Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-10
Fruit and Seed Corn Exhibits
at Des Moines, Attract
Special Interest.
SEED CORN EXHIBIT WAS NOVEL
Judged by Prof. C. P. Holden of State
College Fruit Exhibition Not Good
This Year, But Cattle Exhibit Was
the Great Feature of the State Fair
Year Book for 1902 in Preparation.
,ecial to Tines-Republican.

Special to Tirnes-Republican
| Des Moines, Dec. 10.-The culmina-
terest to the agriculturists of the state
| came today when the fruit and seed
committee exhibits We're judged by ex-
perts. The fruit judging was by
committee consisting of c. L. Watrous,
| Des Moines, r. NJ. j. Rohlfs, Eldredge,
| and S. Fl. Marshall, Madison, Wis. The
fruit exhibition at the state capitol was
not as fine as 1T has been in other years,
! because fruit in Iowa did not come up
to the average of the state, but many
handsome specimens We're shown from
all sections of the state. The seed
corn exhibit was something new and
novel. Specimens of seed corn were on
hand to compete for prizes and Prof.
| c.. p. Holden, of the State College, did
| the Judging. Prof. Holden is the head
of the department Of agronomy and
will conduct the corn Judging school at
| the college in January. He spent a
great uGdl Ol tllItS MISUNDERSTANDING INV
| to Judge corn and among the veterans
who have attended state agricultural
society meetings for many years he at
tracted more attention than anyone
| else. Prof. Holden convinced those
present that in nothing is Iowa more
backward just now than in considera-
ton of the seed corn question and he
declared his intention of doing ail ne.
could at the college, and in every other
way to arouse the people to proper
interest in the subject.
The annual meeting of the depart
ment of agriculture was held today
This body is made up of delegates from
the local and county societies, repre-
sentatives of counties in which no fairs
are acid, representatives of the county
farmers institutes and few others
The chief consideration of this depart
ment is in the holding of the annual
sgaSs faila. TIE report of Secretary
Simpson on this work and other mat
ters was read ct length. Mr.. Simpson
spoke in glowing terms of the Iowa
state fair held last August. 1t was
the greatest the state has ever seen,not
only the best fair ever held in Iowa,
but the best ever held in the west. The
receipts were larger than at any prev
ious Iowa fair, totaling $63,O00 with
premiums paid out $4,000, leaving
net profit of $4,000 on account of the
fair The largest day brought the de-
partment receipts amounting to $4,000
while the largest previous day
was in 1895, when $4,000
was received. This was done despite
that on the first day of the fair week
there were heavy rains which COM
PEELED putting off the program of dedi-
cation of the stock pavilion. The re-
mainder of the week was good, but the
heavy rains prevented a good race pro-
gram.
In regard to the exhibits at the state
fair Secretary Simpson recounted that
the cattle exhibit was the great feature.
Never before in the history of the
Iowa state fairs he wrote, "has so
great lot of cattle been gathered to-
gether as at the 1902 exhibition. 1t
was the strongest in numbers and best
in quality ever witnessed in the show
ring Over 500 head of cattle were on
the ground and this certainly demon
strates Iowa's rank as the first cattle
state of the union. The exhibitors were
generally satisfied with the awards"
In horses the exhibit was fine but will
be better. Both the hog and sheep ex-
hibits were good and all other depart
ments were up to their usual standards.
In every respect the fair of 1902 was the
best ever held in the state.
The great feature of the fair was the
new stock judging pavilion for which
the legislature appropriated $4,000 and
the remainder was made UP by the de-
partment. "The judging of cattle and
horses was carried on in this building
beginning at 9 o'clock Tuesday morning
and ending with the last class on Friday
afternoon" said the secretary. The
contrast was most marked by the old
timer, who, weary of pushing, strug-
Cling and standing around the ring,
witnessed the contests of a few years
ago, now settled himself comfortably
under the roof of the grand new stock |
pavilion, free from the scorching sun
and inclement weather. Not by word or
thought did he censure members of the
legislature for their action in providing
building for the greatest industry IN
Iowa" Secretary Simpson suggested
that the program should be so arranged
that horses and cattle should not be
shown in the ring at the same time.
The success of the horse and cattle eX-
hibit was largely due to having this |
Judging pavilion. Other improvements
are needed on the state fair grounds.
The buildings are now nearly all about |
sixteen years old and made of wood and
many repairs are needed and much re-
building. To make the state fairs still |
more popular Secretary Simpson would |
have the society publish catolog OF |
the stock exhibits so that visitors might |
know the pedigree and other facts con-
cernng every animal on exhibition. He
would also abolish the penalty of 10 per
cent of the premium money fexacted
from every prize winner. Iowa is the
only state which does this now. With |
that removed the only expense to ex-
hibitors would be an exhibitors |
ticket.
The work of preparing the Yearbook |
for this year, the third one ever issued |