ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 831 



the equal of this year. This department is gaining support from among 

 the farmer poultry raisers; the show is assuming more of a local interest. 

 Iowa is in the list of big poultry producing states and this industry is 

 increasing rapidly. 



NOVELTY IX BIED EXHIBIT. 



One of the novelties in bird exhibit, and one seldom witnessed on 

 state fair or exposition grounds, was made by the state game warden of 

 Iowa, George A. Lincoln. This consisted of 3,000 pheasants recently pur- 

 chased by the state of Iowa from Wallace Evans of Oak Park, 111., the 

 great pheasant specialist, who, besides raising 8,000 pheasants per year 

 on this 300-acre pheasant farm, imports large numbers of these birds 

 from foreign countries, mainly of the Chinese variety. Mr. Evans keeps 

 forty odd varieties of pheasants. The English and Chinese varieties are 

 his specialities in breeding, as they adapt themselves to outdoor wild 

 life equal to the old-fashioned wood pheasant of America, and are very 

 hardy and prolific when turned loose to take up their abode in the timber 

 lands. 



This exhibit of wild birds occupied about one-half acre of the hillside 

 lacing the live stock pavilion on the fair grounds. The lot was enclosed 

 with chicken wire to a height of about ten feet, and was supplied with 

 running water, gushing out of artificial fountains and running off down 

 the hill over rocks and gravel, just like any spring water in the wooded 

 hill lands of the mountain or hill districts of our own eastern states. In 

 this great aggregation were a dozen or more kinds of water fowl of 

 foreign origin, added to give variety to the picture. These pheasants were 

 all young of the 1910 hatch and had been raised by common barn-yard 

 hens, and consequently quiet tame, no more disconcerted by the thousands 

 of curious spectators peering through the wire screen than if nothing 

 was going on around. They seemed to be on the tramp however, going 

 here and there, looking for any kind of insect nature that had chanced to 

 make its appearance. They proved that they were insect-destroyers and 

 experts in getting anything they went for; even the common house fly had 

 no business within their inclosure. 



The purpose of the game warden is to distribute these birds throughout 

 the state, by counties, and give one or two pairs, not more, to each 

 responsible farmer who agrees to give them the required attention and 

 grow them to be turned loose on his farm. These birds sell at private 

 sale for $6.00 per pair, but the wholesale deal to the game warden is 

 supposed to have been at a greatly reduced rate. To say that this was 

 one of the leading attractions on the grounds is putting it mildly, judg- 

 ing from the large crowds they attracted to their enclosure. 



AGRICULTURAL HALL. 



The agricultural hall, a large and costly brick structure conveniently 

 located for the crowds that attend the fair, is always a most interesting 

 place for the curious, the scientific, the sightseeing visitor of any taste 

 or inclination. Here is housed the agricultural products exhibits, the 

 horticultural and floral displays, the bees and honey, the seed corn judging 



