 that these birds be given the best of care by those who secured them. 



CATTLE— BEEF BREEDS 



The cattle department of the Iowa State Fair was strong from top 

 to bottom. Superintendent Pike, who succeeded Mr. Packard in the 

 cattle department, had his division of the fair systematized in splendid 

 shape. In nearly all of the breeds entries were made from all the prin- 

 cipal corn belt states and in practically every case, breeders who made 

 entries reported with their cattle when their classes were called. The ex- 

 periment tried out this year in having a foreign judge pass on one of the 

 principal breeds, resulted most satisfactorily to all concerned. While a 

 little nervousness was shown in the beginning over the work of Judge 

 Willis, this soon disappeared as he worked down the classes and toward 

 the end visitors and exhibitors alike felt that the difficult task had been 

 assigned to a master hand. There were sufficient numbers in all classes 

 to make an exceedingly good showing, while in the matter of quality, the 

 standard set at Iowa will not be excelled during the whole show season. 

 A complete list of awards in all classes is given on the following 



