yx:>of THE MEMBERS OF THE IOWA STATE BOARD OF AGRICLXTURE. ^^■t1:i^"t^"i^^^°' state Veterinarian. No. 2. M.J. Wra^L', Seventh District No 3 John L^lg^Twood Eighth District. No. 4. C. E. Came?on. Vice-PrSfdent." No. 5. 7 Qarthr F^.'m rA^-'^^'^rS^- ^^- "^^ '^- ^^ Wadsworth, Tenth District. No No q iov ^ R 'r^^'''^*-^"*^tS^**^'*5^ No. 8. R. S. Johnston. First District, rjo y. Gov. A. B. Cummins. No. 10. W. W. Morrow President No 11 John CoS'^^No^iTm'^ n^^-,!?x?''-.^^^- Storms. presfdentfSwa Agricultural No T'r W Ph^n^,.?''?''"^^^' ,?'°*^ District. No. U. G. O. EUyson, Treasurer No" 7' H R w! Jf; Second District. No. 16. W. C. Brown. Third District. District No ■ 1^ «^ r' ?^*f Dairv Commissioner . No. 18. T. C Legoe, Sixth Kitrift Packard, Fifth District. No. 20. H. L. Pike, Eleventh THE Iowa Year Book of flgriciJltilrB ^ ISSUED BY THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONTAINING Proceedings of the State Farmers Institute of 1903; Synopsis of State Board and Committee Meetings; Weather and Crop Report; Proceedings of the Iowa Swine Breeders Association; Ex- tracts from the Dairy Commissioner's Report; Proceed- ings of the Iowa State Dairy Association and National Dairy Union Papers on Live Stock, Agriculture and Poultry Topics ALSO Papers Read Before Farmers Institutes; Articles and Illustrations Regarding The Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts; Laws Relating to Farming and Stock Raising Indus- tries; Early History of the Iowa State Fair AND Reports of County and District Agricultural Societies LIBRARY EDITED BY NEW VORK J. C. SIMPSON, ^TANfCAr. ■'^RDBN PEORKTAUT STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE DES MOINES : PERXARD MURPHT, STATE PRINTER 1904 ,0c/ STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE EX OFFICIO members: GOVERNOR OF STATE. Des Moines. PRESIDENT IOWA STATE COLLEGE, . - - Ames. STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER, -Des Moines. STATE VETERINARIAN, Forest City. OFFICERS: W. W. MORROW, President, Afton. C. E. CAMERON, Vice President, Alta. J. C. SIMPSON, Secretary, Des Moines. Gt. D. ELLYSON, Treasurer, Des Moines. DISTRICT members: First District— R. S. JOSNSTON, Columbus Junction. Second District— C. W. PHILLIPS, Maquoketa. Third District— W. C. BROWN, Clarion. Fourth District— R. T. St. JOHN, Riceville. Fifth District— S. B. PACKARD, - Marahalltown. Sixth District-T. C. LEGOE, What Cheer. Seventh District— M. J. WRAGG, Waukee. Eighth District-JOHN LEDGERWOOD, Leon. Ninth District— M. Mc DONALD, Bayard. Tenth District- J. W. WADS WORTH, Algona. Eleventh District— H. L. PIKE, Whiting. President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are Elected for One Year. Terms of Directors for Odd-Numbered Districts Expire Second Wednesday in December, 1905. Terms of Directors for E ven- Numbered Districts Expire Second Wednesday in December, 190U. COMMITTEES. EXECUTIVE committee: W. W. MORROW, J. C. SIMPSON, C. E CAMERON. AUDITING committee: J. W. WADSWORTH, C. W. PHILLIPS, W. C. BROWN. committee on resolutions: R. T. St. JOHN, M. McDONALD, T. C. LEGOS. powers AND DUTIES OF BOARD: GOVERNOR ALBERT B. CUMMINS, W. W. MORROW, C. E. CAMERON. THE ADULTERATION OF FOODS, SEEDS AND OTHER PRODUCTS: S. B. PACKARD, - M. J. WRAGG, H. R. WRIGHT. DAIRY INDUSTRY AND PRODUCTS, INCLUDING FRAUDULENT IMITATIONS THEREOF: H. R. WRIGHT, - - JOHN LEDGER WOOD, T. C. LEQOE. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AMONG DOMESTIC ANIMALS: P. O. KOTO, R. S. JOHNSTON, H. L. PIKE. IOWA WEATHER AND CROP SERVICE. J. R. SAGE, DIRECTOR, DES MOINES. UBRARY NKW YORK tSOfANfCAl TABLE OF CONTENTS. QARDG^v PART I. PAGE. Proceedings op thb State Farmers Institute and Agkictiltural Con- vention, -.-..- ... . Synopsis of the State Board and Committee Meetings, 1913, - - l-lOO PART II. Weather and Crop Report, 1903, ... . . - 101-120 Iowa Climate and Crops for a Series of Years, - - - - 121-164 PART III. Proceedings of the Iowa Swine Breeders Association, - - 165-182 PART IV. Extracts from the Dairy Commissioner's Report, 1903, - - 183-204 PART V. Proceedings of the Iowa State Dairy Association and National Dairy Union, 1903, 205-334 PART VI. Papers on Live Stock and Agricultural Topics - - - 335-476 A— Baby Beef, 335. B— Steer Feeding, 341. C-Horses, 366, D-Sheep, 366. E— Corn, 376. F-Alfalfa, 380. G— Miscellaneous, 394. H-Iowa State Drainage Convention, 437. —I— Pig Feeding, 464. PART VII. • Poultry Topics, 477-520 PART VIII. Papers read before Farmers' Institutes, ..... 621-616 PART IX. Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, - - 617-629 PART X. Laws Relating to Farming and Stock Raising Industries, - - 631-658 PART XI. Iowa State Fair-Its Early History, etc, 669-678 PART XII. ^4Report8 of County and District Agricultural Societies, - - 679-726 O CO -z. Z5 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OFFICE OP IOWA STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Capitol Building. Des Moines, Iowa, February 16, 1904. To His Excellency, A. B. Cummins, Governor of Iowa: I have the honor to transmit herewith the Fourth Annual Iowa Year Book of Agriculture, for the year 1903. Very respectfully, JOHN C. SIMPSON, Secretary State Boabd of Agricttlture. PART I STATE FARMERS INSTITUTE. AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION.— SYNOPSIS OF THE STATE BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR 1903. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STATE FARMERS' INSTITUTE HELD AT THE Y- M. C. A. AUDITO- RIUM, DES MOINES, IOWA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1903. The meeting was called to order by the president at g 130 o'clock A.M. The President : The first subject on our program this morn- ing is entitled, ''Should the Institute Law be Changed," b}^ Prof. C. F. Curtiss, of Ames. REMARKS BY PROFESSOR CURTISS. I presume, from the reading of the subject assigned me, it will be inferred that I think the institute law should be changed, or that I have changes to recommend. I wish to put your minds at rest on that subject, by stating at the outset, that I do not think any radical changes should be made in our present institute law. I believe it has some excellent features and that on the whole the institute is a good one. Perhaps, however, there are some respects in which the institute law, as we now have it, will be improved. I believe an improvement was made a year or two years ago, when the legislature provided that the institute should have representation in this annual meeting of the board of agriculture; I think that that step was one that will lead to good results. While this is the first meeting that has been held under the new plan, with an effort made to bring the institute workers together, I think, with an arrangement of this kind, if carried out, this system can be worked out in such a way 1 2 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. that the institute workers can come together at these annual meetings and take part in a day's session devoted to institute work, and that it will be a very great help to the work in all parts of the State. One difficulty was encountered in the arranging of this program, that was the fact that the law provides for holding annual meetings on Wednesday, and that sufficient time could not be found during the week preceding that date to arrange for a suitable program. It does not seem possible, from previous experience, to get a large attendance in here before Tuesday. A good many men come quite a distance, come from remote parts of the State, from where it is practically impossible to reach Des Moines before Monday evening or Tuesday morning; conse- quently the Monday meetings have never been largely attended, and one day preceding the board's meeting and the election of officers does not afford sufficient time for such a program as might be arranged and should be arranged to provide for this work to the best advantage. It would seem, that under these conditions, the date of holding the annual meeting of the Stats Department of Agriculture might be changed to the day following, say to Thursday of the week. Of course, this date is fixed by law and could not be changed unless done so hy the legisla- ture; but if w^e could have this additional day for these meetings, to enable the oflficers to make provision for such a program as w^ould meet the requirements, anw that these meetings, when arranged properly, ought to and will bring the leading institute workers, and those who take most active part in all questions together. I know from experience, and every one knows from experience, who has attended these institutes, that some of the very best institute workers that can be found anywhere, are developed in localities where the work is purely local. Some of the very best institutes I have attended, in this or any other State, are institutes carried on by local help. These men are capable of imparting instruction and capable of formulating plans for institute work and are eminently successful. This meeting should bring together that class of men, and it should bring together all men interested in advancing the agriculture of this State, and should develop into a sort of a school of instruction for the institute workers, at which men will get an inspiration, suggestions, ideas and plans which they can carry home and apply to their own in- stitutes. That, I believe, is one feature in which our law can be im- proved. It is a matter of minor consequence, merely a matter of shift- ing a day one day ahead, to enable the oflacers to arrange such a program ' and such order of exercises as will bring more good out of these meetings. I think that the present system of local management of our institutes is a strong one. I believe it is a system our people would not be willing to abandon under any circumstances. I think that it has some better features to it than any system of central management that puts the authority and power completely in one central organization. I think that a central organization would perhaps bring about more co-ordina- tion of the institute work than we now have; but I believe in the demo- cratic system of our institutes as they are now conducted. I have noticed this in other states, where they have a central organization. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 6 The local communities there feel no responsibility; they feel that the institute is a State organization; that it is under the management and direction completely of this corps of institute workers, and those who attend will come in and sit down and feel no responsibility, and in a great many cases are but little interested. If the responsibility rests with the local men and the local people have control and they manage that institute, it is then their organization, their meeting, the respon- sibility is with them and they feel under the necessity of making it a success. They should have provisions by which they can get outside help, and that, of course, should be continued and strengthened. But I think no change in our institute law should be made that will take the management out of the hands of the local authorities. This system, where we have had the institute law in operation, that is, where we have the institutes in force, and where the institutes are regularly held, this system has developed, say in two thirds of our coun- ties, the best institute meetings that have ever developed in any State. I believe communities get more good out of those institutes under the present system of local management than they do under any other system. I think that the system we now have can be strengthened in the respect I have named. One criticism that has been urged against the present system is, that there is ho plan by which the institutes can be held on consecutive days, and that is objectionable. There is a great loss of time on the part of speakers going from one institute to another. Now. if in addition to our present plan some system could be devised by which institutes in certain localities or congressional districts could be arranged in consecutive order, that would result in an ability to secure better service, better institute speakers, it would enable those who do institute work to attend institutes in various localities and to accom- plish much more. I do not know just how that should be brought about — just what would be the best plan. Various methods have been suggested. I think it would be in order for this convention to take it up and consider it and endeavor to devise some plan by which it could be done. In connection with that, I may say that in some states an institute car has been arranged and the railroads have co-operated; in fact, I think they have borne a considerable part of the expense of fit- ting up a car and transporting it from one locality to another throughout the State, to meetings of a special nature and at regular institute ses- sions, and that plan has been suggested in this State. It has received some consideration. Whether anything of that kind may be brought about I can not say. but in case it should, you can see the difficulty in arranging for work of this kind without any co-ordination on the part of institute organizations. There should be, in case a plan of this kind were inaugurated, a series of consecutive institutes held in the same part of the State, so that that car and corps of institute workers, when called upon, could come to the assistance of the various institutes in consecutive order. That applies also to institute workers, as I have stated, who go from one institute to another. 4 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Then, I think, there is another fact in which our institute system is somewhat defective. The lack of a central organization has resulted 'n the proceedings of the various institutes being wasted so far as their neighbors were concerned, or so far as the people of the State were con- cerned. No plan ur.der the ])resent system, has been devised for collect- ing and bringing together and putting in printed form the best things that are given at these various institutes. A great deal of valuable in- formation is presented year after year in the institutes of this State, and particularly in some institutes I know of, where they have the very ma- terial available, and where the entire community takes a deep interest in it, and the subjects presented are the result of a great deal of study and careful thought and preparation. Many of these things would be worth vast sums of money, if they could be brought together in the form of an institute report of some kind and put before the people of tbe Srate. Now, the change made in the State Department of Agriculture con- templates something of that kind, but it does not quite reach the situa- tion. Provision was made by the last legislature, for the institute workers to report to Secretary Simpson of the State Department of Agri- culture, and he has the authority and is instructed to make up his re- port from this and other matter which he may consider of interest in connection with such report. The reports, however, are not as complete, not as exhaustive, not as valuable as they should be. I think provision should be made for furnishing as complete and exhaustive a report of these institutes as possible; not with the understanding that it shall all go into Secretary Simpson's report; for, necessarily, the matter printed there will have to be somewhat restricted; but, I think, the reports madf should be very complete, in order that a volume will be put out by the State Department of Agriculture that will be highly creditable and a lasting service to the department, in the form of methods presented at the various institutes. In that way it will be of great help. I believe, in order to bring this about, it might not be out of order, might not be a bad plan, to have the same principle in vogue here that we have in reference to the county fairs of the State; that is, that the secretary shall make that kind of a report, and that the securing of an appropria- tion shall be conditioned upon that kind of a report, the same as it is in reference to the county fairs. That will not be necessary in a majority of the cases, but it is necessary in some cases, and in order that unformity, in order that any institute organization may be properly represented. I think this report should be made to the secretary, and that the report should b« made before the money is paid out, so that not only the people of that locality may receive the benefit, but the people of the entire State, and I am sure that plan will result in a series of reports of institute work, and the proceedings of the De- partment of Agriculture, and when the system is properly perfected and the organization made complete and strong, as it should be, it will make these reports of such demand that it will be necessary to very greatly increase the edition. I understand now that the edition is limited, that it is not as large as it should be. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 5 111 connection with these suggestions, it seems to me, it will be well to consider a plan by which the edition of the reports could be increased to such size, that not only institute workers and the institute officers in the various localities could have these reports, but that practically every- body who is interested in the work of institutes — farmers, stockmen, fruit growers, and all people who are interested in this work will find in that report material that will be of very great value to them throughout the year, and the edition should be so large that it will meet the demands throughout the State. I believe that the developing and perfecting of the present system of institutes along some of these lines will not only stimulate greater in- terest in the institutes now being held, but will stimulate such an in- terest throughout the State, that there will be in a short time no county in the State that does not hold institutes. There are some counties who do not hold institutes, because they have not seen the advantage and be- come sufficiently interested; but I am sure this institute organization, that we have in Iowa is a good one. As I stated in the outset, I htve no radical changes to sug- gest. I do not think any radical changes should be made. I believe it is a system well suited to Iowa; it is a system different from that in any orher State. I like the Iowa system; it suits the Iowa people and puts them on their resources, develops their ingenuity and originality. They like to manage their institutes; they are getting more out of the institutes in two thirds of the counties in the State than are the people of any other stale I know of. The President: The next paper is entitled, "How to Con- duct a Successful Institute," by Mrs. F. A. Scjuires, secretary of the Clay County Farmers' Institute, of Spencer. HOW TO CONDUCT A SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTE. Mrs. F. A. Squires, Spencer, Iowa. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen: My subject ''How to Conduct a Successful Institute." I supposed was to have been, ''How We Have Succeeded." Sixteen years ago a little band of Clay county farmers met in the city hall of Spencer to talk over the advisability of holding a farmers' institute. They made out a short program and decided on a time of meeting. It never occurred to the committee to have the date of this meeting published, hence, when the day set for the program arrived only those attending that meeting knew of it, and those few decided that persons attending such a meeting had certainly lost their senses, for they were very sure they knew all that was necessary for any one to know about farming. Thus the first institute in Clay county was a very quiet affair, and very soon forgotten, only by the few that made out the program. 6 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The following year they decided to hold' another institute, au'l when they succeeded in getting one lady to attend they felt they had made rapid strides in the work. This lady was the late Mrs. Higley, so well known to Iowa horticulturists. Thus they struggled on for four years, when they learned that some plan of action must be taken — they must have a system. They realized that it was a day of organization, and thought it best to perfect their organization, and when some member of the committee stated that a portion of the officers should be women of action, they had yet to learn women's wonderful ability to p^ish. However, a part of the new officers were women. Strong, capable women, and this is the way they succeeded. Women have wonderful reasoning faculties, you no doubt know. What should a farmers' institute be, and what are its benefits: First, it should not simply be a short gathering, talk at random, and close with "who shall and when shall" we draw our State money. The farmers' institutes are sources from which knowledge can be drawn. A stimulant to the pride and respect for farming. They bring farmers together in close social relations. They make public the latest discoveries in agricul- ture. They give the farmers of the State an opportunity to meet men who have made their business a science, as well as an art. " They are the banks for the deposit of experience, that they may become the common property of all." They are the organized friends of good crops and good prices. They teach the duties of home citizenship. They tend to keep a fair portion of the good boys upon the farms. "They energize and fertilize local thought, and arouse attention." They cost less, my friends, than a single cigar to each farmer of the State of Iowa. Success in any avocation means doing it well. Doing it well is all that is necessary to make the humblest occupation honorable. Whether we are planning to raise corn or calves, peg shoes, write sermons, or do farmers' institute work, doing it well is the true ambition for evei-y worker. Thus we made our plans and we have tried to follow them as closely as possible, although ever ready to grasp the new as it comes our way. Clay county workers felt that they had scored their first success when they decided to place the opposite sex side by side with them, not only on the program committee, but also their names were to be found among the list of officers. The first meeting with the revised list was held in a small hall, and the first day it was well filled with the Clay county farmer and his wife, and in some instances with their families. T,he second day we were obliged to adjourn to one of the largest churches in Spencer. Thus, we have pushed beyond the border of every available building in Spencer, even to our grand new opera house. Last winter at our meeting the manager of the opera house was obliged to lock the doors before the evening program commenced, with people clamoring outside to get in. We, of course, in all these years, have had many dear experiences, and have profited by them. One of the essential points we make at our institutes is that we meet all on common ground, trying to make each tired housewife feel she is welcome, then trying to make each overburdened farmer fe^l that FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 7 he is having an outing, as well as meeting at a school where they are taught many new and noble ideas in the art of agriculture. It doo:5 our inmost souls good, and we feel well repaid for all our hard work for the institute, when at the close of nearly every session some of the farmers, or their wives in attendance, step up to our desk and say, •'! want to shake hands with you; I have been helped so much by the many good things I have heard." Another important feature of our institute is the "Woman's Session." We do not know if this branch of the institute originated with us in Iowa, yet we do know that with us it was original, never having heard of a "woman's session" until we had held ours two years. Can you imagine the look of consternation that spread over the countenances of the male oflBcers when we proposed this? Ask them now what they think of it. We thought it best to hold these sessions separate, but ono year of this taught us it was a mistake. The men' are just as much — if not more — interested in what the women were doing, than the women were themselves. We elect our president, vice president, secretary and treasurer for one year; never re-electing them for more than two years. If we find an officer is a valuable one, we place them on' the executive committee for one year, and at the end of that time elect them again for their old offices president or secretary as the case may be. Some of the officers of our institute have served in this capacity for ten years. We have never changed our days for twelve consecutive yearg, although often changing our dates. Our days are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and while Thursday and Friday are two of the best days for the farmer to leave home, Saturday the children are home from school, and the little members of the family can be left with the older children, that the mother may attend and enjoy the institute. It speaks better for an organization of this kind to be something that can be depended upon. People have learned this of the Clay county institute, that our days are established ones. Since holding our Mid-Winter Fair in connection with the institute, we have made this request of each school director, — "that they grant Friday to the teacher," for the reason that, we make a few special offers to pupils' line of work; such as the best map of Iowa, specimen pa^e of writing, etc., all for children under certain ages. And Mary ana John enjoy seeing their work on exhibition just as much as their par- ents, and, too, we find that John and Mary enjoy attending the institute. Our day sessions are made up of good solid work, with now and then a recitation by some farmer's boy or girl; always opening each session with an invocation and congregation singing. This is the plan of our program: The first forenoon we rarely if ever try to call the meeting before ten o'clock. Beginning we have congre- gation singing, — -this part being a very pleasant feature of the institute, and is conducted by some farmer or his wife who is an adept in that line. It is usually Nature hymns, or sacred ones, that are familiar to all, and all are requested to take part; and a stranger coming into the hall would surely think that no voice in all the Grand Opera House 8 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. was silent. It creates a pleasant, restful feeling that otherwise would not exist. If the audience gathers early they are requested to stand during the singing. This is followed by the invocation. If for any reason a person is not present whose name appears on the program, the presiding oflBcer calls on some one in the audience, who. as a rule, will respond. Then follows the president's annual address. The old oflBcers can usually tell if a mistake has been made, if he be a new president. To close we have some topic of general interest, in which we try to have all join in the discussion'. Thus closes the first session of our three days' work. We try to overcome the mistake of so many institutes, i. e., the delay in beginning. If there is not more than a half dozen present when the time arrives to commence, we take up the work. People have learned this of our institute, and unless the morning is a very severe one the room is well filled at the opening hour. The Woman's Session is next in line, and this is carried out in the entire by the ladies. If possible we secure a professor of domestic science to be with us on this afternoon. It is an afternoon we con- sider both pleasant and profitable. The institute president takes his place in the audience, and the ladies provide their own chairman. Our county is composed of diversified farming, and we aim to have topics that will be of interest to the corn" growers, the poultry men, dairy men, hoticulturists. and those interested in feeding stock. We secure the best authority that can be had on all these. We have our regular dairy session, sheep session, corn session (this, of course, is a very prominent feature of all institutes). We have our corn' exhibits in a room separate from the one in which the meetings take place, in which room it is scored and judged, and those who care to, after the corn talk is over, may go to this room and watch the work that is being done. We have secured two prominent corn men from Ames this year, and while one is doing the scoring the other will try, as far as possible — and it is nearly always possible — -to answer the questions the average farmer will ask. As far as possible we have the topics discussed by the farmers themselves. We learned, early in this work, that it was far the better way to have a farmer tell in his own way what he has done in his line, and how he did it, than have a man far more learned discuss the subject in an exhaustive manner, and you will rarely, if ever, get any response from the average farmer assembled. However, on the other hand, if a farmer leads, they seem so much better prepared to take up the line of thought conveyed by their brother in the work. We are very careful when we find it necessary to secure a general helper, or referee, if he is called on at the session to give a talk, not to have his address too long, and not have it too general, but go more into sufficient detail. We appreciate the fact that such helpers do not, or are not, supposed to understand the views of the farmers pres- ent, and hence if their talks are at all profitable, supplement them by answers to such questions as the audience may propose. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 9 We do not designate when asking a party to take a topic, whether ji shall be written or oral. Of course it all depends upon circum- stances. Some speakers can express their thoughts by a carefully prepared manuscript, and others by speech. We do not make the institute an object to exhort farmers to better methods, but as to enable them to teach themselves and take advantage of these better methods. We try to overcome the mistake of putting too much time on a l)aper, and too little on a discussion. Sometimes, however, it is im- portant to shut off discussion', and the good judgment and tact of the chairman must see to this. We believe that discussions must never he allowed to drift into immaterial things. We have seen' too many insti- tutes used for rambling exhortation of themselves, their county and State. Another great mistake we avoid is having too many subjects. We regard three or four at most to be enough for one session. We allow neither politics or religion to enter any discussion at our institute, yet we had a very tactful man last year who laid out the morals and ethics underlying both, in a non-partisan way. It was so nicely done that the chairman did not have the heart to call the topic off, and it seemed to produce its nice effect in its way. It is needless for me to say that no institute is or can expect to be successful unless the farmers' wives take a part in the program, and it always insures a full house. We sometimes offer a prize for the best essay on housekeeping, to be written by young women' of certain age for such a township. The boys from that township will all be there, and also from other town- ships. Oh, those boys, our future men, it is those the institutes are after. It very often happens in institutes that those needing the instruc- tions, the talks, the social features, and all the good things that are to be found in a well conducted institute, the most, are the ones who are the least apt to attend. We observed this, and now we have a special committee in each township to look after those who are least likely to attend, and manage, if possible, to get them there at least a part of the time. Get them to bring an exhibit for the midwinter fair; place some small member of the family on the program for a short recitation; teach them the institute is theirs, that it was gotten up for them, and that they have an interest in it. Some one of these incentives will bring them there, and once there the victory is ours. Our evenings are devoted entirely to light entertainments. The first evening we have the welcome address by the mayor of the city, which is responded to by a farmer, his wife or daughter. The rest of the evening is given to music, recitations and address by some promi- nent lecturer, etc. Friday evening is called the "educational evening." A large num- ber of Clay county teachers are usually present, and the boys and girls from the surrounding country, while the village turn out en masse. For this evening we have a strong address, something that will furnish ear-h one present fcoJ for thought for a long time after the institutt^ 10 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. has ceased to be. For a number of years our evening entertainments were free, and we found that a certain element attended who did not desire to listen, and intended that none within their radius should get a chance to do so, no matter how much they might wish lO. To overcome this we now have a small admittance fee, and if anything our audiences are larger, and certainly more orderly and appreciative. If possible when holding our institutes we, as our ancestors would say, "hold it in the moon." The young people find it very convenient to drive by moonlight, and is highly gratifying to the older ones. We have a number of times been called to other counties to consult witli the officers of their institute, as to just why and where they fail. I well remember one institute among the list of officers of which there was just one farmer, and he had retired to the village several years before; and not even a lady was to be thought of among the officers, or committees. It would be the last blow, in fact it was all that wa.3 needed to kill it entirely. The first day the president arrived about ten" o'clock; his wife and myself were the only persons in the audience. The secretary came in about eleven o'clock,, the rest of the officers the next day. A fair-sized audience for such an institute was seated at about fifteen minutes of twelve. During the carrying out of the pro- gram, when the election took place it was done in a haphazzard way. When the proper time came I advised them as to how we carried this out, and helped them to make out a list, not placing on the ballot one single person's name from the village, with the exception of the county superintendent, she being a lady. We organized a "Woman's Session." taking prominent women from the country who v/ere proud to do this work. The next year I attended the same institute again; we com- menced on time, with three persons in the room, and how many regr€t>j there were when they found the new president had commenced the program on time, and had not w^aited for them to come. They now have a lovely, flourishing institute that the county is proud of. You institute people who are present know that all this takes a great deal of time, and labor, and oftentimes with but very little cash with which to work. We trust it has never been said of Clay county that all she works for is money. We know other counties have been accused of this, and no doubt justly. All through the year we keep up the interest by having sm.all interesting items printed in the local papers. We are pushing on and on, far beyond the borders of our county, and we hope always to be numbered among the institutes to help agriculture challenge, not only a small portion of our counties, but the admiration of the whole world. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 11 The President: We have with us this morning one nf the bright, intelHgent ladies of the State, Mrs. Isaac Lee Hilhs. who will now address you. L^E.MaRK^ by MRS. HILLTS. Through the courtesy of your secretary I have been permitted to come to you for a few minutes to discuss a feature of farmers' institute work that has been touched upon so admirably in the fine paper you have just heard. I am not a farmer, nor a farmer's wife, nor do I live on the farm, but I have had a Jersey cow, made my own butter, hatched chickens In an incubator, read Wallaces' Farmer and the Woman's Farm Journal, and I think I am pretty closely in touch with what you are doing, and if I do not belong to your family, I think you ought to call me a son of a sister-in-law or stepsister. I am greatly interested to learn of the newest and best methods of creating the highest standard of development in cattle, corn and horses. I understand you have today, at the Capitol, a very fine exhibit of corn — every ear is up to the standard in weight, color and size. I wonder how many of you have lost sight of the fact that there is something more important to you as farmers and as men and citizens, than cattle, corn and horses; and that is your boys and girls. How many of you have found that your boys and girls are up to the standard of devel- opment? Are there any off color, under size, not fully grown to the best possible girlhood and manhood? You know, one hundred years ago the new science of agriculture was almost unknown; each farmer had to work out his problems for himself. There were no great colleges, and no special courses of study for the farmers; and twenty-five years ago there were no special courses of study for the home-keeper. But all that is changed. You have your great agricultural colleges, farmers' institutes, your splendid equip- ment, so every farmer who wants to can bring his corn and cattle up to the highest standard. I am here to tell you that within the last few years, possibly fiftean years, and every day increases the equipment, and there is now a science of child culture, and today the father and mother in the farm and city home can. if they want to, if they will act with a determined effort. can bring their boys and girls up to the highest standard of physical, mental and moral development. I believe the fathers and mothers on the farm are just as much interested in making the girls and boys on the farm the fine specimens they ought to be, as they are in making cattle and corn fine specimens. Let me urge that you organize, not only a woman's department, but a home and child culture department; that you have sessions where housekeepers and mothers can discuss this great question of bringing up children as they should be. L«t it not only be an annual thing, but let such literature be given out that the best things in domestic eeon- 12 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. omy, domestic science and the culture of the child in its manifold rela- tions shall be made an everyday culture. I am sorry there are not many women in this session today. 1 believe they will miss a great deal in the sessions that are to come. In New York, under the organization of the New York mothers, there are four hundred organizations. In Illinois, the president of the Illinois Congress of Mothers writes me that they are busy all week organizing child culture departments. I am here in behalf of the Iowa Congress of Mothers to tell you that we hold ourselves ready to meet with you at any time and at any place in Iowa. We will give you a list of speakers who will meet with you. if you prefer, and in many instances will give you literature and study outlines, so simple and so inexpensive that every woman can have them. We will tell the women how to organize a little neighborhood group to meet occasionally, weekly or semi-monthly, and discuss these questions and keep in close touch with the work, and we want to extend a most cordial invitation to them to meet us at the headquarters at the State Fair Grounds. I want to urge this upon the superintendents of the county institutes, that you do not spend all your time in these things which build up material wealth. What avails it to you if you are master of a thousand acres, your splendid herds, and your crops? What amounts it to, if that boy of yours, who is dearer to you than your right arm, if he fails to obtain the years of development that you want for him, He can have it; he may have it, if you, his father and his mother, begin now with the little child, to train it as it should be trained. I will be very glad to confer in this matter with any of the county superintendents and managers of county institutes who want the co- operation of our organization, and would be very happy to talk with any of the women of this organization. I believe there is a great field here, and I look to the future of our great Agricultural College at Ames, which stands for so much, to introduce child culture in that insti- tution. I look forward to the time when that institution, along with ito domestic economy, with its training of the young men, will also inaug- urate a child culture department. I believe it entirely feasible to take these children and put them in a special department under the care of an expert. I believe these children should be of both sexes. I believe every girl in that institution should spend some time in that nursery, where these children are trained. I think that a class of these children should be taken before the whole school, so that the students might learn the real development of the children, the awaken- ing of their mental faculties — the moral sense should be indicated and made plain to these people, so that when they get away from this great institution they will not only be cattle breeders or horticulturists, but that they shall be prepared for that culture which we all expect of them. I believe this is no fancy sketch. I think, as the years develop, that will come, and that our young people of the State will have an oppor- tunity to get an all-around education. I believe the prediction I make here today will after a while be verified in our State work. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. ■ 13 Thf: Prksidknt : We will listen to a further discussion of this matter of institutes, by the Hon. Eugene Secor of Forest City. Preparatory to the reading of his paper, Mr. vSecor said : Not being a ready platform speaker, I have reduced what T shall have to say into manuscript form. If I shall touch some- what on the same ideas, in some matters, with Professor Cur- tiss, it will only show, that I say Amen to his ideas. I am. somewhat embarrassed in following such an excellent address as you have had by Mrs. Squires of Clay county. I am sure I can not hope to interest you as she did, but I am on the pro- gram and am rather forced into this position and consequently. I will do the best T can. HOW TO CONDUCT A FARMERS' INSTITUTE. Eugene Secor, Forest City. I have not sufficient self-confidence to believe that I can answer this question better than a hundred other men the secretary might have selected to talk on this subject. I don't believe I know all about con- ducting these annual farmers' gatherings. In fact, I am sure of it. for I have learned a good many things in the last eight years' experi- ence, and as I don't want to confess that I am past improving, I think that I might still add to my store of knowledge in this respect. I realize the fact that there are a great many unlike conditions, even in Iowa, and that we can not lay down any cast-iron rules for the management of a farmers' institute any more than we can lay down inflexible rules for the management of children. Communities differ. A plan that will work in one county might not be successful in another. Subjects and men that would interest one community might not another. I want to say right here that the more I think about it the better I like our Iowa plan. There is a flavor of the old town meeting about It. The ones interested run their own affairs. The people of any county ought to be better able to choose subjects and speakers suited to their needs than any central office could possi- bly be. I have watched the workings of the centralized plan in some of our neighboring states, where a number of lecturers are sent from county to county, each one especially fitted to present some subject, an 'J after he has made his speech he goes to the next county, and so around the circuit, presenting practically the same theme wherever he goes. In some communities it may be exactly what they need, while in others 14 ' IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. it creales no interest or enthusiasm, and I think does not develop the local interest or talent as our plan does. It may be cheaper than our method, but is it better? What I like about our institute law is the freedom it gives every couni.y to choose the lecturers that the people want to hear. It puts upon every county the responsibility for the successful outcome of the convention. Our plan brings out hidden local talent that no central head would ever discover, and being run by home men, there is greater liberty to ask questions and to draw out practical information. But in order to have a successful institute it is necessary that the orgaaization have some capable man or men at the head. If the riglit man can be found for secretary, happy ought that county to be. If perchanco he is hard to find, put all the hard work on the president or executive committee. It is necessary that some one puts a good deal of timf- and thought into it — time and thought for which he is never paid except by the consciousness of trying to do good. And if some one can stimulate the thoughts and activities of his fellov/s, if he can incite them to more thorough work, make better farm- er:^ of them, see them improve in material wealth and in home build- ing, that ought to be some satisfaction even' if he does not make every stroke pay. The president, or secretary, or executive committee, or some one' needs to do effective work in various ways for some weeks in advance of tho meeting. Some one must do a little thinking during the year. He must talk with the leading farmers and find out what they are thinking abom — -get their ideas of the subjects that ought to be discussed, and the men they would like to hear. He must be arranging, or at least meditating on topics for discussion long before the meeting. No hastily prepared program is likely to be as satisfactory as one deliberately thought out. If everything is left till the last week many disappoiut- ments raay be expected. Speakers must be engaged while they have open dates, for our best institute workers are in great demand during the winter season, when most of the institutes are held. The institute ought to be moved from place to place in the county, so that all may have its advantages. The State appropriation is for the benefit of the people and this should be kept in mind. It should be a movable feast both in respect to date and locality. But the date and place ought not be fixed a year in advance unless such preliminaries are arranged by the inviting town as will insure its success. The State appropriation is not large enough to provide the best talent from abroad and meet other expenses incident to a good conven- tion, and we must choose between mostly home talent with small outlay, and aid from local business men to obtain strong men in the special- ties we wish diccussed. Ii has been our practice of late years to leave the fixing of the time and place to the officers of the county association. They are then able to open negotiations with the towns wanting the next meeting. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 15 We say to the representatives of the town applying: "There are certain things necessary for a successful meeting and before we appoint the institute we ask that you provide. "Firet. A suitable hall free. "Second. Hotel entertainment for our speakers and workers. •'Third. Local music for evening sessions. "Fourth. A certain sum of money for paying premiums, etc." By this plan we have no difficulty in supplementing the State appro- priation, and by the very fact of asking the town to help we interest the people of that community more certainly than if we dumped the thing into their laps "free gratis for nothing." We take an interest in whatever costs us something. No effort, no interest. Having arranged the preliminaries, we try to get the local papers talking about the institute. They are always glad to do this if they are given a few facts. If some one is expected whom the farmers know or have heard ot let the papers advertise it. If a specialist is to tallc on some topic of interest to the farmers, or of prospective interest, let it be known. Publish the convention so widely that everybody in the county will know the time and place in advance. Get them talking about it, if possible. In one town the business men organized, ap- pointed a committee w^iich sent out special invitations by mail, and we h&d a magnificent turnout and a great meeting. The best work can not be done without a crowd. There is no inspiration in vacant seats. Whether there should be a set program and papers read, or whether topics should be announced and a free-for-all discussion called out de- pends, I think, on local conditions. In a community made up largely of intelligent and well-read farmers, and with a presiding officer well acquainted with the people and capable of drawing them out, a very interesting time might be had without essays, but for the average com- niunity, and the average unwillingness of farmers to express them- selves in puglic,. I think it is well to have the discussion opened by some one who has had time to give it some thought. I aim to give local talent the first inning, then call out my reserve. After he speaks I invite question or discussion. It may need a good deal of urging to get some men (and women) to agree to read a paper, but I have often been surprised at the ability shown when they once attempt it. This is the talent that needs bring- ing out in every township, for if you can get a man thinking it is pretty sure to benefit him, and if he is led to more intelligent and profitable practices his neighbors will soon catch his spirit. Good works, like the measles, are infectious by contact. I think our county institute was among the first to take up the matter of offering premiums on corn. It has proved to be the means of interesting the farmers more than any other one thing, and the lec- ture? or the subject have proven a great stimulus to the wide-awake younp, men who attend. It is hard to reform the old but there is hope for the young. The average farmer thinks that he can raise a little finer corn than any of his neighbors, and the bait of silver coin in a premium 16 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. list is attractive enough to induce him to nibble at it. After he get:, there he may learn something about corn that he never thought of before, especially if he come? in contact with a man like Professor Holden. We try to have the evening entertainment of such a nature that the to\\n people will attend. It usually consists of a lecture or address, or addi esses, with some music and occasionally an entertaining elocu- tionary effort by some teacher or pupil, but I have never thought it wise to devote valuable time to mere entertainment except as thrown in for variety. 1 like to see the farmers' wives attend, and always try to get them a place on the program, but in some communities both are hard thing.^ to bring about. I am sorry to say that some of our foreign-born neigh- bors, although among the best of our citizenship, are slow to learn that the women need recreation and culture as well as the men. The most encouraging feature of these county institutes is the increased interest taken in them from j'-ear to year. Farmers are a con- servative class, and when these meetings were first called they acted as if they were taking the measure of the lectures. They wondered if some one hadn't an ax to grind. When they found that farmers' institutes are not quite so high toned as the name indicates and that there was no scheme to be worked they gradually warmed up to the subject. Institutes must be instructive, but the fodder must not be put 30 high that the common people can not reach it. At these meetings sci- ence should be presented in as simple language as possible. Subjects which might excite religious or partisan discussion ought to be religiously avoided, and speakers ought not to be allowed to stir up party spirit or personal feeling. The President: I see before me a large number of farmer?, members of the Iowa Instittite. We will be pleased to hear from any of them. Mr. Fox, we would like to hear from you. REMARKS BY MR. FOX. I do not believe in much more than two thirds of all the good things that have been said as regards the present institute law and the matter of running institutes. I think there is an old adage that the sire is half the herd, and I think that the president of the institute is at least; half the institute. The last gentleman upon the program touched upon that largely. I hope that the secretary of the Clay County Institute will forget that, or forgive me for referring to it. I can not believe, as I have just indicated, that the best thoughts,, or the best interests, are brought out by the local discussions. I believe that Professor Curtiss, Professor Kennedy and Professor Holden, and in Kansas, Commissioner Coburn. have done more for the institutes. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 17 and that Professor Holden has done more for the institutes of Iowa than all the farmers combined. It is true that each one of these mem- bers thinks perhaps he can raise a little better corn; it may be possi- ble lie thinks he can raise a little better wheat, but he does not go \ip there and tell you how he does it. He is keeping it as a State secret; it is vory seldom he will tell you. He is not putting out his hands to keep rhtj other fellow from running into a stone wall (I was raised in the State of Maine, where we had those things; in Iowa I should say a wire fence). There is not one of the presidents or secretaries of the institutes in the ninety-nine counties who can make him tell you how- he does it. I have known Curtiss-to ride all "night, sitting up in the common coaches, as he had to, to get into a program at ten o'clock the next morning, without even having an opportunity to take a bath at one of our hotels. We have had a little too much harmony. Stir up! Thk President: We have with us F. D. Cohiirn of Kansas. We would Hke to hear from him in reo-ard to how thev conduct institutes in that state. REMARKS OF F. D. COBURN. I think it is due to mys'-lf to correct your Honorable president and say that I am not a professor. Possibly I am the only man in this room who does not profess. A Statf- like Iowa, that has; produced a Grime'?, a Kirkwood, a Cur- tiss and a Wilson, and a Beardshear. inevitably must have the foremost place in the galaxy of states, and when a man from the outside, es- pecially a man from the remote and woolly west comes to Iowa, he does not come to instruct or to profess, but to sit at the feet of your wise men and absorb such wisdom as he is capable of absorbing. I notice from your program, and from the remarks and papers here this morning, that you have up the subject of institutes. I am not familiar with your institute law and do not know what it may be. I come from a State which has no institute law, or no series of insti- tutes which are conducted under State auspices, although we have inci- dientally or practically a great many excellent institutes. The most that our State does is to make a small appropriation for^paying the expenses of the gentlemen from the agricultural colleges to attend to institutes that are worked up by the local people. The general scheme is to have two professors from the Agricultural College at each of these institutes, especially if they are invited, and they usually are;- and it is not uncommon, also, to have a professor from the State University, which in our State, as your own, is an entirely different institution from the Agricultural Ck)llege. One comment on the position taken by the gentleman who read a most excellent paper a few minutes ago. He seems to think that hav- ing these gentlemen from the institutions, for instance, is not the wisest 2 18 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. plan, or at least it is not the wisest plan to have them dominate^ at all events, the institute. In our State they do not dominate the institutes at all. The institutes are entirely in the hands of the local manage- ment; unless such local management works up the institute, there is none. These outsiders, if you please, are merely there by invitation. I want to say it is tremendously advantageous and it ought to be help- ful to a community of farmers, each one of whom has been occupied early and late with his own affairs, to have some man like Professor Curtiss, Professor Kennedy or Professor Holden come there and speak upon some subject of which he has made a life-long study. I may suggest, too, that in our State we do not send out any lee turer who does not have more than one lecture or more than one sub- ject, and when he goes to a certain part of the State where conditions are of a certain sort, or whoever goes, is presumed to have an address or lecture that will be adapted to the occasion and circumstances; that is to say, we aim, at least, to have the punishment fit the crime in each instance. Speaking for myself, I regard these addresses by these specialists of incalculable value to the institute. For example, at the meeting of the Sate Board of Agriculture two years ago, we had a young man (by the way, a pupil of Professor Holden) there to talk to us about corn. He was a young fellow, a boy in appearance. When he came forward there was a general expression of wonder upon the countenances of the members, if not expressed by words, as to what that kid could tell us old farmers about corn. Some one asked me in a sort of a rebuking tone why on earth we brought a fellow like that all the way from Illinois to talk to men two or three times his age. about corn. I remem- ber distinctly my reply was, "If he does not tell you more about corn in thirty minutes than you have learned in fifty years, I will come and apologize to you." This young fellow got up and cut loose. I presume that if any of you gentleman had heard him you would say that you probably never in your life heard such a torrent of corn talk and corn information as he gave out there. I think I am entirely modest in my statement when I say that his address, published as it was, far and wide in our State, was cheap at one million dollars; dirt cheap; cheap as corn at ten cents a bushel. That is one example. Along that line I might say that we have here in the room a Kansas boy, one of my boys, if you please,' who is on the program here this afternoon to talk about alfalfa. If he does not tell you more about alfalfa in thirty minutes than you ever heard of or dreamed of in your life, I will apologize to you from this platform. He is a modest fel- low; he does not pretend to know much; but he will do you good with alfalfa. I speak of these two gentlemen as illustrations of the possibilities of having this outside or imported talent at these meetings, and if I were to attempt to infiuence you at all, it would be in the direction of not overlooking that sort of assistance in your work. It does not put a man down by any means, to say that he is a professor, or to say that he is a school teacher. He may be all of this and yet know infinitely FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 19 more about your business than you have ever dreamed of. And so. to repeat, I would encourage you to take cognizance of these facts and get as much outside help as you can, if it is the right sort— not every- body to talk at your meetings and dominate your time, but when oppor- tunity presents itself for getting the right sort of men from the outside of your own community and your own local atmosphere, so do it by all means, and you will find it a wonderful and wholesome adjunct to your work. That is ail I care to say, Mr. President. I am not Mr. Butt-in; I find myself on the program this afternoon, and I will try to be here on time, if I can. I thank you. Mr. Mills : I arise to defend the farmers. I want to in- form you from the start that 1 am from Story county — right up Avhere we make professors, and Mr. Curtis? is a farmer amongst us. He was born, and I believe brought up in Story county. We do not have to go to Illinois or to Kansas for our talent. We live in a community, where, if you get the farmers stirred up a little, they will get up and discuss these questions; plenty of them. We have no quarrel, no fight with the pro- fessors; we all agree; we invite the professors out to our meet- ings and they come and talk to us. As I am not a public speaker, I have exhausted my subject, and I thank you for your attention. A Member : I think the gentleman back in the audience put the institutes in the wrong light. We do not wish to cut out professors, by any means, and still hold the management of the institutes for ourselves. We will use what talent we can and get other talent wherever we can and as w^e think we need it. What we are opposed to, is any mutilation of this law wath re- gard to institutes. We want our professors and we want to use tliem as we can. Mr. SpanglER : I am a farmer, and perhaps among the older, if not the oldest farmer present and I confess, I am unusually pleased at the situation, at the competition as between counties and professional men, etc. I never made a public speech in my life, but I have been very much entertained by the paper from Clay county, and also the other address by the lady — wonder- fully elevated. But it occurs to me w^e are all members of the human family and possess very much the same nature. The 20 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. great principles of co-operation and competition I find among- the farmers, and these two great principles are at the bottom of all commercial and national trade, and everything of the kind. I am pleased to see the farmers raise the question as tu who really has the right of leadership. I must say, I am somewhat in sympathy with home talent. I torgot to say, I am from Buchanan county. I am a farmer ; al- ways have taken some interest in agricultural questions. I liave been interested in the fair business there for nearly a lifetime, and am yet. W'hile I have expressed the wish to be retired after being seventy-four years old, they haven't retired me. They are violating the rules of professorships, schools and col- leges, and I guess the churches and all. Pardon me, if I say something that is a little out of order, a little extreme; excuse it, because I am an old boy and should have been relieved long ago; but I haven't quit and they haven't discharged me— I want an honorable discharge. But I have been remarkably pleased over the feeling and com- petition between the leadership and the rank and file. I have the greatest of respect for professors. The}- can frequenth- reduce to a mathematical point questions that we can not full\ comprehend, as plain as twice 2 is 4, and generally a farmer can not make his problems that plain. I am always glad to get sug- gestions from the men that can make it mathematically plain. I turn my cattle on bluegrass and feed them a little grain, etc. Perhaps I would not be too honest to try to make it appear, when I sell them, that they are wholly corn-fed cattle. I plead guilty to these things. Selfishness is one of the laws of nature. It exists in Buchanan county. It is not strange at all that pro- fessors should be suspicious and raise important questions. Mr. Frankun: Our friend from Story county, if he will look around, he will see quite a number of farmers here: he is not alone in his ideas. I desire to take the ground of the hanpv medium, between the two extremes. We need the professors and the imported speaker, and we also need the home talent. One of the best institutes I ever attended in my life was at a place where an imported speaker had the ability to bring out the hidden talent of the farmers and caused them to ask questions. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 21 and by asking- questions (which didn't seem to puzzle him very much), the meeting became one of the most interesting- I ever attended. A good plan to conduct an institute is to get a certain num- ber of outside institute workers who have the facult}- of l>ring- ing- out the home talent, cause men to tell what they know. A great many farmers do not tell what they know; some tell a ^^•hole lot more than they know. /\ Member : I am a farmer. I brought two or three or four of my neighbors with me, and they have been punching my back to say something, so that we would be represented in this convention. When I started from home I went down with the intention, as I heard it rumored around, altogether different from what I find it here today. They told me, as I got it through certain papers, that it was a kind of a farmers' union orp-anization. Of course, thev mav call it farmers union or they may call it farmers of agriculture; I don't know. But it seems to me they are talking about raising corn and raising alfalfa in Kansas and other points, and do not come down to the fact \\'hich concerns very much the farming community. Xow, I may be entirely out of order in explaining myself, bu' it is with the intention I come to find out something inj-egard to disposing of our agricultural product. Now most anybody can raise something. Of course, we can raise it as well as these here professionals of some college, that has the State to back them ; they can experiment with one thing or another and they can get certain things to grow remarkably well. The gentleman from Kansas is going to talk alfalfa ; it didn't do at all with me. But as I said before, we can raise a whole lot, but what can we get for it ? A Member: This is a sort of a Methodist love feast to me. Brother Secor's suggestion is quite applicable. It is like the measles; it is contagious. Now, I have always doubted, at least for a few days I have doubted, the sanity of my wife. The other morning she said to me that the Lord Almighty, when he distributed that article called common sense, that I must have been liidden somewhere. 1 am also reminded (^f something Sen- 22 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ator Dolliver said to me the other day. Fie came to m\- house. I don't know that he would have come, (jnly that it suited his convenience. He owns a farm in our county and it suited his convenience to stay all night. In walking about the yard and talking about different things, he said to me, "Let me tell you one thing that I have observed in my study of men. There is not a man in New York City today, and I don't know but what he said in Washington, that was tall enough to l>e seen beyond the Mississippi, but what walked up from the plow furrow. I am proud of the farmers; I am proud of the farmers' boys and the farmers' girls. I believe this much, I do not know whether you all agree with me, that the sum total of human happiness stands upon a higher plane to me among the farmers L)f the United States of America, and more praticularly among the farmers of the greac commonwealth of Iowa, than any other class of people on God's green earth." It has been said to me, why don't you get off the farm — trying to make me believe I was out of my sphere — I am just exactly where I want to be. I am just exactly where God Al- mighty intended me to be. I was bom on a farm and I have no desire to leave it. But these two papers, the one by the lady, and brother Secor's, just touched every fibre in my heart ; it has been an uplifting to me. Last winter the president of our Humboldt County Institute 'phoned up to me and w^anted me to get up a program for the farmers institute. It was only the year before that w^e dis- cussed the necessity and possibilities of the value of the tele- phone— you know that was the inspiration — and before the next institute we had it all over the county. I want to tell you about the value of that telephone. Do you know, w^e had t^venty- seven different subjects upon our program and I 'phoned evtvy one of these to the men and ladies from my own home and as- signed them their subjects. If I had gone to them individually, I would have had to drive one hundred and fifty miles. The re- sult of it was, we had a splendid institute; a grand thing; an uplifting. I know young men and w^omen, farmers and their wives, who never stood up before an audience, but we worked them in, got them on the program, and we drew out the hidden. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 23 the latent talent. I have Ijeen surprised at the latent talent in my own community. Young boys that came to school to me there — I am proud of them and their ideas. I came down here, not to speak, but to get inspiration ; I have got it. I do not regret any sacrifice I have made in com- ing one hundred and thirty miles to get here. I want to go back home and carry some of the lessons that I have gathered here into our institute work. Mr. Forster: My observation has been that wise men will differ. I am up here as a student. . The Saturday prior to this last, in our horticultural meeting held in Albia, the papers there enthused the farmers so that they began tO' ask for a farmers institute, and they at once set to work to organize, or rather, I called a meeting. On last Saturday, the 5th, we organized by electing the proper officers and electing delegates to attend this meeting, and they wanted a report carried back. I am proud to say I have the honor of acting as their president, unworthy as I am ; but I am like the lx>ys ; I was their choice and I am here to act. I am heartily pleased with the paper the lady read, the secre- tary from Clay county. That, has done me a world of good, and if the Lord will help me to unfold it, I will try to reveal some of the secrets to our people. The paper read by Mr. Secor was of great value. I thank the audience for their attention. I cm heartily pleased. A Member: I am glad I was selected a delegate to report what I listened tO' and heard here today. The lady that s[X)ke in regard to the youths, the boys and girls, impressed me won- derfully— the improvement of the boys and girls is a wonderful thought that came to me in this building today. I have some of my children here under the insti*uction of the Commercial School and am remaining upon the farm for the help which I can give my children, as that lady has spoken to us, and also the sister who has read the paper on how to run an institute. I have been president of the Ringgold County Institute. We have two institutes annually. We have organized a township institute. Professors Holden and Wright give us wonderful 24 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. assistance. We are now preparing for our annual institute, to be held in January. I came up in order to secure my help. I would like to have tlie help of the sister that came here. It is wonderful to me; it has given me great inspiration. I believe in this institute work there is a great help to be given to the farmer. The farmer has pride and ambition in himself which has been neglected in the offspring from the home. We ought to meet together in our home; but we need the assistance from the outside world; from the mothers of our country, as we have here today, trying to bring the children to a higher stand- ard. We come to you today to ask your assistance. But the inspiration I got from the mother, and from the sister upon the platform, has inspired me with greater zeal to try and get my mothers and sisters to do more for their children. At II :45 the convention adjourned until i 130 p.m. AFTERNOOX Se:s?I0N. Convention called to order at i 130 p.m. The President : We have with us this afternoon the Hon. John Hamilton, Institute Specialist, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. After Mr. Hamilton's address, any ques- tion any gentleman wishes to ask him, he will be glad to answer. I now have the pleasure of introducing to you the Hon. John Hamilton. THE VALUE OF ORGANIZATION IN INSTITUTE WORK. Remarks by Mr. Hamilton. I suppose that I owe an apology to you for not being here this morn- ing at the time I was put down on the program. I started in good time from Washington City, and ought to have been here to have taken my place at 9 o'clock, but the breakdown of two engines caused me to miss connections at Chicago, and of course I failed to reach here in time. I regret this because I wished very much to hear the discussions upon the two subjects — "Should the Institute Law Be Changed" and "How To Con- duct a Successful Institute." 'These topics have been before you, and if what I shall say duplicates the things already mentioned, you will under- stand that it is because I was not here and do not know what was stated in the papers. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 25 The topic that has been assigned to me for discussion is "The Value of Organization in Institute Work." I understand that in your State the several counties have separate institute organizations; that the law fixes the constitution of these organizations and the method of their support: that there is no central authority to which these institutes are expected to report, or that has supervision over their work; that each county insti- tute is in fact an independent entity. I think that I am voicing your sentiments when I say that we are all in favor of organization. Certainly our whole social system is based tipon that principle. Our forefathers tried for awhile to get along without or- ganization or union. The colonies, you will remember, did not co-oper- ate until driven together by the war, of the Revolution. After the war they realized the absolute necessity of centralization so that when occasion demanded the whole power of the country could be concentrated in a single direction. Our State governments have similar constitution; a central authority, and then local organizations. Our coimties likewise are based upon the same principle; a central or county organization, and then the townships which take care of local affairs. We carry the same method into our church government. The churches are organized upon the conviction that the infltience of the societies will be much more powerful, and their benefit to the public be much more beneficial if there is some central controlling authority. In the light of our experience and practice in state, and church, and business management there would seem to be no good reason why our institutes should not be organized on the same basis. Why there should be. lack of united effort and cooperation by institute societies, and they continue independent of each other when in all other affairs in which we desire the greatest efficiency we unite, is incompre- hensible. Perhaps I can do no better in showing the value of central control than by giving yoti one or two examples of things that institute organiza- tion has accomplished. I have in mind one of the Eastern States that had an institute organization similar to yours. When the institutes started they were very much in the condition that they are now in your State. The various cotmty organizations held their institutes independent of each other. There was no central control. This condition of things lasted until about eight years rgo, when a Department of Agriculture was organized at the Capitol of the State, In organizing that Department it was provided that the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture should be the Director of the Farmers' Institutes. To him was committed the general oversight and control of the institute work, and at the same time he was required to co-operate with the county agri- culttiral societies and all similar county agricultural organizations in pre- paring programs, selecting speakers and fixing upon places where insti- tutes shall be held. Upon beginning the work under the new system there were several things that it was found possible to imderlj.ke that were impossible before, and it is to two of these that I desin to call your attention in 26 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. order to show how influential institutes such as you have in in is State can be if properly directed and under central control. Some of us were very much interested in the improvement of the rural schools in our State. We felt that the country schools were not much better than they had been forty or fifty years ago, whilst on the other hand the city and town schools had greatly improved. The towns had commodious buildings, excellent teachers, and all of the appliances nec- essary for giving children a good modern education. Out in the country it was the same old cross-road schoolhouse; one teacher; sometimes many scholars; in other instances, very few. The curriculum of studies was not materially changed from that of half a century ago. There prac- tically had been no improvement in that respect, although country life had wholly different problems to meet, and country children were envir- oned by altogether different social surroundings. The first thing we did to bring about a change of public sentiment on the subject of rural school improvement was to require that an evening session in every farmers' institute held in the State should be given up to the consideration of the education of the farmer and his children, so that in every one of the two or three hundred institutes that were held that year, that subject was discussed. The State was districted and institute lecturers were sent out by State authority into each district. With each one of these insti- tute forces there was at least one man who was especially qualified to give instruction along the line of the education of country children. We went to a great deal of trouble and some expense to advertise the meet- ings that were to be held for the improvement of the rural schools. We sent out circulars, programs, and personal letters to the school teachers, also packages containing small advertisements, to be given to the chil- dren, calling attention to the fact that the subject of the education of iniral people was to be taken up and discussed by prominent educators upon a given evening. The school children were invited; county super- intendents, the school directors, and all who were interested in education were asked to come. The result was that we would have meetings, packed with people interested in this subject, and perhaps there would be three or four front seats across the schoolhouse filled with little chil- dren, who had come to hear this diS'Cussion of their education. The lecturer would take some natural object, as for instance, a peach limb. He would tell the children how the buds were arranged; how the sap circulates; what the leaf is to do; how the starch is transferred; the dif- ference between the leaf buds, and the flower buds; how the fruit i^ formed, continuing hisi explanations for perhaps thirty or forty minutes. The lecturers were experts in the subjects that they presented; laiew how to make their story interesting, and there would not be a .sleepy eye in the entire audience, the smallest child thoroughly understanding and enjoying what these men. were teaching. The result was that after the lecture men would get up in the audience and say. "Why cant we have this kind of instruction in our public schools?" The campaign of education by means of the farmers' institutes was conducted for five years throughout Pennsylvania until the most of the people of the State had been reached. Country people began to see that FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR ROOK — PART I. 27 it was entirely feasible to teach to rural children subjects which had formerly been confined to college classes and the higher schools. We made a canvass of the State and found that in the rural schools the aver- age number of classes taught each day was twenty-seven, which gave an average of about twelve minutes to the class. Out of that had to be taken the time necessary to assign lessons, keep order, and assist schol- ars in their work, and it didn't leave morei than about nine minutes to each for class instruction. In the town and!, city schools where the teacher had an average of only eight or nine classes, the time devoted to each was anywhere from thirty to forty minutes. We showed to a demonstration that all talk about improving the rural schools by introducing nature study while such a system continued was wasted breath; that the system was defec- tive; that it was impossible to add anything to the curriculum of studies in the country schools unless there was first some change in this system. Then we began to talk about a remedy, the consolidation of the rural schools. This was kept up for six or seven years, until the people became thoroughly aroused and informed upon that subject. When this was accomplished we went into) the State legislature and asked for the enactment of a law that would permit the consolidation of the rural schools into a single township school, and provide for the conveying of the children from their homes to and from the central building. We made an investigation of the work done elsewhere in centralizing schools, and this was also preached over the State until the people saw that it too was practicable. So when the Consolidation Act came before the legis- lature there was comparatively little opposition to it, and now there is in that State a law that permits each township to have a single central con- solidated school, a school graded as in the city or town, to which every child may be hauled that is not within walking distance. I give this example because it shows that in the course of a very few years it is possible to unify public sentiment in the rural districts if there is some directing power to take the initiative. No great change in social or governmental affairs can be effected in this country until a majority of the voters are agreed. Just as soon as the voting community understands that the change is to their advantage, that soon, and no sooner, we get it. There was another matter of public interest that was taken up in that same State about the same time; the improvement of the public roads. We had, upon actual count, something like thirteen hundred dif- ferent road laws in that State. Some townships had one supervisor, and some had fourteen. There was no unity of system; the legislature had been trying to get together on the public road question for years. We made up our minds that the time had come to go out into the\ country and educate the people upon the road question. We prescribed that the afternoon sessions of every institute held in the State should take up the consideration of public roads. A campaign of about six years was conducted over that State until the people had threshed out this question and had come to a conclusion about it. There was no throttling of dis- cussion ; opportunity was given to every man to tell what he had to say. 28 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The effect was that the legislature last year, in the State of Pennsyl- vania, passed a satisfactory road law, appropriated six millions and a half for public roads, and established a Highway Department, the super- intendent being a member of the governor's cabinet. This was brought about through the education that was given the country people by the farmers' institutes. Here are two instances that have come under my personal observa- tion, showing the power of central control and of consolidated organiza- tion. This consolidation does not mean that the localities shall give up all of their power to this central authority. It simply means that we shall do in a degree that which we did when we, organized the govern- ment of the United States, or conferred sovereignty upon the State; we gave up merely a portion of our rights to these governmental powers for the sake of the better administration of our affairs. The States gave up a part of their rights to the general government for the protection it could thereby throw around them, and they retained so much of their individuality as was necessary to make their home government effective. Central control in instittite work gives power to the institute organi- zation to take up any great fundamental truth of general interest or im- portance, and bring it promptly and effectively to the attention of -the people of a State. This is a most valuable power to possess, whether it be exerted for schools, roads, or agricultural improvement in crops ani- mals, or methods of culture. There is another thing that central control accomplishes. It secures better institute teachers, and elevates the standard of work. The life of the farmers' institute is in the teaching. Your institute will not rise higher than the ability of your teachers. If you have third-rate teachers, you will have third-rate institutes; if you have high class teachers, you will have high class institutes. If the school in your locality has a first- class teacher, you will have a first-class school; its grade depends on the teacher. The organization of the institute under central control enables the State Directors to select competent men for institute service. The teachers that are to give instruction must be men of superior attainments. One of the most serious difficulties is to know where to get such men. Where there is a central authority the opportunity for becoming acquainted with men of ability and for securing their services is greatly increased, and you are able to bring into your work the very best instruct- ors that the coimtry contains. It enables them also to so organize the' work in the several districts that the lecturers can be used to the best advantage. The meetings can be arranged to come in consecutive order, and more committees have the advantage of the teaching of your most capable men. Men of the quality needed are very scarce. In order that their services may be utilized to the best advantage, it is necessary to have the work so distributed that they can go from point to point with the least amount of travel: whereas, in the go-as-you-please method, institutes frequently conflict with each other. There is no co-ordination and the result is that many institutes are left without competent teachers FOURTH ANNUAL YfZAR BOOK — PART I. 29 when a slight change in dates or places would have enaljled ail to be supplied. There is another thing that a central organization can do. It can select men specially/ qualified to discuss the questions that are of para- mount interest in the several localities. In our State we have a great variety of crops located by districts. We have the market gardening districts, the dairy districts, the grain-growing districts, and various other kinds of agricultural interests scattered through the State. An institute is held in the tohacco district, we send a tobacco expert there. We do not send that same) man into a dairy district, but select for this a man skilled in dairy matters, and in like manner to the others. One man can arrange for supplying all of these various interests far better than twenty. a necessary practice where the go-as-you-please method prevails. In Ontario by means of the centralized system they have changed the whole character of the swine industry in four years. The swine breeders became convinced that the bacon hog was the hog for Canada, because investigation showed that the English butcliers were willing to pay more for bacon than for lard. They took up the matter in the insti- tutes, and taught the members of the lecture force the kind of bacon that the English market preferred. They had hogs both of the bacon and lard types brought to the institutes, and diagrams of slaughtered ani- mals were prepared and exhibited until the farmers were thoroughly acquainted with what was required. Today the farmers of the entire province are sending bacon to England. Agriculture has within fifty years become a scientific calling. There was a time when anybody could farm; now it is entirely different. A man must know something of chemistry; something of the principles of plant life and growth; he must know about animals, their diseases and the qualities that go to make the animal valuable. It has become a scientific occupation. The reason some farmers are distressed today is because they do not understand their business. We know of a great many men leaving agriculture because they cannot make a living at it. I do not know as this is true out here where your land is fertile, but go into some of the Eastern States where lands have lost a large part of their original fertility, and it takes a capable man to farm. But the time is coming here, as elsewhere, when men will have to take care of the future, when the capital deposited in your great agricultural banks will begin to be exhausted. You, too, will get into the same condition as men are now in the East and South unless you avail yourselves of the informa- tion that science affords. Practical men are very valuable; we all agree upon that. But the practical men of the country are not the men who have brought about did not know about a balanced ration; we did not know about the silo, the progress in agriculture that we have today. During all the centuries we have had practical men; just as good as any of us, thoroughly capa- ble, and yet the great advance that has been made in agriculture has been within forty years, and we are indebted to science for most of what we have. We did not know about the Babcock test forty years ago; we we did know about commercial fertilizers in any very accurate way forty 30 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. years ago. I could go through a list of fifty important improvements that have come to us with the last twenty years, and for which science is responsible. Secretary Wilson went to Texas the other day and found there an insect that threatens the destruction of the cotton crop of the United States, and has asked for $500,000 to assist in its extermination. In Bos- ton a little insect escaped from a scientist's window into the forests, and now threatens the destiiiction of all forest growth. The Hession fly is all over this country. In a great many districts around here they used to grow wheat; you are not doing it now. We have constantly new prob lems confronting us that we must meet or abandon our calling. We can- not look to practical men for relief. Science must aid us. The fact is science is now planning to locate a man on a piece of groimd and keep him, and his successors, on it for the next thousaml years, and to make it possible at the end of that period for that land to be a little better than it is today and have been a perpetual source of profit and support to every generation that possessed it in spite of drouth, and flood, and insect enemies, and fungous diseases. This will require scientific work in agriculture. With you, where things are so favorable and where lands are new, and your wealth is just at hand, to be had for the taking, any one may still be able to farm, but the time has come over a great part of this country when it is a serious question to know what men shall do to secure profitable crops. The agricultural experiment stations, the agricultural colleges, and the National Department of Agriculture are all at work endeavoring to solve the agricultural problems that arise to vex the man behind the plow, and the institute will take the information which they secure and hand it out to the toilers in the fields who have neither the time, train- ing, or opportunity to study these questions for themselves. I believe the institutei is destined to be the great school of agricul- ture of this country. Last year over nine hundred thousand farming peo- ple attended their meetings. Over three thousand institutes were held throughout the United States. Institutes were held in all of the States and Territories of the United States, except six; three Territories and three States; and the three States have agreed that they will hold meet- ings this year. When that occurs there will be farmers' institutes in every State in the Union. They are as a rule organized upon the central control plan. A few States only have the admirable arrangement you have for local organization. The work has been taken up by the agricultural colleges and experi- ment stations, so that in twenty-one States the institutes are controlled and directed by these institutions. In a large number of others they are in the hands of boards of agriculture, or special institute boards, or under the direction of a commissioner of agriculture. Last year there were over nine hundred teachers engaged by the State Directors. In addition to the men who were selected by the local managers, the States had in their employ over nine hundred lecturers. In taking the names of one hundred of these lecturers from the top of the list, forty-three were found to be college men, fourteen had normal or high school training, and the FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 3l others, almost vvithoiii, exception, were men who had special opportunities for knowing about the particular things that they were sent to teach. You can see the great influence this corps of teachers is going to have on the agriculture of this country — nine hundred skilled instructors teaching in farmers' institutes, embracing over four thousand days, which would equal a course of study continuing for twenty-seven school years of one hundred and eighty days each. The institute is coming to be the great educational go-between, between the colleges and experi- ment stations on the one hand, and the practical farmer, who needs in- formation, on the other. The great teaching force that is to take tmths relating to agriculture as fast as they are discovered, and bring them out to every hamlet where men are engaged in farming, and show how they can be advantageously applied. For the institute to do this work most effectively it will be necessary for the system to be so organized that there may be united effort in every State and by all of the States, guided by intelligent direction, the entire force concentrating for the accomplishment of the results that the farm- ers' institutes were intended to secure, the dissemination of agricultural information to the people of the United States. A Member: Where are you going- to get these men, these teachers ? Mr. Hamii^tox : We have got to raise some of them. The method we pursued is this, and I beheve it is a good method. We \vent to our Agricultural College and Experiment Station and got some men there. Then we had our institute managers in the various counties make reports with regard to men they thought were specially well equipped in some line of agriculture. Then we have our institute lecturers look out for men that seem to have an ability to present things clearly and intelligently. Then the next year we took some of these man and put them on the State force, so that they would have a chance to develop. We send them around, give them an engagement of perhaps two weeks and watch them and see how they get along. You can not take a man, and if he breaks down one day, reject him on account of that; give him two weeks, and then, if he looks as though he had in him the making of an institute teacher, then keep him ; and so you add to your force year by year. A Mk^nibER: And you can't employ them only about three months in the year. Mr. Hamilton: That is true; it usually is about three months. 32 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. A MiKMBER : Don't you find a whole lot of scientihc fellows who' can not make connection with the farmer's mind ? Mr. Hamilton : Yes and no. I will tell you what has been done. There was the greatest opposition to the Agricultural College and Experiment Station in our State — that is about eight or nine years ago — the State board was opposed to it and all were opposed to it. I was made the first institute director in our State; and the secretary said to me: "You don't want to talk about the State College when you go out in institute work." I said: "That is just one of the things I am going to talk about all over this State; that is what I want to do." I went up to the college and I said to the president: "See here; I want an open card in this w^hole establishment, and whenever I want a man, you must send him to me ; T am in the hole : I haven't got enough men to do the work." He hesitated some: but they knew me ; I told him I w^ouldn't abuse the privilege. We went out into the institute work and I sent for the men. The first time I put in five and a half months' solid work in our State and got to knowing it pretty well. I would get up to an audience and say something like this : Xow, here we have got a great institution in the central part of the State, spending a whole lot of money. I want to know who has been benefited by it; you people hold up your hands. Then I said, there is something the matter, either you are wrong, or they are wrong, that is clear. Now, if you are wrong, you ought to get right, and if they are wrong, they are wrong in one of two ways ; either they are not doing the work they ought to be doing, or else they are not publishing it; if it is not right up there, let us make it right. Now, I says, I have brought one of those men down here; I am going to stand him up on this platform and I want you to take notice; I want you to listen, take notes and see what he knows. The man gets up and tells his story; he is telling an interesting story. I would say, hold on now^; we want to know if anybody Avho gets up like that, we want to see whether he knows anything outside of what he has been telling you. I will ask a question ; and pretty soon it was dis- covered that there was a man who knew a whole lot more than they did. They got. after a bit, to asking questions for infor- Trophy awarded at the Iowa State Fair of 1903 to C. H. Gardner, Blandinsville, II]., for " (Irand Beef Herd." FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 33 mation; they were g-etting information that was of value; and it \\ent on that way, until we put five men every year on every force; five forces of men from the State College and Experi- ment Station. What happened? Why, two years ago, thir- teen of the grange alliances met at the State College in conven- tion and agreed they w^ould go before the legislature and ask for a building for that institution for $100,000. It went into the committee of the house, but the chairman happened to be op- posed to the college, and so it didn't come out of the committee until very near the close of the session, when the House agreed they would bring it out for consideration. The committee got wind of it and reported it with a negative recommendation, in which event it took two thirds of a vote to pass, and they didn't have the vote. What did they say ? They said : you can pass no more legislation from this on. The University of Penn- sylvania came up for $50,000; they knocked it out. The result was they had to adjourn; and then they asked: What do you want? These gentlemen said: We want the State College bill ernor vetoed it, and then two years passed, when they went in put back and passed. It was put back and passed. The Gov- for $200.000 — we are going to dedicate one of them the eighth of January. These people got this appropriation by simply go- ing to the Agricultural College and Experiment Station and getting men to go out among the farming people to teach them what they knew. That is the right way. I believe, if these agricultural colleges and experiment stations become favorably known throughout their own State, they become serviceable to the people. The trouble is, we are putting out very valuable 1)ulletins to our farmers and they do not read them; they get tired of test work. What we are trying to do now, is to get men who do read them and go out and tell in a few words what is of service to you and me, and in that way we get it. Down at W^ashington in this great department, there are four thousand two hundred men in connection with it. Secre- tary Wilson is at the head of one of the greatest educational in- stitutions— he is one of the greatest men — he has done more for agriculture than any other man I know of that has ever been in our country. Last year over nine hundred publications went 3 34 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. out from that department, on agriculture; there were over forty- hxe thousand pages ; there were over eleven million separate doc- uments sent out. There were six and a half million of those that were specially prepared for the farmers. Hov^ many did you gentlemen get? A Member : I got a wagon load ; I never used them. Mr. Hamilton : The farmers institute has got to take the knov^ledge these publications contain by word of mouth to the men who need the information. This is the great mission of the institute teacher; to take the scientific knowledge and dis- tribute it among the men who need it. A Member : I would like to ask about what per cent of the farmers — where an institute is held — come to the institute? Mr. Hamilton : That depends on the size of the hall. If the hall is big, there will be five hundred or more; and it de- pends upon what a man has to say. Henry Wallace : Of course, I came in during the address and did not hear all of it. I am a little bit interested in this talk of the consolidation of institutes. That question came up fif- teen years ago wdien the filrst institute organization was held in Iowa. Secretary Wilson and I were there and we made a determined fight when this institute bill was passed to get a central system; we absolutely failed to do it. We agreed to wait and see how the thing w^ould w^ork out. Now, I have had a pretty large experience in the institutes of this State and in institutes of other states adjoining, except Missouri, and there are advantages on both sides. I find, when I go to Wisconsin or Minnesota, where they have this regular institute system that the farmers do not take the interest in it they do here in Iowa. They go there and open their mouths and have information pumped into them; they are like a calf you are trying to feed. But you trust the calf you are trying to feed and when that sucks, you have gc^t the difference bet\\ een the Iowa and other systems. They all have their own way in Iowa. Let me tell my friend, when he meets an Iowa institute, he will meet about as big a batch of men and as intelligent a bcd}- of men, and the man that can stand up before an institute, must FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 35 know his subject, or he wiU never Ije at that institute again. I would rather stand before anybody else than an audience of Iowa farmers talking about these things with which they are familiar. I am not satisfied with the present situation. We are gradu- ally getting around to group our institutes together, so as to save labor. There are ver}- few men in Iowa who are able to do institute work; that is a very serious problem. There are not very many men wdio are scientists who can make the proper connection wath the farmer's mind. I would like to see a central organization in this State; yet, at the same time, I do not want to give up this initiative in the different counties. There are counties in this State that can get up a splendid institute and not have a man there from the uutside. Now, since Professor Holden has stirred them up on the corn question, they all want him. One of the best institutes ever held was one I didn't go to; I telegraphed them I couldn't come. They had some of the very best papers there I ever read. I never knew a first class institute in my life that didn't have a woman there. If yon can get the girls there and the boys ; the men will come; we must get the two together. The President: The next subject on the program is en- titled, "Live Stock at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, in 1904," by Hon. F. D. Coburn, Chief of Live Stock Division of the Exposition. Before reading his paper, Mr. Coburn said : P'or reasons, which I perhaps mildly suggested this morning, I have had to have my piece written out. I will say, it is not near as formid- able as it looks. On the one hand, I am glad to be here; on the other hand, I feel guilty for breaking into this meeting at such an interesting time, or appearing perhaps to interrupt the reg- ular procedure and discussions. But I think your officers fully understand that I am not here on account of any solicitation of mv own. 36 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. LIVE STOCK AT THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION, ST. LOUIS, 1904. F. D. Goburn, Chief of Department of Live Stock. Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The Department of Live Stock of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition is just now beginning the tenth month since active work was commenced upon its official classification. Inasmuch as the live stock show will not last throughout the exposition period, but will open on August 22d land close November 5th, the Department was not organized until som'3 time after the work of the other exhibits had been well under way. Tjhis does not imply that the management had not given full considera- tion to the importance of the live stock industry, for quite the contrary is the fact. It is; not only that St. Louis is practically the geographical center of the great live stock producing area of the globe, or that in connection with the celebration of the acquiring of the Louisiana Purchase terri- tory especial importance must be attached to the development of the live stock industry in the United States, although these in themselves are excellent reasons for giving more than secondary recognition to animal husbandry; but outside of special claims the importance and magnitude of the industry in this and other countries make it just that live stock farming should receive consideration at the hands of the Universal Exposition of 1904 on a larger and in some respects newer basis than that accorded at any former international exposition. No stockman has reason to be disappointed with the action of ihe exposition authorities, for the allotments made for live stock are in many ways on a scale unknovvm at previous world's fairs. An independ- ent department has been created and more than a quarter of a million dollars set aside for cash prizes. With this substructure to build upon it can not be said that the World's Fair directorate have not offered opportunity to set new marks and new standards in the history of stock displays. It should be borne in mind that an exposition of universal character is the display in miniature of the useful activities of civilization. Na- tions from the four quarters of the earth are already preparing their headquarters on the World's Fair grounds. The Chinese buildings are distinctively Chinese, not American; Brazil's lofty structure was de- signed by a Brazilian architect; the landscape effects around the build- ings of Great Britain, France and Sweden are peculiarly the work of gardeners from those countries. The World's Fair is a cyclopedia at first hand, wherever possible. As nearly as may be the progress of the world and the manner in which progress is being made will be actually shown. The Fair of 1904 is to be a workshop rather than a library. This means, of course, that a great many varied interests must re- ceive attention. Two square miles afford large grounds and five million square feet of fioor space would lead one to believe that all who come will be cared for. Yet the problem resolved itself some time ago into FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 3 I the placing of only the best and most representative of its class rather than of getting the exhibit space filled. No one at this time can grasp the immensity of the undertaking at St. Louis; even those who are daily engaged in its building will hardly realize its magnitud-e until after the first months of the Exposition. The preparation period has advanced far enough to permit it to be said, without boasting, that in achievement as well as in size the Louisiana Purchase Exposition will far excel its greatest predecessor, the Ck)lumbian at Chicago. Not only in its size and in the expected results but as much in that which is not looked for, will the Universal Exposition of 1904 be notable and sur- passing. I have wandered off the ranch in this fashion because it is important to emphasize that the World's Fair makes a special call upon the friends of animal husbandry to show to the world what there is of good and of Improvement in that industry. By practically doubling the largest cash amount ever before offered for live stock prizes and in other ways mak- ing its recognition of live stock wholly unprecedented, the exposition management has set a responsibility upon us from which we may pro- duce results to be proclaimed to all the world. An opportunity so great and so far-reaching has not previously been presented to the stock breeders of any country. It is safe to say that not many who will see the World's Fair live stock show in 1904 will live to know its records as relegated or its standards replaced. "At St. Louis in 1904" is a phrase more epoch- marking than either you or I can at this time comprehend. The live stock show at the Philadelphia Centennial had the same ground area that is planned for the show at St Lotiis. thirty-five acres. Live stock figures that are now daily commonplaces were then scarcely dreamed of. yet we have lately had about us the first stirrings of a movement in the agricultural world more revolutionary, with more of permanent change, and more beneficial to the whole earth than any one has con- ceived of. You know there are what are sometimes termed phychologi- cal moments, which are not stipposed to occur with the monotony that characterizes one's household expenses. If it be proper to predict the striking of a psychological moment I may be permitted to record my belief that the live stock show of the Universal Exposition of 1904 comes at an opportune time. When the events conspire and the pro- gram of ample scope is made ready for them it must take some mishap to prevent an exhibition long to be remembered. The provision made by the management has permitted the offering of live stock awards aggregating, in the preliminary prize list alone, more than fifteen thousand in number. These are divided among six divisions, which will be shown at succeeding intervals, beginning with horses and closing with the poultry and pet stock. Each will be a great live stock exposition in itself. We are planning space for at least three thousand horses, and for the same number each of cattle, sheep .^oats, and swine, and for about ten thousand fowls and smaller animals, animals. 38 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The classification prepared has been gone over with great care in an effort to give to each breed or variety recognition in due proportion to its accepted usefulness to man. The plan has been consistently fol- lowed of giving the animals more widely recognized and of greatest utility a larger allotment than those which have not so generally proved their usefulness. In doing this rank has been accorded hased upon statistics as to numbers and values furnished by those most competent to speak concerning the breed under consideration. This is in some respects at variance with the customary practice, Dut I think is based upon sound reasoning. A live stock show of the magnitude of that to be held in St. Louis next year will be unworthy its opportunities if it fails to make some new standards and yield new precedents. When- ever occasion arises for a change of this sort the step is not taken until it is clearly evident that the new precedent or readjusted standard makes for the advancement of animal husbandry. In regard to the details of the classification I shall not weary you with any soporific statistics, but a brief review of some of the newer features in each division will doubtless have a value. Horses, asses and mules form the first of these six divisions. The mule, while last named, does not by any means possess an obscure classification. In the last decade and in previous years he has by his sturdy performance, whether in war or on a railroad contract, proved himself worthy of a luster about his head as well as at his heels. His patient usefulness has been recognized in the World's Pair classification in arrangement of awards tnat has received the full commendation of his best friends. T^e horse for business, war or pleasure has been been given greater attention than is commonly allotted him. The market class of horse has a place entirely equal to his usefulness. Roadster, harness, busi- ness and saddle geldings and mares; artillery, cavalry, coach, draft, express, fire department and omnibus horses and ponies in harness have special classes and liberal awards. This is not in any way at the expense of the breeding rings, in which the sum of $80,000 is appor- tioned. Tjwenty classes of cattle are given place, from Shorthorn to buffalo and catalo. The dairy test is retained and enlarged, ana in addition are features to demonstrate the merits of the cow in beef production as well as dairying. Sheep, goats and swine all have the usual prizes enlarged and new classes added. The Angora has made his way nearer to the front in late years and his larger station has been duly recog- nized. Fowls and the smaller animals will have opportunity to com- pete for upwards of seven thousand five hundred awards. The Depart- ment of Live Stock has in its province arrangement for the display of nearly all animals and fowls of domestic utility to man, but no matter how much money might be placed at our disposal it would be impossible to give entire satisfaction to each of the varied interests concerned. We have tried to be as exact as possible in making just provision accord- ing to the knowledge obtainable. Throughout the classification an especial attention has been paid to the skill of the breeder whose attention to the progress of animal hus- bandry makes possible the winnings of the exhibitor. The breeder. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 39 wheresoever located, through whose efforts the best animals in any- breeding class may be shown, will secure acknowledp;f^nient of this from the Exposition. Thus, in case the largest aggregate amount in the Percheron awards should go to animals bred by a Frenchman owning none of the horses on exhibition and perhaps not even in attendance at the World's Fair, he will receive an award in the form of the premier championship as a breeder of Percherons, proclaiming the recipient to be the winner of an honor above all others in his class. This is outside of all awards to exhibitors, for whom the premier championship as an exhibitor has also been provided. Particular care is being taken to provide for ihe selection of judges concerning the integrity and the justness of whose awards there may be no question or suspicion. All prizes in the Department of Live Stock will be awarded by individual judges or the "one-judge system," and the judge making the class awards will confer the championships for the same breed. All judging will be by comparison, and the awards made will stand. Selection of judges will in all instances be governed by their special qualifications and their intimate knowledge of the character- istics and qualities that make valuable the breed upon which they will give judgment. They will have definite instructions to bestow prizes only of such grade as merit fully justifies. Absence of competition will cause no exceptions to this. A feature that is novel at a World's Fair, although popular and well- established at the State fairs, will be the public sales to be held in con- nection with the Exposition live stock show. These will be conducted by the association representing the breed under sale, and during the period in which that breed is on exhibition. An encouraging number of applications for the holding of these sales has already been received. I have touched upon only a few of the features of interest about live stock at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, but if you are inter- ested in the details and have not received the preliminary prize list giving the classification and rules and regulations of the World's Fair live stock show, I shall be glad to send it to you if you will drop a line to me at St. Louis. Our friends, the farm press, have been kind enough to give considerable space to the plans for the show, and undoubtedly you have already learned from them much that I have suggested here. I have not said much about the World's Fair in a general way or of the innumerable exhibits in preparation for your delight and instruc- tion, because I notice that you are to have the pleasure of hearing Mr. Conaway at the Capitol tomorrow, and as he is one of your home folks I feel that this should be left for him. For fear that his modesty may cause him to overlook an important matter, perhaps I ought to say that it is generally agreed at the World's Fair grounds that Iowa has, as she deserves, a magnificent site and a building among the best of the many clustered on the Plateau of States. I do not need to say that the men by whose enterprise, patriotism and money the greatest of all Exix)sitions has been made possible, as does our nation at large, expect much of its best that is attractive and compelling- to come from imperial Iowa, and that her sons will achieve 40 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. at St. Louis victories no less brilliant than those they have already achieved in the fields of war, diplomacy and statesmanship. The President: The next subject will Ijc ''Alfalfa," by H. M. Cottrell, of Odebolt. ALFALFA IN IOWA. H. M. CottrelL OclehoU, loiva. Your speaker has spent twenty-one years in Kansas, nine years of the time with the Experiment Station, and had the opportunity to study the habits and requirements of alfalfa during all the time. He has spent the last eight months only in Iowa, and his recommendations in regard to alfalfa for Iowa must be taken as being based on observations during this short period, coupled with a long experience under other conditions of climate. The conditions demanded by alfalfa are a perfect seed bed. fertile soil and freedom from weeds at time of seeding and good drainage. It is probable that alfalfa will do best in Iowa on the naturally well drained fields, and when the land is sufficiently rolling to afford good drainage may be expected to do well under proper treatment. Alfalfa needs a good supply of lime and is short-lived in sandy soils. It is probable that alfalfa will do well on many level lands where tile drain- age has put the land in good shape. Alfalfa will not grow with wet feet, and the land must be well drained either naturally or artificially. On close soils alfalfa sometimes kills out in low places, and small de- pressions where water stands. Rolling, well-drained lands, such as are found in Sac and Ida counties, give every indication of being well adapted to alfalfa. CROPS TO R.A.ISE BEFORE SEEDIXG TO ALFALFA. With land that has been under cultivation for many years crops must be grown that will free the land from weeds and put it in good mechanical condition. Barley, oats and millet may be recommended for Iowa, followed by fall plowing thoroughly done. The best crop to raise on land before seeding to alfalfa is some legume like clover, Canada field peas, soy beans or cow peas. The legumes have the double value of putting the land in good mechanical condition and of adding nitrogen and vegetable matter to the soil in the form needed by the young alfalfa plants. Red clover is a good plant to grow before seeding to alfalfa on soils that have a subsoil which holds water and prevents good drainage. Red clover is much more vigorous than young alfalfa and will grow down, into bad subsoils under conditions that will kill young alfalfa. After the red clover has stood for two years and has penetrated the sub- soil to a good depth the ground can be prepared and seeded to alfalfa. The decaying clover roots will keep the subsoil open and well drained FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 41 and will furnish, nitrogen to the alfalfa plant until it reaches full vigor, when it will yield a much larger crop than clover and each pound of the alfalfa be worth considerably more than an equal amount of clover. In several cases known to the speaker red clover has been sown as a nurse crop with alfalfa with good success. I'KEPARATIOX OF THE SOIL. The ground for alfalfa should be thoroughly pulverized and deeply plowed, but it must be well settled before seeding and only the surface loose. Alfalfa will usually fail if seeded on freshly plowed ground. It is necessary to plow the ground before seeding; plow, as early as ^russible, harrow thoroughly, making a good seed bed, and then wait until a good rain has settled the soil before seeding. A careful farmer and a careless renter a few years ago put in alfalfa in adjoining fields in northeastern Kansas, where conditions are similar to those found in Iowa. The farmer plowed the land deeply 'and pulverized it until it was like a garden bed. He immediately sowed alfalfa, secured a thick stand, and in a few months the alfalfa entirely died out. The renter thought it would not pay to spend much time on another man's land. His field had been in corn the previous year. He broke the stalks with a pole, sowed ihe seel broadcast, and covered it lightly with a harrow. He secured a good stand that was permanent. Usually a good stand can not be secured with so little preparation, but a deep, mellow seed bed at seeding time generally in- sures a failure. The more thoroughly the seed bed is prepared the better, if it is allowed to settle before seeding. When fall plowing is practicable the surface should be fixed as for a garden in the spring just before seeding, but the stirring should not be done deeply. The seed bed is the most important factor in securing a -rand of alfalfa. PASTUEIXG ALFALFA. When alfalfa has become well introduced in Iowa it will be largely used for hog pasture. Where hogs are given a small feed of corn daily while on pasture, from five hundred to one thousand pounds of gain can be put on during the summer on the hogs for each acre pastured, in addition to the gain made by the corn. A suggestion in regard to pasturing may be in order. Alfalfa throws up stems from buds growing in a crown above ground. If this crown is eaten off the plant is either killed or greatly weakened. To pasture hogs on alfalfa and maintain a good stand, divide the field into two parts. Mow these parts alternate years and each year pasture the hogs on the part that was kept for hay the previous year. The stubs left in mowing will keep the hogs from eating the crowns too closely. EE-SEEDING. In Kansas we found it much easier to get a good stand of alfalfa on ground where alfalfa had previously been grown than on land that 42 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. had never been in alfalfa. In sections where alfalfa has not been previously grown it is frequently easy to secure a good stand. After a year or two it then begins to weaken and either makes a feeble growth or dies out in patches. In hard subsoils the roots of the first seeding have a hard time to w^ork their way down, and may not be able to penetrate to a depth of more than five or six feet, when they become exhausted. If. when, plants shov/s signs of this exhaustion, the ground is plowed and another crop sown the roots will decay, letting air into the subsoil, where it can break it up and make it more porous. Thor- oughly pulverizing the ground distributes the bacteria which are needed by the alfalfa roots. A year after breaking up the ground should be re-seeded to alfalfa. The plants from the second sowing wall find the ground prepared for them in the depth which the roots from the first seeding penetrated. By the time these plants have reached subsoil that has been untouched they will have reached an age and vigor that will enable them to fur ther extend their growth and to yield well. SEEDING. Seeding in Iowa should be done in the spring after the danger from hard frosts is over. On Brookmont Farm w^e seeded sixty-five acres April 24, 1903. and secured a good stand. Severe frosts will kill alfalfa if they occur just as the first tw^o leaves appear. We recommend twenty pounds of seed per acre. With every condi- tion favorable, experienced alfalfa-growers sometimes succeed in get- ting a good stand by using ten to fifteen pounds of seed per acre, bur this small quantity is not generally sufllcient. It pays to use enough seed to secure a good stand, as alfalfa, unlike clover, never thickens. and the number of plants per acre tends to continually decrease. The most even stand is secured by sowing with a broadcast seeder and harrowing lightly. Alfalfa should be sown alone. It does not want a nurse crop. Sometimes a good stand is secured when alfalfa is seeded with some other crop, but many times it fails entirely. Young alfalfa is a deli- cate plant and needs all the plant food and sunshine available and usu- ally when it has to share these with another crop it dies. T^JEATMENT AL'll.H SEK!)I^O. The young alfalfa is one of the weakest plants i,vown. It gr^wr, slowly, is a weak feeder, and is easily checked or killed by weeds and by unfavorable conditions of soil, weather or treatment. Mature alfalfa is a most vigorous plant. It grows down deeply in the soil, is a vigor- ous feeder, and lives and yields well under many unfavorable conditions. For this reason it will pay well to give the baby alfalfa plant good care ;and favorable surroundings for the first year of its life. Young alfalfa responds most vigorously to a top dressing of fifteen to thirty loads per acre of manure. This top-dressing is of special value when done after the ground is frozen in the fall after seeding, as it checks the alternate freezing and thawing that causes leafing, Young alfalfa must have a fertile soil. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 43 Alfalfa should be run over with a mower three or four times the first season to Iveep the weeds down. The mower should be set high, and the weeds mowed so often that when cut and allowed to remain on the ground they will not smother the alfalfa. Some good alfalfa growers mow the alfalfa three or four times the first season when there are no weeds, as they find that the pruning of the young plants makes them more vigoreus. TJie cut vegetation should be left on the ground to act as a mulch. If mowing has been delayed until the weed growth is heavy, it is often necessary to cut the weeds, rake and take them off the ground to prevent smothering of alfalfa. No stock of any kind should be allowed on alfalfa the first year of its growth. Cutting acts as a tonic to alfalfa. Whenever alfalfa does not thrive, cut it. This applies throughout the life of the plant, from the time it first becomes high enough to cut with a mower, and through all the years of its life. Whenever alfalfa begins to bloom, cut it, no matter how short, unless seed is desired. Alfalfa should be cut when not more than one tenth of the plants have come to bloom. Cut at the early stage, the yield of hay for the season will be much greater than if the alfalfa is cut near maturity, and every pound of hay secured will be worth more for feed. The late cutting of the first crop seems to injure the plant more than at any other time, and we have found it profitable to cut alfalfa the first time as soon as one tenth was in bloom, even though the weather was bad and we knew that the crop would spoil in curing. The increased yield from succeeding cuttings over that cut late much more than makes up for the loss of the first crop. Successful clover growers, the first time thej^ try alfalfa, often ruin the stand, so that it has to be plowed up, by waiting to cut until it reaches the stage at which clover is usually cut. It is going to be difficult to cure the first crop of alfalfa haj^ in Iowa. On Brookmont Farm we are going to save straw for the first crop and stack straw and alfalfa in alternate layers. With ordinary weather no difficulty will be experienced in stacking the second and third cutting. The President: This matter is now l>efore yon for disctis- sion. A Member: \A'ill alfalfa shed rain? Mr. Cottrell : It is not a g"ood material to shed rain. A Member: What kind of alfalfa will soil o-row that is orrav- elly and dry ? Mr. Cottrele : It will die out on gravelly and dry ground. A Member : In the southern portion of our State, along the tributary streams, draining into the Des Moines river, on land with clav soils, where we drill wells, sav one hundred and 44 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. twenty-five feet deep, although we get surface water at thirty feet, what kind of soil would that be? Mr. CottrEIvIvI That is first rate, if the subsoil does not hold the water too much. A Member: What about the alluvial land along the river? 'S[r. CottrEll : That would depend almost entirely on the river. Alfalfa will die if the water stands on it; it wnll kill it out. I think your alfalfa proposition in Iowa is wholly a matter of drainage. A MEMBER : In relation to seeds, is there any difference in varieties ? ^Ir. CottrEuu : Well, it is practically all alfalfa. Of course, some of these Asiatic kinds have been advertised. I think there is quite a point, as to where you people in low^a get your seed. In eastern Kansas they failed for a number of years, because they got seed from the southwest from the sandy land, where it has been irrigated. Now^ by accident a man got hold of some seed raised in western Kansas, where it was one hun- dred and eighty feet down to the water, and he got a perfect stand. The result was, in that section of the country, they have been having wonderful success the last five 3^ears. I would recommend for this section of the country that you get your seed from Nebraska, if 3^ou can; if not, I would go to the irri- gated regions of Utah. There is scarcely enough seed grown here in this country to supply the demand. It will be dif^cult to get seed this year. In an experience of twenty-one years, I do not know of a single case where the foreign seed has done well. A Member: What is the price of seed per acre? Mr. Cottreul: Ordinarily ten or tw^elve cents per pound: you want twenty pounds to the acre. A Member: Going into the northwestern portion of Ne- braska, along the Colorado line, where the irrigation ditches go dry in parts of the season, would a person have success there? Mr. Cottreli, : I do not know. There is no account of it. where there is no irrigation at all. A Member: The impurity of the seed is another thing; we o-et foxtail mixed in it. FOURTH ANNUM. YEAR ROOK — PART I. 45 Mr. CottrEUv : Buy of relial)le men. That is the greatest test to a man not famihar with it; the only thing- tu do is to Imy of a man he can depend npon. A MkmuKr: Did the Lord ever make that kind? The cc)n\-cnti()n here adjonrned until 8 o'clock p.m. EVENING SESSION. The PresidExNT : The evening session, according to the pro- gram, will hiQ devoted entirely to good roads. We are very fortunate in having with us a gentleman who will address you tonight on this subject. Good roads is something we all need. something we are all interested in. I have been identified VN-ith the movement for some little time in a small way. After the address you are free as ask any questions you may desire. The first speaker who will address you is the Hon. W. H. Moore oi* St. Louis, president of the National Good Roads Association. REMARKS BY MR. MOORE. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: — It certainly gives me pleasure to meet you here again as the agriculturists of this State. This is the third time I have been in Des Moines in the interest of good roads. In coming to your meeting today I had to travel over a thousand milevS; I have come from Texas; had a convention down there. I promised and wanted to be here. I notice some things here which I think I would correct. If I were you, I would extend an invitation to the farmers' wives. I was very much pleased this afternoon, listening to Mr. Henry Wallace, and to hear him say that we find the institutes the most successful where we find a large number of women. I would not confine myself simply to the wives, but I would invite the daughters and bo3''S. This afternoon, talking to the Governor, I remarked that you had not very many members here. No, he says, but most of our people are feeding Iowa people, and a large number of the people of Chicago and the nation. I want to compliment your agricultural papers in this State. Now. I have thirty-four agricultural papers that come to my desk every week, and with all the multitude of affairs— and we are not idle by any means — we have not yet got to the Philippines, but we have got as far us Hawaii— there are only forty-two agricultural papers published in the United States. In none of the states — and I said this at Cleveland, Ohio — do I find a more representative class of agricultural papers than I find in Iowa. I do not loiow where you gentlemen live, but you take these papers and allow your children and wives to read them. I take 46 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. them and send one to California to my sister, and one to Canada. If I miss them any week, they Will say, where are these papers? TJtiese subjects that are discussed here today; the question of organization which Mr. Hamilton spoke of; the matter of live stock interests at the World's Fair, by Mr. Coburn; all the matters these gentlemen have re- ferred to, you will be more or less touched on in these weekly papers. Now. gentlemen, you take these papers; they will be a Bible in your household; there are some Sunday school lessons in them that it will do you no harm to read. I also desire to state that I am watching closely what you are doing. I want to compliment your Governor, He delivered one of the best messages of all the governors, and we had governors of thirty states inviting people to consider this road question. I am sure he will be with you for the best interests of the State. I am also glad to see your commercial organizations taking such an interest in this matter. I am glad to see what Mr. Lyons has done, also Mr. Milo Ward — I am not going to forget him — because when we came here first, I know something of the work he done; and I want to congratulate Mr. Lyons on the work he is doing. He is doing it out of his own pocket, the same as I have done for fourteen years in these road matters. I have never come to the point where they gave me one dollar of salary and I do not suppose I ever will. Mr. Lyons is doing the work which enables you to get at the ideas you want to present to your legislature; he is perfecting an organization. This institute is called for what purpose? I must congratulate the gentleman who spoke here today; I was very much pleased. Without organization none of our institutions can be successful. You do not have a railroad corporation; you do not have a street car company; you haven't a bank, school or insurance business, but what are organized. When it comes to this subject we are speaking of. the subject of Good Roads, you have no organization in this State. There will probably be thirty or forty bills presented to your legis- lature soon to convene. Some of these bills will be good, and some of them not. Are you going to pass these thirty or forty bills? You can't do it. Then how will you obviate these thirty or forty bills? The only thing to do is to organize. The keynote of organization is the bringing of people of rural districts together, and to join in some feasible plan; then go to your legislature and say to them: Here are ninety-nine counties in Iowa; we banded together as an organized force, and we ask you to enact this bill. If you do that and come down to the next legislative session in January and February and adopt some bill, I believe you will enact it into law. I am going to state to you gentlemen what I think would be feasible and what would be the proper steps to take in the coming legislature. You passed a bill at the last session of the legislature. I know that some of you are opposed to that measure; I know a number of you are favorable to it. I understand there will be proposed a proposition to repeal that measure. I have given that matter close study and I have sent ten thousand copies of this circular over the State and to road FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK- PART I. 47 offifials and to the people, outlining and explaining the merits of that bill, what the measure meant. There were practically only two changes in the previous bill; one was that you pay your taxes in cash and that that tax goes into a separate fund which can be used as any other fund, only for road purposes; the other was doing away with your road super- visors. The road supervisors in these counties would naturally object to any plans that would remove them. I think a large number of the supervisors are good men; some of them are not. I want to say to you that we are spending nearly three millions of dollars in Missouri under the supervision of fifty-two road officials, and the system has been carried on for the last thirty, forty or fifty years, and it isn't giving us any good roads either. Therefore, I am in favor of the present law" that pays the tax in cash. You have noticed that in •a. large number of the counties the books are kept in a haphazard shape. You couldn't go into your counties previous to this law and find out where the funds went. No fund should be appropriated by the tax payers of this or any other State, unless you know where that fund goes and for what purpose it is used. Now. as to the bill that should be enacted by the coming legis- lature— I am speaking now from experience; going about these different States, investigating their laws, and having seen what they are doing in these different States. New York is spending nearly two millions a year; that is, the State itself is spending out of its own funds nearly two millions to aid the counties in that State in' road building. I want you gentlemen to understand it don't make one bit of difference to me whether you take the pro or con side of this bill; but I am just as anxious to see Iowa put on her statute books a progressive road law at this session as I am to see Pennsylvania appropriate six and one half millions f^r road purposes. I believe, gentlemen, we are on the right track when we ask you to pupport the State Aid Bill. It is a bill that provides that a certain fund out of the State treasury be divided among the several counties in proportion to their population or assessed valuation — it is assessed valuation in New York — providing the counties and neighborhoods shall put up an equal amount. What I mean is this: The State of New York appropriates two millions a year — we will say for uinety-nine counties — that will be divided in proportion to their population. The county making the first application is the first one served. Now, if you should allow the State Aid Bill to pass and do not make your appli- cation, you will not get any money. The county that did make the application would get the money, that is, pro rata to your county. But, if you make an application you must do this: the county in which that road is located must put up 25 per cent; the toworhip must put up 15 per cent, and the man abutting on the road pays the balance, 10 per cent. Now, what do we get? We have the State putting up one half. Who pays one half? Every man' that is taxed on the State of Iowa: every man that represents a corporation. Out of the State treasury you put up half. Now, the county which has the road and which it benefits mostly, puts up one third. The plan of the State putting up half, the counties 25 per cent, the township 15 and the man who owns 48 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the land abutting on this road puts up 10 per cent, gives you a good proposition. Now, gentlemen, that bill. I think, should be enacted by your next legislature. In order to make that law effective you should appoint some different power from what you have now. I don't mean your present county commissioners; I don't believe the county trustees would be the exact power to distribute these funds. I think you should do what New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut have done; create an Road Commission. I know some of you gentlemen will begin to scratch your heads and say, well, we have got so many new boards now; they are stealing everywhere; we don't want any new organization. Do you realize that today you are putting up $1,753,000 in that neighborhood, and you have no decent road to your house? Will you tell me why you object to a practical engineer that would be in touch with every single road? Will you tell me why you oppose a man who would be located at the Capitol to direct these roads and culverts sixteen feet and ten feet wide to be built, and to put down burnt clay? If you will do that you will have somebody you can hold responsible. So, if you enact the State Aid Law. you need a State Commission to disburse this money. I would favor three men, instead of one — one man in the western part of the State, the other in the eastern, and one at the Capitol, and let this man be a practical engineer who will furnish the plans and blue prints that you have today in building your bridges and culverts. Wouldn't it be better to furnish these plans for all the counties in the State? Without system you can never hope to have great success in your road affairs. The plan you want is organization, first; then agitation and education, and through education you come up to your legislature. I don't want to take very much of your time; it is not necessary. The law that you should pass should be the State Aid Law. I think you should not appropriate less than a quarter of a million as a starrer. If Pennsylvania can appropriate six and one half millions, I know the State of Iowa can start with a quarter of a million; I think some would favor five hundred thousand dollars. Get your machinery in good order before you increase too much. Gentlemen, there is another proposition I am going to present to you, and that is today we have a large number of men in Des Moines, *and in all the cities of the State, who are not working. You are feed- ing these men; the taxpayers are feeding them. You are subscribing to charities and a dozen things that are inviting these men into Des Moines and the larger cities. You are not pestered with this class of men as we are in cities like Chicago. I will say to you gentlemen we are arresting men, women, boys and girls in the United States which is costing somewhere about seven million of dollars a year, to arrest these people. Do you intend to allow the tramps and vagrants to start from Omaha and come along your railroad tracks and come into Des Moines and demand something of your wife, and if she does not give it, prob- ably knock her down, and in some cases set your houses on fire? I am giving you something that is going to appeal to you. this class of FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 49 vagrants and tramps that we are today having no law to regulate. Yon have no law to put them on the rock pile, but you can put them on the earth roads and you can run them out in gangs and you can force these men to assist in building these roads, or drive them out of the Stale. The tramps and convicts of the penitentiary should be used in the preparation of these roads. They have no right to come in contact witb free labor. We want a law that is rigid enough to take these fellows when they are standing around saloons and picking their teeth; that a policeman can walk up and say, how do you earn your living? and if he can not give a satisfactory explanation, let him assist in the con- struction of roads. I will say now that I think within five years most of the States will adopt some such law. Then we can take these pris- oners and move them out in stockades, ten, fifteen and even forty miles. You will be putting them on the public roads; in the cities you will be cleaning your sewers and streets, and paving them, if necessary. I will take one thousand of your men that are penitentiary fellows and you give me fifty guards; that is twenty men to a guard, and I will build you a mile of road, sixteen feet wide, eight inches deep; I will put on the gutters and ditches and will also put in drain pipe. "We will say we have three hundred and thirteen working days in a year. That means we will start in at Rock Island and we will build a road across the State. In the northern climate it will cost about thirty-five cents per head to feed and handle these fellows; it will cost about two dollars for guards. You take one thousand fellows at thirty-five cents, three hundred and fifty dollars a day, outside of your horses, mules and machinery, and you are getting a mile of road for it that will cost you two thousand dollars, or more, under the present system. I am looking at this from a business standpoint, not from a sympa- thetical standpoint. It is a business proposition; we have got to meet it. We have got to furnish work for these people, and we want to build permanently, I understand your conditions. While I know you haven't stone or gravel in many counties, I know you have clay. I know you can bum* that clay and put it down. First grade up your roads. You can grade up your roads for three hundred and fifty to seven hundred dollars a mile. You can put in tile from two to four inches in diameter in all the bad spots in Iowa at seven hundred dollars. If you haven't got stone or gravel, you can turn clay, roll it up and put on your clay, and in five years you can have hundreds of miles of the best roads you have ever seen. After you do that you can put on one hundred and fifty barrels of oil per mile, and after a second application you will have the best roads you ever had; it will shed rain. We tried it over at Keokuk. On the 30th of March, this year, I was at Santa Barbara. It so happened that Mr, Rockefeller was there, and I got to talking to him. I asked him whether he remembered the oil he gave us. After thinking the matter over a while, he says, yes, I do remember sending that oil. I said, Mr. Rockefeller, it was by you sending us those two barrels of oil that started the railroads to sprinkling their roads with oil. These one hundred and fifty barrels will not cost you over two hundred and fifty to three hundred dollars per mile. So if you have not stone or 4 50 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. gravel, you can advocate burnt clay and put that on top and sprinkle with oil. I want to speak of one other feature. Why is it that our railroads are spending millions of dollars annually to shorten their lines? They are doing it for the purpose of controlling trade. I want to say to you, gentlemen, that in my judgment it will not be long until the territory between here and Burlington and between here and Council Bluffs will be suburban property. We are not going to have such large farms, because the increase in population will demand tnat they should be smaller. The price will be of such a character that you will let loose of your own land. I have been interested in the proposition that is going to bring those changes about — the electric appliances on our elec- tric lines. I see the New York Central Railroad has adopted for fifty miles around New^ York electrical appliances of four thousand five hun- dred horse-power on cars. The force of such a car will draw a five- liundred-ton train sixty miles an hour. I want to say another thing — you may think I am visionary — within a reasonable time all of your great railroads will be operated by elec- tricity. Within five or ten years you will not see a fire engine going through the streets; there will be applicances placed in each block M'hich can be put in operation by the tap of the hand. I have only given these illustrations to show you what is com- ing as soon as you get electric lines established. It will not be unusual at all for your electric lines in and contiguous to Des Moines to go at the rate of one hundred and fifty miles an hour. People are not going to live in cities then; they will have their homes out of the city on two or three acres of ground. Now, I have tried to present two or three propositions — I don't know how many — ^to you gentlemen. I hope you will go to your homes and that you will come down to your legislature and bear on them for a State Aid Plan in road building. Governor Packard: What is the cost of making- a clay road ? Mfe. Moore : From three hundred and fifty to five hundred dollars a mile for the clay burnt. I want to say again, that I congratulate ]\Ir. Hamilton. I was very much and deeply in- terested in that speech he made. I want to give Mr. Ham- ilton the credit for passing the Pennsylvania road law ; for get- ting the six and a half million dollars. He stuck to the conven- tions year in and year out, and that, more than any other in- fluence combined was the cause of the passage of that law. Do not pass this over. There is too much attached to it; two much education; too much of everything that pertains to the welfare of vour State. Do not find fault because vou do not FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 51 happen to get the road down in your county. You do not have the Capitol down in your county, but you contributed to it. You do not have an asykim in your county, but you con- tributed to it. It is just the same with the roads; be a little iiexible. The State Aid Law is the proper law for you to enact at the coming- legislature; create a State of Iowa commission, and you will be on the progressive road to improvement. ]\Ir. Nichols : The gentleman spoke about John D. Rocke- feller contributing these tanks of oil. I don't know whether he pays any road tax in Iowa or not. He passes our house — or his man does — at all seasons of the 3^ear and he hauls about six thousand five hundred pounds on a common wagon. He does more than all the farmers put together to cut up our roads. I believe it is time for him to contribute something towards the improvement of our roads. I do not know how much he pays. I hate to see that oil tank come around. He used to have a wooden tank, but he wasn't satisfied wiith that, there was too much leakage, and now he has got the steel tanks. I don't know whether we get enough out of Rockefeller, or not. I just called attention to this to malce you people think of the wide-tire wagon. Mr. MoorE : I am extremely glad to have you bring up that question. I have used that argument a thousand times. If you pass a State Aid Law, then, for whatever interest Rockefeller has in the North- Western railway, he will assist you in paying for these roads. A Membkr : I would like to ask if three hundred dollars would make the foundation for such a road? Mr. MoorE: I am surprised that you gentlemen do not first grade up your roads. \A'hy don't you do it? It will not cost you from three hundred to five hundred dollars to first grade up your roads; from three hundred dollars to five hundred dol- lars a mile. Then it will cost yOu from three hundred and fifty dollars to five hundred dollars to burn the clay. To put on that clay, it will cost you from one thousand dollars to twelve hun- dred dollars. All you have to do is to burn that clay, put it on and roll it. 52 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. Mr. Wallace: AMU any kind of clay do for that purpose? Mr. MboRE: If you have a clay that will make a good vitri- fied brick, you have got a tremendously hard substance; what we are trying to do, Mr. \\^allace, is to teach the use of what we have in our own neighborhood. A Member: We have heard gumbo recommended. Mr. MoorE : I saw^ an article this week about hard pan ; you have got a great deal of it in this State; that makes the best material in the world, if you burn it and roll it. A Member: W^hat is the reason you have for believing that the roads wdiich you speak of, that we can not obtain them un- der our present road law, w^hich is not in full operation yet? Mr. MoorE: The last law, I think, is working very Avell. This law is not in full effect yet. Now, give it a fair trial ; do not go to work and cut it down. You only started in 1903; do not displace it until 3'ou give it a fair test. A Member : I would like to ask what we are going to make good roads of where our soil won't burn, like in southwestern Iowa ? Mr. MoorE : You will find these conditions. I lind in south- western Iowa you never grade your roads; you haven't done it. \11 along down the line you have not a drain tile in the road. How do you expect to get rid of the water. They are as flat as a pancake in most places. I want to say to- you gentlemen, a call is being sent out for the next national convention to be held in St. Louis in 1904. It will be held May i6th to 21st. The 19th of May, on Thurs- day, will be Good Roads day. There will be demonstrations had there of the different machinery; we are going to build roads there on the Exposition grounds and show you gentlemen how these roads are built. We are bringing people, not only from the United States, but from all the civilized nations in the world. All the great engineers in the world will be there. Will you go along in your own sweet way and tell the legislator how much \"0u love him and let these things go by default? Remember, it costs lots of time and trouble to bring about a FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 53 great educational feat like this. We are proud that the Louis- iana Purchase Exposition has assisted us to that extent. A Member : We disagree somewhat as to where to put the tiling, as to whether it should go to the side or the center of the road. Mr. MoorE : You wouldn'it place a drain tile under your gravel road; it will go on the sides, just where the gravel comes to the earth, you want your drain tile. In the earth road you place your tile in the center of the road. Mr. AWvllace : Suppose you have your tile through the center and that road is traveled until the horse tracks would stand full of water, what good would that do? yiR. ]\IooRE : It won't do any good. If you round up your hardpan clay on both sides to the ditches, you will find that you won't be troubled about the horses going down, .because that road will be dry ten months in the year. Mr. \A^\li.acE: Don't you think if we had our roads drained thoroughly and graded up, we would get along pretty well? Mr. Moore : If you will do that you are putting one hundred and fifty million of dollars in your State in good roads ; I will say, you will get along very well. That, gentlemen, is the first step. If you will just take our common earth roads and grade them up and drain them, it will throw this State hundreds of millions in advance. Grade up your roads first ; you can't do anything else until you do that. I would like to say one thing more. I believe you ought to put walks along the fences. I don't think the children going to school today have a fair show. If you would put your walk along the fence, and then your ditch between that and the road, see w^hat you would do for your children and wives. I think later, there will be shade trees planted. Why don't you or- ganize and do' it? I know it is getting late and I w^ill make way for the gentle- man who is to speak next. Gentlemen, I thank you for your at- tention and interest. 54 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The President: We have a gentleman here tonight, Mr. D. B. Lyons, president of the Commercial Exchange of Des Moines, and secretary of the Iowa Good Roads Association, who has done more for good roads than any other man in the State, and will now address you on the subject. REMARKS BY MR. LYONS. I deem it a great pleasure to have even one lady present at this meeting tonight, and I fully agree with what other speakers have said about having the ladies and young men in attendance at these meetings; the ladies, because they have such an influence upon the home and the voters, the boys, because they finally have to help pay the bill for build- ing these roads. An Iowa Good Roads Association was organized here last April. I see before me several faces of those who have been in other meetings and who are today members of this association. Your chairman here tonight, Mr. Morrow, is one of the vice presidents of the congressional districts. But I imagine that very few of you really know what has been going on in this good roads movement in Iowa, because you have not had a chance to know, unless you have been in one of the counties where our conventions have been held. I want to assure you there is a good deal going on, and I anticipate and predict with entire confidence that it is only a matter of comparatively short time until a perfect tidal wave will cover the entire State of Iowa on this subject, and that it will result in legislation that is similar to that which is now being- enjoyed in other states. Our friend, Moore, has been in the harness for so long, has seen so much, and dreamed so much about it, until he has the idea of good roads permanently fastened in his mind. I want to tell him that Iowa people have not yet gotten directly to the point. We are not yet quite ready, until we know more about it, to vote for the kind of a bill that he pro- poses; but I anticipate that we may be ready sooner than some of you think, because we are learning more about it every day. I want to challenge anybody here in this house, or in the State of Iowa, to prove that he knows less about the subject of good roads than I did six months ago; and I do not know much yet, but I have found out that you can, by investigating and reading and by hearing other people tell you things and by observing the experience of other people on the subject, you can become pretty well posted. While America properly boasts of her supremacy in arts, sciences and educational institutions, she must admit with shame that she is many centuries behind European countries in the important matter of improved public highways. Probably the chief reason for this lies in the fact that during the past eighty years, during which our chief growth has occurred, the FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 55 time and energy and money of our people has been largely concentrated on railroad building. Now that railroads have been builded into* almost every nook and corner of our land, the pendulum has begun to swing back and the long neglected country road is beginning to receive the attention it deserves. No single statement can more clearly illustrate how well deserved is this attention than that 95 per cent of all the freight carried by railroads and steamships is first carted over a primary road. It has been a great mystery to me that our Yankee and American business intellect has not taken a lesson from the builders of railroads and applied it to our dirt road improvement. Pray, what is a railroad but a road over which to haul something? So is the country road. What steps do builders of railways take in going about the work of construction? First, they provide for ample cash — two millions, ten or twenty millions of dollars. Then the most competent engineers and most re- sponsible contractors are secured, and everything is systematized, with a view to perfect, enduring and uniform construction. Why should not the improvement of our principal highways be con- ducted along similar lines? They will be when the people awaken to the truth, and especially when they learn that the tax they are paying for bad roads is ten times more than they would need to pay to build good ones. It is a positive fact that a load of 6,270 pounds can be hauled by- one horse on a macadem road. That it requires two horses to draw the same load on the best gravel road, and five horses on the best dirt road. I insist, therefore, that the man who is using five horses to draw what only one might haul, is contributing the value and use of four horses, constantly, for the privilege of having bad roads. This is his bad roads tax. Whenever, as often happens, a farmer is compelled to accept ten per cent less for a product while roads are passable, than he could have secured during a muddy season, if only he could have delivered the product to market, he is paying 10 per cent of the value of that product as an outright tax on bad roads. The merchant suffers proportionately, as the farmer buys less goods ^nd less of luxuries when he is receiving less for his products. In short, good roads are an absolute commercial and social necessity to every citizen and should be paid for by everybody. The New York law has proven exceedingly popular and is a demon- strated solution of the good roads problem for Iowa. Property abutting on a permanently improved highway is specially benefited by increase in value. Townships and counties are benefited directly, in contrast with those where no such highways exist. Iowa is ready to act. She is rich enough to proceed without wait- ing for Government aid. It may be many years; it may be never that Uncle Sam will help us. Let us, then, help ourselves. Let the State pay 50 per cent, the county 25, the township 15, and the owners of 56 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. abutting property 10 per cent of the cost of the permanent highway. Let the burden be distributed over a long period — ^thirty, forty or tirty years. To secure this end, legislation is our only recourse. About twenty-five counties have so far been organized. Our State Association is pushing the further organization as fast as possible. Already we are a, power, and should be doubly .strong before the next general assembly meets. Let every one of us return to our homes determined to co-operate in this grand work of organization, and good roads for Iowa will be an accomplished fact sooner than most of us have dared to hope. A ]\Iember : Is it not a fact that the principal difference in this new road movement, as compared with the old proposition, lies in the fact of contribution; that everybody should con- tribute, or that the Government should aid? Mr. Lyons : Yes. I think you may look up history all you please, and you will find that no nation anywhere under the sun, and no State, has ever builded the kind of highways we are talking- about, except through the aid of public funds. It would bankrupt you, gentlemen, to build these roads in front of your houses. We do that in the city, but we have only fifty or one hundred feet to pay for. The fact is, these roads contribute not only to your personal benefit, but if the citizens of Des Moines today, and if the mem- bers of the Commercial Exchange of this city, could only realize what it means to the commercial interests of this State, this hall would not have held the business men of Des Moines who would have been out here tonight. I have personally attended county con^'entions in about twenty- iive counties of the State of Iowa. Wq have enrolled about one thousand members since April in this organization, and, of course, the work has been done largely by m}'self. Senator Har- per, our president, has a large force and is doing a good work. The President : We will now listen to an address by Sen- ator J. T. Brooks, of Keokuk county. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 57 ADDRESS BY SENATOR BROOKS. When I consented to give up my place on the program to President Lyons, I had no doubt as to the wisdom of my doing so, and before I have been on the floor very many minutes you will be equally sure thai I have done a wise thing. The fact is, I think the best part of my speech was my consenting not to make it. However, if you are willing to stay a few minutes, I will simply talk a little on the good roads •question; a question that comes closer to the farmers of Iowa than any other class of men. Primarily, they are the people who are interested mostly in the public roads and wagon roads of this country. A great deal is being said in these days to attract public atten- tion to the condition of our roads, and nothing that I have heard said, or I know nothing that has been said from the rostrum tonight in 3ny judgment, which overstates the tremendous losses our country sustains T>ecause of inadequate roads. I prefer to come close down to the thing itself in the few moments allotted me, and I have no quarrel with those who advocate National and State aid. That thing may be all right; I simply don't know about it. Then the question is a large one for me. I find in these large aggregations of men, I do not seem to count for much. I find, in some way, that I am a larger proportion of one hun- dred men than one hundred thousand. I have the same feeling whon I approach these figures in regard to the cost of making good roads. It may be true that here in Iowa we can spend one thousand, two thous- and, or even five thousand dollars per mile in macadamizing our roads; it seems a very large sum of money. I am not prepared to dispute the wisdom of the matter; I simplj^ know nothing about it. With us, here in Iowa, of course, it is a very serious problem, be- cause of the absence of road-making material. The combination of ele- ments that have made us the first agricultural State of the Union, has also combined to leave us practically destitute of roacVmaking ma- terial: gravel pits are not with us to any appreciable extent. It has seemed to me that in our present condition the expense necessary to be incurred we are unable to meet. I may be mistaken, but it has seemed to me and does now. that here in Iowa we are fortunately not dependent on these high-priced roads. I do not remember of having examined a public highway, however ex- pensively built, that for general purposes was superior to the ordinary road. I am not unmindful of the figures President Lyons quotes us; what one horse can haul, and, my friends, we are not in the condition. I apprehend, of the people who haul these large dray-loads over our city ■streets, or over the suburbs of our European cities. We have wider stretches; we come with lighter rigs and with more speed and more pleasure than it is possible to get over these harsh, unyielding surfaces. For me it is a matter of regret to ride over these paved streets in Des Moines, and it is certainly not a pleasant thing for our country folks to ride and drive over them. 58 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. What is it that spoils our roads in Iowa? It is the excess of water that gives us our bad roads. While I have no quarrel with my friends- who are advocating these macadamized roads, it is perhaps right and for the best that we keep in our minds an ideal system, such as they advocate with such enthusiasm; I admire them for doing it. I hav& thought that we can provide some means or some way of getting the surplus water out of the soil, out of our highways; getting the surface properly rounded; getting our ditche? properly opened, to dispose of the excess water, I think we will have a magnificent road system for the present needs of the population. Perhaps time — and it may not be a great time — I am pleased to believe that President Moore is something^ of a prophet — that we may have all these things in twenty-five years, and that Burlington, Hedrick, Oskaloosa may become suburbs of Des Moines; but in the meantime, while we are waiting for that, I think the proper thing for us to do, is what we can, and I believe the main thing before us is to properly drain our roads. Let me give you a few instunces: One mile north of Hedi'ick, my home town, where the iiighwny makes a descent south of Sugar creek,, the road follows down into a ravine. For years that ravine, during wet seasons, in the early spring time, was almost impassable. During e\^ery rain: eYery time the frost went out of the grcamd, it v.'aH a mud Iiole. After a long time and after much persuasiop, we inducec the T-oad supervisor to try and tile it. He leveled up the surface and placed four- inch tile up close to the wheel tracks. That road, one of the worst pieces of road we had in that whole neighborhood, became one of the- very best in that neighborhood. It is today, and has been for almost fifteen years, an ideal wheel track; it became hard and compact; the lain or frost seems to have but little effect on it. About three miles east of Hedrick, Rural Route No. 2, there is a stretch of road on this route which was practically abandoned last spring; it was almost impossible for any one to drive along that road. The trustees^ finally came to the rescue. Tile was placed along the side of the road, and in just two days after that tile was placed there the rural carrier and other people were back on the highway, and the trouble ended. My experience and what I am talking about, refers to southeastern Iowa, where the blanket of the glacial clay is deeper, and the streams have eaten deeper channels. With us the road problem is much more difiicult than where there is a large amount of sand. In that section of the State are developed what we call spouty places. These places be- came so bad that something had to be done or trafiic be suspended. I do not know of a single instance where tiling was tried without the most satisfactory results. It is well understood that a tiled field may be in excellent condition to work, while the same field untiled may be abso- lutely miry. I know" of a field west of Hedrick, one third of which was tiled from the east end. A team could pass along the com rows towards the west, but as soon as the west two thirds was reached, there was simply an oozing frog mire, over which a loose horse could only pass by a plunging effort. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I. 59 Now, I am sorry to say that I am not able to give you the- best detailed method of placing those tile; but, I think, any one who has had a little experience in tiling fields can not make any very serious mistake. In the first place, I would place along the road a single line on one side, and if time developed that more was needed, I would place another on the other side. Now, I do not care whether the water sinks to the tile from the surfacei or not; it is the water that is below you want to take care of; not the surface water. Your road boss should keep the surface smooth, sufficiently smooth from time to time, so that this surplus water would be shedded through the ditches. It is this surplus water on a cut up road that makes it bad. I do not say that tile will not take the water out better in some places than in others, but you get the tile well laid, with sufficient fall, and then if one will not do it, put in two, and if two will not do it, put in three, and then, my friends, you will not have the batch of figures given us from the stage tonight, as to the cost of the highways. Mind you, I do not want to disparage the work these men have done,, nor the figures they have given; they have more experience; I am talk- ing as a novice. But it matters not whether you are to do macadamiz- ing or what^ you are to do by way of further improvement, there is no question in my mind but what this under-drainage is the best part of the improvement. We can do this draining, and it will not only benefit the road, but it will benefit the fields. Now, I will hasten away from this branch of the subject to spend a few moments on another, concerning which I feel a very deep interest at this time, because here in Towa the question as to how we shall do it is even a more serious question than what you shall do. The Thirtieth General Assembly will meet now in a few days. There is a great deal of serious talk over the State, looking to the repeal of the new road law. Now, my friends, I want you to think what that means to us. If the new road law is inadequate, and you have something better to put in its place,, by all means repeal it and put it in its place; but, in the name of all that is progressive, all that is desirable in the State ot Iowa, do not repeal that law until you have something better to put in its place. Any law, if it is carefully considered by your legislature, is entitled to a fair trial. Let us look at it a moment. In the first place, any law that touches the people directly, as a general road law does, can not be expected to work smoothly from the start. Again, our trustees and road bosses of Iowa were almost wholly inexperienced and without information gener- ally as to its application, until they came right up to the time the work had to be begun. The job was a new one and had not time to attract eflacient and good men for overseers or directors. Again, this has been one of the most difficult seasons in the history of the country to get good men in any and all lines of work. Again, we had just passed through a series of dry years and almost all of the small culverts had gone out. and because of the dry seasons there was no need to replace them. The excessive rains in the past season required this work to be 60 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. renewed, almost in one job lot, it was an unusually bad -season for roads in the State of Iowa, and for work upon them. Yet, under all these adverse circumstances, the law has not proven a failure, so far as I can ascertain. I know there were some townships in the State of Iowa where an adverse judgment was passed on that law in advance; in these town- ships the people tried to establish the fact that their judgment was right. Of course there was great dissatisfaction in these localities, but it was not with the new law, because the new law was not put in force. I know of no township, and I have taken some pains to investigate, where the trustees took hold of the execution of this law in good faith and really tried to get the best there was in it, and where they were fortunate enough to get a reasonable overseer, but what the law gave reasonable satisfaction. So I say that I believe there will be an effort in the legislature to repeal it. I feel very anxious about the matter, because, to turn back now, to take up the old system that proved its inefficiency during forty or fifty years, and admittedly so by the people generally over the entire State of Iowa, to turn back to that now would certainly be an unwise thing. I can not believe that the farmers of Iowa — sober, steady-going, well- meaning, intelligent farmers of Iowa — desire to repeal this law and turn back to the old one. Let us be sure we are getting something better before we repeal the present law. I think we should take hold of this matter, and when we have once put the machinery in operation and get it to working smoothly with ref- erence to the improvement of our roads, the question with reference to National and State aid can come wisely. There are many things in its favor; the fact that taxation would become general, and the fact that it is spread over a wider amount of property is in its favor. I feel, from my standpoint, that we must wake up over the problem of good roads; we must get in harmony with the workings of it; we must get the machinery to working at home, and then, perhaps, these other things can come. This good roads edifice, I believe, should have its foundation at the bottom and build upwards. Governor Packard : We might get some expression with reference to the repeaHng of this law. It is a matter of consid- erable interest, and I apprehend the objection to the present law is from those who prefer the old system. That is going to be a dangerous proposition. If we go back to the old system, we will be going to step backwards ; if we stick to the present system, we are going to do something in advance. A Member : I have had some experience in the way of over- hearing trustees, clerks and road bosses talk. Of course, this year, I think it was because they had tO' collect the tax and then FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 61 work the road. But, after this year, the money is going to be collected by the treasurer; they know they can get the money and go aliead and do the work. As has been stated liefore, this has been the trouble. The law came into operation so late, and the men not acquainted with the law — they didn't get at it, and it being an exceedingly bad }ear, one man couldn't go over the township. That was the wa\' with ]\Iadison county. We needed a good many bridges that were washed out. In some of our townships w^e had four or five men appointed. I believe we should stay by the new system; 1 believe it will work all right. Governor Packard: Is there any objection to the system of paying cash? A Member: There is some objection; but I think that will soon pass away. After this, they will pay it all in a lump and will not know how much of it is for road purposes. A Member : I wish to say one thing in regard to this matter. For four years now% in Page county, w^e have been letting the road work out. There was a great deal of objection at first, and at last the trustees put it to a vote a year ago and the oppo- sition w^as ^•oted down by a vote of three hundred and thirty- three to- fourteen. Where it is tried and given a fair trial I think it will give far better results and the people are becoming ' better satisfied. Mr. Trigg : In order to put the matter suggested by Gov- ernor Packard in shape, I offer this motion: "That it is the sense of this convention that the present road law be not re- pealed until it has been given a full and fair trial; that is, not changed at all, unless it be simply amended. The motion was duly seconded. Mr. KleinEEIvTER : I would like to ask one question. Does the new law place the burden of taxation for public highways upon the farmers adjacent to the roads, that is, the burden of building the roads upon the local people, or does it dis- tribute it among other people who use the roads, and who really use the roads more than the farmer does ? In other words, does the new law leave the burden upon the farmer along whose land 62 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the road is built, or does it distribute the expense of it among all the people in different lines of business-? The President: As I understand the matter, everybody pays. Senator Brooks : This question, covered by the motion of Mr. Trigg, is whether you prefer the present system to the old one, that is, whether this law shall be tried or repealed; whether we prefer the present law or the old system. The motion as made by Mr. Trigg was put before the con- vention and carried, there being one dissenting vote cast against it. Mr. Trigg : I have another resolution I v/ould like to offer. You have noticed probably, since we came to Des Moines, the difficulty connected with the various meetings of the different associations, the Horticultural Society, the Farmers Institute, and the Park and Forestry Association. Many of us who have come from one hundred to two hundred miles, have been de- barred from attending these different meetings, because of their being held at one and the same time. The Forestry Association has passed the resolution I hold in my hand, and the Horticul- tural Society will adopt it tomorrow morning, and I was re- quested to present it to the Agricultural Society tonight. It reads as follows : Whereas, A large number of Iowa citizens from all parts of the State assemble at Des Moines in December of each year to attend the agricul- tural, horticultural and forestry meetings, and, Whereas, As these visitors have a common interest in all of these three branches of work, and the meetings so held are separate and held at the same time, thereby dividing the attendance and preventing these visitors from enjoying the benefits of these gatherings; therefore be it Resolved, That the officials of the three different named organ- izations be requested next year to arrange for a three or four days' con- solidated program, the meetings to be held at some suitable central hall, the sessions of siich meetings to be divided and apportioned to the three societies, to the end that a large attendance may be thus secured and that all may thus enjoy the benefits of these meetings. The motion was duly seconded and adopted. The convention adjourned. * FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART L 63 SYNOF^SIS OF BO^RD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS FROM JANUAY, 1903, TO DECEVIBER, 1903. MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Tuesday, March 3, 1903. Board met at 9 o'clock a.m. in the office of the secretary, and on roll call the following members were found to be present : Morrow, Cameron, Simpson, Manatrey, Phillips, Brown, St. John, Packard, Legoe, Wragg, Ledgerw^ood, McDonald, Wads- worth and Pike. The president stated that the object of the meeting was for the purpose of considering the improvements and repairs on the fair grounds during the year 1903. Mr. Packard moved that the board take a recess and visit the fair grounds. Motion prevailed. AFTERNOON SESSION. Board met pursuant to adjournment, with all members present. Hon. John Cownie appeared before the board and on behalf of the State Board of Control extended an invitation to the State Board of Agriculture to attend a cantata at Mitchellville, given by the girls of the Industrial School. The secretary presented the form of contract as agreed upon between the Department of Agriculture and the Des Moines City Railway Company, granting a twenty-five (25) year franchise lor extending the said company's street car line into the fair grounds. Mr. McDonald moved that the executive committee be author- ized to make a contract with the Des Moines City Railway Com- pany for extending of their lines into the fair grounds. On roll call the motion carried by a unanimous vote. 5 (65) 66 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Appropriations were made for expenses and repairs to the amount of $18,500. Mr. Ledgerwood moved that the executive committee be authorized to have liorse barns Xos. 7. 11 and 12 moved. Mo- tion prevailed. The secretarv read communicati(;n from tlie president of the National Li^■e Stock Exhibitors' Union, and en motion the same \^■as referred to committee on resolutions. 2^Ir. Ledgerwood moved that the executi\-e committee be authorized to have repaired or torn down any buildings on the State fair grc unds belonging- to private parties, on which such repair's are needed or in their judgment are unsafe. Motion prevailed. The secretarv presented letter and claim of Mr. Truesdale in regard to the loss of a lace handkerchief at the fair of 1902, and on motion of Mr. W'adsworth said claim was laid on the table. Communication from the secretary of the Corn Growers' As- sociation asking that the department make an appropriation for a special premium for the corn exhibit which they will hold next winter at Ames was read by the secretary, and on motion of Mr. Packard the secretary was instructed to notify the Corn Growers' Association that in the opinion of the board it would be inexpe- dient to make appropriations of this character outside of our own premium list. ]\Ir. \\'ragg moved that the superintendent of privileges and the executive committee be made a committee to examine the books of the privilege department and report as to whether it would be possible to increase the amount of money received from privileges. Motion prevailed. On. motion of l\Ir. ;McDonald the board adjourned to meet at 9 o'clock ^^^ednesday morning. Wednesday Morning, March 4, 1803. Board met at 9 o'clock pursuant to adjournment, and on roll call all elected memljers were found to be present. ]\Iinutes of yesterday's meeting were read and approved. Vn'. Packard, chairman of the committee on resolutions, pre- sented the following reix^rt. and on motion of Mr. ^^Tagg the same was adopted. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 67 RESOLUTION. Your committee on resolutions to whom was referred the communica- tion from the President of the National Live Stock Exhibitors' Union, 'neg leave to report the following preamble and resolution: Whereas, The custom has existed for the free return of live stock exhibited at expositions and State fairs upon the direct return to the ix)int of shipment of such exhibitors, and, Whereas, Exhibitors to the State fairs are necessitated to pass from one fair to another on the circuit to exhibit their stock and not directly returning- to the shipping point, thus under the rules of the railways secrificing their half-rate claims; therefore be it Resolved, That the State Board of Agriculture respectfully solicit from the railways an exercise of their liberal rates on one half full faro U) exhibitors' following the circuit of the State fairs, which will greatly encourage the exhibition of the products of the farms of the country and thus add to the prosperity of the railways as well as the several states interested. Resolved, That the society forward a copy to the proper railway asso- ciation for the government of freight rates. S. B. Packard, R. T. St. John. M. McDonald, Committee. RESOLUTION. Whereas. Under the law creating the State Board of Agriculture one of the duties imposed in section six is in the following words: "And It shall be the duty of the board to look after and promote the interests of agricultural education and animal and other industries throughout the State," and Whereas, The high condition which the college has attained warrants our support in maintaining its high standard; therefore be it Resolved, That the President of this board appoint a committee of three members authorized to confer with the Board of Trustees of the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts on the subject of a president for said college. S. B. Packard, R. T. St. John, M. McDonald, Committee. The president appointed as such committee, S. B. Packard, C. A\'. Philhps and John Ledgerwood. Mr. Manatrey moved that the committee on adulterations of foods be empowered to prepare a reix)rt on this subject and sub- mit to the board at their meeting- next December, and that a sum 68 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150) be appropriated to meet the expense of carrying on this work. ]\l!otion seconded by Cameron and prevailed. Mr. Erickson, in charge of the dairy department of the Iowa Louisiana Commission, appeared before the board and asked their co-operation in securing the exhibit for the Louisiana Ex- position. Aft*. Hamilton of the Daily News, Mr. Young, Jr., of the Daily Capital, Mr. Strauss of the Register-Leader and Mr. Wal- lace of ^Vallaces' Farmer, appeared before the board and asked that an appropriation of from two to three thousand dollars be made for the purpose of display advertising in the above-men- tioned papers; including also the Homestead and Farmers' Tribune. On motion board adjourned to i :30 p.m. AFTKRNOON SESSION. Board met pursuant to adjournment with members present as at morning session. Mr. McDonald moved that the executive committee be author- ized to secure night and day attractions for the fair of 1903. Motion prevailed. Mr. Manatrey moved that the price of admission to the am- phitheater and all other seats used at night attractions be sold at twenty-five cents. Motion prevailed. Mr. Manatrey moved that the executive committee be author- ized to purchase a show case of Morrison, Plummer & Co., of Chicago, for use in Exposition Building at a sum not exceeding $250 f. o. b. cars Des Moines. Motion prevailed. Mr. W^adsworth moved that the advertising of the State fair be left in the hands of the .executive committee, which motion prevailed. Mr. Manatrey moved that the president appoint a committee on per diem and mileage. Motion prevailed. President appointed as such committee Wadsworth, Manatie> and Brown. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 69 Mr. Manatrey moved that when this board adjourns all un- finished business be delegated to the executive committee to act, which motion prevailed. Committee on per diem and mileage reported as follows, and on motion of Mr. Cameron report was adopted : Name. Days. Amount. Miles. Amount. Total W. W. Morrow 4 $tG.OO 82 $8.20 $24.20 C. E. Cameron 4 16.00 140 14. Oo 30.00 J. P. Manatrey 5 20.00 118 11.80 31.80 C. W. Phillips 3 1 2.00 12.00 W. C. Brown 4 IG.OO 102 10.20 26.20 R. T. St John 4 16.00 195 19.50 35.50 S. B. Packard 4 IG.OO 58 5.80 21.80 T. C. Legoe 4 16.00 100 10.00 26.00 M. .1. Wragg 4 16.00 16 1.60 17.60 John Ledgerwood 4 16.00 87 8.70 24.70 M. McDonald 4 16.00 65 6.50 22.50 J. W. Wadsworth :j 12.00 123 12.30 24.30 H.L.Pike 4 16.00 200 20.00 36.00 $332.60 J. W. Wadsworth, J. P. Manatrey, W. C. Brown. Committee. On motion board adjourned. J. C. Simpson, Secretarv. 70 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. MEETINGS OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. State Fair Grounds, Thursday Morning, August 27, 1903, Meeting called to order 1)y the president, and on roll call the following- niemljers were found to be present : Morrow, Cam- eron, Sihipson, Ellyson, Phillips, St. John, Packard, Legoe. Wragg-, Ledgerwcod, AIcDonald and Manatrey. Mr. Cameron moved that the chief of police, superintendent of gates and the treasurer l^e permitted to relieve any of their men who desired to go home, and that the secretarv^ be instructed to issue warrants in payment of their services. yh'. Legoe moved that the secretary be authorized to issue war- rants in payment of stock premiums, as soon as books are re- ceived from the respective stock departments. Motion prevailed Mr. Ellyson moved that the secretary be authorized to issue warrants in payment of judges when the same had been o. k.'d l)y the superintendent of the department. Motion prevailed. On motion board adjourned to meet at I2 o'clock noon, August 28th. Friday, August 28, 1903. Board met pursuant to adjournment, and on roll call the fol- lowing members were found to be present: Morrow, Camerc'u, Simpson, ^lanatrey, Phillips, St. John, Packard, Legr3e, Wragg, Ledgerwc od, McDonald and Pike. August 29, 1903, 10 O'clock a. m. Board met pursuant to adjournment with the following menv JDers present : ^Morrow, Simpson, Brown, St. John, Packard, Legoe, Wragg, Wadsworth and Pike. Air. Packard presented a petition from the manufacturers of Miarshalltown, asking for a location of a building on the fair grounds. Action was deferred until the December meeting of the board. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 71 Mr. McDonald moved that tlie executive committee be author- ized to purchase a manure spreader. Mbtion prevailed. Mr. Legoe moved tliat the executive committee he authorized to proau'e cinders for use on the fair grounds. "Motion pre- vailed Mr. Packard moved that the executive committee be author- ized to have grounds surveyed for drainage, and tliat the work be done this fall if possible. The secretary presented resignation of Mr. C. S. Relyea as assistant secretary, to take effect September t, 1903, and on motion of ^Nfr. ]Manatrey the resignation was accepted. Mr. Packard moved that the vacancv caused by the resignation of yiv. Relyea be hlled by an ajjpointment by the secretary at a salary not exceeding $/^ per month. Motion prevailed. Mr. \\'ragg presented report on per diem and mileage as fol- lows : Name. Days. Rate. Amounr. Miles. Amount. Total \V. AV, Morrow 19 $4.00 $ 76.00 82 $ 8.20 $ 84.20 C.E.Cameron 19 4.00 76.00 140 14.00 90.00 J. P. Mauatrey 18 4.00 72.00 118 11.80 83.80 W. C. Brown 19 4.00 76.00 102 10.20 86.20 S.B.Packard 17 4.00 68.00 54 5.40 73.40 H. L. Pike 19 4.00 76.00 200 20.00 . 96.00 .John Ledgerwood 19 4.00 76.00 89 8.90 84.90 R. T. St. John 20 4.00 SO.Oo 195 19.50 99.50 M. McDonald IS 4.00 72.00 65 6.5i) 78.50 M. .T. Wragg 18 4.00 72.00 16 1.60 73.60 .T. W. Wadsworth 31 4.00 124.00 120 12.30 136.30 T. C. Legoe 17 4.00 68.00 100 10.00 78.00 C.W.Phillips 19 4.00 76.00 $1,143.40 72 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. AUDITING COMMITTEE MEETING. Tuesday, September 15, 1903. Auditing committee met as per agreement, with the following- members present: J. W. Wadsworth, W. C. Brown and C. W. Phillips. The chairman stated that the purpose of the meeting was to pass on all bills against the ])cpartmcnt of Agriculture, which were on file in the secretary's ofiice. The bills were audited and ihe secretary authorized to issue warrants in payment thereof, as \)er amounts allowed. Farm Scene -Home of Hon. F. M. Buckingham, Buera Vista County . FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 73 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. Thursday, October 14, 1903. Committee met on call of the president, with all member^ present. Mr. Morrow stated that the purpose of the meeting was to consider the matter of surveyino- the grounds for drainrige, as l>er resoluion of the board at their August meeting. Mr. Baker, assistant city engineer of Des Moines, met with the committee, and together visited the fair grounds. All that part of the ground in need of drainage was gone over w^ith Mr. Baker. Committee decided to employ Air. Baker to run sucii levels as were necessary for drainage, and a combined curb a'-'d oiitter along the north side of Grand Avenue. Mr. Baker's sal- ary was to be $4 per day, and $3 per day for an assistant, if same was used. The committee decided to offer the following resolution for the consideration of the board : 1st. That the secretary be instructed to make a plat of the ground, laying it out in different sections, as per lines designated by streets and sidewalks, taking the measurement thereof, and that certain sections be reserved for the erection of future permanent buildings. 2d. We would recommend that the Department of Agriculture go before the next legislature and ask for an appropriation sufficient to build a fireproof building for the use of the agriculture, horticulture and •dairy department.^, and the remodeling of the old horticultural building for use as a woman's building; and an additional appropriation suffi- •ciently large for the purpose of erecting three hog barns. 3d. We would recommend that all buildings erected for the pur- pose of showing collective exhibits, by cities, towns or other parties, or corporations, be located immediately west of the ditch and south of Cap- itol avenue,, provided, that the board makes provision for a walk from Capitol avenue running east tq Rock Island avenue, and otherwise im- prove the street by curbing and guttering, and properly drain that part of the ground. 74 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION AT DES MOINES.. Wednesday, December 19, 1903. The convention convened in the rooms of the Department of A,^ricnlture in tlie Capitol, at to o'clock, with President Morrow^ in the chair. 'I'he first order of Intsiness being the appointment of a com- mittee on credentials, the president appointed the following dele- gates as meml:)ers of that committee: J. W. Wadsworth, Kos- suth county; Chas. Hearst of Black Hawk county and Chas. Stranahan of Ringgold county. Vice President Cameron was called to the chair, and President Morrow delivered the following address : PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. We are here today to make our annual report, and to elect officers. for the commg year. The expenditures on the State fair grounds for the year of 1903 were, in round numbers, $17,000, consisting of team, harness, wagon, scales, greenhouse brick walks new swine pens and a new street car station, a detailed statement of which will be foimd in the secretary's report. The board very wisely entered into a contract with the street car- company whereby they entered the grounds, and during the fair fur- nished first-class service; this, with the splendid service furnished by the Rock Island Railway Company, gives the patrons of the fair such method of going to and returning from the grounds as they have long desired. The fair of 1903, in point of exhibits, was one of the best in the his- tory of the State. Had the weather been favorable the net earnings would have been far greater than that of any fair ever held by this de- partment. As it was, the receipts were such as to leave a handsome sur- plus in the treasury, a detailed statement of which will be found in the secretary's report, showing that the people are interested in the success of the fair, and it becomes our dtities as officers of this association to- redouble our efforts to maintain the high standard and reputation that: the State Department of Agriculture now enjoys. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 75 The improvements already commenced, consisting of permanent buildings, sidewalks and other improvements, should be carried on. More brick walks should be constructed, also cinder walks should be laid to and from the different buildings, thereby enabling visitors to reach all parts of the ground with comfort. The executive committee have had the grounds surveyed with a view of thorough drainage. The different plats of ground have been measured, a plat of which is now on file in this office. We recommend that certain plats of ground be set aside for permanent buildings to be erected in the future by this society. Also, that plats of ground be set aside for build- ings to be used by the different cities of the State, to exhibit their manu- factured products. Great care should be taken that all buildings should be properly located. I also wish to suggest that a fireproof building should be erected for the use of the power house and pumping station, as the present building is not in the proper place for our lighting plant. The hay bam should be moved in close proximity to the cattle and horse barns. The three barns numbered 10, 11 and 12 should be moved to some other location, and the ground now occupied by them made attractive. The tract of land lying outside and east of the fair grounds proper, consisting of three acres now covered with timber and undergrowth, should be cleared, and the land rented for pasture, or what might be better, the level part of it cultivated and sown to meadow, the hay to be sold during the fair. I would recommend that the fences, as fast as they need rebuilding^ be replaced with woven wire, something similar to that now used by the street car company. If any excuse ever existed for side shows and fakirs in general, it seems to me that the time is past, ana I want to recommend that all such be excluded from the grounds, and that the Great Iowa State Fair be con- ducted on such a high plane as will meet with the approval of the intelli- gent people of the State. Secretary Simpson read his report as f()ll()\\s: REPORT OF SECRETARY FOR THE YEAR 1903. /. C. Simpson, Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa's State fair continues to grow. The exhibition of 1903 was the greatest in the history of the State. Probably no State fair was ever held under more adverse weather conditions, and the financial showing we are now able to make is all the more remarkable for it. What the outcome would have been under favorable conditions, can only be conjectured. That the receipts would have been from ten to fifteen thousand more I believe to be a conservative estimate. Thousands of people who were in the city did not reach the fair grounds, and from 76 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. information we have received, thousands of others who had planned on coming, did not leave home after it began raining. Certainly the pros- pects for a successful State fair were never as poor as on Monday even- ing after the heavy wind and rain storm. With a cloudy morning on Tuesday, followed by two days more of rain, the outlook was enough to discourage the most optimistic. But despite this unfavorable condi- tin of the weather, crowds of people thronged the grounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, it having been years since as many soldiers attended the fair, and the record of Wednesday has only been surpassed a few times. The race program was interfered with more than any other depart- ment. It being carried out to the letter on Monday, but on Tuesday, while it was not actually raining, the day was cold and cloudy^ and the condition of the track was such that it was after four o'clock before a heat could be started. Only three heats could be put on before it was time to clear the grand stand for the night entertainment. Wednesday and Thursday no harness events could be had, and it was not until Fri- day afternoon that the races could again be started. This interfered ve]y materially with the grand stand receipts. This year's fair certainly demonstrates that a successful fair can he held under the most favorable weather conditions, with the proper buildings, plenty of sidewalks and drainage. Wliere would the fair have been this year without the stock pavilion and sidewalks? It would have been an utter impossibility to have continued throughout Wednes- day and Thursday. The wisdom shown by the members of the Twenty- ninth General Assembly in making the appropriation for the erection of the stock pavilion, was certainly appreciated this year. For this expenditure no complaints were heard from the taxpayers of Iowa who attended the fair, and many expressed themselves in favor of the legis- lature making further appropriations, that other permanent buildings might be placed upon the grounds. I have always contended that the educational advantages resulting from a properly conducted State fair could not be measured in dollars and cents, and that the results obtained were far more beneficial than most of us are prone to believe. Many an inspiration for improvement in flocks and herds is received at these annual expositions which can not be gathered at any other place. T,he American' farmer, like the manufacturer, is never satisfied unless he is pushing forward and trying to do better than his neighbor. Where can he better compare the products of his own farm than with what is shown at our State fair? The stockman who does not keep pace with the improvements con- tinually being made in the different breeds of live stock, is no better off tiian the merchant who does not keep posted on the latest and most improved methods of conducting his business; or the grain farmer who does not take advantage of every opportunity to improve his seed and cultivate his crops that he may receive a better and larger yield of grain per acre. He indeed is a wise man who can not gather new ideas from his neighbor. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 77 As the value of farm land increases, so must the farmers' knowl- edge of how to produce greater results per acre Increase. A farmer, like a professional or business man, must be a close student of the work he is following. A study of the Government census report for 1900 shows that the increase of population of the United States for the pre- ceding ten years was over fourteen millions, or about twenty per cent of our total population. Iowa's population is shown by the same census to be a fraction over two million two hundred thousand, or about one sixth of the total increase for the whole United States for the ten years just mentioned. The amount of food consumed yearly by this great increase of population is enormous, and with a yearly decrease in the acreage of new agricultural land, but one choice is left, we must pro- duce more bushels per acre on land now cultivated, and raise cattle and hogs that will take on more meat per pound of grain and forage con- sumed. To accomplish this the farmer must keep in close touch with experiments continually being conducted, and by a careful observation of the results of his own work. Many improvements for the decrease in the cost of production, or increase in yield per acre, are noted by the exhiljits shown at the annual State fair from year to year If the same relative percentage of increase in the population of the United States is returned fom the census of 1910 as that of 1900, it will give us an increase of over twenty millions, or nine times the total population of the State of Iowa. Iowa farmers must do their part toward furnishing food for this great army of people. Anything that tends to increase their knowledge along these lines is of great importance, and that is the purpose of the Iowa State fair. The future never looked brighter for the fair than at the present time, but we must not cease in our efforts if continued progress is to be made. While the condition of the grounds is now better than ever before, this can not be truthfully said of the buildings thereon. Many of them have been repaired and patched so often that there is now little left other than the repairs. T.he time is soon coming, if indeed it is not already here, when many of the buildings will have to be replaced if a fair is to be held. The only way in which permanent fireproof buildings can be erected is by appropriations from the legislature. It is absurd to think that sufficient money can be secured from gate ad- missions for this purpose, when the burden of keeping the old build- ings now on the grounds in a safe and habitable condition is increasing yearly. Does the State expect its other educational institutions to erect and maintain their buildings? And are not the educational features of the State fair worthy of support of our great State? The question is often asked, why the management does not erect permanent buildings out of the funds on hand. This can better be answered by a statement of the improvements and repairs that are needed at this time. At the last session of the legislature the State Board of Agriculture asked and received an appropriation of thirty-seven thousand dollars, for the erection of the live stock judging pavilion. A total of forty- four thousand three hundred twelve dollars and fifty-one cents has been' expended during the past two years for permanent impovements and /8 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. repairs out of the gate receipts, which is seven tnousand three hundred twelve dollars and fifty-one cents more than the appropriation received from the State during the same period. A very serious problem now confronts the Board, in knowing just how to proceed with the improve- ments and repairs necessary for the future. Of the fifty-one stock barns, at least fifty of them are in need of new roofing; part of the fence sur- rounding the grounds will have to be replaced; a more prominent en- trance should be erected at the Grand Avenue gate, and more sidewalks should be laid. The west part of the grounds must be drained; com- bined curbs and gutters should be put in along the streets to properly care for the surface water; many of the buildings are badly in need of paint; and other improvements and repairs too numerous to mention should be given attention. Thousands of dollars will be needed for all these improvements; much more, in fact, than the Board will have at its disposal, therefore some of them will have to go over. An appropriation from the Thirtieth General Assembly should be asked for the erection of a combined agricultural, horticultural and dairy building; also for at least three hog barns. Should the State Board of Agriculture decide to go before the legisalture and ask for these appropriations, they should have the combined efforts of all the agri- ■cultural interests of the State. If an appropriation for the erection of the first building mentioned is secured, it will give much needed room in other departments. What is now agricultural hall could be easily arranged into a large poultry building. The one used at present is not half large enough for the exhibit, besides there being no room for the t'xhibit of incubators, which should properly be shown in the poultry building. The poultry and dairy buildings could be remodeled into sheep barns, for if something is not done to better the condition of this department, it will not be long until the sheep show at the Iowa State Fair will be a thing of the past. Horticultural hall could be rearranged for the women's building. The urgent necessity of a building of this character was never more apparent than at the last fair. All great expositions, and even the railway companies, have buildings or rooms fitted with every comfort and convenience for women. Every mother knows the hardships to be endured traveling with small children. If it were to become generally known that a building of this kind was located upon the grounds, where the mother could go with her children for a little rest, after a tiresome ride on a crowded excursion train, it would greatly popularize our fair. In our endeavor to better arrange for the comfort of fair visitors, the ladies should not be forgotten. Many improvements were made on the grounds during the past sea- son. More than one hundred thousand paving brick were laid in walks; a greenhouse and swine judging pavilion were erected; the seating capacity of the grand stand wa.^ increased by an additional twenty-five hundlred seats; a street car station was erected, one half of the cost being paid by the Board; and four hundred more hog pens were built. All the space in the Iowa building could not be rented while the building stood in the old location, and it was moved to the present site, thereby increasing the floor space in the machinery department about six thous- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 79 and square feet. The erection of the street car station necessitated the moving of three horse barns; new sills and foundations were placed under six cattle barns. Two additional wells were put down, one in the speed, and the other in the machinery department; many hundred loads of cinders were hauled on the streets, and new ones were graded. The inside fence of the race track was rebuilt, and a new judges' stand replaced the one blown down; needed changes were made in the water mains and electric light lines, including the purchase of twelve addi- tional arc lamps. A glance a the financial statement will show that all these changes and improvements necessitated the expenditure of a large sum of money. If new buildings are not erected in the near future, it will just about take the entire surplus each year to keep up the repairs, leaving nothing with which to make needed improvements. Insurance to the amount of seventy-eight thousand dollars is now being carried on the fair ground buildings. The exhibit of horses at the last State fair was the best in years, this being especially true of the draft and coach breeds. While the number of entries in the cattle classes was no larger than a year ago. the herd showing was stronger. Twenty-five hundred and seventy hogs were on exhibition, this being the greatest number ever shown at any fair, and exceeds the combined number shown at the Minnesota. Wis- consin, Illinois. International and American Royal shows. No one Tisiting the fair had any reason to doubt Iowa's greatness as a pork producing State. It was utterly impossible to provide coop room for all the poultry iDrought to the fair. If people could comprehend the magnitude of the poultry industry in our State they would more readily understand the reason for so large an exhibit. To give you some idea of what poultry is doing fo the farmers of Iowa I will state that in the year 1899 the value of poultry raised and eggs produced amounted to over nineteen million four hundred thousand dollars, or only about three millions less than the total value of the oat crop for 1902. At no State fair was there ever a larger and more diversified show- ing of farm implements, buggies, carriages, fences, etc., than was on exhibition this year. It would be difficult to conceive of any agri- cultural implement now used on the farm that was not shown. Never has there been a year when it was more difficult to gather an exhibit of agricultural and horticultural products than the past, and, all things •considered, the showing made :n the agricultural and horticultural halls was very good. An unusually large and tastefully arranged exhibit was to be seen in the exposition building. A new and popular feature added to the program this year was the' Iowa State College Scholarship, awarded to the boy scoring the highest in the judging contest. Out of the twenty-eight boys who had entered, twenty-six of them were on hand ready for business at the designated time. Mr. Ellis Rail of Birmingham, Iowa, received the highest score and was awarded the scholarship. T,he rules and regulations governing this contest, together with the score of each contestant, will be published 80 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. in the Year Book. I believe this contest should be made an annual feature of future State fairs. Seventy-twoi county and district agricultural societies reported hold- ing a fair this year, and received the State appropriation according to law. From the reports received, this State was not the only fair to suffer the effects of wet weather. Fully 75 per cent of those reporting stated that the rain interfered with their fair. The reports received show that the interest in county and district fairs is increasing instead of decreasing, as many are prone to believe. INSTITUTES. Sixty-six counties in Iowa held institutes during the year ending June 30, 1903, and fifty-eight the preceding year. The total amount paid out by the State for institute work during the biennial period was $6,801.85. Below will be found the name of counties receiving State aid for institute work during the year ending June 30, 1903, and amount each leceived: Counties. Amount. ' Counties. Amount. Adams $ 42.57 Audubon 43.10 Black Hawk 75.00 Boone 73.24 Bremer 75.00 Buchanan 58.50 Buena Vista 75.00 Butler 75.00 Calhoun 47.05 Carroll 43.00 Cedar 34.50 Cerro Gordo 54.40 Cherokee 75.00 Chickasaw 69.75 Clay 75.00 Clayton 46.70 Clinton 75.00 Dallas 75.00 Decatur 60.00 Delaware 35.74 Dickinson 61.33 Emmet 51.00 Fayette 75.00 Floyd 73.50 Franklin 74.75 F'remont 73.94 Greene 74.00 Grundy 58.51 Guthrie 50.50 Hancock 15.75 Hardin 33.85 Harrison 75.00 Humboldt 75.00 Ida 71.50 Iowa $ 75.00 Jackson 63.14 Jasper 31.30 Jefferson 49.00 Kossuth 49.65 Linn : 75.00 Louisa 60.52 Lyon 75.00 Madison 75.00 Mahaska 75,00 Marion 50.00 Mills 19.30 Mitchell 75.00 Monona 75.00 Muscatine 59.15 O'Brien 75.00 Page 75,00 Palo Alto 75.00 Polk 62.80 Ringgold 30.50 Sac 75.00 Scott 64,56 Shelby 75.00 Sioux 75.00 Story 46.35 Tama 33.25 Taylor 64.94 Van Buren 51.15 Winnebago 75.00 Winneshiek 75.00 Worth 52.54 Woodbury 50.00 Total $4,035.33 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 81 In the following counties no institutes were held during the year ending June 30, 1903: Osceola, Howard, Allamakee, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Wright, Webster, Hamilton, Dubuque, Crawford, Marshall, Benton, Jones, Poweshiek, Johnson, Pottawattamie, Cass, Adair, Warren, Keokuk, Washington, Montgomery, Union, Clark, Lucas, Monroe. Wapello, Henry, Des Moines, Wayne, Appanoose, Davis, Lee. From the expense accounts filed with the State Auditor, it would seem that more attention is now being given for exhibits of corn 'and ether farm products at the county institutes. It has been hard to secure statistics and papers from the institutes in the past, for the reason their officers are not obliged by statute to send in reports, other than the expense account filed with the State Auditor. It has been suggested by many that the law should be amended, requir- ing a report to be filed with the Department of Agriculture, in order that such papers and statistics deemed of importance to the State could be published. As it is, many valuable papers read before our county insti- tutes are lost to every one except those living in the vicinity of the city or town in which such institute is held. I can heartily endorse such an amendment, believing, as I do, that it would work to the mutual ad- vantage of the institutes and department. The local management of the institutes would not be altered in the least. This, to say the least, is worthy of consideration, and should the change be asked I believe it would have the support of every institute worker in the State. Attached to, and made a part of, this report is a complete statement showing the financial condition of the department December 1, 1903, which is the close of the fiscal year. Gentlemen: Herein find moneys coming into my hands as secretary and paid to G. D. Ellyson, treasurer, as shown by his receipts: From exhibitors tickets $1,550.00 From sale of fed, forage department 1,730.65 From advertising in premium list 180.00 From refund on error in payment of premiums 203.00 From refund on insurance and loss 212.34 From speed suspensions 140.35 From judging contest, entry fees 54.00 From speed entries 2,892.65 From Des Moines City Railway Co 228.60 From refund on purchases 23.00 6 82 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. From rent of fair grounds $ 50.00 From State appropriation for insurance and improve- ments 1,000.00 From Chicago & North-Western Railway Co 120.00 P'rom Shorthorn Breeders' Association 477.00 From interest on deposit 1,009.90 Total $9,871.49 Secretary's Account of Expanse Warrants During Fiscal Year Ending December 1, 19(t3. Bills paid for the year 1902 $ 220.14 Board meeting December, 1902 412.10 Fair Ground expenses 687.27 Improvements and repairs: Street car station $ 3,033.67 Sidewalks and crossings 1,403.34 Moving and repairing lov/a building 793.36 Rebuilding and repainting race track fence 487.68 Pair scales 125.00 Team, harness and wagon 510.02 Planting trees 280.64 Hauling gravel, cinders and Avork on streets.... 269.71 Swine judging pavilion 1,789.64 Raising and repairing cattle barns 623.20 Repairs on sheep pens 156.24 Repairs on horse barns 214.29 Repairs on poultry house 28.66 Repairs on agricultural hall 41.87 Improvements on exposition building 339.95 Repairs on dairy hall 175.08 Washing places for cattle 20.67 Greenhouse 1,580.97 Swine pens 1,780.27 Bleechers 568.88 Awnings on stock pavilion 188.40 Painting 199.23 Electric light and power station 657.54 Insurance 203.13 Secretary and treasurer's office 78.11 Amphitheater 55.15 New wells and pumps 101.41 March board meeting called expressly for consid- ering improvements 332.60 Miscellaneous improvements 1,817.36 $17,855.77 Executive committee meetings 397.60 Executive committee annual meeting 34.18 Postage 460.00 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 83 Printing $ 791.70 Advertising 2,609.49 Express and telegraph 156.12 Superintendent fair grounds — salary 800.00 Dues, American fairs and expositions 15.00 l'»remium list 494.50 Engraving and medals 11.50 Miscellaneous expenses 1,226.20 Pure food committee 69.46 Special committee work 131.75 Collection paid to trotting association 61.15 Dues to American Trotting Association 75.00 Insurance 203.13 Telephone 19.25 Office supplies 1.35 Clerical work 363.60 Cattle department 342.46 Music 868.20 Attractions 4,226.50 Scavenger work 153.75 Auditing committee ( 58.50 Scholarship contest 219.00 Assistant superintendent fair grounds 64.55 Police department 1,574.75 Forage department 1,853.52 Horse department 328.85 Speed department 327.25 Swine department 258.40 Sheep and poultry department 274.45 Machinery department 221.27 Agricultural department 413.75 Dairy department 131.75 Horticultural department 234.34 Art department 591.70 Gate department 726.50 Ticket department 200.56 Treasurer's department 610.55 Marshal's department 120.00 Privilege department 179.50 Electric light department 407.60 President's department 84.20 Total $41,550.16 84 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SECRETARY'S ACCOUNT WITH G. D. ELLYSON, TREASURER. Receipts. Credit. Debit. To cash on hand December 1, 1902 $30,372.25 From W. C. Brown, Supt. horse department 617.00 S. B. Packard, Supt. cattle department 678.50 W. M. McFadden, Supt. swine department.... 590.50 H. L. Pike, Supt. sheep and poultry department 212.90 J. Ledgerwood, Supt. machinery department. . 1,092. 5'0 R. T. St. John, Supt. agricultural department. . 245.00 M. McDonald, Supt. dairy department 120.35 M. J. Wragg, Supt. horticultural department.. 30.00 J. P. Manatrey, Supt. fine arts 1,255.75 T. C. Legoe, Supt. gates 510.36 Donald Hill, chief of police 4.50 John Cownie, refund on railroad fare 31.95 John Cownie, Supt. electric light plant 106.75 W. W. Morrow .90 J. W. Wadsworth, Supt. privileges 5,660.00 J as. H. Deemer, Supt. fair grounds 1,617.55 J. C. Simpson, secretary ■ 9,871.49 Ticket sales 41,333.35 Disbursements. By expense warrants paid — 1902 $ 29.55 1903 41,547.91 $41,577.46 By premium warrants paid — 1902 $ 54.90 1903 23,756.13 23,811.03 By cash on hand December 1, 1903 28,963.11 $94,351.60 $94,351.60 Cash on hand December 1, 1903 $28,963.11 By outstanding warrants December 1. 1903. 68.50 Total credit for department agriculture. $28,894.61 STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS FOR 1903, d.3 compared with the preceding year, showing increase or decrease as the case may be. I herewith give a comparative statement of the receipts for the years oi 1902 and 1903, with the exception of the $37,000 appropriation received from the State in 1902 for the erection of the stock pavilion. This statement shows an increase of $2,182.78 in gate, quarter stretch, and receipts from other sources; but a decrease of $5,324.90 in day am- phitheater, night amphitheater and evening admissions; making a total decrease of only $3,142.42. This is remarkable, considering the unfavor- able weather conditions which prevailed throughout the entire week of the fair. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 85 From What Sources. Receipts, 1902 Rec^pts, Increase. Decrease. Gate receipts Day amphitheater receipts Evening ad.m.i8sions .. .. $35,496.00 3,789.75 1,496 00 5,851.50 3.25 20, 485. 27 $67,121 77 63, 979 35 $36,010.36 2,577.10 511.25 2,724.00 21 00 22, 135. 64 $ 514.36 ".$"i,'2i2.'65 984 75 3, 127. 50 <^uarter stretch receipts From all other sources, not including $37. 000 appropriated for stock pavilion in 1902 . . . 17.75 1,650.37 Totals Totals $63,979.35 $ 2, 182. 48 $ 5,324.90 2, 182 48 Totals.... S 3, 142 42 $ 3,142.42 Department A, Department B, Department D, Department E, Department F, Department I, STATEMENT OF PREMIUMS PAID IN 1903. horses $ 2,501.00 cattle 5,208.00 swine 1,316.00 sheep 1,081.00 poultry 763.50 grains, grasses and seeds 1,584.50 Department J, pantry and kitchen 636.00 Department K. dairy products 699.13 Department L, fruits 473.50 Department M, plants and flowers 510.00 Department N, mechanical and fine arts 2,499.00 Department N, children's 277.00 Department B, speed 6,113.50 Premiums on corn at convention December, 1902 151.00 Total $23,813.13 Mr. R. T. St. John of Mitchell county moved that a commit- tee be appointed on the address of the president, and reports of secretary and treasurer. Vice President C. E. Cameron, occu- pying- the chair, appointed as such committee, R. T. St. John of Mitchell county, B. L. Manwell of Black Hawk county and W. J. Scott of Ida county. Mr. F. R. Conaway, secretary of the Iowa Louisiana Pur- chase Exposition Commission, appeared before the convention c'ud read a pamper on "The Work of the Iowa Commission to the Louisiana Exposition." Mr. Miller appeared before the convention and extended in behalf of Charles Aldrich, curator of the State Historical De- partment, an invitation to the delegates to call at the Historical Building and enjoy the many pleasures of an inspec.ion of that department. 86 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr. S. B. Packard moved that the convention be now ad- journed until 1 130 o'clock p.m., which motion prevailed. AFTERNOON SESSION. Pursuant to adjournment the convention met at 1 130 o'clock with President Morrow in the chair. Meeting called to order and the convention listened to the leading of report on credentials as follows: REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS. Delegates to Agricultural Convention, 1903. Adams County Agricultural Society — W. J. Drennan, Corning. Audubon County Agricultural Society — W. H. Edwards, Audubon. Black Hawk County Agricultural Society — La Porte City District, B. L. Manwell, La Porte City. Bremer County — Elmer M. Reeves, Waverly. Buchanan County Agricultural Society — S. P. Spangler, Aurora. Buena Vista County Agricultural Society^ — C. E. Cameron, Alta. Cerro Gordo County — ^W. A. Burnap, Mason City. Clayton County Agricultural Society — Strawberry Point District — J. C. Flenniken, Strawberry Point. Davis County Agricultural Society — H. Wray, Bloomfield. Delaware County Agricultural Society — M. S. Van Auken, Manches- ter. Dubuque County — Thos. H. McQuillan, Cascade. Franklin County Agricultural Society — S. W. Ferris, Hampton. Greene County — Amos Johnson. Grundy County Agricultural Society — E. A. Crary, Grundy Center. Guthrie County Agricultural Society — A. H. Grissell, Guthrie Center. Hancock County Agricultural Society — Geo. P. Hardwick, Britt. Hardin County Agricultural Society — Robert Smith, Eldora. Henry County Agricultural Societj' — C. M. Clark, Mount Pleasant. Ida County— W. J. Scott, Ida Grove. Iowa County Agricultural Society — Williamsburg District — F. O. Har- rington, Williamsburg. Jackson County Agricultural Society — C. W. Phillips, Maquoketa. Jasper County Agricultural Society — W. J. Miller, Metz. Jefferson County Agricultural Society — J. P. Manatrey, Fairfield. Keokuk County Agricultural Society — What Cheer District — T. C. Legoe, What Cheer. Kossuth Couniy Agricultural Society — J. W. Wadsworth, Algona. Louisa County Agricultural Society — ^Columbus Junction District — F. L. Molsberry, Columbus Junction. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 87 Madison County Agricultural Society— I. J. Hudson, Winterset. Mahaska County Agricultural Society — ii^dward Pritchett, Oskaloosa. Marion County Agricultural Society — Lake Prairie District — Chas. Porter, Pella. Marshall County — S. B. Packard, Marshalltown. Mills County Agricultural Society — H. Byers, Glenwood. Monona County — Harold Pike, Whiting. Monroe County — John Foster, Albia. Montgomery County Agricultural Society — \,. S. Ellis, Red Oak. Muscatine County Agricultural Society — Union District — Eb. Fogg, West Liberty. Page County Agricultural Society — Shenandoah District — E. S. Welch, Shenandoah. Polk County — Lew Burnett, Des Moines. Poweshiek County Agricultural Society — Central at Malcom — James Nowak, Malcom. Poweshiek Comity Agricultural Society — Central at Grinnell — S. Jacob, Grinnell. Ringgold County Agricultural Societj- — C. G. Stranahan, Mount Ayr. Sac County Agricultural Society — V. S. De Lay, Odebolt. Shelby County Agricultural Society— H. W. Byers, Harlan. Sioux County Agricultural Society — J. F. Morris, Ireton. Union County — W. W. Morrow, Afton. Van Buren County — ^W. A. Duckworth, Keosauqua. Wapello County— W. O. Bagley, Eldon. Warren County Agricultural Society — ^C. F. Moorman, Indianola. Washington County — D. J. Palmer, Washington. Webster County — M. J. Haire, Fort Dodge. Wright County Agricultural Society — W. C. Brown, Clarion. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. Audubon County — A. H. Edwards, Audubon. Black Hawk County — Chas. E. Hearst, Waterloo. Buena Vista County — C. E. Cameron, Alta. Calhoun County — ^A. T. Jamison, Lohrville. Cherokee County — W. i^. Dawson, Quimby. Clinton County — Geo. S. Forest, Miles. Dallas County — John Fox, Dallas Center. Iowa County — F. O. Harrington^ Williamsburg. Polk County — A. L. Plummer, Altoona. ^ Winnebago County — Eugene Secor, Forest City. Jos. H. Wads worth, Chas. E. Hearst, C. G. Stranahan, Committee. S8 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr. A. H. Grissell of Guthrie county moved the adoption of the report as read, and that committee making report be dis-. charged, which motion was seconded and prevailed. The report of the committee on address of the president, and reports of the secretary and treasurer was read as follows: To the President and Members of ihe Agricultural Convention: We, your committee, to whom has been referred the address of the president and reports of th© secretary and treasurer of the Department of Agriculture, beg leave to submit the following: We hereby indorse the administration of President W. W. Morrow, and congratulate the State that during his term of office the affairs of the department have been attended to with unprecedented success. The thanks of the convention are due, and are hereby tendered to him, as a thoroughly competent and faithful official and for his zealous and official work. That during the term of office held by the president, W. W. Morrow, improvements have been made at a large expenditure of money which was under his direct supervision, and we therefore com- mend him for the admirable manner in which the plans of the department were carried into execution, and for the economical expenditure of the department's funds. We fully endorse his views of excluding all side shows of an ob- jectionable nature, but there may be shows that are entirely unobjection- able, that are not only entertaining but instructive, and add to the at- traction of the fair. We, therefore, suggest that the society use due d scrimination in the selection of these shows. The secretary's report is a most comprehensive outline of the year's business, and contains many valuable suggestions which are highly corn- men dec' by your committee, especially is this true in reference to the niaking of permanent and lasting improvements. Your committee wish to commend the secretary for the admirable executive ability he has displayed in carrying on the business of the de- partment the past year, and we also desire to commend him for the promptness with which he completed the entry books of the fair and placed them in the hands of the judges of the different departments. thereby hastening the business of the fair. We also commend G. D. Ellyson, the treasurer, for the careful and judicious handling of the funds of the society, and recommend that he be accorded the thanks of the directors of the Iowa State Fair. R. T. St. John, B. L. Manwell. W. J. Scott, Committee. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 89 Mr. Geo. S. Forest of Jackson county moved the adoption of the report as read. Motion prevailed. Convention nov^ proceeded to the election of officers. The president appointed R. T. St. John of Mitchell county, J. F. Morris of Sioux county and Chas. Porter of Marion county as tellers. R. T. St. John placed in nomination for the office of president for the ensuing year W. W. MorroAV of Union county to suc- 'ceed himself, and moved that if there were no other nominations that the rules be suspended and the secretary instructed to cast the unanimous vote of the convention for W. W. Morrow. Mo- tion prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote, and Mr. Mor- row was declared to have been duly elected president of the Department of Agriculture for the ensuing year. M. J. AVragg placed in nomination for the office of vice president C. E. Cameron of Buena Vista county, to succeed him- self, and moved that if there were no other nominations that the rules be suspended and the secretary instructed :o cast the iinanimotis vote of the convention for Mr. Cameron. Motion prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote and the president oard from the First district. B. L. Manwell of Black Hawk county placed in nomination for member of the State Board of Agriculture from the Third district, W. C. Brown of Wright county, to succeed himself, which motion was seconded by E. M. Reeves of Bremer county. It was moved that if there were no other nominations that the xules be suspended and the secretary instructed to cast the unani- 90 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. mous vote of the convention for Mr. Brown. Motion pre- \^ailed. The secretary so cast the vote and the president de- clared W. C. Brown di:ily elected as member of the board front the Third district. M. McDonald of Guthrie county placed in nomination for member of the State Board of Agriculture from the Fifth dis- trict S. B. Packard, to succeed himself, and moved that if there were no other nominations that the rules be suspended and the secretary instructed to cast the unanimous vote. of the conven- tion for Mr. Packard, which motion was seconded by Mr. Mc- Crary of Grundy count}^, and prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote and the president declared S. B. Packard duly elected as member of the board from^ the Fifth district. S. B. Packard placed in nomination for member of the State Board of Agriculture from the Seventh district 'M. J. Wragg of Dallas county, to succeed himself, and moved that if there were no' other nominations that the rules be suspended and the secretary instructed to cast the unanimous vote of the conven- tion for Mr. Wragg. Motion prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote and the president declared M. J. Wragg duly elected as member of the board from the Seventh district. H. W. Byers of Shelby county placed in nomination for member of the State Board of Agriculture from the Ninth dis- trict M. McDonald of Guthrie county, to succeed himself. W. S, Ellis placed in nomination for member of the Ijoavd from the same district J. M. Hull of Montgomery county. The sec- retary called the roll and the vote was cast and the tellers re- ported the result of the ballot as follows : Total number of votes cast, seventy-four, of which M. McDonald received fifty- eight (58), and Mr. Hull sixteen (16). M. McDonald, having received the majority of the votes cast, was declared, by the president to have been duly elected as member of ti^e board from the Ninth district. W. S. Ellis moved that the vote be stricken out and Mr. McDonald declared unanimously elected, which motion was put to the convention and prevailed. Geo. S. Forest of Jackson county placed in nomination for member of the State Board of Agriculture from the Eleventh district H. L. Pike of Monona count}-, to succeed himself, which FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 91 motion was seconded by W. J. Scott of Ida county and moved that if there were no other nominations that the rules be sus- pended and the secretary instructed to cast the unanimous vote of the convention for Mr. Pike. Motion prevailed. 'The sec- retary so cast the vote and the president declared H. L. Pike duly elected as member of the board from the Eleventh district. There being- no further business, Mr. A. H. Grissell moved that the convention be now adjourned. Motion pre 'ailed and the president declared the convention adjourned. J. C. SiMPSOX, Secretary. 92 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, DECEMBER, 1903. Thursday Morning, December to, 1903. Board met at 9 o'clock a.m., with President Morrow in the chair. On roU call the following members were found to be present : Morrow, Cameron, Simpson, Ellyson, Johnston, Brown, Pack- ard, Legoe, Wragg, Ledgerwood, McDonald, Wadsworth, Pike, Wright and Phillips. Hon. John Crockett, clerk of the supreme court of the State of Iowa, was called in and administered the oath of office to the newly elected members. Mr. Wragg placed in nomination for secretary, to succeed himself, J. C. Simpson; that the salary of secretary be $1,500 per annum, and moved that the rules be suspended and the president authorized to cast the entire vote of the board for Mr. Simpson. The vote was so cast and the president declared J. C. Simpson duly elected as secretary of the State Board of Agriculture for the ensuing year. Mr. Legoe placed in nomination for treasurer to succeed, himself, G. D. Ellyson, and moved that the rules be suspended and the secretary authorized to cast the entire vote of the board for Mr. Ellyson. The vote was so cast and the prer.ident de- clared G. D. Ellyson duly elected treasurer of the State Board of Agriculture for the ensuing year. The salary of treasurer was fixed at $100 per annum. Alinutes of the last board meeting, auditing and executive committees were read and on motion of Mr. Packard approved. My. Packard moved that Mr. Jas. H. Deemer be elected superintendent of grounds, to succeed himself, at a salary of $800 per annum. ]\rotion prevailed. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 93 Mr. Ledgerwood moved that Garth C. Fuller be selected as assistant secretary at a salary of $75 per month. Motion pre- vailed. Mr. Legoe placed in nomination for chief of police Mr. Don- ald Hill of Buena Vista county, and moved that the rules be suspended and the secretary instructed to cast the ertire vote of the board for Mr. Hill. The vote was so' cast and the presi- dent declared M'r. Hill duly elected chief of police for the fair of 1904. Mr. Packard placed in nomination for chief marshal Mr. T. D. Doke of Davis county; there being no other nomrnations, it was moved that the rules he suspended and the secretary in- structed tO' cast the entire vote of the board for Mr. Doke. The secretary so cast the vote and the president declared Mr. Doke duly elected as chief marshal for the fair of 1904. T. J. Hudson of Madison county and C. M. Akes of Decatur count}' were duly elected as assistant marshals. Mr. McDonald moved that the salary of chief marshal, assist- ant marshals, chief of police, gate keepers, superrtitendents, assistant superintendents and all other assistants be tlie same as lor the year of 1903, which was seconded, and motion prevailed. Salaries are as follows : Superintendents, not members of board $4.75 per day and actual railroad fare Assistant superintendents $3.75 per day and actual railroad fare Other help in departments not to exceed $3.25 per day Two assistant treasurers $5.75 per day each Ticket sellers $3.25 per day Police $2 50 per* day Mounted police $3.00 per day Gate keepers $2.50 per day Captains of gates $3.25 per day Chief marshal $50.00 Two assistant marshals $30.00 each Chief of police $5.00 per day Assistant chief of police $3.25 per day and actual railroad fare Mr. McDonald moved that a fair be held in 1904 on the dates recommended at the meeting of the American Association of Fairs and Expositions at Chicago, viz : August I9ih to 28th, 94 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Avhich was seconded by Mr. Wright. The motion was put to vote and on roll call the following members voted in the af- firmative: Johnston, Phillips, Brown, Packard, Legoe, Wragg, Xedgerwood, McDonald, Pike, Wright, Morrow, Cam.eron, Simpson and Ellyson. Those voting in the negative: St. John and Wads worth. Result of vote was announced and the president declared the motion to have carried. ]\Ir. Cameron moved that the board recommend to the gov- ernor for reappointment as director of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service Mr. J. R. Sage of Polk county. Seconded by Wadsworth and motion prevailed. On motion the board adjourned to meet at i :30 .'clock p.m. AFTERNOON SESSION. Board met pursuant to adjournment, and on roll call all mem- bers were found to be present except the Governo:', President of the Iowa State College, Koto and Ellyson. Secretary presented bill of Mr. John Cow^nie for $25 for services rendered as superintendent of the electric light plant at the fair of 1903. On motion of Mr. Wadsworth bill was allowed, and the secretary authorized to issue warrant in pay- ment therefor. Secretary presented bill from Mr. Cownie for $60 for eighty police billies, purchased from the Institute for Feeble-Minded at Glenwood, and on motion of Mr. Brown the bill was allowed and the secretary authorized to draw warrant in payment therefor. Mr. Cameron moved that the rental of pens in the swine de- partment be placed at $1 each, size of pen 4 feet by 8 feet. Seconded by Ledgerwood and motion prevailed. Mr. Packard sumbitted report of committee on adulteration of foods and seeds. Mr. Cameron moved the following resolution: Resolved, That the report of the committee on adulteration of foods and seeds be received and adopted, and that a copy be forwarded to the Governor and members of the Thirtieth General Assembly for consider- ation. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I. 95 Mr. Packard offered the following^ resolution, v/hich was adopted : Resolved, That the executive committee have prepared a plan show- ing a perspective and ground plan of a fireproof building of suitable dimensions to hold the exhibits of agriculture, horticulture and dairy departments, with estimates of the cost. Also, the cost of remodeling the old horticultural building for use as a woman's building and an emergency hospital. Also, the cost of three hog barns. Also, fireproof building for the power house and pumping station. Also, the cost of repairing the agricultural building for use as. a poultry building. Re it further resolved, — That the executive committee prepare and present to the Thirtieth General Assembly a bill for an appropriation to <"over the cost of the improvements above named. Mr. McDonald moved that the executive committee be author- ized to see what the purchase of the land lying south of the fair grounds would cost, and what the land belonging to the State and lying on the east of the fair grounds coald be sold for, and confer with the executive council in regard to the sale and purchase of same. Seconded by Packard and ir-ction pre- vailed. Mr. Wadsworth moved that the grounds north of Grand Avenue between the west fence and the ditch be set aside for the location of city buildings. Motion prevailed. The assignment of superintendents of departments for the fair of 1904 was delegated to the executive committee. Mr. Packard moved that the executive committee take proper steps to have ditch running through the west part of the fair grounds opened to a proper width and depth for drainage. Mo- tion prevailed. , , The executive committee presented the following assignment of superintendent for the fair of 1904, and on motion of Mr. McDonald report was adopted : , Superintendent of tickets C. W. Phillips Superintendent of gates T. C. Legoe Superintendent of privileges J. W. Wadsworth Superintendent of horses W. C. Brown Superintendent of speed C. E. Cameron Superintendent of cattle S. B. Packard Superintendent of swine R. S, Johnston 96 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Superintendent of sheep and poultry H. L. Pike Superintendent of machinery John Ledgerwood Superintendent of agriculture R. T. St. John; Superintendent of horticulture M. J. Wragg. Superintendent of dairy H. R. Wright Superintendent of fine arts M. McDonald: On motion of ]ylr. Packard meeting adjourned until g o'clock A.M.. tomorrow morning. , FRIDAY MORNING, DKCEMBER II, I9O3. Board met pursuant to adjournment, and on roll call all mem- bers were found to be present except Gov. A. B. Cummins, Dr^ A. B. Storms, P. O. Koto and G. D. Ellyson. Alinutes of Thursday's meeting were read and approved. The president announced the appointment of committees as follows : , ,. Resolutions — R. T. St. John, M. McDonald and T. C. Legoe. Powers and Duties of the Board — Gov. A. B. Cummins, W. W. Mor- row and C. E. Cameron. Adulteration of Foods, Seeds and Other Products — S. B. Packard, M^ J. Wragg and H. R. Wright. Dairy Industry and Products — H. R. Wright, T. C. Legoe and Johtt Ledgerwood. Contagious Diseases Among Domestic Animals — P. O. Koto, H. L^ Pike and R. S. Johnston. Auditing Committee — J. W. Wadsworth, W. C. Brown and C. W. Phillips. Mr. Packard, chairman of the committee on food adultera- tions, submitted a statement of the expenses incurred for the year of 1903, as follows: To J. B. Weems, chemist $50.00 To S. B. Packard, expenses 14.80> To M. J. Wragg, expenses 11. 1& Total $75.96; Secretary read estimate diawn bv the executive com.mittee on expenditure of funds for year of 1904, as follows: FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 97 Expenses for fair of 1904, including bills on file, which neces- sarily will have to be paid out of moneys on hand before fair of 1904 is held $ 5,000.00 Removal of horse barns Nos. 10, 11 and 12 1,000.00 Remodeling agricultural and poultry buildings 500.00 Repairs on roof of agricultural building 200.00 Repairs and reroofing a number of horse barns 1,150,00 Painting roof and interior iron work of stock pavilion 400.00 Sidewalks 1,000.00 Salary superintendent of fair grounds 800.00 Drainage 500.00 Repairing race track 200.00 Planting trees 50.00 Contingent fund for repairs and improvements 3,000.00 Total $16,800.00 Mr. McDonald moved that the report of the executive com- mittee on improvements be approved. Motion prevailed. Mr. Wadsworth moved that Thursday, August 23d, of the lair of 1904, be designated as ''Old Soldiers' and Children's Day" and that the admission of old soldiers and children on this day be the same as last year. Seconded by McDonald and mo- tion prevailed. Mr. Packard moved that in the Holstein and Jersey classes that the fourth (4th) and fifth (5th) premiums be dropped, and that a ''calf herd" be inserted in the four beef classes ; premiums to be $20, $15, $12, $8 and $5. Mr. Packard also moved that classes be made for "Iowa Exhibitors" in the three beef herds, viz : Shorthorn, Hereford and Angus, and that the first and second money winners in the open classes — should they be Iowa cattle — be barred from showing or drawing premiums in the Iowa classes. Premiums offered to be as follows, and shall be the same in the three classes : INDIVIDUALS. Bull 3 years old and over $10 $7 $5 $3 $2 Bull 2 years and under 3 10 7 5 3 2 Bull 1 year and under 2 10 7 5 3 .2 Bull calf under 1 year 10 7 5 3 2 Cow 3 years old or over 10 7 5 3 2 Heifer 2 years and under 3 10 7 5 3 2 Heifer 1 year and under 2 10 7 5 3 2 Heifer calf under 1 3'ear 10 7 5 3 2 7 y^ IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. EXHIBITORS' HERD. Herd to consist of one bull 2 years old or over, one cow 0 years old or over, one heifer 2 years old and under 3, one heifer 1 year old and under 2, one heifer under 1 year old $12 $8 $5 BREEDERS' YOUNG HERD. Herd to consist of one bull under 2 years, two heifers 1 year and under 2. and two heifer calves under 1 year, all except the bull to be bred by the exhibitor $12 $8 5 GET OF SIRE. Four animals of either sex. the get of one sire $10 $7 S:> PRODUCE OF COW. Two animals. of either sex. the produce of one cow $8 $6 $4 SWEEPSTAKES. Not less than two entries required in this class. Bull any age '. $10 Cow any age 10 The above motion was seconded l;y Mr. Phillius, and the roll call resulted as follows: Thcjse voting in the affirmative were: Johnston, Phillips, St. John. Packard, Pike. Wright. Cameron and Simpson, total being 8. Negatives : Brown, Legoe, Wragg, McDo.^aVl, \\'adsworth and MlOrro^^■, total be- mg 6. The president declared the motion to have carried. Other changes for list of 1904, see premium list. Mr. Wadsworth moved that a class for Yorkshire hogs be added to the swine department, and that premiums not exceed- ing $200 be-ofifered for same. Seconded by Johnston and mo- tion prevailed. Mr. Pike moved that a separate class be made for Delaine Merino. Motion prevailed. Mr. Pike moved that a premium be offered in all shcrp classes for "pen of four lambs," the get of one ram, the ram need not he shown. Motion prevailed. Upon motion of Mr. Johnston lioard adjourned tr meet at I :30 o'clock p.m. AFTERNOON SESSION. Board met pursuant to adj( urnment, and on roll call the fol- lowing memte's were found to be present: Wright ]\Iorrow. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 99 Cameron, Phillips, Bniwn, v^t. John, Packard, Legoc, Pike and Simp.son. Messrs. Johnston, Wrag^-, W'adsworth and McDon- ald came in later. Mr. W'rio-ht mcAed that the exhibit of cheese be limited to o ioAva exhibitors, and that all cheese must be exhibited by the maker. Motion prevailed. Mr. St. John moved that the superintendents of aoriculture, liorticulturc, exposition and all other halls, have tlie privilege of selecting- from the corps of police o,ne man for duty in the respective halls. Motion prevailed. Mr. Wrag-g- moved that $100 be added to the premiums in the horticultural department. Motion prevailed. Mr. St. John moved that it is the sense of this b. 'ird that night attractions b.e provided for the fair of 1904. and that the matter be left in the hands of the executive committe.. M'r. Brown moved that the executive committee act as the legislative committee, and that the}^ be empowered to call in members of the board from time to time as the-- may deem it necessary. Seconded by Legoe and motion prevailed. Mr. Wragg- moved that a committee on per diem a id mileage be appointed. This motion prevailed and the presirlent ap- pointed as .such committee Messrs. \Vrag<^^ St. John and Pike. Mr. Wragg made the report of committee on i)er diem and mileage as follows : Name. Days Rate. Amount. Miles . Amount. Total. W, W. Morrow C E. Cameron 6 6 3 6 0 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 3 $ 4 00 400 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4 00 4.00 400 4.00 4.00 4.00 400 4.00 $ 24 03 24.00 12.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24.00 24 00 24.00 24.00 24.0(1 24.00 24.00 12.00 82 140 158 102 54 200 89 195 65 16 123 100 $ 8.20 14.00 $ 82.20 38.00 12.00 W. C. Brown 10 20 5.40 20.00 8 PO 19.50 6.50 1.60 12 30 10.00 34.20 S. B. Packard H. L. Pike 29.40 44 00 32. f 0 R. T. St. John M. McDonald M . J. Wragtj 43 50 30.50 ?5.^0 J. W . Wadsworth T. C. Legoe 36.30 34.00 C. W. Phillip'^ 24.00 J. P. Manatrey 118 12.80 23. 80 Total 1440 40 M. .J. Wragg, •H. L. Pike. R. T. St. John, Committee. 100 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr. Wragg moved that all unfinished business be delegated to the executive committee, with power to act. Motion prevailed. It was moved by -Mr. Packard that the '7i^<^§i"§" Co}itest" for the Iowa State College scholarship be included in the premium list. Motion prevailed. Air. Cameron moved that the board now adjourn, to meet at call of president. This motion prevailed and the president de- clared the meeting adjourned. J. C. Simpson, Secretary. PART II. REPORT OF THE IOWA WEATHER AND CROP SERVICE FOR 1903. WITH A SUMMARY OF IOWA WEATHER AND CROPS FOR A SERIES OF YEARS. John R. Sage, Director. CLIMATOLOGY OF THE YEAR 1903. Barometer.— The mean pressure for the year was 30.04 inches. The highest observed pressure was 30.68 inches on February 18th and Decem- ber 14th at Des Moines; the lowest pressure, 29.19 inches, on October 6th at Sioux City. Range for the State 1.49 inches. Temperature. — The mean temperature for the State was 47.3''. which is 0.3° below normal. The highest temperature reported was 101° on August 24th at Logan. The lowest temperature reported was 27° below zero on December 13th at Sibley. Range for the year 128°. Precipitation. — The average amount of rain and melted snow for the year, as shown by complete records of ninety-five stations, was 35.66 inches, which is 4.75 inches above the normal, and 8.65 inches below the average am^ount for 1902. The greatest amount recorded at any station for the year was 50.53 inches at Onawa. Least amount recorded 26.41 inches at Ames. The greatest monthly rainfall was 17.74 inches at Wood- burn in August; least monthly amount, a trace at Afton and thirteen 0.3° above normal. By sec- tions the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 47.6°; central section, .50.0°; southern section, 51.8°. The highest monthly mean was 53.8', at Burlington; lowest monthly mean, 44.9°, at Forest City. The highest temperature reported was 86°, at Mt. Vernon on the 11th; lowest temperature reported, 17°, at Larchwood, on the 30th. The average monthly maximum was 77.4°; average monthly minimum, 25.0°. Greatest daily range, 52°, at Stuart; average of greatest daily ranges, 39.7°. Average precipitation for the State, as show^n by records of 120 stations, was 2.98* inches, which is 0.03 of an inch below normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 3.38 inches; central section, 2.89 inches: southern section, 2.67 inches. The largest amount reported was 6.00 inches, at Grand Meadow; least amount re- ported, 0.74 of an inch, at Logan. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 3.16 inches, at Columbus Junction, on the 10th and 11th. Average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported, 9. Pre- vailing direction ot the wind, north v/est; highest velocity reported, 45 miles per hour, from the south, at Sioux City, on the 27th. Average num- ber of clear days, 11; partly cloudy, 9; cloudy, 10. May. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown by records of 117 stations, was 61.6 •', which is 1.4 above normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 60.4°; central section, 61.9°; southern section, 62.6°. The highest monthly mean wag 65.2°, at Burlington; lowest monthly mean, 55.2°, at Estherville. The highest tem.perature reported was 91°, at Clinton, on the 20th; lowest temperature reported, 24°, at Bedford and Earlham, on the 1st and 3d. The average monthly maximum w^as 83.3°; average monthly minimum, 29.6°. Greatest daily range, 49°, at Larchwood; average of greatest daily ranges, 33.8°. ..-Average precipitation for the State, as shown by records 104 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. of 129 stations, was 8.55 inches, which is 4.52 inches above normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 8.11 inches, central section, 8.73 inches; southern section, 8.80 inches. The largest amount reported was 15.45 inches, at Thurman; least amount reported, 2.88 inches, at Fort Madison. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 4.80 inches, at Thurman, on the 22d. Average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported, 16. i Prevailing direction of the wind, southeast; highest velocity reported, 72 miles per hour, from the southeast, at Sioux City, on the 21st. Average number of clear days, 9; partly cloudy, 12; cloudy, 10. June. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown by records of 109 stations, was 64.6°, which is 5.6° below normal. By sec- tions the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 64.1°; central section, 64.5°; southern section, 65.3°. The highest monthly mean was 67.8°, at Tipton; lowest monthly mean, 59.4°, at Ogden. The nighest temperature was 96°, at Cedar Rapids and Sigourney, on the 26th and 30th; lowest temperature reported, 30°, at Denison, on the 4th. The average monthly maximum was 89.7°; average monthly minimum, 38.6°. Greatest daily range, 50°, at Scranton; average of greatest daily ranges 34.1°. Average precipitation for the State, as shown by records of 125 stations, was 2.86 inches, which is 1.52 inches below normal. The aver- ages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 2.84 inches; central section, 2.89 inches; southern section, 2.85 inches. The largest amount reported was 6.04 inches at Humboldt; least amount reported, .IB of an inch, at West Union. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 3.00 inches at Washta, on the 30th. Average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported, 10. Prevailing direction of the wind, northwest; highest velocity reported, 66 miles per hour, from the north- west, at Sioux City, on the 8th. Average number of clear days, 13; partly cloudy, 10; cloudy, 7. July. — The monthly mean temperature for the State as shown by the records of 112 stations, was 72.9°, which is 1.5° below normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 71.0°; southern section, 74.7°. The highest monthly mean was 77.4°, at Keokuk; lowest monthly mean, 68.5°, at New Hampton. The highest tenr^erature reported was 100°, at Thurman and Sigourney, on the 9th and 27th; lowest temperature reported, 40°, at Chester, on the 31st. The average monthly maximum was 92.7°; average monthly minimum, 46.4°. Greatest daily range, 39°, at Lansing, Clarinda, Earlham; average of greatest daily ranges, 31.3°, Average precipitation for the States, as shown by records of 12-^ stations was 4.83°, which is .91 of an inch above normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 6.49 inches; central section, 5.28 inches; southern section, 2.73 inches. The largest amount reported was 12.72 inches at Elkader; least amount reported, .94 of an inch at Belknap. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 5.12 inches, at Delaware, on the 10th. Average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported, 9. Prevailing direction of the wind, south; highest velocity, 48 miles per hour, fiom the northwest, at Sioux FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 105 City, on the 1st. Average number of clear days, 17; partly cloudy, 9; cloudy, 5. August. — The mean monthly temperature for the State, as shown by records of 99 stations, was 69.1°, which is 3.1° below normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 67.0°; cen- tral section, 69.3°; southern section, 70.9°. The highest monthly mean was 75.0°, at Logan; lowest monthly mean, 63.8°, at New Hampton. The highest temperature reported was 101°, at Lx)gan, on the 24th; lowest temperature reported, 41°, at Ogden, on the 31st. The average monthly maximum was 91.6°; average monthly minimum, 47.3°. G-reatest daily range, 45°, at Logan; average of greatest daily ranges, 31.4°. Average precipitation for the State, as shown by records of 110 stations, was (3.f;4 inches, which is 3.45 inches above normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 5.51 inches; central section, 5.67 inches; southern section, 8.74 inches. The largest amount reported was 17.74 inches, at Woodburn; least amount reported, 2.55 inches, at Toledo. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 11.22 inches, at Chariton, on the 27th. Average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported, 11. Prevailing direction of the wind, southwest; highest velocity re- ported, 44 miles per hour, from the southeast, at Sioux City, on the 1st. Average number of clear days, 12; partly cloudy, 10; cloudy, 9. September. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown by records of 104 stations, was 60.8°. which is 3.4° belovv^ normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 59.0°; central section, 61.1°; southern section, 62.4'-. The highest monthly mean was 66.2°, at Belknap; lowest monthly mean, 56.9°, at Forest City. The highest temperature reported was 94°, at Logan, on the 1st; lowest temperature reported, 28°, at Larchwood. on the 16th. The average monthly maximum was 84.8°; average monthly minimum, 33.6°. Greatest daily range, 51°, at Clarinda and Marshalltown; aver- age of greatest daily ranges. 34.8°. Average precipitation for the State, as shown by records of 116 stations, was 3.81 inches, which is 0.61 of an inch above normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 3.94 inches; central section, 3.46 inches; southern sec- tion, 4.09 inches. The largest amount reported was 8.79 inches, at Lar- rabee; least amount reported, 1.42 inches, at Waukee. The greatest daily rainfall was 4.09 inches at Larrabee, on the 11th and 12th. Average number of days on which 01 of an inch or more was reported, 10. Pre- vailing direction of the wind, south; highest velocity reported, 42 miles per hour, from the northwest, at Sioux City, on the 26th. Average num- ber of clear days, 14; partly cloudy. 6; cloudy, 10. October. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown by records of 105 stations, was 52.2°, which is 0.3° above normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 50.7°; central section. 52.1°; scuthern section, 53.8°. The highest monthly mean was 57.7°, at Belknap; lowest monthly mean, 47.2°, at Belle Plaine. The highest temperature reported was 90°, at Chariton, on the 3d; low- est temperature reported, 16°, at Earlham, on the 27th. The average monthly maximum was 80.4°; average monthly minimum, 25.4°. Great- 106 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. est daily range, 57°. at Carroll; average of greatest ranges. 39.7^. Aver- age precipitation for the State, as shown by records of 115 stations, was 1.95 inches, which is 0.49 of an inch below normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section. 2.12 inches; central section, 1.78 inches; southern section. 1.95 inches. The largest amount reported was 4.50 inches, at Harlan; least amount reported, 0.32 of an inch, at St. Charles. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 2.90 inches, at Ruthven on the 6th. Average number of days on which 0.1 of an incli or more was reported. 5. Prevailing direction of the wind, south; highest velocity reported, 58 miles per hour, froni the west, at Sioux City, on the 7th. Average number of clear days. 19; partly cloudy, fi; cloudy, 6. November. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown 1 y records of 105 stations, was 34.2, which is 0.1 below normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 32.2°; central section, 34.0°; southern section. 36.3°. The highest monthly mean was 39.0°, at Osceola and Red Oak; lowest monthly mean, 3^0°, at Estherville. The highest temperature reported was 76°. at Pacific Junction, on the 1st; lowest temperature reported, 5° below zero, at Carroll and Audubon, on the 18th and 26th. The average monthly maximum was 68^3°; average monthly minimum. 3.1°. Greatest daily range, 43°. at Osceola; average of greatest daily ranges. 30.9°. Average precipitation for the State, as shown by records of 116 stations, was 0.52 of an inch, which is 0.85 of an inch below normal. The averages of sections were as follows: Northern section. 0.17 inch; central section. 0.57 inch; southern section. 0.82 inch. The largest amount reported was 1.74 inches, at Allerton; least amount reported, trace, at Algona. Charles City, F<^^rest C ty, M'^S'-^t C"tv. Northwood and Whitten. the greatest daily rainfall reported was 1.38 inches, at Washington, on the 10th and 11th. Average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported, 3. Prevailing direction of the wind, northwest; highest ve- locity reported. 43 miles per hour, from the northwest, at Sioux City, on the 9th. Average numl:!er cf clear days, 13; partly cloudy, 8; cloudy, 9. December. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown by records of 103 stations, was 19.0°, which is 3.9° below normal. By sec- tions the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section. 16.0°: central section, 19.7°; southern section. 23 0°. The hij^hest monthly mean was 26.2°, at Glenwood; lowest monthly mean. 12.5°. at Siblev. The highest temperature reported was 58°. at ITopeville. Mount Ayr. Osceola and St. Charles, on the 31st; lowest temperature reported. 27°, at Sibley, on the 13th. The aA'erage monthly maximum was 48.8° ; average monthly minimum. 15.3°. Greatest daily range. 56°. at Whitten; aver- age of greatest daily ranges, I'^.S". Average precipitation for the State, as shovn bv records of 118 stations, was 0.41 of an inch, which is 0.88 of an inch below normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, .49 of an inch; central section. .37 of an inch; southern section, 38 inches. The largest amount reported was 1.96 inches, at Ridgeway; least amount reported, trace, at Storm Lake. The greatest daily rainfall reported was .68 of an inch, at Ridgeway. on the 25t]i. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 107 Average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported. 4. Prevailing direction of the wind, northwest; highest velocity re ported. 50 miles per hour, from ihe northwest, at Sioux City, on the 28th. Average numl)er of clear days, 11; partly cloudy, 9; cloudy, 11. CLIMATE AND CROP REVIEW. COMPAIJATIVK DATA OK TIIUEE ABNORMAL SEASON S. AND SUMMARY OK 1903 . The first three crop seasons of the new century— 1901-1902-1903 — may be classed as radically abnormal in respect to seasonal rainfall and temperatures, their records serving as striking illustrations of possible climatic extremes of this section. The season of 1901 was notable for extreme heat and aridity of air and earth, breaking all records of daily averages and maximum temperatures in the midsummer period. The droughty conditions continued until about May 1, 1902; then came heavy downpours, with streams bankfuU and overflowing, and continued excess of precipitation for a period of about seventeen consecutive months, or until September 15, 1903. For reference and comparison the following table is appended, showing the average precipitation and mean tem- peratures for the State, for the six crop months-7-April 1st to September 30th — in the last three years; also the monthly normals for the same period. , PRECIPirATION, INCHES. Months. 1903 1902 1901 2.98 1.71 1.79 8.55 5.39 2.35 2.86 7.16 3.17 4.88 8.67 2 34 6 64 6 58 1.2P 3.81 4 35 4.77 29.67 33.86 16.25 35.39 43.82 24.41 Normal April May June July August .... September Total for six months Total for the year . . . 2 89 4.13 4.50 4.23 3 43 3.30 22. 48 31 42 MEAN TEMPERATURE, DEr^REES. April. .. . May .1 une July August — September Means . 49 8 48 2 49.9 61.6 6.3.8 607 64.6 65.2 72.3 72.9 73.1 82.4 69.1 69.1 73 8 60.8 5'J 1 63.3 fi3. 1 P3.0 67.0 49.3 60.4 69.6 74.2 71.8 63.6 64.8 The records of the four critical crop months— May 1st to September 1st — show the marked difference in the rainfall and temperature of 1901 in comparison with the two following seasons. The total amounts for the four months were as follows: In 1901. 9.69 inches; in 1902, 27.80 inches: in 1903, 22.88 inches. The normal for the four months is 16.29 108 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. inches. The most favorable showing in these records is the fact tliat the rainfall in the crop season of 1903 was nearly 5.00 inches less than in the same period in 1902, indicating a return towards normal condi- tions. The winter of 1903 was generally about normal and favorable for live stock and the usual farm operations of the season. The soil was very wet, and the ponds and streams were more than usually filled with water and ice. Fall wheat and rye wintered fairly well, though the covering of snow was generally light. March was warmer than usual, with somewhat less than the normal precipitation; but the excessive cloudiness and humidity retarded farm work except in dry, sandy soil. While the spring opened earlier than usual, the fields were too wet to allow an early start in farm work. April was about normal in temperature and rainfall, but the prev- alence of cloudy, misty and humid weather during the larger part of ihe month retarded the necessary drying of the surface. The usual farm operations were pursued under these adverse conditions, causing ma- terial reduction of the acreage of spring wheat, oats and barley. Pas- tures and meadows made an early start and the grain crops germinated readily making a fairly good stand. A snowstorm with freezing tem- perature at the close of the month checked crop growth and injured the earlier varieties of apples cherries and plums. May was the wettest and most unfavorable month of the season. The soil at the outsat was supersaturated and the average rainfall for the State for the month was 8.55 inches. The distribution of this ex- cessive amount of rainfall was variable ranging at local stations from 2.88 to 15.45 inches; but the averages of each station was above 8 inches. The best conditions as to dryness of soil were in the Mississippi river districts. The great interior basins v^f the Des Moines, Iowa and Cedar rivers were subjected to very heavy floods ^bout the close of the month, causing much delay in farming operations and damage to all crop.^. From about the 3d to the 18th cotfditions were at their best, and during that part of the month the plowing, planting and other farm operations were in progress on the drier lands, with only occasional interruption by showers. Most of the corn that was planted was put in during thai period. The protracted and very heavy storms during the last decade rendered field work impracticable in more than four fifths of the Sta^.e. At the close of the month not more than two thirds of the usual corn area had been planted. The germination was generally quick and sat- is^j^clory in the stand, but the fields soon became very foul from the lack of cultivation, and much more than the usual amount of replanting was necessitated as a result of washing and flooding the fields. The genera' condition of wheat, oats, rye. barley and meadows was better than seemed to be possible during prevalence of the storms. June was unseasonably cool, but generally dry and more favorable for field work and crops than the preceding month. The mean tem- perature was about 5° below normal, and the rainfall was 1.52 inches below the average. The surface dried off slowly, and the cool weather FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 109 was more favorable for small grain than for the rapid germination and growth of the belated corn. Good progress was made in replanting the washed out corn fields and in cultivating the early planted corn on the dry upland. Seasonable temperature about the close of the month caused a marked improvement in the appearance and prospects of this important staple and in size and color it was much nearer the normal condition than was deemed possible at the outset. Clover-cutting was begun near the middle of the month and haymaking was quite general at the close, the output being above the average. July was characterized by frequent and sudden alternations from high to low temperatures. The daily mean for the month was about ?*= below normal the first decade being unusually warm the second decade unseasonably cool and the third decade bringing the two extremes of temperature. The average rainfall for the State, 4.83 inches, was .91 of an inch above the July normal. The distribution was very unequal, the average of the northern section being 6.49, the central section 5.28, and the southern section 2.73 inches. The heaviest amounts of rainfall were reported at stations in the northeast district. The most destruc- tive storm of the month occurred on the afternoon of the 20th. sweeping across the state on a direct line from Lyon and Osceola southward to Adams, Taylor and Ringgold its pathway varying in width from one to eight miles. At numerous points along this line the storm was accompanied by high winds and very heavy hail, causing almost total loss of growing crops within an area of more than three hundred square miles. In portions of the southern section droughty conditions prevailed for many days, causing some detriment to growing crops; but the clos- ing week brought generous showers. On the whole the month was favorable to haymaking and harvesting of wheat, oats, barley and rye. The hay crop proved to be one of the best ever produced in the State, and the greater part of it was secured in excellent condition. "Wheat 'and oats were generally harvested in good condition, but on account of the rust and blight the yield has been disappointing, though the quality of the grain will be greatly superior to the output of last year. ' The corn crop made fairly good progress during the month, though the tem- perature was somewhat unfavorable about half of the time. The early planted portion of the crop reached the earing stage while the late planted corn was generally small and unpromising. The outlook for the crop as a whole was not encouraging at the close of July. August was cooler than usual, with a large excess of rainfall, hu- midity and cloudiness. TJtie mean temperature was 3.1° below normal, and the average rainfall, 6,64 inches, was 3.43 inches above normal. The southern section received the larger amount, an average of 8.74 inches, the bulk of it falling in the last week of the month (State Fair week). It was the wettest August of which we have records for the State, There were nineteen cloudy or partly cloudy days. During the fair weather periods considerable progress was made in threshing and other farm operations. Haymaking was continued throughout the month, when the weather permitted, securing a large amount of after- math, wild hay, and second crop of clover for seed and fodder. More 110 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. than the usual amount of plowing was done, with generally favorable conditions of soil for this work. Threshing returns indicated generally light and unsatisfactory yield of wheat, oats and barley; the yield of timothy seed has been unusually heavy. The development of the corn crop was all that could be expected under the prevalent weather condi- tions. At the close of the month the early planted corn, about forty per cent of the whole area, had reached the roasting ear stage, or a little beyond, giving promise of reaching maturity within twenty days, unde^ favorable conditions. The balance of the crop was in various stages of growth, indicating need of very good ripening weather for a full month or more to place the bulk of it beyond danger of harm or frost. The outlook for the crop as a whole was at that tim-e unsatisfactry. The late potato crop made fair growth in dry and sandy soil, but there were reports of damage by rot in many localities. The crop of early and fall apples gave good returns, especially in the northern half of the State; but winter apples were unpromising. Pasturage made a heavy growth, giving assurance of abundant fall feed for stock. September was cooler than usual, the mean temperature being 3.4^ below normal. Frosts occurred at numerous stations on the 16th. 17th. 18th, 24th and 27th, but little damage resulted to corn and other crops, except in limited areas on low ground. The main detriment caused by the cold and frosty period was the delay in bringing belated corn to full ma- turity. The period of most unfavorable weather and heaviest rainfall was from the 4th to the 16th. In the last half of the month there were about twelve days of ideal weather for maturing crops, harvesting, thresh- ing and plowing. During this time corn made very good progress, and at the close of the month fully 80 per cen^; of tlie crop was well matured, the balance requiring two weeks of frostless weather and generally favorable conditions to make it safe. There was but little expectation of bringing all of the belated portion of the crop to maturity, as some of it was green and soft at the close of September. A considerable amount of the early corn was cut and put into shock after the first appearance of frost. Fall pasturage was never better, and seldom as good at this time of year. Fair progress was ihade in harvesting the minor crops, and a good deal of second crop hay was secured. Fall plowing was well advanced, much more than the usual acreage having been done with the soil in excellent condition. The potato harvest showed a very light yield, and much dam- aged by rotting. The fall apple crop was fair, but winter apples were inferior in size and quality. On the whole September was a fairly satis- factory month, though below in temperature and sunshine. The adverse features of the month were the natural sequence of the preceding abnor- mal spring and summer. October was an ideal autumn month. The mean temperature was slightly above and the rainfall below the normal, and the percentage of sunshine was higher than usual. The bulk of the rainfall came in the first seven days, and generally with but little disturbance of the elements. No trace of snow was reported during the month. The first general kill- ing frost occurred on the 18th, at which time there was practically very little of value exposed to damage by freezing temperature. The greater FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. Ill portion of the late planted corn was fairly well matured before the middle of the month. Reports were received of very many fields planted as late as June 15th which were well ripened by October 10th. The amount of fall plowing in the State at large was much greater than in recent years. A limited acreage of fall wheat and rye was sown, and the conditions were favorable for germination and growth, insuring a good stand. The fall pasturage was never better, being very green and succulent at the close of October. The dry weather was favorable to harvesting potatoes, apples, and all the late maturing crops. The potato crop was generally light, with considerable damage by rot, though some localities report a fair yield. The yield of winter apples was much below the average. Forage crops- and {garden truck made excellent yields. As a whole Octo- ber was a remarkably fine month, making an exceptional record in view of the adverse weather conditions of the preceding months. November was unusually dry and seasonably warm, with less than the average amount of atmospheric disturbance. Conditions were favor- able for farm operations, and excellent progress was made in cribbing the corn crop. The cobs contained more than the usual amount of mois- ture, but the dry weather and freezing temperature prevented damage by heating in the cribs. The small acreage of fall wheat and rye suffered no material injury from dry weather and freezing. The weather was highly favorable for stock feeding and pastures afforded good feed throughout the month. The supply of water for stock was ample for the winter. On the whole the crop season of 1903 was materially better than the preceding season, the quality of the output of the soil being much superior. The forage crops have been exceptionally heavy, and the fall months were favorable for securing the full benefit of the abundant yield of pasturage and fodder. There is much cause for congratulation and thankfulness that, under such unusual conditions, the yield of all staple crops has been sufficient to afford a liberal reward for the labor of the tillers of the soil of this most fertile State. CROP REPORT, JUNE 1, 1903. Reports of the regular crop correspondents of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service, made June 1st. have been received and tabulated for the State at large. The showing as to the acreage, as compared with last year is somewhat better than we had reason to expect in view of the adverse weather conditions and saturated state of the soil in the seeding and planting season. The county reports were generally mailed about the 27th to 30th of June, when the conditions were at their worst for the formation of a fair estimate as to the status of the crops. The percentage of the acreage of the staples are as follows, the figure 100 representing the area of last year: Winter wheat, 83 per cent; spring wheat, 85; oats. 92; barley. 90; rye, 88; meadows. 101; potatoes. 94; flax, 87. 112 IOWA DEPARTxMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Conditions of Crops and Fruit. — Winter wheat, 96; spring wheat, 93; corn already planted, 75; oats, 93; barley, 96; rye, 94; meadows, 109; pastures, 107; flax, 84; potatoes, 91; apples, 70; plums, 35; peaches, 40; cherries, 35; grapes, 70; strawberries, 90; blackberries, 92; rasp- berries, 85. Live Stock. — Cattle, 99; sheep, 99; hogs, 98; spring pigs, 89; horses, 96; foals, 95. Last year at corresponding date conditions were rated as follows: Corn, 97 per cent; wheat, 99; oats, 98; barley, 100; rye, 99; flax, 98; potatoes, 103; meadows, 96; apples, 70; plums, 72; cherries 70; grapes, 72; strawberries, 80; raspberries, 71; blackberries, 67. CROP REPORT, JULY 1, 1903. Reports from county and township crop reporters for July 1st have been tabulated, showing the following percentages of condition: Spring wheat, 88 per cent; corn, 77; cats, 87; barley, 89; rye, 98; flax, 85; meadows, 104; pastures, 107; potatoes, 96; apples, 70; plums, 49; grapes, 78. Last year at corresponding date the percentages were as follows: Wheat, 97; corn, 92; oats, 95; rye, 98; barley, 97; flax, 99; potatoes, 108; meadows, 99; pastures, 107; apples, 65; grapes, 65. A revised estimate of the area of corn planted this year shows 87 per cent, or an average decrease of 13 per cent, compared with the area planted in 1902. CROP REPORT, AUGUST 1, 1903. Reports from township and county crop correspondents of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service have been tabulated, showing the following estimates of the condition of the staple crops on August 1, 1903: Spring wheat, 82 per cent; corn, 73; oats, 77; millet, 96; flax, 8«; buckwheat, 89; pastures, 104; sorghum, 84; potatoes, 80; apples, 65; grapes, 80. At corresponding date last year the estimates were as follows: Spring wheat, 84; corn, 93; oats, 83; flax. 91; potatoes, 107; apples. 66. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. 113 IOWA CROPS— FINAL REPORT, 1903. WBRAGE YIELD PER ACRE; TOTALS FOR THE STATE; CURRENT FARM PRICES, DECEMBER 1, 1903. Following is a summary of crop reports from correspondents of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service, showing the average yield per acre and totals of staple soil products, and the average prices at the farnts or nearest stations December 1, 1903. In this showing of the value of the season's output of grain, forage, etc., no reckoning is made of the increment in value gained by consumption of soil products on the farms in the production of beef, pork, mutton, horses, butter, poultry, eggs, etc. Usually the prices obtainable for ^he crops at the close of the season do not express more than two thirds of the actual value of the staple products of the soil. The Corn Crop. — In estimating the output of this crop the most difficult problem is to determine the extent of loss of acreage caused by floods and adverse weather conditions in the season of planting and cultivating. As a result of inquiry and careful computation it appears that the corn area actually cultivated and harvested this season is ap- proximately 7,398,320 acres. The returns of township assessors show that the area planted in 1902 was 8,925,068 acres, and by comparison it is shown that the reduction this season amounted to about 1,526,748 acres. The average yield per acre for the State this year was 31 bush- els, and the aggregate product is estimated at 230,511,310 bushels. The average farm price on December 1st was 36 cents per bushel, making the aggregate value $82,984,071. Last year the product was much inferior in quality though much larger in amount, and the value was computed at $83,000,000. The yearly average for thirteen years has _been .569,633,000. In respect to quality of the grain and actual commercial value, the corn crop of this season is fully 20 per cent better than the output of 1902. Wheat. — Winter wheat acreage harvested 84,934 acres; yield per acre, 16.9 bushels; total yield, 1,435,380 bushels; average price 70 cents per bushel; total value, $1,004,706. Spring wheat area harvested, 752,488 acres; average yield 12.6 bushels per acre; total product, 9,481,350 bush- els; price per bushel, 65 cents; total value, $6,162,877. Aggregate value of wheat, $7,167,643. Last year the value was $7,062,640. Average yearly value for past thirteen years, $10,524,000. Oats. — The oats crop this season has been below the averag? in yield per acre and weight per bushel, as a result of adverse conditions. The area harvested was 3,822,882 acres; average yield, 25.9 bushels per 8 114 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. acre; total product, 99,012,660 bushels; aggregate value, at 30 cenis pe!- bushel, $29,703,798. Last season the product was 92,907,000 bushels, valued at $22,907. The average yearly output for thirteen years has been 117.318,000 bushels, and the value $25,420,000. Barley. — ^Area harvested, 493,108 acres; yield per acre, 24.7 bushels; to'al product, 12,179.790 bushels; average price. 37 cents per bushel; lo^al value, $4,506,522. The yield and value are about the thirteen-year average. Ryej. — Area harvested, 123,273 acres; average yield, 15.6 bushels per aero; total product 1,923,060 bushels; current price. 44 cents per bushel; total value, $846,146. Flax. — Area harvested, 40,823 acres; yield per acre, 8.7 bushels, total yield, 355,160 bushels; current farm price, 78 cents per bushel; total value. $277,024. Potatop:.s. — Area harvested, 113,433 acres; average yield, 5.38 bushels per acre; total product, 6,082,694 bushels; average farm price, 75 cents per bushel; value of product, $4,562,020. The total yield is about half the thirteen-year average; total value about the average of the l.hirleen- year period. Hay. — (Tam.e). Average yield per acre. 1.9 tons; total product. 5,216,404 tons; current farm price, $5.75 per ton; total value of crop. $29,994,323. Hay.— (Wild). Yield per acre, 1.3 tons; total product. 1,191.345 tons; average price, $4.96. per ton; total value, $5,897,157. The hay crop as a whole (tame and wild) is nearly 900,000 tons in excessi of the thirteen-year average. Pasturage. — This most important soil product has been at its best in the recent wet seasons, when the cereal crops have suffered much detri- ment from excessive moisture. It is not measurable by the ton or bushel, and its value can only be estimated approximately by consider- ing it as the basis of stock growing and dairying. From this point of view it will be a conservative estimate to figure the output of pastures and all other grazing lands at an average of $300 per farm. This makes a total value of $68,000,000 for the State. Corn fodder in shock and fields is worth at least $10,000,000. Sorghum broom com and sweet potatoes are worth about $750,000. TABULATED CROP SUMMARY, Crops. Total Products. Farm Values December 1. Corn Wheat 230,511,310 bus. 10, 916 730 bus. 99,012,660 bus. 12, 179, 790 bus. 1,928,060 bus. 355, 160 bus. 6,082,694 bus. 5. 216, 404 ton?. 1,191, 345 tons. $ 82,984,071 7, 167, 648 29,703,798 4,506,522 846 146 Oats Barley. Rye Flax 277 024 Potatoes Hay (tame) Hay (wild) 4,562,020 29,994,323 5 897 157 Pasturage (estimated) 68,000,000 1 225,000 Timothy and clover seed Corn fodder 10,000,000 750,000 Sorghum, broom corn and sweet potatoes Fruits and vegetables 10,500,000 Total value .$ 258, 413, 704 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 115 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 117 aod suox 03 2 o o jad suoj, OT5 aaoB aad ■QSOK aad spqstig ajoB aad siaqstig SI aaoB aad spqsng O cTj •aiOB jad spqsng ■djiye J9d spqsng 'OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQQOOOOOQOOpOOQOOOOO r-l CI — C ,-1 IM fs 5^j »n >o lO - iiOiO«>f3iOO-^»n»OCO>0 0000«0'«-*0 OOOOOOOC) '-:iO O ^OOOOOOOOOOOQOOOOQQOOOO -tiait-o»5-*cD!C<:ffOcooc»ecooo-.«£i oi^c^i 05 w C>f<>f 30-^— ^OOodoi'-^— <"^-^OOC^^C^oI^-^-^ OCDCa ^— Too lOa -T^» O »f5 OOt-" CQ L- — O >OQ0Ot-O'OC7iO00C>C>C5OOa)i0X>O3i'-D»0OOOOXCDO0000OClOa0O ^ ^ oi .-• c>i -H — i oj — «' c« ■?! 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Oi c^j >rj 00 00 o 'I' l^ 00 :^^ O t- 1- t- OC t- 00 05 Oi -«1< w. -* o t- •— — CO 00 — t- CO -q- 00 ajoB aad s^aqsna >eooococMeocMCOcoc C • o c C ;- cc O CO i; PM a.'i' c aJ'r a ^ =-« 3 Js"^ ^ ^ > a ■r S g c:S c s FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II, 119 HI )»t-OOOOOiOSrHCCOQOO^ :§ 1^5 > CO 05 C'i lO O) I r-c I 15 »ooowooioci-^io»n>o®ifl-*:ocQira«oioo>oicioi«u3u30 X t- ■* CJ t~ X 55 -o CO 30 :c lO 00 X X c^i -r c; lO ro -K CM t- 1- :c CM -^ o x<»ooci:co-t-ox — r;t~-^-^-t'ooa-. ■^iom«:cx»0'^ >*< Xt-OXOO-CiCr.OOt-OOOXXt-OOOXCMOOOOOOj 1 ^ ^ ^ cvi ^ -^ ci CM c-j -^ CM ?i -H c^i c^i oi o i r-i r-. r-; c^i -<■ ci c>i — > ?1 ?i cm | • '^ )0 . «5 i?5 <£ 00 Ol )50CMlO--O.- 00000000C50 0 000O0OOOO0 . -» 7i s: »o o o X Ti lO 05 ^ m i^»ocooi I- -^ i~ i3 :c ui -I' — cc T CM -T -T f ^ >.T r.t M ;c ?o CM ooooiooo'MOomosMOO'^icvioro-^oioiraoowifso S tCXCMCMJOCM XXOOJT-IOO 30Qc:>000000000000 8'»CCCMC>i'-ltDC^iXOl-'fflM-T1 ?C ■«< r-H CC I- -H 35 OM -ICM C<»— — t-r-lOO ?5 i.;iO oooooo it-CM -^l-OCOOlr-i •CXCMCMOC^lOOQOin— iXSCOCMCi— • 7 < CM CVI CM 2 C^ ! CM CM CM r-i C J 't'O • to CO CD O O "^If 71 TO • CM OM CM CO CO Ci OOlO-^XlCCSOOOOOCMCMC-iCOXCfi^mCMXOlO •■«oooo 1 1- CM -f< CO I jOt-CiX •CO •— CM-» ^1 : CO— ICMCMIOCJCOC:COCCCOCM-^CO Oi -IM-X-ti •irSCiJOCMO^kO S : 3 _' 20,360 12,120 1,300 13,020 ■5; ico- ■■■70,810 44, 160 50, 140 24,200 27, 180 2,370 ^'0 : in X : i isSJiSi-!; ;r^ : ;- :22S2Sg2t2 : oox I 1T9 C^»CM^C33COCDOO — OXOXOXXt-C^JlOOOOCCCO-^^ I —• u0t--O_U3CiC0-«*3roorirt"oococM'crii:rco'cc'c^rt>r?D'oco'"x'"x'"»t>^— ' -^" oocMcsooscoi eooso-HCQinco — cMCM»rs — oiiotc-HSi'ffliocD I — Xt->O05C-t-— lt-'*fT--r^'"i--r,-HC>rcM— rc'i' CM'c'jr- Trt' o xoo?oo«ojif?io«D— lCMCOCnc<3COCO-MCO^COJ^COCOOJC^jC>jrTCOCCOJCMCMCO( Is UU I = s °1 ? = 11-1 i « s s &-S-S-S ? s-= APPENDIX. IOWA CLIMATE AND CROPS, Climatic Data Compiled from all Available Records, and Statistics of the Soil Products of the State. PREFATORY NOTES. In response to a constantly increasing public demand for climatic data and statistics of farm products, the following pages have been appended to this report. In this age of intensive scientific investigation and far-reaching statistical inquiry the matter herein presented is of vital interest to students of climatology, producers and consumers of foodstuffs, and men of affairs who direct the operations of our complex industrial and commercial system. Meteorological records have been made at stations of observation well distributed throughout the state, and cover sufficient periods of time to illustrate fairly the general characteristics and permanent conditions of the climate of Iowa, and the statistics of farm crops afford ample proof of the marvelous productivity of its soil. To answer questions being the special purpose of this compilation of data, the tables of climatic means and crop averages and totals have been placed in convenient form for reference and comparison. In the systematic collection of climatic data the medical department of the United States army took the initiative in the early part of the last cen- tury. The surgeons or hospital stewards at all military posts were directed to keep a diary of the weather, and to note everything of importance relating to the climate. And the records made in pursuance of this gen- eral order afford all the accurate knowledge we have of the climate of the northwest in the years antedating the general settlement of the country . Observations were made and recorded at Council Bluffs military post in 1820-25; at Fort Armstrong (Rock Island) , in 1824-35; at Fort Des Moines in 1843-46; at Fort Atkinson in 1844-46; and at Fort Dodge in 1851-53. These somewhat fragmentary records have a special value as evidence of the fact that the climate of this region has been practically permanent for more than three-quarters of the past century. To the late Prof. Theodore S. Parvin belongs the honor of being the Dioneer voluntary meteorological observer of this state. His service in that (121) 122 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. line was begun at Muscatine in Jannary, 1839, and continued at that place until 186 J. , After his removal in the latter year to Iowa City to accept a professorship in the state university, his observations were resumed and continued until 1873, when the service was transferred to Dr. Gustavus Hin- richs, who began the organization of the Iowa weather service. » The records made by Professor Parvin, covering a third of a century, were used by him in the preparation of articles on the climate of Iowa, contributed to various scientific publications, rendering valuable service by setting forth the climatic advantages of this then comparatively unknown and sparsely settled region. At Muscatine the observations were continued by the Rev. John Qfiford and J. P. Walton, making a consecutive record of more than fifty years, of much public value. In 1849 the Smithsonian Institution, aided by the general government, established stations of observation in all parts of the Union, wherever ama- teurs of science could be found to serve as voluntary observers. An issue of instruments was made to observers, and about twenty fairly well equipped stations were established in Iowa. The records of mean temperature and precipitation are to be found in the voluminous reports of that institution. The first attempt to predict the course of general storm movements in the United States was made previously to 1850 by the Smithsonian Institution, which secured telegraphic reports upon temperature, atmospheric pressure and rainfall from a number of stations east of the Missouri river. This was the inception of the system of daily weather forecasting which has become so popular and useful to the public. Upon the foundation thus prepared by series of observations covering a period of fifty years, the structure of the National Weather Bureau was erected by the general government in 1870. In Iowa five regular and fully equipped stations have been established by the government, as follows: At Davenport in 1872; at Keokuk and Dubuque in 1873; at Des Moines in 1878, and at Sioux City in 1889. The Iowa weather Service was organized in 1874, the special object being to collect climatic data from a much larger number of stations than were provided for by the national service. In 1878 the general assembly made an appropriation to defray a portion of the expense of the state service, and named Dr. Hinrichs as director. In 1890 the service was re-organized and made co-operative with the National Weather Bureau, and its scope was enlarged by providing for the collection and tabulation of statistics of the acreage and yield of staple farm crops in addition to the climatic records. By this system of co-operation it is be- lieved, the state is recipient of a much larger measure of benefits than might be secured by the independent operation of either the national or state service. Climatology is properly included as a branch of physical geography, cor- related to geology; and, therefore, as a fitting prelude to the study of climate and crops, the following paper on "The Physiography of Iowa" has been gen- erously contributed by Prof. Samuel Calvin, chief of the state geological department.^ In this most excellent paper we have a clear presentation of some of the results of surveys and studies made by the able scientists of the geological corps. The foundations of agricultural empire appear to have been laid deeply and securely in this central valley during the far distant FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 123 glacial epoch, when the ponderous ice mills were grinding the primeval rocks, ' 'slowly but exceeding fine, " to provide a covering of drift as the bed of the richest deposits of soi! found 0:1 earth. PHYSIOGRAPHY OF IOWA, By Prof. Samuel Calvin, State Geologist. General Statement . —\\. would neera that a very short chapter ought to be sufficient to include all that can be said concerning the physical features of Iowa; for the state is simply an extensive plain— over large areas a very monotonous plain — lying between the great rivers and rising but little above them at any point. The relief is small. The zero point on the river gauge at Keokuk has an elevation above tide of 477 feet; the elevation of Sibley, the highest important railway station in Iowa, is 1,572 feet. It is possible that Ocheyedan mound or some of the morainic prominences in Osceola county rises 100 feet higher than Sibley, but even then there is less than 1,200 feet of diflference between the lowest and the highest points in the state. One hundred feet is gained at once by ascending the bluflfs at Keokuk and passing on to the upland a short distance northwest of the city, and so there is left but about 1,100 feet as the sum of all the variations in level occurring over the general surface of the whole great state of Iowa. There are stretches, many miles in extent, so monotonously level that differences in altitude are scarcely perceptible. TOPOGRAPHY. Larger Features. — Looking at the state as a whole there are a few con- spicuous topographic features worthy of special note. On the eastern border the Mississippi flows in a gorge which, at New Albin and Lansing, measured from the summit of the bluffs facing the valley, is 400 feet in depth. From the level of the divides a short distance back in the interior, the depth exceeds 600 feet, an amount equal to more than half the sum of all the variations in altitude encountered in the entire state. The depth of the Mis- sissippi gorge diminishes toward the south. Instead of measuring from 600 to 700 feet between the flood plain and the higher levels as in the northeastern corner of the state, there is a difference in altitude between Dubuque and the upland at Peosta of only 430 feet; between Davenport and Walcott the difference is 190 leet; between Keokuk and New Boston, 140 feet. Further- more the valley is a curious patchwork of newer and older parts. At New Albin, Clinton and Burlington the valley is old, wide and deeply filled with mud. It is comparatively young at Dubuque, and younger still at Le Claire. Twice at least in the course of recent geological history the great stream has been forced to abandon parts of its old valley and cut several miles of chan- nel relatively new. The narrow, rock-bottom gorge above and below Le Claire is yet unfinished; adjustment of stream to valley is not yet complete. The valley of the Missouri river is very different from that of the Missis- sippi. It is bordered by a series of bluffs unique in appearance and more unique in structure, for they have been built up largely of fine dust trans- ported by the winds. The constantly shifting meanders of the stream and the great width of the level alluvial flood plain are among the striking char- acteristics of this peculiar valley. 124 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Another of the larger topographic features is the great watershed . This is the ill defined ridge which extends in a sinuous course from Dickinson county to Wayne and forms the line of parting between the waters flowing to the Mississippi on the one side and to the Missouri on the other. The watershed is in reality the southward extension of the noted ridge of the Dakotas and southwestern Minnesota, known as the Coteau des Prairies. An area somewhat greater than two-thirds of the state lies east of the water- shed; less than one-third lies on the west. In the eastern area there is a comparatively short but rather important ridge which is followed for some distance by the railway passing through Calmar, Ridgeway, Cresco and Bonair. At Bonair the altitude is more than 1,300 feet. On one side the general slope is toward the Upper Iowa and the Mississippi; on the other side the surface inclines stron8:ly toward the south- west, the inclination being continued as far as the Cedar river. The stream last named occupies the bottom of a broad trough which has the Cresco- Calmar ridge for one margin, while Wesley in Kossuth county is situated on the divide which forms the western rim. The eastern side of the trough presents the interesting anomaly of a region drained by streams which flow at an angle of but little less than 90° with the general inclination of the sur- face'. For example, the direction followed by Crane creek and the numerous branches of the Wapsipinicon is toward the southeast, but there is a much greater fall to the mile toward the southwest. The southwesterly slope of the surface is indicated by the following series of altitudes taken along a line nearly at right angles to the present drainage: Arlington, 1,113; Oelwein, 1,049; Fairbank, 1,000; Dunkerton, 945; Dewar, 889; Waterloo, 841/ In this direction, across the drainage courses, the average fall is more than seven feet to the mile. Betw£en Oelwein and Waterloo the fall per mile is exactly eight feet. In the direction of the drainage the average slope of the surface is less than four feet to the mile. That the Cedar river flows in the axis of a great trough is farther illustrated by such a series of altitudes as the following, taken along the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul rail- way: Calmar, 1,263; New Hampton, 1,169, Charles City, at the bottom of the trough, 1.014; Nora Springs, 1,070; Mason City, 1,132; Garner, 1,223; Britt, 1,235; Wesley, 1,258. Clear Lake is omitted from this last series for the reason that it is located in the morainic ridge of the Wisconsin drift and so stands above the general level of the surface sloping toward the Cedar river . Minor and More Localized Features. — On the basis of the efiFects pro- duced by the great ice .sheets of the glacial epoch, the surface of Iowa may be divided into two parts, to be known respectively as the Driftless Area and the Drift-covered Area. So far as size is concerned the driftless area is quite unimportant, for it covers only the small fraction of the state embraced in Allamakee county, and parts of Winneshiek, Fayette, Clayton, Dubuque and Jackson. But, small as it is, it presents topographic features in some respects more interesting than all the rest of the state together. As the name implies, this area was not invaded by the ice sheets of any of the stages of the glacial epoch. Its soils are largely residual, for they have resulted directly, in place, from the decay of the local limestones, sandstones and shales. Its topography is a product of erosion acting upon indurated rocks of_varying degrees of hardness and varying degrees of elevation above base FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 125 level. The driftless area is a land of thin soils, high, rocky precipices, long steep hills and deep rock-cut valleys. It is a picturesque land. The main streams have made valleys that are from 600 to 700 feet in depth, measured from the higher points to the divides. The upper Iowa— or the Oneota as it might better be called— flows between rockv bluffs which in places rise almost sheer to a height of 300 feet above the level of the water, and from their summits the surface, in many long swells and undulations, rise 300 feet higher to the tops of the dividing ridges which are back some miles from the stream. The whole surface of the driftless area has been carved into an elaborate system of branching and re-branching trenches separated by steep-sided ridges. The details of topography resulting from erosion are governed to no small extent by the geological structure of the region. The picturesque escarpments, buttresses, towers and castles which crown the bluffs and give charm to the scenery along the lower courses of the upper Iowa are due to the effects of the weathering on the hard, resistant, dolomitic formation called the Oneota limestone. We owe the impressive scenery above and below Decorah, culminating in those majestic cliffs at Bluffton, to the presence and characteristics of the Trenton limestone. The Galena lime- stone gives us the splendid castles, towers and other grand scenic effects about Dubuque. For the great Niagara escarpment, probably one of the most striking of the topographic features of the driftless area, we are indebted to another hard dolomite, the Niagara limestone. The Nia2:ara escarpment forms the steep acclivity, looking like a line of bold hills, which curves around Dubuque at a distance of six or seven miles to the west and culmi- nates toward the southwest in the high, promontory-like salient known as Table Mound. The escarpment makes up those conspicuous cliffs seen crowning the long slopes which form the walls of the valley of the little Maquoketa in the vicinity of Graf. It zigzags back and forth to accommo- date itself to the rims of numerous small valleys opening to the Mississippi, between Table Mound and Bellevue. North of Dubuque the escarpment forming Niagara expresses itself in the steep slopes of Sherrill's Mound, and in a number of other prominent and symmetrical buttes of circumdenuda- tion; and across the river, over yonder in Wisconsin, the eastern sky line is broken by another mass of Niagara, the far famed Sinsinewa. The Maquoketa shales are the most important of the slope making formations coming to the surface in the driftless area. The gently inclined and largely cultivated plain, more or less trenched by erosioQ, which lies between the summit of the precipitous bluffs of Galena limestone at Dubuque and the foot of the steep Niagara escarpment six or seven miles to the west, is due to the presence of the Maquoketa shales. At some points near Graf the slope due to the Maquoketa is less than a mile in width, and detached blocks of Niagara limestone, loosened by frosts and other agen- cies from the escarpment above, gradually creep down the inclined surface to be at last precipitated into the stream over a cliff of Galena limestone. At no points are there better illustrations of the effects of structure on topography. Here are two hard limestones separated by shale; two steep escarpments separated by cultivated slopes. Had it not been for the incursion of glaciers and the distribution of drift, the whole face of Iowa would have resembled the driftless area in many particulars. Thin soils, bare rocks, steep precipices and deep valleys would 126 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. have prevailed everywhere. The effect of the successive ice sheets which in turn covered nearly the whole of Iowa, was to tone down and conceal the preglacial, rock-carved topography by spreading over it a deep mantle of drift. The drift-covered area occupies much the larger part of the state. In this region the topography is young as compared with that of the drift- less area; it is in no way related to geological structure; its characteristic features are due partly to the manner in which the load of glacial detritus was distributed and deposited by the ice, and partly to the effects of ero- sion and other modifying influences acting on the mantle of loose materials since the glaciers disappeared. There were, however, not less than five dif- ferent episodes of ice invasion for Iowa, each of long continuance, and separated one from the other by still longer interglacial periods, from which it follows that among the different sheets of drift consequent on the suc- cessive stages of glaoiation, there are enormous differences in age. The glaciers of the later stages were not so strong and did not extend so far as those belonging to the earlier part of the glacial epoch. On many accounts it may be regarded as a fortunate circumstance that the geographical posi- tion of Iowa was so exactly related to the magnitude and movements of the later ice sheets that not less than three of them successively entered her borders and terminated by melting before advancing over more than a small fraction of her entire area. The terminal margins of these later glaciers have been mapped with a high degree of accuracy, and it turns out, for- tunately again, that the particular parts of the state which the invading lobes of the later glaciers occupied, were not twice the same. The drift- covered portion of Iowa presents four well-defined areas, each having at the surface a sheet of drift differing in age and, to some extent, in origin, from the drift of either of the others. Iq some places, as, for example, south of a line drawn through Des Moines and Iowa City, the drift is very old; in other places, as in the middle northern counties of the state, the drift is very young. The topographic features of the several glacial areas vary with their age. The older drift, which has been long exposed to the action of weathering and drainage waters, has the upper zone profoundly changed, and the whole surface has been carved into an elaborate system of drainage trenches and deep stream valleys. The withdrawal of the latest ice sheet from Iowa is an event so recent that the surface of the younger drift is yet unaltered; it has not been affected in any way; it remains precisely as the waning glaciers left it. The oldest glacial deposit known in the state does not appear at the sur- face anywhere. It is effectually covered by the drift of tbe second ice inva- sion, and is revealed only through the erosion of stream valleys and the making of artificial excavations. The second glacial invasion and the result- ing sheet of till have come to be known in geological literature as the Kan- san. The Kansan ice, flowing in this region from the northwest, covered the whole of Iowa except the small fraction belonging to the driftless area; it extended southward half way across Missouri; it spread westward into Nebraska and Kansas; eastward it joined other glaciers which radiated from centers of accumulation into Labrador, and so formed a continuous sea of ice reaching from central Nebraska to the Atlantic ocean. Outside of the comparatively small areas occupied by the younger sheets of till, the Kansan drift gives character to the surface of Iowa. The topography of the Kansan FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 12 < has been developed by erosion of the drift mantle. Valleys have been cut in the loose glacial clays to depths ranging from eighty to two hundred feet. The great age of the Kansan valleys is further indicated by the fact that they are broadly U-shaped, and their sloping sides are trenched by numerous lateral channels which branch and re-branch repeatedly until traced to their origin in a multitude of minute twigs up on the divides. The whole surface has been carved and shaped by flowing water and developed into an intri- cate system of rounded hills and ridges separated by steep-sided ravines. (PI. I, Fig. 1.) Every foot of the surface is thoroughly drained. While the Kansan areas everywhere present the same fundamental type of topog- raphy, the erosional features are probably most strikingly developed in the counties drained bv the forks of the Grand. Nodaway, Nishnabotna and other rivers of southwestern Iowa. It is a wholly dififerent type of topography from that noted above, that is seen between Wilton and Walcott, around Morning Sun and Mediapolis, between West Burlington and New London. These points all lie in an area of drift which rests upon and overlaps the weathered and eroded surface of the Kansan. An ice sheet having its origin in the Lauren tian highlands south of Hudson Bay, flowed outward until it crossed Illinois and pushed over for a short distance into Iowa. This was the Illinoian stage of glacia- tion, and the detritus left on the surface when the ice melted is the Illinoian drift. The Illinoian drift is more or less trenched around its edges; near the larger river valleys, as between Walcott and Davenport, it has been carved by erosion so as to develop young, narrow and steeply graded ravines. But over the greater part of its area the surface is unchanged; the topographic features are due, not to the carving effect of drainage waters, but to the leveling and moulding influences of glacier ice. The drift of this small area in southeastern Iowa is young as compared with the Kansan. The flow of the Illinoian ice across the Mississippi river into Iowa is responsible for another interesting bit of topography. Nichols is located in the midst of a level undrained area, the bed of an extinct lake. The Illinoian ice choked up the channel of the Mississippi from the mouth of the Wapsi- pinicon to the mouth of the Des Moines, and the waters of the great stream were diverted around the glacier front. . Southward from West Liberty and Atalissa there was a low, wide basin which was hemmed in on one side by the high bluffs seen a mile or two west of Nichols, and on the other side by the thick margin of the Illinoian ice. The waters were ponded in this basin and formed an extensive glacial lake in which sediments composed of mud, sand and gravel accumulated. When the ice melted and the Mississippi returned nearly to its old course, the lake was drained, but the level floor of sedimentary deposits remains to bear testimony to former conditions. Lake Calvin, the name given to this ancient body of water, has been mapped and described by Udden; the level floor of the old Illinoian glacial basin attracts the attention of all observant travelers between West Liberty and Columbus Junction. Embracing Buchanan, Black Hawk, Bremer, Chickasaw, Mitchell and a number of the other counties in northeastern Iowa, is an area of what is known to geologists as the lowan drift. The evidences of newness, of youth, are much more strongly marked in the lowan than in the Illinoian drift. There has been no alteration of the till and practically no erosion of 128 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the surface anywhere since the lowan glaciers retreated from the state. It is true that, in places, the surface is more or less undulating and irregular, but such inequalities as do exist were brought about by the erratic and dis- orderly way in which the transported materials were distributed at the time the ice disappeared. Prior to the general occupation of the region by the white man, there were extensive undrained sloughs covering a large percent- age of the entire area. The rivers of the lowan region illustrate in an ideal way the characteristics of young streams. They have cut no valleys; they simply flow in narrow, shallow trenches at the level of the drift plain. The minor drainage courses are very largely broad sags in which there is not, as yet, even the beginning of a definite stream channel. Cultivation and artificial drainage have wrought greater changes in the surface, in the last score or two of years, than had been accomplished in all the preceding centuries since the lowan stage came to a close. Large granite bowlders ranging up to thirty, forty, or even fifty feet in diameter, are characteristic features of the lowan area. The outer margin of the lowan plain is usually quite sharply defined by a thickened ridge of the fine silt-like clay called loess. (PI. I, Fig. 2.) From the summit of such a marginal ridge the observer looks outward upon the billowy and deeply eroded surface of the older Kansan (PI. I, Fig. 1); in the other direction the young, uneroded lowan plain extends away to the horizon, as level as the surface of the sea. (PI. I, Fig. 3.) Younger than the lowan is the Wisconsin drift, which, so far as our own state is concerned, covers an area nearly triangular in shape. The base of the triangle, where the comparatively narrow ice lobe crossed from Min- nesota to Iowa, extends from Worth county to Osceola; the apex is at Des Moines. Through the western part of Worth, Cerro Gordo, Franklin and Hardin counties the edge of the Wisconsin drift overlaps the lowan; the apex of the Wisconsin lobe rests at Des Moines on the older Kansan. The Wisconsin area is in general a level ill-drained plain. The traveler may go for scores of miles without seeing a definite drainage trench so much as a foot in width or depth. Saucer-shaped depressions or "kettle holes,' varying from a rod or two, to an eighth or a quarter of a mile in diameter are common features of the Wisconsin plain. The Wisconsin, more than any of its predecessors, was a moraine form ing ice sheet. Part of the transported materials was piled up around the margin of the lobe in a bewildering series of disorderly hills or knobs, vary ing from eighty to one hundred and fiftyl feet in height. A well char acterized belt of lawlessly heaped up morainic knobs six to ten miles wide, extends from the north line of Worth county to the south line of Cerro Gordo, from which point southward the knobby character of the Wisconsin margin becomes less pronounced. Pilot Knob, near the northeastern corner of Hancock, is the most noted and the most prominent of these great morainic heaps of drift. The marginal moraine is well developed at many points along the western edge of the Wisconsin lobe. It forms a belt of more or less prominent hillocks and knobs passmg through Osceola, Clay, Buena Vista, Sac and Carroll counties. As on the eastern margin, the morainic characters gradually fade out toward the south. While the Wis- consin ice lobe was slowly melting and disappearing from the state, the retreating margin halted at intervals for periods long enough to pile up con- FIG. 2 130 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. spicuous recessional moraines; and so areas of knobby drift of considerable extent are distributed in the Wisconsin area at varying distances from the outermost margin. Recessional moraines are especially well developed in Palo Alto, Emmet and Dickinson counties. Intimately related to the subject of Wisconsin moraines are the many charming lakes of Iowa. There are no lakes worthy of note in the Kansan, Illinoian or lowan areas. All our lakes are of Wisconsin age, and most of them occupy basins in the irregularly piled morainic ridges. Indeed it was the very lawlessness accompanying the deposition of the morainic materials that left the enclosed basins in which imprisoned waters might accumulate. Clear Lake lies in such a basin in the eastern moraine, surrounded by promi- nent constructional hills and knobg. Spirit Lake, the Okobojis and a num- ber of beautiful but less important sheets of water in the same part of the state, are all located in an extensive morainic belt belonging to the reces- sional series. The beauty and charm of all these delightful bodies of water are greatly enhanced by the eccentricities of distribution, and the ever vary- ing curves and slopes and outlines, of the surrounding morainic knobs. Among the interesting, though rather inconspicuous topographic fea- tures of the lake region are the walls, embankments and causeways which coincide in position and direction with lake margins, and often present the deceptive appearance of railway grades or other artificial structures. So common are these that they may be expected to occur somewhere, in some form, along the margin of every considerable sheet of water in northern Iowa. The conspicuous ridge of sand, gravel and bowlders lying along the lake shore in front of the Assembly grounds at Clear lake, must be familiar to every visitor. When this marginal feature of our northern lakes assumes the form of a rude wall of cobbles and bowlders, it seems to be capable of taking a stronger hold on popular attention and popular imagination. Hence it is that our Walled Lakes have long been famous, descriptions of them occupying column after column in newspaper and magazine, while other lakes bordered by embankments of plain sand and clay, though equally as interesting and instructive, equally as worthy of investigation and comment, have suffered the neglect and inattention that usually falls to modest, unobtrusive merit. These marginal ridges and walls, along the shores of northern lakes with shallow basins, have been heaped up by the expansion of ice in winter. In our severe climate, particularly if the snowfall be not great, quite an ex- tent of shoal water near the shore freezes to the bottom . Indeed the effects of freezing go deeper than the water, and bottom sands and clays and bowl- ders become a part of the frozen sheet. The alternations of temperature, such as take place between colder and warmer days or between noon and midnight, affect the volume of the ice in such wise that from day to day it expands and is thrust shoreward with tremendous energy. The resist- ance is least on the low, gradually sloping shores, and here the move- ments are most pronounced. The marginal ice, with all the materials frozen in its lower surface, is shoved up on the slope, and stones and earth are left as a contribution to the growing ridge or wall when melting takes place in the following spring. The process has been going on for cen- turies, and where the conditions have been most favorable, the results are somev/hat surprising. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. l3l The curious peaks and knobs of the wind-drift topography, developed on the bluffs facing the Missouri river, need only be mentioned. There is here a perpetual contest between erosion and construction, which has resulted in many erratic forms. This type of land surface is best seen in Iowa in a nar- row belt extending from Sioux City to Hamburg. . DRAINAGE. The rivers of Iowa fall naturally into two systems — the Mississippi system and the Missouri system. The headwaters of the two systems are separated by the great divide. The Upper Iowa, or Oneota. has a more than usually distinct drainage basin, for in its upper courses it is separated from the other rivers of the eastern slope by the Cresco-Calmar ridge. Looking at the irivers of the state as a whole, there are only a few points deservinjij special mention. The streams and stream valleys of the driftless area are unique. They are comparatively old. The waters began working on their present channels before the beginning of the earliest glacial stage. The valleys, in places ten or fifteen miles in width from crest to crest of the divides, have been cut to depths of 500, 600, or even 700 feet. Near their mouths the process of down-cutting, or corrasion, has brought the streams to base level, and the walls of the valleys have receded so as to give broad alluvial flood plains covered with what is probably the most productive soil in this great fertile state. In the upper courses of the streams of the driftless area, and in all the smaller tributaries , the gradients of the valleys are steeper , flood plains are absent, adjustments are not yet perfect. In some portions of this area the minor drainage is largely underground, a fact well demonstrated by the numerous springs which pour out copious volumes of water along the hill- sides and the steep river bluffs. In the area of the Kansan drift, water-cut channels have been developed everywhere, and practically every foot of the surface is thoroughly drained. None of the basins and sags which must have been present in the original surface of the Kansan drift have been left undivided. The whole area of this drift sheet, where not concealed by younger deposits, is characterized by a miniature type of mature erosional topography; but surface drainage has worked to best effect on the shorter and steeper slope west of the great divide. Here the river valleys are deeper and wider, and the numerously branched lateral channels have cut back and become deeply entrenched in the higher plateaus. The rivers of the lowan area have done but little work since they began to flow in their present courses. Lateral drainage is not well developed; there are large areas in which the surface remains just as it was left by the glaciers; not a little of this surface is yet without effective means for getting rid of the sur- plus storm waters. On the east slope of the great Cedar valley trough the several streams drain areas which are remarkably narrow in proportion to their length. Apart from the branches of the Des Moines river, there are no important streams in the area of the young Wisconsin drift. Over the greater part of the Wisconsin plain even the rudiments and beginnings of effective drainage have not yet been established. The physical features of Iowa are conspicuously lacking in the rugged and impressive types which characterize many of the states. The relief forms are relatively tame. The scale on which they are designed is an exceedingly modest one. What is lost in the matter of bold and massive 132 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. grandeur, however, is more than compensated for in the quiet charm of our rock-walled river valleys and other erosion forms of the driftless area; in the beauty of our clear crystal lakes nestling among morainic hills; in the hope and joy inspired by fertile plains loaded with bounteous harvests and stretching on in endless vistas to the far horizon; in all the evidences of peace, comfort, intelligence, wealth and prosperity which everywhere abound within our borders. The uniformity of the surface of our state, and the physical agencies which produced this uniformity, are to be reckoned among the fundamental causes of Iowa's marvelous succe.-s, a success which states of more rugged topographic forms could not possibly attain. But a full discussion of the causes of the physical features of Iowa, and their consequences in connection with the progress and development of her people, while making an interesting chapter, would make one too long for our present purpose. IOWA CLIMATE AND CROPS. Iowa easily holds the foremost place among agricultural states. Statis- tics of its soil products and live stock industry justify this claim, and a care- ful study of climatic records and vast resources of soil fertility will reveal the cause of its primacy in agriculture. Its location within the greatest corn- producing area in this country or the world is especially favorable. In fact, it may be claimed without exaggeration that Iowa constitutes the most pro- ductive portion of the far-famed corn belt of America; the statistical records of the past thirteen years will sustain it. The distinctive feature of this state is the fact that about 95 per cent of its area may be made to produce some- thing of value. And fully 90 per cent of its surface is exceedingly rich in the elements of plant growth. In a paper entitled "What Glaciers have done for Iowa," Professor Calvin wrote as follows concerning the value of its soils: The soils of Iowa have a value equal to all the gold and silver mines of the world combined. In fact it is difficult to find sources of wealth with which our soils may properly be compared. And for all this rich heritage of soils we are indebted to great rivers of ice that overflowed Iowa from the north and northwest. Tr.e glaciers in their long journey ground up the rocks over which they moved and mingled the fresh rock flour, derived from granites and other crystalline rocks of Brit'sh America and northern Minne- sota with pulverized limestones and shales of more southern regions, and used these rich materials in covering up the bald rocks and leveling the irregular surface of preglacial Iowa. The materials are, in places, hundreds of feet in depth. They are not oxidized or leached, but retain the carbon- ates and other soluble constituents tnat contribute so largely to the growth of plants. The physical condition of the materials is ideal, rendering the soil porous, facilitating the distribution of moisture, and offering unmatched opportunities for the employment of improved machinery in all the pro- cesses connected with cultivation. In their appointed time those ancient glaciers wrought well in preparing the material and overspreading the rocky valley with drift. That formative period in earth-building was succeeded by more genial climatic conditions, with alternations of wet and dry seasons like those of recent years, with fervent heat of summer and intense cold of winter, producing growth and decay of vegetation for unnumbered thousands of centuries, and transform- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 133 ing the surface of the drift deposits into a mantle of humus as rich in the elements of plant growth as tne famed valley of the Ni'e. There is no con- tinent on earth that contains so large an area of exceedingly fertile lands as we have in the great corn belt of America. CLIMATE THE CHIEF FACTOR. In crop production the prime factors are fertility of soil and a congenial climate; and climate is the chief factor. There are millions of acres in this country, now comparatively worthless though containing abundant supplies of fertility, the one thing lacking being a favorable climate. Nothing can fully compensate for the lack of ample moisture in the growing season, as only a small part of any arid region may be made productive by irrigation. And prevalent low temperature, or frequent occurrence of frosts in the crop growing season, will render nugatory the most fertile soil and abundant rainfall. The true tests of climatic excellence are found in the tables of mean temperature and precipitation, and the average number of days between killing frosts in the crop season. Iowa has attained its present unrivaled position as an agricultural state by its heritage of vast wealth of soil and its generally favorable climate. In attestation of that claim the appended tables of annual crop yield may be cited. There has been nothing near a total failure of the staple farm crops in the worst season experienced since its settlement by civilized people. There have been lean and fat years, but the products of the leanest season would be fatness to the people of less favored regions. This is the result of the fine texture and great depth of soil, whereby it is able to endure the greatest extremes in form of wet or dry seasons. GENERAL CLIMATIC FEATURES. Situated near the geographical center of the United States, too far inland to receive the equalizing thermal effects of winds blowing directly from the oceans, the climate of Iowa is strictly continental in type. This implies a very wide range in temperature, winters of considerable severity, summers of almost tropical heat, and a large percentage of sunshine as compared with insular regions. As there are no mountain ranges, nor considerable differ- ences in the altitude of the several sections, the climate of the state is quite homogenous, with only such variations of temperature and rainfall as result from latitude and location with reference to the pathway of the cyclones which traverse the continent. Despite its remoteness from the oceans, the seasonal constants of temperature, humidity and precipitation afford a guar- anty of ample production in the future as in the past. In fact, it is the best watered and most productive mid-continent region known on earth. Its worst droughts and seasons of floods have never been famine breeders. Climate is the product of certain elements and properties of the atmos- phere, and physical features of the earth's surface. The sun's energy pro- duces in the air and earth the threefold forms of force termed light, heat and electricity, and causes the varied phenomena of evaporation and precipita- tion. The climate of this section differs from that of other midland regions bceau'^e of material differences in the topographic features of the western continent. The great mountain ranges that gridiron the western third of the continent, stretching from the Arctic Sea to the isthmus and enclosing numerous valleys of the semi-arid or desert type, effectually cutting off the 134 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. rain-bearing winds that blow inland from the Pacific Ocean; as a result the eastern slope of the Rockies receives a scant and irregular supply of rain- fall, and the Mississippi valley practically receives no moisture from that source. The western and northwestern winds in this section are cool and dry, while the southerly and easterly winds are warm and moist, affording generally an ample supply of rainfall. If the great mountain ranges had been stretched diagonally across this continent, cutting off this region from the rain-bearing wind currents from the Gulf, this section would be in reality the great American desert, instead of the richest domain of Ceres. It appears, then, that the essential features of the climate of this region are determined by the size and general topography of the continental area at the westward, the height and location of the mountain ranges, the direc- tion of the prevailing winds, and the general movement of the "highs" and "lows" that cross the valley. PRECIPITATION . Nearly the entire amount of moisture precipitated over Iowa and contig- uous portions of the Mississippi valley comes directly or indirectly from the Gulf of Mexico. The mechanics of this irrigation process may be under- stood quite readily. By cyclonic force, or the powerful suction of low area storms of a rotary character, the warm, moist winds from the south are drawn up into the valley, and by dynamic cooling are made to deposit a goodly portion of their burden of moisture. It may be said, therefore, that this valley is watered by cyclones, which in their mechanical action and ef- fect may be termed vast rotary pumps, and condensers of atmospheric va- pors. This great central depression, which may be called the.' 'trough of the continent," extending from the Gulf to the Arctic Sea, gives an unob- structed pathway for the warm and moist south winds and the cool waves from the north, which here commingle in the atmospheric eddies, and re- fresh the earth with copious showers. The heaviest annual precipitation is deposited in the region near the Gulf , and there the bulk of it comes in the fall, winter and early spring, frequently in excessive downpours. In considerable portions of the Gulf region the mean annual rainfall is double the average in Iowa, and as a re- sult commercial fertilizers are in demand to restore some measure of the loss of fertility caused by the washing and leaching process. This state is more fortunately located, in the region of the golden mean between the extremes of heavy precipitation at the south and east, and general deficiency at the west and northwest. In other words, the people of Iowa suffer less damage from excessive rains than their neighbors at the east and south, and very much less harm from drouth than their neighbors in the western and north- western part of the interior valley. At an early day in various historic and scientific publications this' state was credited with a mean annual precipitation of 40 to 47 inches. This hisjh average was obtained from insufficient climatic data, collected at a few stations in the extreme east and southeast parts of the state, where the year- ly average is somewhat greater than in the west and northwest districts. Since that early period stations have been established in all parts of the state, and from the mass of observations obtained the true mean is found to bs 31.40 inches. During the past thirteen years, the voluminous records FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. 135 collected by the Iowa Weather and Crop Service show the state average to have been 31.07 iuches. Prof. Lorin Blodgett's hyetal chart of the continent, published in 1855, placed Iowa in the belt having a range of 25 to 40 inches, the southeastern counties showing a mean of about 40 inches, the central belt from south- west to northeast, 30 inches, and the northwestern fifth of the state, about 25 inches. The more recent observations do not show so great difference in the yearly rainfall of these sections. A bulletin issued by the Weather Bu- reau in 1897 contained a rain chart in which Iowa was placed in the belt having an average of 30 to 40 inches, except an area of a few thousand square miles in the belt ranging from 20 to 30 inches. Rainfall tables in the following pages show that no single station having a record for more than ten years has an average as high as 40 inches, and no station for alike period has an average below 23 inches per year. RAINFALL DATA BY DISTRICTS. For convenience of reference and comparison, the state is divided into three belts, or sections, on lines running east to west, each section three counties in width. These sections may be subdivided into three districts, following county lines, giving us nine districts, designated as follows: Northeast district, seven counties; North Central district, fourteen counties; Northwest district, nine counties; West Central district, nine counties; Cen- tral district, fifteen counties; East Central district, fourteen counties; South- east district, ten counties; South Central district, thirteen counties; South- west district, nine counties. The tables show the following yearly averages by districts: Northeast, 32.25 inches; North Central, 29.40 inches; North- west, 28.16 inches; West Central, 29.36 inches; Central, 31.66 inches; East Central, 32.61 inches; Southeast. 33.65 inches; South Central, 32.53 inches; Southwest, 32.60 inches, it will be seen that the Southeast district has a yearly average of 5,49 inches more than the Northwest district, and only 1,05 inches more than the Southwest district. The annual average rainfall of the three eastern or Mississippi river dis- tricts is 32,50 inches; three Missouri valley districts, 30.04 inches — a differ- ence of 2.46 inches between the eastern and western slopes of the state. The central belt on nDrth and south line has an average of 31.51 inches, or very nearly the state average. On the east and west line of division the averages are as follows: Northern section, 29.93 inches; central section, 31,21 inches; southern section, 32.92 inches. These figures show a quite regular gradient of decrease in yearly amount from south to north, as well as from east to west. RAINFALL IN THE CROP SEASON. From an agricultural point of view the most important feature of the climate of Iowa is that its maximum of rainfall comes in the crop season, April to September, inclusive. The average winter precipitation is 3 30 inches, or 10 per cent of the yearly amount; spring, 8.85 inches, 28 per cent; summer, 12.15 inches, 39 per cent; autumn, 7.10 inches, 23 per cent. In the six crop months the average rainfall is 22.48 inches, or 71 per cent of the annual total. And in the four most critical crop months. May 1st to September 1st, the average for the state is 16.29 inches, or 51 per cent. It will be seen from these figures that the bulk of precipitation is distributed 136 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. through the months when it is needed for irrigation, while in the balance of the year it is relatively dry. This feature of the climate is more in evidence iu the western districts than in the balance of the state. By districts the percentages of the rainfall in the six crop months are as follows: Northeast district, 70 per cent; North Central district, 74 per cent; Northwest .district, 77 per cent; West Central district, 74 per ceat; Central district, 72 per cent; E ist Central district, 68 per cent; Southwest district, 66 percent; South Central district, 70 per cent; Southwest district, 73 per cent. The Mis- souri valley receives the least amount, but gets a greater percentage in the crop season. In other words, the fall and winter precipitation is much lighter in the west than in the east. So there is in this state a wet and dry season, about as well defined as in some of the tropical countries. Professor Blodgett, in his American Climatology, referring to this feature in this climate, said: ' 'For the whole period of the warm months the quan- tity of rain distributed over the Mississippi valley is very great, and there is no great area so far in the interior which presents a similar result. The quantities are absolutely as well as relatively large, and they considerably exceed those of the plains of the Atlantic coast in the same latitude." VARIATION OF RAINFALL. Meteorological records in all parts of the United states show marked variation in the seasonal rainfall, and a perpetual succession of wet and dry periods, though the general averages are steadily maintained through long periods. There are some faint suggestions of periodicity in the occurrence of wet and dry seasons, but the complex problems relating to the variable- ness of the weather have not been solved. All long-time tables of monthly and annual precipitation show that the distribution is exceedingly erratic, though the totals for the continents and hemispheres may be about the same from year to year. During the past thirteen years the lowest yearly average for this state was 21.91 inches in 1894, and the largest amount was 43.82 inches in 1902. At single stations the range in total rainfall is much greater tnan for the state at large. It has occurred quite frequently that considerable portions of the state suffered from excess of moisture, while other districts were complaining of drought. In 1894 the state average for the four critical crop months (May-August) was only 6.75 inches, or a monthly average of 1.68 inches. In 1902 the total for that period was 27.80 inches, or 6.95 inches per month. And yet por- tions of the state received about the normal amount of rainfall. Evapora- tion acd precipitation are constants, but we have no means of determining in advance where the vapor will be precipitated, for that is subject to vicissi- tudes in the ebb and flow of the great atmospheric currents of the continent. Since the early settlement of this section the records show that quite severe midsummer droughts have occurred at irregular intervals, averaging from one to three in each decade, 'ine normal amount for the four critical months is 16.21 inches. During the past thirteen years 'his was exceeded Siven times, and the average fell below the normal six times. There has been, in fact, a greater liability toward excess than deficiency in the crop mouths, and more real damage to crops in this state has been caused by excess in the season of planting and growth than by the reverse. In this connection the fact may be noted, esi ecially in seasonal rainfall, that thp-e is a tendency in nature which causes oue extreme to be followed FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 137 by ano.her; and this oscillation from dry to wet, or vice veisa, may occur qaickly, or it may run throujjh two, three or four years. In the biennial period of 1901-1902 there was a very rapid swing of the pendulum from excessive heat and drought to the opposite extreme of cold and wet weather. And in respect to quality and commercial value the soil output of 1901 was much better than that of 1902. Generally, it may be said, the predominant influence in this valley in midsummer is much stronger toward prolonga- tion of wet weather periods than the dry weather type. A considerable portion of the summer rainfall comes in form of local showers, which irri- gate narrow belts and short distances; and it not infrequently happens that a portion of a single county may be well watered, while other parts are greatly in need of moisture. Though subject to very considerable fluctuations in the amount of rain- fall in the crop season, there is a measure of compensation in the deep, rich and porous soil of this state, which has produced fairly good crops in the driest or wettest seasons. In the worst season ever experienced in this por- tion of the great valley there has been no near approach to a famine. The most severe drought within the past fifty years occurred in 1894, and yet this state produced in that year 256,OCO,000 bushels of cereals, and sufficient other soil products to swell the total value to over $121,000,000. The su- perior quality of Iowa soil was noted by the late Prof. T. S. Parvin, who in a contribution to the American Journal of Science, Vol. XIII, said:/ "In 1854 occurred the great drought in this and the western states generally; but owing to the porous nature of our soil the crops with us turned out much better than in the states east of the Mississippi. In 1856 the season was also very dry, the total quantity of rain in the summer months being only 6.78 inches, or 10.20 below the summer mean. The crops were, notwithstand- ing, more than an average yield, both of corn and small grain; and the three or four dry seasons we have had abundantly prove that the soil and climate of Iowa are unsurpassed on the continent for farming purposes." TEMPERATURE. On the climatological map published by the United States Weather Bureau , Iowa is situated in the isothermal belt wherein the mean annual temperature ranges from 45"^ to 50®. The lines inclosing this belt run nearly parallel from the Missouri valley to the Atlantic coast, and embrace a large part of the territory between 41° and 44° north latitude. The mean annual temperature of this state is 47.5°. By sections the mean tempera- tures are as follows: Northern section, 45 7°; central section, 47.3°; south- ern section, 50°. The highest yearly mean at any station is 51.7° , as shown by records of the Weatner Bureau station at Keokuk; the lowest is 43.2°, according to records of voluntary stations at Osage and Cresco. F'rom the south line of the state to the Minnesota boundary the temperature gradient is quite uniform, making due allowance for differences in altitude of stations In this part of the Mississippi valley the summers are warmer and the winters colder than on the same parallels near the Atlantic coast. In July the 75° isotherm passes through the southern half of Iowa, dips southeast- ward below Cincinnati, passing between Baltimore and Philade'phia. The mean maximum of the state for July is 85°, and the midsummer tempera- ture is about as high as that of Virginia and North Carolina. In January 138 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the larger part of Iowa is within the isothermal belt 15" to 20^ . These lines run northwestward through Wisconsin, northern Michigan, Ontario, north- ern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The midwinter temperature corresponds to that of the vicinity of Montreal, while the sum- mers are as warm as in Washington, D. C, and Richmond, Va; The winters, however, are shorter than in the same latitude in the Atlantic states. The transition from winter to summer is usually quite rapid, the average increase in temperature in April being more than half a degree daily. The daily mean of April is 17° higher than that of March, and May averages 11° per day higher than April. The season of seeding and plant- ing is 8 to 12 days earlier than in the 'eastern states. The autumns are usually drier and warmer in Iowa than in the coastal regions on the same parallels. The average duration of summer temperature, the daily means ranging from 65° to 75°, is about four months. The average duration of winter, or the period having a mean below 30°, is about three and a half months. The highest temperature registered in Iowa by a standard thermometer was 113°, at Sigourney in July, 1901. The lowest temperature recorded was 43° below zero, at Cresco, in January, 18S8. These records indicate the remarkable range of 156° from minimum to maximum temperature. These extremes of heat and cold are rendered more endurable to man and beast by the prevalent dryness of the air at the time of their occurrence. In the humid air of insular regions such extremes would be intolerable. In this connection it may be stated that both heat and cold are important fac- tors in the production of the great crops for which this section is noted. The myriad plowshares of the frost penetrate the earth to great depths, pulver- izing the clods and preparing the soil to respond to the quickening influence of the gentle rains of spring and the almost tropical heat of summer. This is not an ideal climate for invalids, ^ who need equable temperature, but na country is better adapted to develop hardy, stalwart and brainy people than this valley, where the rigors of winter incite men to a strenuous life. Some adverse conditions seem to be necessary to develop hardiness and vigor in plants, animals and mankind. The best types of all races have been reared about midway between the tropics and the Arctic zones. The following table shows the monthly and annual mean temperatures for the state, for the thirteen-year period, 1890 to 1902, inclusive. This is followed by a table showing the averages by districts and sections, and also for the state at large, for all the years of record . A slight difference will be noted in the state averages for the thirteen-year period, as compared with the means shown in the latter table: FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II, 139 MONTHLY AND ANNUAL MEAN TEMPERATURES FOR THE ST ATE -1890-1902. (DEGREES. ) •< YEAR. 4 1 April. May. 6 a t-3 1" P. QQ 6 > 0 Q 1 i^ u QQ ll 1S90 19.7 26 128.0 19. 4 '26. 8 51.8|57.7 72.7 75. 6 •8.4 59. 3 49. 2 PA.^ 29.147.7 24.9 4,5.8 72.2 49.0 1891 ■?.(\. 0 50. 6 58. 3 69.1 68.6 69.1 67. 3 50. 0 30. 5 ,82.3 47.4 25.9 4,5.2 68.9 49.2 1892 15.8 28.1 31.9 45.4 54.0 69.2 73. ( 71.^ 64.7 54.5 ,33.3 18.9 47.5 20.7 43.7 71.2 50.8 1893 9.8 16.4 31.9 45.5 56.6,71.2 75. ( 69 4 64.7.52.^ 34. ( 22.0,45.7 15.9 44. e 71.7 .50.3 1894 19.3 19.7 41.0 51.7 61.173.2 76.^ 74.6 65.151.7 32 7 30.149,7 23.0 51.2 74.7 49.8 1895 13. « 16.4 34.4 54. 2 6L 7 6 '.7 72.] 71A 66.8 46. ( 34.;- 25.2 45.5 18.4 46.7 7L2 49.0 1898 23.4 27.4 30.9 51. 5 65. 5 69. 1 73. e 71.7 .58.5 47.9 2.^.6 30.8148.5 23.8 50.;: 7L4 45.0 1897 17.2 24. H 32. 0 47. 9 59. B 69. 1 75. 6 68. 1 70. 9 56. 8 34. J 18.(1 46.7 19.9 46.1 71.2 54.3 1898 23.4 24.2 37. 5 4S.1 59.6 71. 'I 73.4 71.2 65.347.5 32.218.1 47.6 2L9 48.^ 72.0 4.5.0 1899 19.8 12.2 24. 5 4X.9 60.2 70.7 73 1 74. 4 62.5 56 7143.9 22.6 47.6 IS. 2 44.5 72.7 6L3 1900 25.6 14.8 m.7 52.2 m. 2 69.7 73. 4 77. 4 64.4!59.3,aS.5 26.9 49.5 22.4 48.7 73.5 52.4 1901 23.7 17.5 33.2 49 9 60.7 72. f S2.4 73.8 63.3 54.2 35.8 20.5 49.0 20.5 47.1 76.2 51.1 1902 22.4 17.6 39.1 48.2 63.8 65 2 73. 1 69. 1 59. 1 53. .5!4L 2,20.1 47.8 20.0 50.3 69.1 51.2 Means . . . 19. 9 20. 3 32. 5U9. 9 HO. 2 ro.2 74.3 71.6 64.0 52.3l34.9'24.2 47.7 2L2 47.2 72.0 49.9 MONTHLY AND ANNUAL MEAN TEMPERATURES BY DISTRICTS AND SECTIONS. ^> 4A "3 DISTRICTS. S3 2 a S 1 ^ § c5 •-3 1^ < p. 0 QQ 1 1 1 Northeast District 17.0 16.6 3u.l 47..^ 59.4 68. 2 72. 7 70. 6 6i!. 2 51.0 ,38.0 20. 5 4,5.7 North Central District 17.5 16.2 29.2 46.4 ,59.3 6S. 3 73. 1:70. 161. 9 50. 4 ;82.1 19.5 45.4 Northwest District 17.8 16.9 29.8 48.4 59.0 68.4,73.3 71.2 63.0 51.1 1 1 3L8 20.6 46.2 North section averages 17.4 16.5 29.6 47.3 59.3 68.3 73.0|70.5'62.3|50.7 32.3 20.1 45.7 West Central Distr ict 18 8 18.9 18.0 19.4 19 4 2L3 31.9 32 4 32.1 49.4 49.4 48.1 59.9 60.4 60.1 69.3 73.9 7L5'63.4 51.3 ('9 7 74.1 71.9 6.8.5 ^9.9. 33.7 84.8 34.8 23.5 22.8 23.4 47 9 Central Distric East Central D t 47 5 istrict 69.5 74.2 71.3 62.9 50.8 47.1 Central section averages 18.5 20.3 32.2 48.8 60.2 69.5 74.1 7L6|63.2 5L4 34.6 23.2 47I Southeast District. 23.5 23.7 .36.8 51.7 62.8 72.0 76.2 74.2'66.4'54.7 ,38 5 26.7 .50.6 South Central District 22.1 21.7 35.4 52. 1 61.6 JO. 7 7.5. 3 73. 2 65. 6 54.1 ;87. 5 2,5. 2 49.6 Southwest District 22.8 22.2 35 6 52.8 61.6 7L4 75.4 73.3 65.154.8 37.2 25 4 49.9 Southern section averages .... 22.8 21.5 35.9 52.2 62.0 71 3,75. 6 73.6 65.7 54.5 37.7 25.7 50.0 State averages 18.2 19.6 32.4 49.3 60.4 69. 6 74. 2 7L8 63.6E2.1 ,34.7 22.9 47.5 LATE AND EARLY KILLING FROSTS. In common with other portions of this country, this state is subject in the crop growing season to occasional depression of temperature down to the frost line. On the average, however, there is immunity from killing frosts for a period of about 170 days. The records of the United States Weather Bureau stations, covering a period of about thirty years, show that the average date of the latest killing frost in the spring has been April 20th, and the earliest in autumn, October 9th. In every season there have been light frosts at later and earlier dates, causing no appreciable damage to vegeta- tion, but extensive injury to staple crops by heavy frost has occurred at very infrequent intervals within the past thirty years. In 1870 Prof. T. S. Parvin wrote as follows: ' "It has happened but once or twice in the last thirty years that the frost has, over a great extent, seriously injured the corn crop. When the spring is late, the fall is either quite hot or lengthened so as to afford time for the crop to mature." The records covering the period since 1870 confirm this statement. The following tables show the dates on which the latest and earliest frosts have occurred at the United States Weather Bureau stations since their establishment: 140 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. DES MOINES FROST DATA. LATEST KILLING FHOST I^f SPRING. p. a; d, p ^ ^ |5& EARLIEST KILLIVQ PROST IN AUTUMN. ^3, 1878 )87y ls8U ISSl 18.S2 188:3 1884 1885 188fi 1887 ]888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 Average. No record |. . . April I 18 April , April May . April April May . April April April April May . May . April . April May . May . April , April . April . April . April . April . April . April . U I rs I 2i 1 8 7 2 25 20 4 16 11 29 23 19 12 3 19 4 16 4 20 4 September , 2 September 24 November 7 November j 9 November 13 October I 20 O.-tober October October October September 29 Si'ptember , 27 SeptembiT i 13 October 5 October 9 September 25 October 14 September 30 September 2-i October 2.) October i 14 September j z9 October 8 October 4 October 14 October J 59 210 210 175 202 198 150 181 183 162 176 120 147 163 155 148 141 178 h'3 187 167 193 171 day8. DAVENPORT FROST DATA. LATEST KILLING FRO^T IN SPRING. EARLIEST KILLING PROST AUTUMN. IN YEAR. MONTH. ^ o j MONTH. i II q 1872 - 1 -. Octo .er October 10 22 J 2 18 5 11 27 30 4 10 2 .3 23 6 I 12 3 6 28 8 19 15 H 30 29 23 30 8 4 28 1873 April April May Mav April March April 8 28 'I 30 I? 1 14 oo 22 22 "9 8 2(5 13 6 6 5 15 13 8 14 8 17 7 !6 5 21 15 21 196 1874 October 166 1875 135 Ih7ti October 148 1877 163 1878 October 212 1879 ... October 201 1880.... April October 185 1881 April .... 209 1882 May November. 163 1883 Mav October 133 1884 April October 182 18S5 May October 149 1886 April. October 175 1887 April. October 169 1883 Mav October 142 1889 April October 182 1890 May September . . . 145 1S91 viay October 155 1892 April Octo er 186 1893 April Octobnr 184 1894 April 180 1895 Mav September October 187 18£)6 Anril 181 1897 April. October October 194 189S Ajiril 198 1899 April 167 1900 Apnl 216 1901 April . . October . . . 165 1902 April . October 195 Average rlate. April October 13 174 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 141 DUBUQUE FROST DATA. LATEST KIM.ING B ROST .•«PKING. fl i: ?' |S5 EARLIEST KILr.TNG FRO.-T IN AUTUMN. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1888. 1889. 1890. 1891. 1«92. 1893. 1894. 1897. 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. Averape April. . May.. . May. . . May. March April. . April. . April . . May. . . May. . April . . May. . . April . April.. May. . . April. . May. April. Ai)ril. . April . . April.. May. . . April . . April. . April. . April. . April. . April. . April. . Ara-il . . October . . . . October . . . . October . . . . October . . . . Octc ber . . . . October October October . . . . No vera her . October October . . . . October October October October . . . . September. Septt mbev . September. October . . . October . . . . September . October . . . . OctoVer October October . . . . October . . . September. . November . October . . . . October 19 I October 12!. KEOKUK FROST DATA. LATEST KTLl.ING FROST IN SPRING. EARLIEST KILLING FROST IN AUTCJMJN. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1889. 1890. 1891. 189i. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897. 1898. April . March April . April . March April . April . April . March April . April . April . April . April . April . April . April . April . April . April . April . April . . April . April . April . . April . 23 2 2 8 4 13 17 16 ' 22 1 24 8 I 8 1 6 ' 20 I 6 10 I 6 i 23 12 14 4 19 6 16 October . . . October. . September October. . November October. . (.)ctober . October. . . October. . . November October . . . October — October — October — September September Septembei- October October October October. . . October — September October — October October — September 190 S29 187 215 228 193 169 190 235 172 197 ItiO 177 206 160 1 74 191 IPS 199 174 179 169 198 192 190 195 142 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. KEOKUK FROST DATA-Continued. LATEST KILLFNG FROST IN SPRING. EARLIEST KILLING FROST AUTUMN. IN YEAB. MONTH . 1 MONTH. 1 '0 c III 1900 April April April April 13 18 8 November ... 8 3 14 15 208 1901 November 209 1902 . 188 Average October 190 SIOUX CITY FROST DATA. 1890. 1891. 1892. 189;^. 1894. 1895. 1897. 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. Averages. May.. April. May . May . May . May . April April April May . May . April April May . September . September. October . . . October . . . September. September. September. September. September. October . . . September. September. September. September. 1 September. 129 182 154 146 134 129 153 141 163 139 136 150 143 145 SUNSHINE AND CLOUDINESS. Iowa enjoys the advantage of a good average amount of sunshine. The mean for the year is 50 to 60 per cent, and this average is maintained in midwinter as well as in midsummer. A distinctive feature of the climate as compared with the eastern states is the large percentage of clear skies in the winter season. The coldest periods in winter are generally cloudless, as a result of the low percentage of humidity during prevalence of north and west winds. For the year the average for the state is as follows: 156 clear, 107 partly cloudy, and 102 cloudy days. The following table shows the yearly averages for the state from 1892 to 1902, inclusive. It wil^ be seen that in the hot and dry years, 1894 and 1901, the number of clear days much exceeded the normal: YEAR. No. of partly elov.dy >> o cs 1892 1893 14tj 93 184 169 145 158 160 160 172 178 145 102 108 109 1U8 115 105 105 116 101 103 109 117 164 1894 72 1895 88 1896 1897 105 102 189^ 100 1899 .. 89 1900 1901 92 84 1902 111 Average .... 156 107 102 DESTRUCTIVE STORMS. Cyclones of the transcontinental type, which move in rapid succession across this central valley and irrigate the larger part of the continent, are FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 143 moderate in force in comparison with the tropical cyclones or hurricanes that occasionally devastate portions of the Gulf and Atlantic coast .> I ^ y C-^ S!?^ 1^^ oS-^ >.^ 03^ o-^ \a 1 q 5 o O QQ O m ^ ^ (2 m 1-9 h, < H 1890 28 12 29 24 16 10.5 48 1.5 3.56 7.70 1.98 3.41 16.71 1891 3S 15 40 29 20 10.7 142 1.7 3.18 5.39 4.22 4.24 17.03 1893 29 12.3 25 24.3 15 8 51 2.0 8.77 5.19 5.29 2.24 21.49 1893 35.7 12.4 24 22.6 16.3 9.1 50.2 1.7 8.45 3,91 3.33 2.32 13.01 1894 14 8 12.8 24 18.4 15.1 8 40.7 0.8 1.87 2.67 .63 1.58 6.75 1895 3S 19 48 41 19 11 106 1.3 3.19 4.32 3.40 4 43 15.34 1896 39 13 26 29 16 9.5 87 1.5 6.69 3.11 6.90 3 52 20.22 1897 ?9 13.4 30 25 15 10 60 1.6 l.ii2 3.81 3.26 1.80 ]0.85 1898 34.5 14.8 32 27.5 16 10.5 76 1.7 4.67 4.72 2.98 3.44 15.81 1899 36.3 12.7 34 25 6 16.3 11.2 98 1.5 6.23 5.04 3.07 3.68 18.02 1900 40.3 14.3 35 25.3 15.6 11.7 78 1.4 3.3L 3.98 6.15 4.65 18.09 1901 26.2 15.3 32 24.2 15.8 8.8 37.4 1.4 5J.35 3.71 2.34 1.29 9.69 1902 34 13 13.8 31 25 17 8 91 1 8 5.39 7.16 8.67 6.68 27.80 Averages . . 32.5 31.5 26.2 16.4 9.7 73.8 1.5 4.19 4.67 4.02 3.32 16.21 TOTAL YIELD IOWA STAPLE CROPS— 1890-1902. TEAR. |1 P 1 1 i -© ^ F ^ % i' ox; II 1 1 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 .... 1899 1900 1901 1902 239,675,156 335,031,598 173, 867, 354 214,804,758 129, 104, 930 285,000,000 312,692,210 239,452,150 289, 214, 850 306,852,710 345, 055, 040 227,908,850 296,950,230 3,395,609,8.36 261,200,756 19,041,000 27,586,000 7, 534, 952 11,385,899 9, 470, 306 14,340,000 10,398,785 14,613,054 22, 321, 268 19,900,830 21, 288, 350 18. 295, 000 13,512,840 209,694,284 16,130,339 80,002,735 115,810,800 83, 485, 150 100, 742, 852 107, 691, 460 201,600,000 73,450,000 132,571,150 139,915,340 140,647,300 138,832,300 114,883,000 92, 907, 900 1,522,540,287 117, 118, 483 i,6a8,9i;o 2,051,400 1, 536, 270 1,785,202 1,624,073 2,014,000 1,891,716 3,490,844 .3,370,550 2, 061, 160 1,621,130 859,630 882, 83U 24,797,265 1,907,482 3, 664, 368 4,528,669 14,049,072 11,437,666 8, 635, 600 18, 678, 000 15,881,618 14,076,850 14,138,000 14,719,310 12,695,200 14,654,410 15,380,910 2,979,081 3,151,016 5, 188, 104 2,263,861 1,371,165 2,310,0(J0 1,946,720 2,498,600 2, 376, 600 1,597,790 1,222,980 916,890 755,350 8, 332, 352 25, 620, 350 8, 729, 160 6,172,257 7,869,321 21,200,000 14, 814, 795 10,051,910 12,538,410 15, 252, 930 10, 850. 900 5,098,460 12,C51,670 5, 668, 182 7,120,000 6, 958, 000 7,382,000 3, 220, OOO 3,810,000 5,701,440 5,301,320 5,498,080 5,311,130 5,139,060 4,980,380 5,641,900 Sums. Avgs . . 162, 539, 673 12,503,051 28,578,357 2,182,950 158,582,515 12,198,347 71,732,492 5,517,884 148 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. •R|otipojd I«;oji •uoj jad o2bj9AV •anxBA •stiq J8d agBjaAv anxBA I«!JOI, ■snq jad •enx'BA •snq J8d aSisaaAV •anxBA ■snq jad ag-BjaAV •aniBA •snq aad •anxBA •snq aad •enxBA snq jed >ogocc 0030000 > oi '^ CO o o w ^ t^ o in CO « !^fe CQCMfeo- ) «:■ — i^ -t ci -* lO > CO kO CO Oi oj t- --H JSSSSSS^ oogpoiooi(M'*'-HOOc 'fciocoin^QOO'iomiMr -s'OOT'-ieot-coc^co.-n > o 00 (M oi (M oi ■>} c>i 3; 1 -* CO CO oi c^ cj oi Ti w ooij^ioooO'-icoi^'asioo 8g§8g8gS§38Sg cvfc^icjoo-^OOicocr. t-co«c«> a5 0WM->*scofco'5Cooco'»o t-cocOosi-ioowSsootoxixcio •^lOsocoeocoN^coco' icsiraoo-— iiO'— i-tioo-' ■CO«'-HW-*C0C\J^CJ? OOOOOQQC-i 00000 35CQW&t-ooot-c5a)-*ooco «D CO OS cot-' t- OJ O -* t- c (Mlf3 05 050( )CO--(>i )C0C5t- CO(Mi-ii-((Mi-li-iCQ.-H.-H.-i OOOCOOCCUSt-C i-(00O500CQt-Ci00C lO ^ OS 00 't o c ocoiO' 00 CO CO! >QOO OC 00 oi Clio o ICQOOCOOOCO uOCD-<*CO-^iMCviCOC ss^^§a?jg^g2^s ■>«•«*< ICO loi-eocot-ic-'*' at- N T-T^oi t^cQ CO t-f o i^oTt-iTuj OiT-ICvJOOOOpt-COOi— lOO-^b; t-00OC0C0-^>-H0iCl'<*r-i-*O T-H»— tt— COCO"^COC icOiOfo^C JOCO-^CO JCCCO^CO 500QOOC S88SJ sO'^coc int-co-^oi'^ooocot-t-oso 05in^"310CDCOO'-iO(MOt- ^s cococo oco 005 S8 ocio ?8S )OOQOOOOpQ 1 1- C5 O OC CJ X CO CO o •»n)OOcoc^^o-^(>i^ >COCQ00-*'— iCO->iCDO;t- lCOlOrHi-l(M00WC0t-t- t-o S§3S5§JS322SoJSSS^ iii 00 -^l >oo< ;si88 .^-'*05S»S^QOO 00000000000000000000i»O>O5 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — -PART II. 149 PRECIPITATION DATA FOR THE STATE AT LARGE. The following tables contain precipitation data that will be valuable for reference. Table I shows the averages for the past thirteen years for the state at large. Table II contains the averages of meteorological stations and the counties wherein they are located grouped by districts and showing the district and section averages. The last two columns show the number of years covered by the averages of each station . TABLE I-MONTHLY AND ANNCJAL PRaOIPITATIONT FOR TEE STATE, 1890-1903. 1 1 1 < 6 a •-9 th 1 1 > i 1 INCHES. YEAR. II Bo ^1 II M 11 11 11 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 ^^ T^era^es 1.75 1.09 0.74 1 09 0.85 0.48 2.01 1.60 0.28 0.53 0.74 0.88 U.83 1.16 1.20 1.89 0.89 0.49 0 71 0.88 1.20 0.81^" 1.30 1.01 0.73 1 57|1,78 2. 60 2. 15 2.22 4.75 2.144.21 2.30,3 07 0.83|2 62 1.10,5.02 2.39 5.35 1.94 2.51 1. 62 2. 40 2. 06 2 67 2.6411.79 1.45 1.71 3.56 3 18 8.77 3.45 1 87 3.19 6.68 1.92 4.67 6.23 3 31 2.35 5.39 7.76 5.39 5.19 3.9' 2.67 4.32 3.1! 3.81 4.72 5.04 3.9S 3.71 7.16 L.98 4 22 5.29 3.33 0.63 3.40 6.90 3.26 2.98 3 07 6.15 2.34 8.67 3.41 4 24 2.24 2.32 1.58 4.43 3.52 1 86 3 44 3.68 4 65 1.29 6.58 2.97 1 33 1.53 2.34 3.57 3.03 4.09 2.04 2 69 0.93 4.08 4.77 4.35 3.48 2.77 1.55 1.28 2.67 0.47 .3.13 1.14 3. 56 1.73 3 91 1.98 2.54 1.46 1.70 1.10 1.17 0.92 1..51 1.83 0.66 2.50 1.20 1.06 0.86 2.13 0 45 2.41 1.65 1 31 0.95 1.63 0.65 1.65 0 48 1.61 0.45 0.93 2.23 31.28 32.90 36.58 27.59 21.91 26.77 37.23 26.97 31.34 28.68 .34. 15 24.41 43.82 31.07 H.31 5.32 3.94 3.44 2.93 2.97 1.84 4.54 3.28 2.78 2.28 2.68 3.84 3.32 6.91 7.93 15.74 9.80 7.14 6,64 12.81 9.66 9.17 10.25 8.04 6.78 8.55 9.19 13.15 13.85 12.72 9.56 4.88 12 15 13.53 8.93 11.14 11.79 14.78 7.34 22.41 12.02 7.81 5 80 4.18 4.79 7.16 5.01 9.05 3.84 7.75 3 86 9.05 7.61 9.02 6 53 150 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. D< •v- ci (U o >H 1— 1 H o < ll en Oh d 0 O z H Xi P4 H 0. ^ O ^ p3 <1 en a 02 S < ^ u a < S Q UJ o ^ o ^ <1 "cS >^ C/J hJ (A ffi O ^ JH ^ m o u s X5 1 pOIJ8(J JO -ox •I.uuv •oaa •AOK •^OQ •!}Cl8g •Sny •iCltif •auTijc •^epi •ludy •JBH •qa^ UBf '^J 00 Ol C? 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FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 151 )ooiooo— looooo cc oi u3 »o :c CO -* ■ coOTcooococoic^tocomOT csSbooc jNCMN^CQ »00C0O3U8O5kO-^CCO00^D oooocccoocaooocccoccccco (0«DTjioo-*>oe-i— it-oot~2-*oo ^ O Oi OO --' -* OJ 3i oi CQ TO 00 22 C5 S3 W ei JO CM X Oi Ct CJ Ol ;^i CO CM -H^OMcnt-co JOOirtxOXOOOS lO lOOSC'l'-^OCO-^OJlOCMlO'* i-i oi rH c^i rH .-H*cioJ CM CM CM ^'ci , cm co-^si-^CMCM0(2cocMC30o ^ 00 OOCDOOO o o in 00 »c ci t- !3 eS fe ■ O feb. b C : e O 03 'x:!5O0aDOQoW* «D 00 » CM O »0 t- Ci t- t- T oooeoiooiCMO 00 ci — I ^ CM - - -■ ^ CJ r^ 00 CM — < COCMCMCMMCO 00 Oi i-H ■>». 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But with the quality of corn we have at our disposal in the corn belt the lard hog will no doubt always be with us. The hog raising fraternity is composed of "many men of many minds," hence there will always be roam for the different breeds to supply the ideals of the many minds regarding color and minor char- acteristics. But as the end of the coming hog is the same as that of his ancestor he must be, whatever his color, type or characteristics, the hog that will convert our grasses and corn into the greatest possible amount of desirable pork. This paper excited a good deal of comment. Professor Olin asked what the breeders of hogs considered the most essential point at the present and Vv hat change in the feed must be made m order that we improve. To this ]\Ir. ]\IcTavish rephed : It has always been my opinion that it was too much corn that kept from the hog that straightness and strength of bone and good muscle that is necessary to make a strong, healthy, vigorous animal. On this point Air. Prine added : It occurs to me that we need something to balance up the corn. We have our pastures, but we need more of this and should raise a corn that is adapted to the growth of the pig. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 171 Mr. Turner said : I came here to find out, not only with regard to corn, but what else we should use and how to use the foods that we have on the farm to avoid buying feed. I want to hear the opinions and experiences of the breeders as to the feeding value of rye, oats and barley. We thought a hog would die fed on oats when I was a boy. We are right in the grain country and the hogs followg the cattle and we feed them corn. I would like to know how we can utilize the grains we use on the farm aside from the corn, to avoid buying these feeds. I would like to know and hear fro mthe breeders who have used these other feeds. Dr. Hammer expressed some good ideas as follows . In what is it that the most people fall down? It is up to you to meet the expectations of other men and improve the hog. It is a mis- take to breed stock too young. You have to make the parent mature if the offspring is to be of any use. A brood sow must be three years old before you can see what there is in her. A man I know is using a sow now which did not show any development until she was three years old. If you breed a sow to a six-months-old male you will get three or four pigs. I would never use breeding sows until they are over a year old, at least, and then breed them right along and give them food that will produce fine stock and develop their bone. I have been interested in breeding hogs for a good many years. This is the corn belt, and we are in the center of it. There are other things as essential 'as corn, and if we can raise alfalfa in this country it might mix well with the corn. They say they are raising alfalfa on the hills in the West. If alfalfa will grow there it will surely grow here. I want thio hog association to get some alfalfa seed and try it. It takes two or three years to get started and then you will have it right along. Just think of it and you will find that it is just as essential to have alfalfa to mix with your corn as anything else for a progress, for this association should bring in everything along this line. Breed from a matured ani- mal, and when you get the pigs you have them large enough so that you can breed pigs that at six months old will weigh 250 pounds. You will interest men in that way. As a continuation along this line 'Mv. Swallow said : I listened to Mr. Hammer's talk and I think none of the men who heard it and who are interested in hogs can put too small a value ou pasture for your hogs. We want corn, but we want pasture, too. The corn business will grow and build up just as our pig business has. There are just a few who can look into this and teach us all about it. Of course, there is the fault of keeping the hogs in too small lots and feeding them too much corn, and those who do so are not making good hogs. Put all these things together — plenty of pasture, room and corn and plenty of exercise, and your hogs will be good. 172 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr. Munson, who advises against the free use of corn to breed- ing and growing stock, said : While we are studying the corn it would be worth our while to pre- pare the seed bed better if we want to increase the busfhels. If you have the right kind of a seed bed you can raise without a doubt, from three to five more bushels to the acre than if you have the same kind of seed in a seed bed badly prepared. I have found that, as a rule, I can not feed much corn to my hogs. I do not believe that corn is the feed for a breeding hog. During the winter I feed my hogs only about two ears of corn. When I put them in the fattening pen I feed them plenty of corn, but it will not pay for any breeder to feed his hogs too much corn. It produces fat — not bone. My brood sows get nothing but a very light slop and plenty of exercise. They have had good pas- ture and they are not worth giving corn if they will not be good on that. This again brought j\Ir. Swallow to his feet with the remark : You think it about the right thing to- feed them plenty of corn while they are on the pasture? You have to give them some corn. I have always had to. Iowa corn is a pretty good article to have around. To this Mr. Munson replied : I do not want you to understand that I do not feed any corn at ali. I feed 2 per cent corn and 2 per cent oats. Now I have seventy-five brood sows that are not getting any corn at all and they are not going to get any. I can raise pigs without corn. My pigs that are running on white clover are not getting corn, but good slop. Now, I have two sows; one lacks seven days of being a year old. They are not fat when they have their pigs and their pigs do not get fat when they are sucking them. Air. ]\IcTavish steered the discussion into a talk on alfalfa. He said : It is just along this line that I would like to have shown what should be the balance for our corn. I believe we will all admit that the pasture is the thing to balance our corn. It is the thing to give health, vigor and strength to the animals. But some men will talk about a hog pasture and think a pasture of four or five acres sufficient for a large number of hogs. Some men have timothy pastures and think their hogs as good as the man's who has a good clover pasture. But we can have something better. We can have alfalfa. We can raise it in this country. Mine is doing fine so far, but, of course, it must come through the winter before I can tell what will become of it. It we can raise it we can give it to our hogs, and we know they need it. But you have to use brains in this hog business. You have to use it in order to have the best success, and it seems that, as Mr. Swallow has said, it would be well to put our hogs on a pasture that is suited to them, and then feed them all the corn they want. I have done so at FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART III. 173 home with good results and have my pigs coming along with wonderful good growth and I do not stint on corn, as long as they have plenty of clover and milk or anything that will balance it up. Study what to feed your hogs. Mix a good deal of brains, so to speak, in with the feed, /and you will have success. If you do not you will run up against failure. To this Mr. Johnson said : There seems to be a great problem in pasture for hogs. I have white and red clover and alfalfa and that is what they need. What we want to do is to give our hogs pasture, not put too many together and not breed from too young stock. Do noi use a sow until she is past a year of age. This is an interesting topic and we must think of it. The program provided for a paper on the subject, ''Precautions to the Breeder," but the gentleman to whom it was assigned failed to respond. Mr. Turner referred to it briefly, saying: What is the meaning of this "precaution of the breeder," that Is as regards business transactions? I think that we, as business men, should do a good, straightforward business. If a man buys an animal for breeding purposes I feel that he is entitled to something that will do him some good. If we sell a thoroughbred hog the buyer is entitled to a pedigree and not have to wait six or eight months for it. I feel that we, as a body, should take some action as regards this matter. T bought a thoroughbred sow some time ago. I have waited five months for the pedigree and am about to send the hog back and demand my money. The seller said she has never raised any pigs for him and she has not for me. I would like to know the idea of the association and how far it justifies it. No new light was shed on this vexatious subject : "Alfalfa and the Hog," was another subject proposed, but on which the paper failed to appear. Henry \Vallace, however, ex- prcosed himself on the matter as follows : I have lately been out in the alfalfa country and learned that they raise more hogs there than we do, and raise them on alfalfa. Fivo pounds of alfalfa chopped fine and one pound of corn a day will make them gain about six tenths of a pound a day. I spent about a week among the farmers, and what struck me was the fact that hogs groAV on alfalfa into different kinds of hogs. That is, they are longer and more of the bacon type. Alfalfa puts more bone and muscle into them. The Nebras^ta Experiment Station takes pigs fed on corn and then alfalfa and breaks the bones and they find that the breaking strain of the bone of hogs fed on alfalfa is from four hundred and fifty to five hundred pounds and of the corn hogs three hundred and fifty pounds. We can grow alfalfa if we take the proper precaution. We can not cure it, but we can grow it enough for hog pasture, if we go about it in the right way. And I think we can do it with a good deal of success. 174 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. They do not like to keep more than six hogs together. If you put more than that together they will run it out Y/ith trampling. They make paths through it, and in that way they keep the alfalfa free, and do not interfere with making a crop of hay. I saw the railroad men and they said they could keep the alfalfa hogs separate from the corn hogs dur- ing the cholera times by disinfecting their cars and making separate chutes for them where they are loaded and unloaded, and allow nothing else to go through them except alfalfa hogs. Now, I am satisfied that there is a good deal in this. I want you to see that we can grow alfalfa Alfalfa should be cured when the bloom first begins to come out. Ii you wait you will find it very difficult to cure. Alfalfa is certainly a good hog feed in the winter. The gentlemen I visited feed five pounds of alfalfa to a pound of corn, and they find it profitable. They have kept books on it and I have no reason to doubt their word. To raise alfalfa you must prepare your seed bed in the best possible manner. The bes.t way is to let it to someone to raise beets on for a year and then It is just ready for the alfalfa. In the fall take your land and get it into the best possible shape. Start weeds and then disc your land; and when the weeds start again disc it again. Soav your alfalfa about the first week in May or the last week in April on up to the first of June, and when it beginS( to put out blossosm cut it off and mow it again and lagain. You have to cut it off every time it begins to grow. Another gentleman went on to sa}' : I have a friend who sowed three acres the last of April. It is about three to six inches high and in three or four weeks it will have to bo cut off. He has been growing alfalfa for some time. He is a breeder of Aberdeen-Angus cattle and when the alfalfa gets up about so high he turns them on it and cuts it down. Then he lets it grow again and gets a second crop the same year. There is one thing of which Mr. Wallace spoke that is very important. I hat is, that it should not be pastured early in the fall and it should noL be pastured the first year. If it is left to grow, probably one to four inches high, and the frost settles down on it, it will preserve it. ]\Ir. Munson asked : You speak of cutting alfalfa fine to ieed hogs. We are not fixed here to feed alfalfa. Is not clover prepared in the same way just ns good ? To this Air. AA^allace repHed : I think if you will chop your clover fine and put corn with it, it will do just as well. On the subject of feeding- clover to hogs Mr. Alunson said : I read an article about feeding hogs clover. I did not believe it, so one morning I tried it. I had ten old sows, and when I put the ■clover out I did not see one of them, but; before long they were every one there and ate it all. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART III. l75 Mr. Failor added a few words on the corn question : I want to say a little along the line of hogs and corn. Hogs and corn go well together, but there are other things to be considered. What are we going to do with the land that vv^e cannot raise corn on? We can not feed corn alone. It is not good for the hogs and our hogs are better off with a balance of wheat, barley or rye. Now, we have the hogs to feed and we need the wheat and barley and rye to balance the corn. What is the use to talk corn all the time when we need these other things to balance our farms and our feed? It is just as easy to raise them as a balanced ration .is it is to undertake to raise the corn as. a balanced ration. I have been raising hogs for a good many years, and I have learned by experience to use a good deal of something more than corn. Mr. ^funson followed by saying: We have been talking corn and hogs and we want to talk sensibly. If we can raise an extra bushel of corn to the acre by better cultivation we might raise from five to twenty extra bushels by preparing our seed bed better, as has been suggested, and by better cultivation. Dr. Hammer said : When we think of going into the hog business I think we should follow Mr. Swallow. A little more milk and never so much that a little more would not be better. I found the Jersey has a great deal of cream. We concluded to try the Holstein. We found the Holstein milk breeds the very best stock. It produces bone and muscle, while the Jersey makes fat. My son and I got seven cows and sold cream enough to pay a man to work on the farm and fed the milk to the pigs. The sooner you can get the milk to the pigs and calves the more healthy it is for them. We take a heaping tablespoonful of oilmeal and stir it up and then pour in the milk and give it to the pigs. There is noth- ing like Holstein milk for pigs. Keep your lots sowed in rape for pas- ture. The first time I sowed it the neighbors all wondered at it. I sowed one and one half acres and when it was, grown I turned half ri dozen sows into it. At the end of six weeks I had sold thirty-six of thirty-eight head fed on it. And now T notice that the neighbors are sowing it. too. I used to buy oilmeal and shorts and bran, but now 1 am raising rape and oats and corn and I put my corn up and have green corn all the year around. I raise everything I feed to my cattle and hogs on the farm and I think we should do it. i Use the rape and alfalfa and corn and raise everything on the farm that you feed your stock. Mr. Munson came back to corn again and said : It seems as though I stirred up a kind of hornets' nest when I Raid I did not feed corn. You mis,understood me. I do not believe in feeding corn to breeding stock, but if you have a pig that you are fattening feed him all the corn you can. But if you have nice breeding stock that you are trying to develop and grow, I say, feed him no corn. 176 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr. Johnson gave alfalfa a little boost when he said : Last spring we sowed a hillside that would grow very poor corn with alfalfa, and it is just wonderful to see it now. I can get about two tons to the acre, and a dealer paid me $9 an acre for the first crop and it certainly ought to get another crop just as, good as that is this year. This shows what the poor soil will produce in alfalfa. Mr. Wallace said : Alfalfa is not a pasture except for hcgs. It is simply a hog pas- ture, and cattle and sheep should be kept out. The college here Is try- ing to get a carload of alfalfa and have offered $12 a load. Mr. Turner brought up the question of State fair premiums : There is a question that I thought nnght be of interest to the breed- ers, and that is with regard to having the State act with the associa- tion in the matter of premiums. Now, I believe that on hogs they have nothing eycept Fix months, six months and under one year and one year and under two, and it seems to me that it would be a good plan to get the association to change this so that the hog that is thirteen months will not have to compete with the hog that is twenty-three months, and give them a better chance. If this association would take some action to request this change it would please a good many. Mr. Johnson said : This matter has been acted and passed upon and it was promised the grand sweepstakes prize would be abolished and an extra class pro- vided. The premium list has dropped I he sweepstake prize, but failed to give the extra class. The matter was referred to the committee on resolutions. Hon. F. D. Coburn of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition had been placed on the program for a talk on the coming World's fair at St. Louis. Being unable to attend, he sent a paper, which was read. The dates contemplated for the swine exhibits are from Octo- ber 3 to October 15, 1904, but our preliminary schedule is of course subject to revision. The dates proposed for all live stock exhibits extend from August 22nd to November 5th. It is planned to have the cattle shows over by September 24th, thus giving ample time to get them out of the way before the swine people will w^ant the room for their exhibits. A feature being considered is the holding of public sales under the auspices of the different breeders' associations. This is al- ready attracting the attention of breeders and the associations are FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART III. 177 already making applications for sale privileges, the American Berkshire Association being among the first. It is expected that a special building will offer facilities for these sales, so that they may be held independent of anything going on in the show ring,, which will occupy an entirely separate building. EVENING SESSION. The entire evening session was devoted to talks on corn and corn culture. D. B. Nims of Emerson, Iowa, forwarded a paper, in which he said : Since Iowa has shown that it takes no second place in the galaxy of states as a producer of cabinet officers, Spoor trophy winners and live, stock breeders, why should it not lead the world in corn? There is no good reason why Iowa should noL excel all other states in corn as well as in live stock. This will surely follow if the same principles of breeding and selection are used in the production of corn as are used in the production' of live stock. Corn is yearly becoming a more important crop, and every meauo should be used to increase the yield per acre and also to increase its feeding vaule. This should be done for the same reason that we seek to produce a bullock that will give the largest per cent of high-priced cuts. We should talk corn to our boys at home and talk corn to our neighbors, and we should study corn. We should also score corn, not in an indifferent way, but enthusiastically. The cattle breeder or the hog breeder who does not carefully study his animals will never become an expert breeder. Corn is susceptible to just as much improvement as live stock. The swine breeders years ago formulated a score card for judging hogs. Iowa corn growers formulated the first score card for corn. They have changed that score card from time to time, much as the score card for hogs has been changed. Iowa corn breeders have produced Bome first-class varieties of corn that are especially adapted to Iowa condi- tions. We anticipate that the corn show at Ames, January 4th to 17th, will bring together the greatest exhibit of corn ever collected. We will find it profitable to give this subject more careful attention. We should not get into ruts and think we can't make any more improvement. We should adopt the "Iowa idea" as applied to corn raising as well as al'. other matters. Prof. A\\ H. Olin, assistant in agronomy at the Experiment Station of the Iowa Agricultural College, gave an extended lec- ture on 'Improving Corn to Meet Pig-Feeding Requirements." It was illustrated by the numerous enlarged photographs of va- rieties and forms of ccTrn. His remarks were as followb : 12 178 " IOWA DEPARTMENT • OF AGRICULTURE. One of the most unique cartoons that I ever saw was a car of one of the relief trains Kansas sent to the Ohio flood sufferers in 1884. In the middle of the cartoon was pictured a swollen stream; on the Ohio side was shown a long-nosed, slab-sided, razor-backed elm-peeler, with starvation minutely pictured in his face; on the Kansas side stood one of Secretary Coburn's sleek, trim, well-fed "mortgage lifters," holding in his mouth a fine ear of Kansas corn and represented as saying: " 'ere's to ye." Through the energetic work of the breeder and feeder the days of the elm-peeler and razor-back are numbered, while they have brought into the foreground the modern-bred, well-developed swine of today, calling upon practical experience, the scientific leader, the plant breeder and the chemist to so lend their help in providing the proper foods for this creature of modern development that he shall grow in all his parts symmetrically, and enable his American owner to keep pace in foreign markets with his energetic Irish, Danish and Canadian competitors. It is ''ears" to his swineship that I wish to present now, which, in accepting, I feel will enable him to develop that muscular energy, 'that rigidity of frame, that firmness, smoothness and even quality of flesh whereby he can outdistance all competitors. We will, therefore, study these ears fiom the pig-feeding side for a few moments. In this State of 229,000 farms, the statistician tells us, are 10,090,000 hogs, an average of 43 2-3 hogs per farm. He further states that the swine industry comprises nearly one fourth the value of all the live stock of the State, making the hog a most important factor of revenue to our commonwealth. Our State feeds to her stock approximately $100,000,000 worth of feed every year. Since the most important of all our feeds is corn, the "staff of life" to our swine, it is worth our while to study this feed to see how it may be made to better meet our porker's bodily requirements. Professor Henry, in his most excellent work on "Feeds and Feeding," says: "In this country corn must con- tinue the common feeding stuff for swine." The chemist tells us while corn is rich in carbohydrates, or fat, it is low in protein and ash. The feeder tells us that corn is the best relished grain available for domestic animals of all classes, and that their fondness for iit is remarkable. In leeding tests, made by practical swine breeders in this and other states, as well as by the various ex periment stations, I learn that corn in its present composition tends to produce an excess of heat, while both chemist and feeder tell us that it is too low in protein ash. Therefore the plant breeder is asked to direct his energies toward correcting this fault. All through the pork producing states the plant breeders of farm crops at the experiment stations are giving this matter earnest attention. Just before we take a glance at their work, may we read the pri- mary units that the feeder has given them to work upon? These units are protein, carbohydrates, fats and ash. Protein is that part of the corn that is a nitrogen compound and its digestible part is utilized by the growing animal in building up the various organic tissues of its body, giving vitality to the blood; in fact feeding the body its nitrog- eneous wants. Approximately 16 per cent of the protein content is FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART III. 179 niitrogen, so fundamental to the living cell in either plant or animal life. Then we may say, with Professor Henry, "that the organic part of bones, muscles, tendons, internal organs, skin, etc., of the animal body are formed from the protein nutrients of feeding stuffs." The carbohydrates, largely represented by the starch compounds, seem in funcition to give heat, store fat and in a measure aid in the nor- mal functions of the body. The fat, or oil, of corn,* contains a very large per cent of neutral fats or glyceride^ (over 80 per cent of the fat content) and a small per cent (6 or 7 per cent) of free or true oil. This is animal nutrition worth two and one half times as much as either the protein or starch compounds, and can be used to produce heat or lay up adipose tissue. The ash is valuable as a bone build ei- and a bone renewer. The feeding tells us that young pigs require a relatively much larger pro- portion of ash in food than the hog, on account of the rapid and neces- sary development of the bony frame. For this reason we must havo a corn richer in ash to meet the necessities of the young growing pig or supply it in other foods. The plant breeder now seeks to produce for you a corn that is richer in protein and ash, accomplishing this by reducing the starch content of the kernel and increasing the protein and ash content. The work done by the chemist and plant breeder ai the South Carolina, -Georgia, New York, Kansas, Illinois and Iowa stations shows corn to be very susceptible to improvement, a change being made not only in physical appearance, but in chemical content as well. This is most clearly shown by the work of the Illinois Experiment b cation with corn within the last seven years. This clearly shows that the chemical content can be improved by judicious and careful selection or breeding. Permit me to next call your attention to the following facts: Corn «ars have an individuality as marked as different breeds of swine, wliile corn kernels have as distinct types as individuals in a breed of hogs. This is what renders so valuable the dams that have received careful breeding through generations of well matod ancestors and hence evince a strong prepotency. This has led to the careful study of the princi- ples of breeding, and we find that in the main the general principles that govern and control animal breeding hold true in plant breeding as well. In applying this to corn the row system is practiced where individual differences can best be studied and the poor strains rejected. Corn by nature cross-pollinates and therefore the male parent of individual ear is in doubt. For this reason our registrations must be based upon the dam. I here desire to present to you the plan I have formulated for carrying out an experiment to meet pig feeding requirements in corn. The work already done simply points the way for future work. From what we know of the chemical content of the kernel it would seem that the most of the oil lies within the germ. Doctor Hopkins, of the Illinois station, states that here he finds over 85 per cent of the oil of the kernel. The hard or horny portion usually constitutes over 60 per cent of the kernel and contains a large portion of the protein that is found outside of the germ. 180 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Professor A. D. Shamel says 25 per cent of the protein of the kernel is within the germ. The white or sitarchy part of the kernel, Doctor Hopldns finds to be equal to about one fifth of the whole kernel. The very poorest starch in the kernel, from the feeder's standpoint, lies just back of or underneath the germ. Hence by increasing the legnth, breadth and depth of the germ we decrease the amount of starch con- tent and get rid of a certain amount of starch that is low in feeding value. These facts show the tremendous advantage gained by the me- chanical selection of the seed. The production of hand pollination or artificial pollination has not been a great success. Detasseling is yet in its experimental stage, but seems to promise important results. Until it is fully demonstrated, the sv/ine breeder is advised to depend upon the great law of all breeding, '"Like tends to produce like." and thus select his seed and give it the soil food and culture its nature and grow- ing habits seem to demand. Today the glucose people call for more oil in the corn and offer 5 cents additional per bushel for every pound of oil increase per bushel. The feeder of bacon hogs calls for less oil and more protein and ash. The starch factories call for an increase in starch at the cost of other units. Thus you see varied interests demand a change in corn com- position, and it is our purpose as plant breeders to meet these commer- cial demands, if possible. Doctor Hopkins tells us that a bushel of common field corn (weight 56 pounds), at present yields 38 pounds of starch, 7 pounds of gluten. 5 pounds corn bran or hull. 4i/^ pounds germ and the rest made up of water, soluble or other matter. He rates the germ as containing 40 per cenit corn oil, worth 5 cents per pound, starch 1% cents, gluten 1 cent and hull % cent. The average yield of corn m our State last year was 32 bushels per acre. On the chemists' basis this would yield 1,152 pounds of starch at IMi cents, $17.28; 57.6 pounds oil at 5 cents, $2.88; 224 pounds gluten at 1 cent, $2.24; 160 pounds corn bran at 1/2 cent, 80 cents. Total, $23.20. Tihirty-two bushels of corn at present prices — Ames market Saturday — 50 cents, would yield $16 per acre. If we breed and grow corn for a special purpose we will derive an added profit, just the same as we do from the dairy cow. the beef cow. the draft horse, the roadster and the mutton sheep. Let us not be content to grow corn, or even good corn, but let us grow corn for a spe- cial purpose. If we wish to feed corn, let us grow high protein corn to be balanced for ash and lack of full protein ration by that legume most easily grown in your locality. If we wish to grow corn for a starch factory, let us grow a corn high in starch content. If for a glucose factory, one high in oil. and thus derive the greatesit profit from our crop. Let us use the good judgment in improving our corn that is exer- cised in developing our swine, and then we will be able to do the great- est good to the greatest number of Iowa pigs. The matter of pedigree js of as great importance in improvement of corn as it is in improvement of pigs. The Illinois Experiment Station is growing a plot of high pro- tein corn, each ear of which has a pedigree protein content net only of FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART III. 181 its dam and granddam, but so far back as its great-great-great-great- granddam, seven generations. To the swine breeders of Iowa let me say, we, who are now seelc- ing to improve the corn you feed, wish at all times to co-operate with you and will deem it a kindness if you will point out to usi the correc- tions you think it possible for us to make in the corn you desire to feed. We want to help you to geit the best corn, and the best forage, that you may continue to grow the largest hogs of the best quality and the greatest number of any State in the whole galaxy. When, if It be nothing but hogs and hominy, it will be the juiciest, best-flavored pork and the sweetest and most nourishing hominy in all the land. Then here's to King Corn, and the mortgage lifting, bank-account-making hog. May both long bless our Hawkeye prairie State and their union cause every Iowa farmer to rise up and, calling them blessed, receive the silver offering this union always brings. May peace, prosperity and pedigreed corn bless your pigs henceforth evermore, causing all doubters to move out of Missouri, establish permanently in this realm of realized fact and demonstrated profit. Then as far as this proposition is concerned, "I'm from Missouri" will be of the past. Considerable discussion followed this paper. Facts brought out Avere that there were good qualities, in both smooth and rough A-arieties of corn ; that smooth sorts showed a more marked ten- dency to revert to original types ; that experiments in detasse!- ing had not yet reached that stage which justified positive state- ments as to value of results ; that no definite knowledge existed as to the comparative maturing qualities of white and yellow varie- ties ; that the ordinary period of ripening was from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and twenty-five days ; that those sorts having large cob usually called for longer ripening period ; that radishes were valuable as a hog food ; that every man had a dif- ferent opinion as to the value of the potato as hog feed. RESOLUTIONS. A committee on resolutions, consisting of Messrs. Howard, McTavish, Swallow% Prine and Munson, reported the following resolutions, which were adopted : Whereas, Tjhe paper presented before this association by Secretary F. D. Coburn of the St. Louis Exposition sets forth many new and im- portant additions and classifications of the premium list proposed for the swine department of said World's Fair, in which this association heartily concurs, and Whereas, This association's attention having been called to the con- struction and size of the new swine pavilion now being erected at the 182 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Iowa State Fair grounds, and as it is our earnest desire that said pavilion may afford ample room for the proper showing and judging of swine, and Whereas, This association, at its last fall's meeting, recommended that a new class for swine 18 months old, both in individual classes and in herds, be added to the Iowa State Fair premium list and in order to put in this new class that the grand sweepstakes herd prize, all breeds competing, be discontinued, and Whereas, The growing and improvement of our corn crops is so closely allied to the proper feeding of the hog, be it therefore Resolved, First — That we hearitily endorse the classifications pro- posed by Secretary F. D. Coburn for the coming swine show at St. Louis. Second — That it is the sense of the association that more room is necessary for the display and judging of swine in the new pavilion and that we respectfully recommend that seats be not constructed more than half way around said pavilion. Third — That it is the sense of this association that inasmuch as the State fair board has granted the latter part of our request we respectfully request 'that the 18-months class be added to the premium list. Fourth— That this association shall hereafter devote a part of its time to the study of the best means of improving our corn crop. Among those in attendance were: A. G. Munson, Maxwell; Strater Bros., Monroe; Dr. T. B. Hammer, Des Moines; Wilson Rowe, Ames; F. H. Houghton, Marshalltown ; Harvey Johnson, Logan; W. Z. Swallow, Waukee; Charles Swallow, Waukee; Alonzo Baker, Colon; W. A. Jones, Van M'eter; W. D. McTav- ish, Coggon; W. J. Kinzer, Ames; Mr. \\^atson, [Madrid; E. B. Watson, Ames; George S. Prine, Oskaloosa; D. L. Howard Jefferson; W. L. Willey, Menlo; T. W. Miller, Menlo; F. F. Failor, Newton; O. W. Browning, Newton; S. W. Lee, Wick: B. R. Vale, Bonaparte; W. S. Hart, Panora; C. S. Hammer, Indianola; Turner & Son, Maxwell; Albert Sundell, Boxholni, all of Iowa. PART IV. EXTRACTS FROM THE STATE DAIRY COM- MISSIONER'S REPORT FOR 1903. H. R . Wright, Dairy Commissioner . The condition of the dairy business in the St^.tc is not all that conld be desired. As frequently pointed out in .these reports, the dairy business booms when other lines of agriculture return but meager profits. During the year up to 1898, prices of farm products other than butter were extremely low and uncertain. From and including 1898, prices of other farm products have been very high. This is the chief factor which accounts for the present ebb in the dairy business. Without doubt, the introduc- tion of the hand separator and the centralizing plants have re- duced the output of creamery butter in this State, as is pointed out elsewhere in this report under the discussion of hand separa- tor statistics. One of the striking features which the statistics of the last several years show is that the number of skimming .stations in Iowa is steadily and rapidly decreasing. In the boom times of creamery building, beginning about 1896 and before the advent of the hand separator and the system of shipping cream by rail from patron to creamery, about the only me^thod by which a creamery could increase its product was by the use of the skimming station system. There have been a number of disastrous failures of the creamery companies that have operated a central plant and numerous skimming stations. There have been other failures, more or less complete and e^jually (183) 184 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ■disastrous in the ag-gregate, of smaller concerns with only a few skimming stations each. If one may judge the future by the past history of the skimming' station idea, it seems to be only a question of a few years until the skimming station will be a thing of the past. It is difficult to make a general statement that will 2pply in every case, but it seems entirely safe to assert that it is bad policy at this time to invest any money in a skimming sta- tion. If there is patronage enough at any point to warrant the building of a skimming station, the patronage will be entirely sufficient to warrant the erection of a co-operative creamery. The difference in expense between building a skimming station and a creamery is veiy small and the difference in expense in operating them is still less. There are two creameries in the State, within ficty miles of each other and operating under very similar conditions, but upon entirely different plans. Each of them has about six hundred patrons, but one of them has not only a churning plant, but eight skimming stations. This creamery has an investment in the creamery of $5,000.00 and reports the average value of the skim- ming stations at $2,500.00, which makes the total investment $25,000.00. This creamery makes 175,000 pounds of butter. The other creamery has an investment of $5,000.00 in the creamer)^ and makes 540,000 pounds of butter. It is evident that the ex- pense in the first of these plants must include the wages of eight skimming station operators, as well as the wages of the men who operate the churning plant, and hence the expense of operating this system of skimming stations will be very much larger than the expense of operating the other creamer};, which makes three times as much butter. And it is evident that when two cream- eries such as these get into competition, that the creamery with the skimming stations must certainly give way to- the creamery that has no skimming stations. The creamery operator who invests his money in a skimming station, in a very large number of cases, is almost certain to lose a large part of his investment. A large number of centralizing plants are now in operation in this State and a still larger number are apparently about to be FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 185 built, and the question to be settled in the daii-y business of Iowa is whether these pbnts will take the place of the smaller cream- eries of the State. OLEOMARGARINE. The new national oleomargarine law has been ni force since July I, 1902, so that statistics are at hand for the year ending- June 30, 1903. The make of oleomargarine for ':lie year just preceding the new national law was 126,315,427 pounds. For the first year under the new law the make was 71,21 1,3.14 pounds, a decrease oi 55,104,183 pounds, or 44 per cent. Tlie following table shows the number of fifty-pound tubs of oleomargarine made during September in the Chicago oleo factories : Months. 1903 1902 1901 July 18,562 22,360 34.096 53,100 27,800 37, 100 75,849 63,268 September 80,594 The total make for the whole United States for the months of July and August during the last three years has been as follows : 1901 15,814,835 pounds. 1902 • 9,002,054 pounds. 1903 5,795,125 pounds. A careful study of the foregoing figures will sliow clearly that there has been a very great decrease in the amount of oleo- margarine made in the United States, and that the decrease seems to be more and more the longer the law is in effect. For many years the opponaits of the oleomargarine traffic -lave been putting forth the claim that there was a small legitimate trade for oleomarofarine sold as such, but that the bulk of the oleomar- garine trade was only possible when the oleomargarine was col- ored in imitation of butter and sold so that the ultimate consumer was deceived into thinking that it was butter. The figures from the internal revenue department given above seem to prove that this assertion is borne out by the decreased sale of so-called ''un- colcred oleomargarine" even when the 'oleomargarine was given 186 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. a slight yellow color, as has been the case wtih most oleomar- garine put on the market since July i, 1902. It was tO' be expected that manufacturers of oleomargarine would make every effort tO' avoid the regulations and restrictions of the new law and that they would also use every legal means to weaken tlie value of the law by adverse court decisions. A number of expedients were resorted to by them, but the only one that seemed to be effective was the use of palm oil in very small quantities. This was successful in evading the spirit of the law until a chemist was found who could detect in the oleomargarine the small quantity of palm oil that had beeen used. Following the discovery that certain manufacturers of oleo- margarine had been using palm oil, the internal revenue depart- ment assessed against a number of them very large sums under the feature of the law which requires the payment of ten cents per pound on oleomargarine having in it any "artificial colora- tion." These sums of money they have been obligfed to pay and they are now suing the government for tlie return of the money so paid, and these suits, of course, raise all the points that have l)een urged against the oleomargarine lav/, and the determination of them w^ill go very far towards settling the exact meaning of the law and determining the future eft'ect of it. In the meantime the make of oleomargarine decreoses still more because the man- ufacturers are not using the palm oil now as it is alleged by the department of internal revenue they were doing last year. The oleomargarine interests have also succeeded in getting a case before the Supreme Court of the United States on appeal from the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, the determination of which will have a very important bearing* on the future success O'f the law. While it is true that the law has been a large part of what its supporters hoped for and that the enforcement of it has been rigidly carried out by the internal revenue department, and all the suits under this law so far have been determined in favor of the support of the law, yet it is also true that the butter interests should not now give up the fight against oleomargarine, and must be warned against assuming that the battle for honesty in the sale of both butter and oleomar- garine has been won. The oleom.argarine interests are, as al- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 187 ways, well supplied with money and loth to give up a business that has made them wealthy, and they are certain to use every possible means to avoid the enforcement of the law, to weaken its effect by adverse court decisions and if possible to have some of its obnoxious features repealed. The dairy interests should be more than ever on guard so that we shall not lose what has been obtained by most strenuous efforts during the past four or five years. The National Dairy Union and its officers, who have led in the fight for the recent oleo law, have proved tliemselves to be not only earnest but successful opponents of enemies of the dairy industry. For reasons of self-interest the organization ought to receive the active financial support of every man who believes that oleomargarine ought to be sold for what it is, and not, as has been the case for so many years, sold for and in the place of butter. For a considerable number of years there have been scarcely any retail dealers in the State of Iowa ; not more tlran two or three licenses have been issued each year. The reason for this is that it was extremely easy in Iowa to convict a man for the sale of colored oleomarg^arine, and practically all the oleo put on the market was of this variety, hence, no dealer would take out a license if he fully understood the Iowa law, and the f?.ct that the dairy commissioner would certainly find him out and easily suc- ceed in having him fined for selling yellow oleomargarine. As a result of the effort made by all manufacturers of oleomargarine immediately after the new law went into effect and ot their rep- resentations and misrepresentations to^ Iowa dealers in regard to the Iowa law, a large number of grocery and meat market men in all parts of Iowa, 1:fut principally in the large cities, took out licenses for the sale of oleomargarine. It will be remembered that the new law reduced the retailer's license fee from $48.00 a year to $6.00 a year. Two hundred and five licenses were issued in Iowa in the year ending June 30, 1903. It was early discov- ered that only a few of the dealers that had taken out licenses were selling any large quantities of oleomargarine. It v^^as not thought best to make any crusade against the retailers, but rather to make one case against a prominent dealer who would be cer- tain to oppose prosecution and if possible to have the case carried 188 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. to the supreme court and a decision rendered on that feature of our law which is held to forbid the sale of oleomargarine "having a yellow color." There is no qtiestion in regard to any State law which forbids the sale of oleomargarine which has been artificially colored in imitation of butter, but there seems to have b<:en no decision rendered by any court of last resort which bears directly upon the part of the Iowa law mentioned above. Early in Jan- uary the dairy commissioner purchased from the Armour Packing- Company in the city of Des Moines a quantity of uncolored oleo- margarine, which, nevertheless, had a considerable tinge of yel- low, and after some effort an indictment was secured charging the Armour Packing Company with having sold oleomargarine "having a yellow color." The commissioner was assured that the Armour Packing Company was as anxious as himself to have the supreme court pass upon this feature of the law at the earliest date possible. However, this desire on the part of the Armour Packing Company has not prevented their attorneys from using every technical means to delay the suit. The first trial of the case resulted in a disagreement of the jury; a jury under peculiar in- structions. The second trial, before the same judge, but with slightly different instructions to the jury, resulted in a conviction. The Armour Packing Company then interposed an objection to the form of the indictment, an objection which had nothing whatever to do with the meaning of the oleo law, but was simply a technical error in wording the indictment which compelled the court to set aside the verdict. Instead of dismissing the case, as he might have done, the judge sent the indictment back to the grand jury for correction. On the meeting of the grand jury in September the indictment was again returned and again objected to by the attorneys for the Armour Packing_ Com- pany, and up to this date, November ist, the case has not come to trial. However, upon convicting the Armour Packing Com- pany the dairy commissioner sent out the following circular to the 205 dealers in the State : Des Moines, Iowa, May 12, 1903. Dear Sir, — From the records of the Internal Revenue oflBce I under- stand you are selling so-called "uncolored" oleomargarine, and this letter is addressed to you for your information in regard to the laws of this State governing the sale of oleomargarine, or substitute for butter. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 189 One of the provisions of the law is that the substitute for butter sold must not have a yellow color, and this department holds that this provis- ion means that it must not have any shade of yellow. In order that the courts might pass upon this phase of the law a test case was made against the Armour Packing Company in Des Moines upon the sale of a tub of "uncolored" oleomargarine, which nevertheless had a slight shade of yel- low color. On May 8th this corporation was convicted on an indictment charging the sale of oleomargarine "having a yellow color." It is the duty of the dairy commissioner to enforce the law against the sale of oleomargarine in this State. 1 have refrained from making suits against the numerous dealers until this test -case could be decided. This case having resulted in conviction, I am sending you this statement, in the belief that you will, without further efforts on the part of this office, desist from selling oleomargarine having any shade of yellow color, whether it be called "colored" or "uncolored." Respectfully, H. R. Wright, Dairy Commissioner. A considerable number of the men who held licenses in the State answered this circular, saying that the sale of oleomargarine was not a success with them and had been only an experiment, the result of v>'hich would prevent them from attempting the sale of oleomargarine in the future. On October 15, 1903, there was not a single license for the sale of oleomargarine held in the Northern District of Iowa, and only six in the Southern District of Iowa. There will doubtless be a few more licenses taken out before next July. The Dairy Cominissioner hopes to secure a final conviction in the case mentioned above, and a supreme court interpretation of the law which will support the contention that a man may not sell oleomargarine in Iowa if it has a yellow color. RENOVATED BUTTER. LIST OF RENOVATED BUTTER FACTORIES. County. Location. Firm Name. Post Office Address. 1 Calhoun Rockwell City... Andrew Wood Co . Rockwell City McGregor Redfield 2 Clayton The J. D. Bickel Produce Co Smith Produce Co Iowa Grain & Produce Co... The Stevens Co Keota Produce Co B Dallas Redfield 4 Des Moines 5 Dickinson Burlington Spirit Lake Burlington Spirit Lake 6 Keokuk Keota 7 Lee Keokuk Des Moines Des Moines Des Moines ... Iowa Pure Butter Co E M. Ellingson Co Schermerhorn-Shotwell Co . MacRae Bros Jas . L . Humphrey, Jr T. L. Emrv & Son Keokuk 8 Polk 9 Polk Des Moines Des Moines 10 Polk Des Moines 11 Wayne 12 Washington. ... Hunae^ton . . Humeston Washington Sionx City 13 Woodbury N. R. Hathaway Sioux City The foregoing table shows the names and locations of the thirteen process butter factories of the State of Iowa. All of these factories have been in operation for the year ending July 1, 1903, and have made to this 190 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. office quite complete reports of the amount of business done, and the table given below shows the aggregate for the State. For obvious reasons the amount of business done by each factory is not given. It is sufficient to say that the product of these factories ranges in amount from fifty thousand pounds to two million two hundred and fifty thousand pounds each, and that seven of them put out half a million pounds of butter each, annually. Butter . Year ending July 1, 11)02— reports from nine fac- tories. Year ending July 1, 1903— reports from thirteen factories. Pounds of renovated butter made Average per factory 4, 530, 388 503,376 991, 333 3,539,055 9, 193, 450 707, 188 Sold for consumption in Iowa Shipped outside the State 2, 168, 276 7,025,174 It is impossible to state just how much of the stock from which this butter was made was produced in Iowa, for the reason that some of it changes hands a number of times before it cx)mes to the process factory and so the renovator cannot tell the origin of the butter. Perhaps not more than one third of it is Iowa butter originally. NATIONAL STATISTICS. Number of pounds of renovated butter made 54,658,790 Total number of factories, about 63 The managers of these, factories have shown a disposition to obey in all its features the United States Renovated Butter Law, although they have objected very strenuously to some features of the law, as well as some of the rulings of the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Agriculture. Their business, moreover, shows a remarkable increase over the business done in the previous year. Attention is called to the fact that the figures for the year ending 1903 are statistics for the first year under the new renovated butter law and the figures for the year ending July 1, 1902, are the ststistics for the year immediately preceding the operation of the United States Renovated Butter Law. This large in- crease is doubtless due to the fact that before the law went into effect butter was renovated in a small way by a very large number of factories. The taxing feature of the law has served to concentrate the business in the hands of the larger operators, as will be clearly shown by the average product of the thirteen factories of the State. There is every reason to believe that the business of renovating butter and selling the same is one of the most profitable branches of the dairy industry at the present time. In this connection there is given herewith a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of the National Association of the Process Butter Manufacturers in answer to a request on the part of the process FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 191 butter manufacturers that the word "process" might be substituted for the word "renovated'' in branding the product when it is put upon the maricet. Further experience has shown that the Secretary of Agriculture is right at least when he says "Evidence is constantly accumulating that full and cordial compliance with the existing regulations is no real im- pediment to the business Those who keep the name 'reno- vated butter' most prominent in all their transactions and especially in the retail trade, are now doing the best business." The prices of renovated butter for the year ending November 1, 1903, are shown in the table below and compared with- the prices of creamery butter. Date. II u November, 1902 21.0 c. 21.9 c. 21.5 c. 18. 87c. 18.80c. 18. 87c. 18. 0 c. 18. 40c. 17. 75c. 17.0 c. 17.0 c. 17.0 c. 26.5 c. December, 190;i 29.2 c. January, 1903 27 ei2c February, 1903 26.0 c March, 1903 28. 60c. April, 1903 27 25c. May, 1903 22 0 c June, 1903 July, 1903 - 21. 60c. 20. 12c. August, 1903 19 40c. September, 1903 20 75c October, 1908 21.0 c. SHOWING AVERAGE MONTHLY PRICE OF FANCY WESTERN CREAMERY BUTTER IN NEW YORK MARKET. Month. II is. Sg2 ^ -:• > o p o a; tc > a; -cj^ H ^•7 2" II 11 S"' gtx. >B ■ >.z . Ill H b^ ^ November . December., January . . . February . March April May June July August September October .2510 .2440 .2519 . 2394 .2670 .2000 .1785 .1794 .1770 .1980 .2125 .2294 .2330 .2500 .2266 .20; 0 .2185 .1650 .1572 .1550 .1505 .1571 .1600 .1850 Average value per lb. for each year $ .2190 $ .1882 $ .1885 $ .1971 ? .2112 .2250 .1900 .2050 .1900 .18S0 .1530 .1500 .1500 .1675 .1930 .2290 $ .2325 .2290 .2040 .2042 .1937 .1980 .1580 .1687 .1687 .1860 .2025 .2235 $ . 2337 $ .2600 •$ .2160 .2720 . 1975 .2650 .2100 .2500 .2075 .2550 .1962 .1980 .1790 .20] 2 .1881 .1950 .1835 .1960 .2000 .2100 .2262 .2150 .2400 .2 90 $ .2065 $ . 2278 $ $ . 2487 .2540 .2262 .2250 .2212 .2099 .1900 .1925 .1960 .2050 .2110 .2200 .2412 .2510 .2425 .2862 .2840 . 2825 ,2275 .2195 .2131 ,1990 .2170 ,2362 .2165 $ .2416 $ .2417 $ . 2650 .2920 .2762 .2600 .2860 .2725 .2200 .2160 .2012 .1940 . 2075 .2100 192 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE PRODUCT OF IOWA'S CREAMERIES. It is impossible to get complete returns from all the creameries. The following table shows the figures of milk and cream received and butter made at six hundred and one of the six hundred and sixty-one cream- eries of the State, and in a general way at least shows the relative amount of milk and cream produced and brought to the creameries in each county. The reports show very generally that four pounds of cream are necessary to make one pound of butter and so about seventeen million five hundred thousand pounds of butter, or about 29 per cent of all that was reported, was made from cream instead of from milk. TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF POUNDS OF MILK RECEIVED, NUMBER OF POUNDS OF CREAM RECEIVED, POUNDS OF BUTTER MADE, POUNDS SOLD TO PATRONS IN IOWA AND SHIPPED OUTSIDE THE STATE, SO FAR AS REPORTED BY THE CREAMERIES. ih G 1 u u 1 ll t 0) u o ll r- CD Pounds of Butter Made and Market for Same. Counties. 1 u 0) ll CD a a EC o 1°^ The State 601 8 1 6 11 3 14 3 20 11 4 17 6 11 2 7 4 5 16 7 17 975,906,837 18,781,326 3, ©00, 000 11,428,020 20, 286, 055 9,530,918 24, 987, 484 5, 664, 876 63, 590, 159 46, 653, 180 8, 253, 754 38,292,174 5, 561, 330 9, 133, 887 392,904 5,091,240 1,983,789 2,063,682 34,405,713 11,098,614 38, 538, 113 69,626,449 183, 359 13,000 2,523,858 471,849 112, 713 2,736,387 488 6,238 990, 774 239,030 591,590 248,709 17, 553 3,784 703, 132 679, 884 250,076 5,131,096 80, b38 4, 588, 771 601 8 1 6 11 3 14 3 20 11 4 17 6 11 2 7 4 5 16 7 17 59, 642, 487 855,828 120,000 1, 167, 578 994, 103 374, 095 1, 287, 458 244, 264 2, 887, 263 2, 265, 786 427,927 1,864,287 399, 696 453,770 15, 804 459,937 264,924 149, 127 2, 680, 175 523,930 2,293,068 3,924,489 25,902 1,200 36, 977 78,663 7,146 207, 467 12,006 253, 344 171,925 19,711 128, 760 19,572 18, 448 300 19, 479 7,872 2.388 197,544 39, 623 88,640 3,945,978 19,411 1,920 21,115 3,250 21, 820 243,073 84,1)0 57, 233 75, 593 16, 681 77, 084 19, 239 4,517 "89,863* 28, 447 13,815 72, 887 23, 743 11,931 51,772,020 Adair Adams 810, 513 116,880 Allamakee . 1, 109, 386 Audubon Benton 912, 190 345, 129 Black Hawk 896,918 198, 148 Bremer 2, 506, 686 Buchanan Buena Vista Butler ... Calhoun Carroll 2,018,268 391, 535 1, 658, 443 360,885 430,805 Cass 15,504 Cedar 347, 595 Cerro Gordo Cherokee 228, 6C6 132, 924 Chickasaw Clav 2,555,518 4fi0, 564 Clayton 2, 192, 497 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 193 POUNDS OF MILK RECEIVED, ETC.— Continued. Counties. II 0.. Pounds of butter made and market for same. 2 c-2 p! O O'-i O O X Clinton . . Crawford . Dallas Davis Decatur . Delaware. Dickinson Dubuque . Emmet . . . Fayette. . . Floyd . . . . Franklin. Greene .. Grundy . . Guthrie . . Hamilton. Hancock. . Hardin . . . Harrison . Henry . . . . Howard. . Humboldt. f da Iowa Jackson. . . Jasper . . . Jefferson Johnson. Jones Keokuk.. Kossuth . Linn Louisa . . . Lucas. .. Lyon Mahaska . Marion . . Marshall. Mitchell . Monona.. Monroe Montgomery Muscatine . . . O'Brien Osceola Page Palo Alto... Plymouth . . Pocahontas . Polk Pottawattamie Poweshiek Ringgold Sac Scott 13,613,748 438, 883 9,396,047 845, 307 160,000 63, 839, 256 4, 604. 587 29,181,880 9,028,547 57. 586, 164 10,971,377 2, 079, 447 16; 745, 241 14,488,231 12,995,277 6, 147, 433 20,632,971 2, a55, 659 689, 549 13,635,871 10,636,025 8,016,301 12,183,468 16, 327, 989 4,801,488 1,812,192 51,393,619 448, 970 35,653,208 24,980,087 22,500 771,675 562,689 5, 720, 222 1,504,040 1,831,800 850,000 300,000 4,992,317 2,450,000 2, 176. 700 32, 524, 788 7,067,936 2, 618, 579 2,620,429 1,054,225 2, 532, 126 135, 202 8,157,866 657.000 474,000 264,054 40, 990 45,000 128, 484 260, 372 6,150 306, 877 351,937 ,941,478 301, 432 25, 195 404, 532 216, a38 117,421 556, 870 643, 071 1,200 1, 953, 859 869, 722 345,637 1,189,746 477,505 95,624 2-5,560 87, 248 506, 391 138, 694 902, 665 80, 209 72.000 507, 292 280,000 167, 176 1,978,994 5,479,775 12,853 30,000 469,200 281,815 103, 031 1,017,425 1,135,501 221,784 957, 672 1, 970, 588 826, 120 1,471,849 410,000 683, 491 87, 220 402,876 33,688 28,800 2,823,569 265, 229 1,378,021 478, 160 2,625,556 710,836 496, 967 89,806 794,009 751, 499 382, 408 1,019,113 103,427 83, 597 1,983,322 678, 056 205,701 791,516 786, 125 234, 179 145,065 24,307 2,331,521 51,850 1, 908, 137 1,556,310 1,800 1,112 121,322 99, 757 42, 822 658, 746 1,798,188 3,714 52,292 46,828 123,900 295, 607 135, 672 346, 607 1,801,018 370,218 391,811 629, 198 114,015 324,780 5,116 689,025 181, 380 13,640 1,256 18,828 804 5,675 68,261 511 105,873 5,540 300 258, 432 30,336 96,445 43, 454 263,501 220, 577 24,680 114,615 8,499 153, 541 36,816 80,699 1,269 71,299 29, 103 16,819 12,474 88,243 12, 916 66,064 54, 117 15, 515 73, 287 10,580 1,419 4,419 3,429 34, 179 48,694 826 36, 248 59, 482 4,460 185,748 21,889 1,396 1,166 2,000 69,114 32,370 11,780 7,786 8,152 24,260 168, 465 204 118,289 188,842 64,466 66,698 128,444 6,000 1,022 9,605 90 2,467 3,664 28, 564 13, 978 31,221 318,315 130 20,062 61.720 67 2,868 8,000 1,100 71,720 220 13,464 18, 828 43, 400 20,777 2,024 2,900 186, 201 21,926 10,711 11,232 82,000 75, 572 7,832 4.605 364,919 4,898 4,906 629 41,018 1,200 28,426 45, 320 42, 404 89,000 601,590 85,558 277,675 27, 344 22,825 2, 344, 566 210, 213 1,166.9^1 426,207 2, 208, 514 658, 196 4.53,796 50, 294 709,794 667, 282 549, 457 363, 464 911,647 44, 153 31, 353 1,045,683 617, 408 199, 141 .-3!'., 654 730, 865 214,247 113,020 24,307 2,054,767 51,646 1, 652, 697 963, 410 13,000 "169,' 450 57,621 28, 844 607, 453 1,428,148 3,517 36,960 3,000 79,400 208, 110 138, 326 261,707 1,589,245 350, 961 375, 995 263, 642 80,691 274, 554 4,587 C05, 606 441, 180 13 194 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. POUNDS OF MILK RECEIVED, ETC.— Continued. u G 1 £ 1 a 1 Pounds of cream re- ceived. Pounds of butter made and market for same. Counties. 1 u Is 2; 6 1 1 S 1^ 1 I Shelbv 7 5 12 5 2 2 2 2 2 5 1 4 9 16 2 10 6 m 8,746,092 1,7:6,728 2 ,542,343 1,307,315 1,339,730 3,031,374 'i,'855,'796' 1,985,U00 3,267,066 4, 10 <, 734 3,728,758 21,920,535 920, 000 889, 087 1, 526, 169 407,916 1,371,001 2,196,330 101,928 227,420 4,349 ■l,'628,'9i2" ■■"524," 138' 4S1, .13 6, 238, 920 1.173,020 1, ©89, 550 1,313,381 69,626.444 7 5 12 5 2 2 2 2 2 5 1 4 9 16 2 10 6 601 587, 016 592,530 992, 620 4i;3,917 618,685 168,000 56, 855 80,011 83, 05U 293,085 172,666 248, 972 1,011,717 1, 592, 451 341,607 823.797 356,807 59.642,487 38,941 5,589 103,209 1, 504 2,200 7,875 500 1,800 8,750 2,616 3,000 7,896 117,484 20, 157 4,276 64,958 23, 101 3,924,489 2,742 14,278 168, 7'M 2,641 10,000 7,608 901) 28,486 23,050 64. 112 545,333 Sioux Story 572,684 720,644 Tama . Taylor 405,762 606,485 Union 152,607 Van Buren . 47,355 Wapf'llo 48,725 Warren Washington 56, 250 324, 357 169,866 Webster Winnebago 37,036 20,477 85, 446 4,276 15,516 15, 348 3,94.1,978 204, 040 873. 766 Winneshiek Woodbury 2, 4^!6, 848 332,055 Worth Wright 12,261,638 1, 301, 180 975, 906, 837 741 322 3 7,558 The State 51,772,020 Average make of butter pe- creamery, 97,770 pounds, of the state make 64, 565, 970 pounds. On this basis the 661 creameries COMPARISON BY YEARS. Ending May 1— 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. Average pounds of butter per creamery. . , . To all pounds of butter for all creameries. . . 104, 918 84,965,063 105, 491 82,704.»44 104. 152 77, 88), 696 97,770 64, 565, 970 Of the creamery butter made, 1.5. 4 per cent was consumed in Iowa. The figures for 1903 are for the year ending July 1st. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 196 RAILWAY BUTTER SHIPMENTS. The tables of railway butter shipments represent the shipments of butter to points outside the State, and are for the year ending September 30, 1903. Creamery butter statistics printed in this report are for the year ending July 1, 1903. The creamery butter figures are partly estimated from the reports of creameries so far as received. The railway butter shipments are reports direct from the railroads of the State. The latter reports are, therefore, considered very accurate, and the former somewhat subject to inaccuracy. Particularly this year, the creamery butter figures are low on account of the closing of so large a number of creameries, which materially affects the estimate of the total product for the State. Not all the butter here reported is made in Iowa. It is true that we do not import butter for consumption, but considerable quantities of low grade butter are annually imported to be made into renovated butter or resold outside the State. Sioux City, in Woodbury county, has a large renovated butter factory and is also a center for the col- lection of packing stock and renovated butter stock. Naturally, a large part of this butter comes from South Dakota and Nebraska. These facts and the fact that Sioux City also has the largest creamery in the State, account for the great increase in the total butter shipped from Woodbury county. A like thing is true in regard to Polk county, which has three renovated butter factories and two large creameries, located in the city of Des Moines. Clayton and Dickinson counties, showing large gains in butter shipments, each have renovated butter factories. The stock from which renovated butter is made comes largely from outside the State, and so the total shipments from these counties do not represent at all the amount of butter made in the counties. The shipping of cream to the larger plants is accountable for some of the changes in county totals. It therefore happens that the figures in scarcely a single case represent even approximately the amount of butter produced in a county and shipped from it. This department is under great obligations to the railways of the State that have made reports of butter shipments at considerable ex- pense of time and effort. 196 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OP CREAMERIES-GROSS POUNDS OF BUTTER SHIPPED OUT OF STATE. Counties. Number of Cream- eries for 1902 and 1903. Gross Pounds of Butter Shipped Out of the State for the Years Ending Sep- tember .30, 1902, and 1903, Show- ing Increase and Decrease by Counties. 1902 1903 1902 1903 6 V S D The State 919 13 6 7 661 13 3 7 •85,854,721 846,409 444, 431 1,304,818 70,737 1,090,121 600,097 1,847,781 103, 517 2,878,128 3, 191, 442 1,026,794 2,318,258 1, 417, 367 1, 193, 172 370, 228 443, 197 788, 204 129,246 2, 715, 724 17, 00 J 665, 572 2, 980, 3S6 1,1^0,200 1,079,005 877,279 13=5,615 22, 757 2.672,243 295, 926 641, .90 2,322,444 773, 618 2, 448, 793 959, (08 534, 164 3,432 284,813 675, 65 1, 218, 177 1,170,630 548, 176 1,835,; 21 411,383 71.468 l,433,4c2 888, 985 307,980 616,428 1,141,627 255, 717 91,761 661 592,912 171, 643 1,489,747 113,367 990, 537 797,321 1,494,874 71, 617 2, 496, 880 2, 442, 670 1,094,595 1, 827, 661 1,574,950 1, 520, 613 226, 102 418,508 645, 449 171,463 2,619,271 is, 755 614,318 3,916,094 660,676 958, 798 731,682 47, 157 125,640 2,967,206 301, 670 1,201,551 2,73^,755 854,436 2. 494, 6.^3 924,558 372,920 3,868 230,652 703, 698 1,180,018 1,654,582 461,156 1.629.760 340,37. 84, 423 1,360,360 794, 480 214.290 698, 689 1,408,303 297,360 13,912,417 8,005,477 253, 497 : 72, 788 Adair Allamakee 184, 929 42, 630 Appanoose Audubon . .. 11 13 20 7 22 18 10 21 10 13 10 9 6 7 19 4 13 20 17 5 10 5 4 35 11 10 17 4 21 17 7 20 8 12 7 9 7 4 18 8 18 Ih 3 8 4 5 26 99,584 Benton 197,224 Black Hawk 350 907 Boone 31 900 Bremer 381 248 Buchanan 748,772 Buena Vista 67,801 Butler 490 537 Oalhonn 157, 583 327, 441 Carroll Cass 144, 126 24,689 Cedar Cerro Gordo 149 755 Cherokee 42,217 Chickasaw 98,553 Clarke 1,755 Clay 51,254 Clayton 935, 708 Clinton 5:9,524. 120,207 145,597 86, 458 Crawford Dallas Davis Decatur 102,883 294,963 5,744 559, 961 416,311 80,818 45,860 Delaware Des Moines Dickinson. ... 5 20 11 20 7 12 1 6 14 17 11 12 17 5 3 10 12 3 12 20 8 4 23 8 19 6 10 4 10 15 13 12 16 2 i 9 11 2 10 16 6 Dubuque Emmet Fayette Floyd 35,050 161 244 Franklin Fremont 433 Greene 54,161 Grundy 28, 143 ""■483,' 952' Guthrie 38. 169 Hamilton Hancock 87, 020 Hardin "12,855 20 ,761 Harrison 71,008 Henry Howard 73,092 94,505 Humboldt Ida 93,690 Iowa 76.961 266, 676 41.643 Jackson Jasper FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV 197 rABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF CREAMERIES-GROSS POUNDS OB^ BUTTER SaiPPEO our of state— Continited. Counties. Number of Cream- eries for 1902 and 1903. 1902 Gross Pounds of Butter Shipped Out of the State for the Years Ending Sep- tember 30, 1902, and 1903, Show- ing Increase and Decrease by Counties . 1903 190:^ 1903 Jefferson Johnson. Jones Keokuk . Kossuth. . Lee Linn - . Louisa Lucas . Lyon . . Madison . Mahaska . Marion Marshall . Mills . .. Mitchell Monona Monroe Montgomery Muscatine ... O'Brien . . . Osceola . . . Page Palo Alto . Plymouth. Pocahontas . . . Polk Pottawattamie . Powe^shiek Ringgold Sac . . . . Scott . Shelby Sioux . Story. Tama Taylor Union Van Buren Wapello . . . Warren Washington Wayne — Web.ster Winnebago . Winneshiek Woodbury . . Worth Wright The State. 4 14 5 1 5 5 4 7 15 15 3 12 8 919 97, 937 211, 4 1,532 383 1,758 106 34 68 Iowa • • 44 Jackson. ... 26 Jasper 70 Jefferson . Johnson . 81 84 Jones Keokuk Kossuth Lee Linn Louisa Lucas . . . . . . . 2 57 33 69 29 88 Lyon Madison Mahaska ... .... 196,874 21, 595 581,752 56, 742 442,253 12,367 1,325,483 51,067 49, 280 125,712 103,419 569,574 256, 341 1, 767, 294 1,280,365 390, 5S3 541,798 2,708,386 27^, 894 342,517 10, 337 587,8-2 274, 538 194,334 793, 753 1,166,093 458,560 435, 200 535,929 81,222 115, 169 335 37 1,009 98 767 27 2,8Ci2 93 114 291 236 988 640 3,172 2,222 454 940 4,629 284 588 19 1,020 603 329 1.032 2,024 636 794 1,240 167 266 ""598 1,274 769 2,304 2.610 7,043 1,848 1,153 73 93 43 Marion Marshall MilLs 90 54 95 Mitchell Monona Monroe Montsfomery . ..... 10 91 87 76 80 O'Brien 45 56 Page 7 Palo Alto 9 Plymouth 66 Pocahontas Polk 47 3 Pottawattamie Poweshiek 77 63 Ringgold Sac 96 42 Scott Shelby Sioux 61 75 41 Story Tama Taylor 21 5S 51 Union .... . . ... 36 Vail Bur en 85 Wapello 78 Warren . 99 Washington Wavne 338,625 667, 342 553,833 928,549 1,811,873 6,148,916 745}, 270 664, 621 77,079,794 62 35 Webster . . 53 Winnebago Winneshiek . 17 12 1 TviTi^ St A T'lr •J 7 38 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 201 TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF COWS FOR EACH COUNTY AND FOR THE STATE FOR THE YEARS 1895, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, AND VALUES FOR 1903. Il'1gur(;^^ are from census 1895 ar.d the reports of county auditors to the State Arditor for the years 1900, 1901, 1902 and 1903. Countr. Value. Number. 1903. 1903. 1902. 1901. 1900. 1895. $ 82,181,178 1,370,082 1,423,-348 1,382,242 1,295,960 1,087,250 3^6,992 278, 773 314,597 360,540 268,902 17, 013 11,926 13,639 11,598 13, 282 17,724 12, 524 13, 395 12,012 13, 673 16, 192 11,857 13.550 11,910 12,920 14,0.50 10,7»i2 12, 677 10,928 11,581 9,685 7,699 12,289 8.142 8,276 422, 616 433,969 293,922 454,042 385,984 17, 959 17,968 14, -89 17,605 16,5d6 18, ces 19,072 15, 169 17,492 17,816 18,653 18,647 14,543 17,989 17,605 17,407 17,807 13,631 17, en 17, 254 14,503 17,865 11,121 18,001 18,790 332,030 370, 188 275,046 327,915 345, 430 15,028 15,5(14 13,758 15,5.58 14,290 15,914 15,497 14,215 15,825 14,446 15,046 16, 157 13, 544 16,172 13,872 14,094 15,954 12,389 14,467 12,299 9,924 15, 434 9,929 10,823 9,813 428,088 255, 980 30^,508 357, 487 240,251 16.615 12,718 12,466 14,890 10, 168 17, P29 12, 252 13,377 15, 773 10,701 17,807 12,609 13.999 15,582 10,298 16, 475 11,795 11,743 15,807 9,397 12,710 10,089 8,882 16,05S 6,887 2.36, 293 530,564 470, 376 .358, 255 328,761 12,110 21.724 19,541 17,344 15, 152 12, 464 21,714 19,706 16. 917 15; 346 12.782 21,698 19,583 16. 197 14, 169 11,689 20,850 19, 167 14,997 13,703 8,394 21, 732 21,272 11,401 10,512 249,080 322, 700 444, 448 228,694 157,261 10,020 13,210 21,334 8.779 6,502 10,260 14,015 20, 836 8, 624 7,010 10,252 17,331 21,163 8,501 6,842 9,877 12,040 20,801 7,793 6,188 7,242 8, 1! 6 20,777 7.525 4,018 438, 738 150, 664 524, 208 283, 934 282,217 18, '69 7,598 21,768 12,003 13,fc'80 18,054 7,030 2.3,018 12,462 13, 801 19,0^5 6,712 22,575 12,604 13,056 17,844 5,894 22,282 12,920 12,117 19,372 3,834 23, 734 12,564 11,320 204,049 287,412 344, 134 360, 869 371,723 8,744 14, 050 14,559 It', 197 15, 267 8,602 19,902 15, 177 17,554 16,099 8,214 18,873 15,214 15,96! 15,535 7,497 12,955 14,778 14,525 14,441 5, 348 10, 899 1H.606 8,8.34 12,769 231,356 376,047 292, 124 203, 060 291, 157 11,580 15,519 4. 3:;5 8,264 12,638 11,573 17,113 14,986 8, 789 13, 051 11,160 15,825 14,214 8,909 13,031 10,008 1J,669 12,661 8,621 11,695 7,475 11,959 9,286 7.074 11,010 The State . Adair Adams — Allamakee .. Appanoo.?e . . Audubon — Benton Black Hawk Boone Bremer Buchanan. .. Buena Vista Butler Calhoun Carroll Cass Cedar Gerro Gordo Cherokee ... Chickasaw .. Clarke .Clay Clayton ... . Clinton Crawford . . . Dallas Davis Decatur Dela^ are . . . Des Moines . Dickinson. . Dubuque — Emmet Fayette Floyd Franklin Fremont . . . . Greene Grnndy Oiuthrie Hamilton ... Hancock Hardin Harrison Henry Howard 202 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. NUMBER OF COWS, ETC. — Contijjued. Value. Number. Counties. 1903. 1903. 1 1902. 1901. 1900 1895. Humboldt 220,321 213,698 404,040 409, 132 478, 443 248, 120 452,314 490,022 340, 152 439, 4b8 289,071 497,067 187,976 243,948 236,298 289,892 329,600 311,124 343, 848 234,952 2?9, 904 234,980 2.31, 452 225,504 287, 962 262,835 155,043 344, 753 264,990 365, 964 254,784 392, 116 614, 124 356,690 298, 833 368,502 393, 207 395,840 360,214 346, 733 433,461 2S6, 570 269,832 248,248 236, 892 347,320 304, 666 322, 276 405,080 187, 448 448,656 .308, 184 242, 301 261,477 .$ 32,181,179 10,695 8,949 16,938 16,684 18, 689 9,110 7,893 17, 757 14,279 21,239 11,118 21,212 7,345 10,138 10, 724 13,763 13, 676 13,063 15,891 9,255 11,684 11,651 9,027 10,984 10, 228 17, 728 7,142 13, 661 13, 778 17,868 13,493 15, 682 21,933 15,i^78 12,525 15,615 14,717 16,674 16,839 15, 082 16,461 13,577 12,024 9,154 9,672 14,888 12, 381 13,418 16, 186 11,519 18,613 15,078 11,385 12, 836 1,370,082 11,081 9,472 17, 175 16,750 18, 862 9,665 17, 549 18, 175 14,922 22, 912 10,868 22,071 7,675 10,227 10, 350 15,388 1.3, 919 13, 226 16, 496 9,803 12,003 12, 525 8,981 10, 853 9,193 12.895 7,118 14,067 14, 764 16, 848 14,083 15,492 22,356 16, 220 13,332 16, 546 14,899 17,960 16,137 16,017 18,098 12,321 12, 735 9,247 9,877 15, 106 11,267 14,064 16. 1.35 11,769 18,834 16, 139 11,980 13,793 1,423,348 11,206 9,308 17, 382 16, 270 17,974 9,306 17,897 19,045 14,203 21, 467 10, 626 20,653 7,256 9,387 9,231 14,095 13,725 12, 667 15,557 9,039 11,744 11,578 9,152 10, 402 11.040 12,356 6, 435 11,875 14,869 16,299 14, 191 14,815 21,378 15,327 12,723 15,472 14,995 17, 117 14, 838 15, 112 17,974 13,453 11,590 9,099 9,608 14,084 12,972 14,459 15, 438 10,450 19,038 16, 106 11,630 13,749 1, 382, 242 10,358 8,165 15,457 15, 537 16,201 8,228 17,430 18,454 13, 340 19,846 10, 570 20,646 6,701 9,238 8,239 13,300 12,840 11,226 14. 167 8.588 11,198 11,757 8,222 9,907 10, 104 11,023 5,381 12,756 14,305 14,593 12,790 13,616 18,336 14,786 12,311 14,658 14,204 15, 195 13,409 14.394 17,028 11,833 11,344 8,678 8,925 13,022 12,620 13, 178 14,928 9,368 17,809 13,885 11,386 12, 191 1,295,960 8.546 Ida 5,950 Iowa JacKSon — Jasper Jefferson 12,270 16, WJ 13,870 7,465 Johnson Jones.... Keokuk . 12,656 18,347 10, 126 Kossuth 14. 120 Lee Linn 8.914 24,363 5,603 Lucas 7; 217 5,301 Madison Mahaska 9,426 10,328 9,624 Marshall 12,331 Mills 5, 522 Mitchell Monona Monroe Mo'^^tffomery . 10,965 6,739 6, 533 6,970 Muscatine O'Brien. .... 9. 233 10, 179 Osceola Page Palo Alto 3,858 8,084 10,269 10,811 9,354 Polk 11,578 Pottawattamie Poweshiek 14,437 12,190 8,514 Sac 11,344 Scott 12,779 Shelby Sioux 9,522 9,01ti 12, 2nj Tama Taylor Union .... .... 13,65a 8,894 7,510 7, 132 Wapello 7,665 Warren 9,417 Washington Wayne 9,036 8,54;j Webster 13, 462 Winnebago Winneshiek ... 7,101 18,41C W^oodbury . 10, 26e Worth Wright 9,75^ 10, lOfc The State. ],087,25f Average value of cows, .$23. 48. Lowest reported value, Winnebago county, $16.27. Highest reported value, Appanoose county, .$31 08. The very low average value is accounted for by the fact that the assessors include a>< 'cows" all the animals not included in the classification "heifers one year old, " and 'heifers two years old. " Heifers two years old, 332,476; average value, 118.36; total, $6,103,178. Heifers one year old, 516,071; average value, .$13.51; total, $6,974,484. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 208 HAND SEPARATORS IN IOWA. The first statistics of hand separators secured for use in rhe dairy commissioner's reports were obtained in the year 1898. It is evident that any reports made will fall below the actual facts. A number of creameries neglect to report in regard to the number of separators in use and there is no way of determining how many they have. This is true for each of the years, so that for purposes of comparison the fig- ures given below are sufficiently correct and. indeed, it is believed that they do not in any instance fall much below the actual facts. XUMBER OF HAND SEPARATORS REPORTED. 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 904 1,762 3,332 5,231 8,323 16,041 The introduction of the hand separator into Iowa creamery methods has caused something like a revolution in the last six years. The total number of creamery patrons is now estimated to be about seventy-five thousand, of which more than sixteen thousand are using hand separators. This is more than twenty per cent of the total creamery patronage of the State. It is also estimated that fourteen million five hundred thousand pounds of butter are made from hand separator cream. There are in the State thirty-eight creameries that are practically receiving nothing but hand separator cream. Two thirds of the creameries of the State receive cream from one or more hand separators. There are forty-five plants which report that they receive cream shipped to them by rail and of these forty-five plants eleven are receiving nearly all their cream by rail and are properly called centralizing plants. In this connection, attention is called to the fact that sixty-one skim stations have been closed in the State during the last year, and the tendency seems to be to substitute for the skimming station the hand separator and the ship- ping of cream. The skimming station has been found to be a very expensive addition to the local creamery and for this reason it seems certain that the skimming stations will soon disappear. CHEESE FACTORIES IN IOWA. The report for last year showed fifty-two cheese factories in opera- tion in Iowa, and the list found in this report shows but forty-three cheese factories. Nine of the cheese factories have gone out of busi- ness and two new ones have been established. Of the cheese factories now in operation in the State, thirty-one factories report 20,621,763 pounds of milk, from which was made 2.039.- 921 pounds of cheese, and the patrons of these factories received $174,864, which is almost exactly 85 cents per hundred pounds for the milk. The largest factory in the State receives almost three million pounds of milk and pays for it an average of 90 cents per hundred. The most 204 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. successful factory in the State receives two million pounds of milk and pays for it an average price of $1.08. The difference between these factories is that the larger one is not in a dairy district and the other one is, hence, the cost of getting the milk to the factory is less in the one case than in the other. The prices paid by other cheese factories range down as low as 68 cents per hundred pounds. The average production of these thirty-one cheese factories which have reported appears, therefore, to be about sixty-five thousand eight hundred pounds of cheese per annum, and on this basis the forty-three cheese factories now in operation in the State would make approximately three million pounds of cheese, worth perhaps three hundred thousand dollars. From the foregoing figures, it will be seen at once that the cheese business in Iowa is not a very great amount, and probably so long as conditions remain the same as they are now. the cheese business will continue to be of little importance in the State. The relative prices paid per hundred pounds of milk by cheese factories and creameries may be a matter of some interest to those who are unable to account for the small number of cheese factories in the State. A certain Dela- ware county creamery, making 165.000 pounds of butter last year, paid its patrons $1.01 per hundred pounds of milk. It is evident that a cheese factory which could only pay an average price of 85 cents per hundred pounds of milk could not exist in that community and suc- cessfully compete with the creamery. The creameries of Bremer county last year paid an average price of 82 cents per hundred pounds of milk. No cheese factory could compete with these creameries unless it were able to pay a considerable amount per hundred more than the creameries are paying. It is evident that the expense of getting the milk to the creamery will not be more than that of transporting the milk to a cheese factory, and that the skimmed milk will be of much greater value than the whey which the farmer gets back. It is true, however, that other creameries that are not so successfully operated as the one with which the above comparisons are made have not been able to pay as much as the creamer:es mentioned above, and in these locali- ties a cheese factory could easily compete with the creameries. The cheese business does not seem to be adapted to all localities where milk can be easily and cheaply produced. Every northern state, with the exce.icion of those in the semi-arid district of the Middle West. is a large producer of butter, but the same is not at all true in regard to cheese production. Nearly all the cheese is made in the states of New York and Wisconsin, and Iowa with its small number of cheese factories is given sixth place in cheese production by the national census of 1900. There are communities in Iowa where large and successful cheese factories are in operation, so that it is conclusively proven by them that cheese can be profitably made in Iowa but it is doubtless true that so long as the profits in butter making are equal to those of cheese making, the number of cheese factories in this State will be relatively small, for the reason that the making of butter and the utilization of ihe skimmed milk is more to the taste of the stock raising farmer than the making of cheese and the use of whey. PART V. TWENTY-SEVEMTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THK IOWA STATE DAIRY CONVENTION. HELD AT WATERLOO, WEDNESDAY, THURSD.VA' AND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER i8, 19, AND 20. 190;,. PROCEEDINGS OF THE STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION AND NA- TIONAL DAIRY UNION. Officers for 1904. S. B. Shilling, President Mason City W. B. Barney, Vice President Hampton F, H. Kieffer, Secretary Manchester F. A. Leighton, Treasurer New Hampton The Iowa State Dairy Association met in annual convention at Brown's Opera House, Waterloo, Iowa, November 18. 1903, at 8 o'clock P.M. President Samuel B. Shilling- in the chair. President: We are a little late in starting owing- to the ab- sence of some of the speakers, but we will commence the pro- gram with the hope that they w^ill be here soon. (205) 206 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ADDRESS OF WELCOME. Mr. J. G. Murtaugh, of Waterloo. Mr. President, Members of the Iowa State Dairy Association and Visiting Friends: It is indeed with genuine pleasure that I stand be- lore you tonight and welcome you to our city, welcome you to Waterloo, which is known all over the length and breadth of this land as the city of progress; welcome you to Waterloo, the public spirit of whose citizens is known throughout the whole country; welcome you to Waterloo, a lypical city of the twentieth century; and one which has elicited the most favorable commendation of any in the whole United States, the people of whose community are also mindful of the great advantages to be derived from a convention of this character. We also know the good influence that is brought to bear by the Iowa State Dairy Association, and we believe that your deliberations here will have a tendency to ad- vance the industrial interests of Waterloo and of the State. We also recognize the fact that in all these United States there is no place in the Union that produces better dairy products than the grand old Hawkeye State. I want to say to you tonight that your welcome is sincere and that it is cordial. We give you the freedom of the city and ask you to partake of the best that we have. I now extend to you the welcome of Waterloo on behalf of our mayor and on behalf of our citizens, and in the name of Waterloo, the most thriving and the most beautiful little city in the most magnificent State in the Union. Thank you. RESPONSE TO ADDRESS OF WELCOME. Hon. H. J. Neitert. Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen: It is with some reluctance that I appear before you again this evening. I fear that I am becoming something of a "chestnut" in connection with the Iowa State Dairy Asso- ciation, but I presume there was no one else they could tickle with the privilege of appearing before this august assembly excepting this weak mind, and that is my excuse for appearing before you. We have certainly received a most cordial welcome from the citizens of Waterloo. We appreciate this welcome from a city — as has been truly said — that is known from all parts and all points of the compass of this land, and yea even further, for I have learned in my sojourn in the city this afternoon, in visiting a manufacturing plant, that they are sending their manufactured product not only into all the markets of the United States of any importance, but also to Glasgow in Scotland, London in England, the Hawaii Islands, the Philippine Islands and other points in Europe which I can not now recall. This certainly speaks wonders FOURTH ANNUAL YEAPi BOOK — PART V. 20'^ lor this magnificent little city upon the l)anks of the Cedar. Think of It, from the State of Iowa — the State of our adoption — and the one that Has never to beg the question wherever known upon the face of the globe; there is less than 3 per cent of illiteracy in the State; that it has voters for every 3i^ per cent of its ijopulation and casts a vote which I ;im proud to announce, because that is the right of every citizen — not only his right but his duty — to exercise the right of franchise, which is given him. I mention this simply to show you the intelligence of our people. r can speak for Waterloo from my own knowledge, from what I have read in' the different papers, journals and magazines, what I have heard irom the traveling men (who always know all about the commercial enterprises of every city) from all parts of the compass, from the great markets, from all the people we meet — that Waterloo is held up as an example for others to follow. Its wonderful manufacturing industries and its great commercial interests; its stores are palaces, but the enter- prise and push of its people certainly is to be admired. These things have not come about by chance and certainly their citi- 7,«etically and want every exhibitor whose name commences with A and some of those whose names commence with B to be there Ijy 9 o'clock, when Professor McKay will commence the instructions. Everyone who- has railroad certificates will please hand them to ]\lr. Leighton. He has commenced to sign them and will re- turn them to you. We must have one hundred before we can get reduced rates, so please attend to this as soon as possible after adjournment. Tomorrow at 1 1 o'clock our constitution provides for election of officers. The l^r.tter-room wWl be closed. A\'e want a full attendance at tliat tin^e. It will on.ly take a short time, and, as I said before, you are all interested in that and we want you here at the election. Xow, a.lxuit the scores, I want to ask this as a favor. It has alwa}s been our experience that as soon as butter- makers knew th.ch' scores they were inclin'ed to go home. Wq have in.troduced something new in taking vou in classes through. the butter-room and we want to ask that unless absolutelv nec- essary for you to go, you remain during the convention just the same as thouoh we had not done this. Another important ]natter. The association is supported largely through memljershi]) fees of $1, and we want e\'erybody to come an.d take out a membership from the treasurer, \h'. Leighton. Question: I have been asked to incjuire if none Init exhibitors are admitted to that instruction in the morning. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 225 Answer: That is all, none but exhibitors are allowed to re- ceive instructions in that room. That is the rule we made to start with and I thiiik we will have to stick to it. Meeting- adjourned. READING OF SCORES BY SECRETARY P. H. KIEFPER. I would like to make a statement before reading the highest scores^ I consider the scoring of butter at a convention a sacred thing and ii should be guarded as such. I will explain to you the system followed here. The butter, after it arrived, was stripped of the burlap or tub it was in, the address taken off and copied in a book, and then' there v/as a tag similar to this (showing tag) tacked on the tub, with No. 1 written in black pencil and No. 1 entered in the book. The next tub was stripped, another tag put on and No. 2 put on with black pencil and No. 2 entered in the book with exhibitor's name. No. 3 was stripped and the tag put on land numbered No. 3 and the man's name entered No. 3, and so on until we numbered 136 tubs. There was nothing on the tub; everything we discovered on it, names, etc., were scratched off. There was nothing left on the tub excepting this tag, — this piece of paper. After that was done we went down and solicited the services of Mr. Kimball, editor of the Creamery Journal. He consented to help us, for which I want to thank him. We went up there, gave him a pencil and told him if he saw anything on the butter tubs that would indicate who it was from, or any mark or anything of the sort, to scratch it off and to change every tub about as he saw fit, then with a blu^. pencil to mark a number on the tag and the number that he marked or. this paper he marked on the cover of the tub. He did that on all the butter. Then we pulled the tags off and kept these papers. He had the key to the tubs. I had the number and name that I entered but did not have his number. He had the numbers that would correspond with the numbers on the tubs; he kept this until after the scoring. No. 99 in the blue is the one that scored the highest — W. S. Smarzo of Masonville; score 98 — used Alpha Separator, Victor churn, Wells- Richardson color, Diamond Crystal salt. Next highest, J. E. Scott, Du- buque. He does not give any information how he made his butter. Score, 97i^. Calls for Mr. Smarzo and Mr. Scott. The President : Is Mr. Smarzo or Mr. Scott in the build- ing? Will Mr. Smarzo please come forward. Mr. Scott is not present. 15 226 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. DETAILED BUTTER SCORES. IOWA STATE DAIRY CONVENTION, WATERLOO, NOVEMBER 18, 19, 20, 1903. Name. Post Office Address. 1 u o § 1 bo Allison, C. A Banta, A. E Bristol, G. A Beckman, Geo Bergesather, R. S Benson, M. E Botterman, D. A Borglum, T. M Baitinger, John Barker, J. A Barber, M. L. (Dairy) Capper, C. H Carr, Cecil E Codner, W. B Conway, C. R Chad wick, R. W Casper, F Cochrane, A Crocker, H. M Doleschal, A. J Dawson. J . F Evans, Wm Erb, R. J Elder, C. D Edwards, L. S Forrester, H. E Flickinger, L. L Frees, A. J Feldman, J. B Frandsen, A . M Gibbs, L. J Gehrls, Wm .. . . Gudvanger, Erik Goodnow, M. J Gallagher, James Herden, Den Herman. A J Hessel, F. W Helfter, C. L Picks, O. W Hansen, A. M Hill, L. D Jensen, P Jorgensen, Soren Keachie, James L Kolbet, P. J Kuennen, Ben H Kallenbeck, Wm Knief, Geo. H Koenke, H. C Larson, F. L Newell Wheatland. ... Primghar Arispe Northwood ... Brandon Waver ly Rutland Ladora Monona Marion Alta Vista . . . . Frederika Parkersburg, . Garner Waterloo Guernsey Stuart Parkersburg. . Miller Iowa Falls . . . . Bradgate Arbor Hill .... Manchester .. . Waterloo Fredricksburg Predricksburg, Cedar Falls . . Dyersville Stuart Waucoma. . . . Germantown Vinje Collins Toronto Hull Maple Leaf . . Waterville .. Osage Guernsey Silver Lake . . Humboldt Exira Fredsville . . . Dexter Devon St. Lucas .... Bremer Minkler Eagle Center. Dows my. 24k 13 10 5 m. 25 15 10 5 89 25 15 10 5 35^ 25 15 10 5 H8 25 15 10 0 mi .863, 25 14k 9^1 5 25 15 10 5 hS 25 15 10 0 37 25 15 9k 5 37 25 15 10 5 39 25 15 10 43^ 37 25 15 10 5 m% 25 15 10 5 35 25 15 10 5 37>^ 2434 15 10 5 39 25 14Vo 10 5 36 25 15 10 5 37^., 25 15 10 5 38H 25 15 10 5 39 25 15 10 5 '67% 25 llil 10 5 39 25 10 5 37 25 15 10 5 35 25 15 10 5 3734 25 15 10 5 36H 25 15 10 5 42U 2444 15 10 5 4034 25 15 10 3 36 25 14 10 0 37 25 15 10 5 41 25 15 10 5 m/o 25 15 10 5 38 25 15 10 5 34 25 14 10 5 27 25 14k 10 5 37I2 25 15 10 5 30 24k 15 10 5 36}^ 25 15 10 5 38 25 15 10 0 39^ 25 15 10 5 38^4 25 15 10 5 37 25 14k 10 5 32)^ 25 10 5 A\-% 25 10 5 36^i 25 15 10 5 363^ 25 15 10 5 38 25 15 10 5 361^ 25 15 10 5 35 25 15 10 5 391.,' 25 15 10 0 41 25 14k 10 5 37i, 25 15 10 5 36 25 14 10 5 3632 25 15 10 5 28 25 14k 10 5 37I4 25 14 9 5 38^ 25 15 10 5 37io 25 15 10 5 341., 25 15 10 5 39I4 25 1434 10 5 38 25 15 10 5 35 25 15 10 6 373< 25 15 10 5 36^0 25 15 10 5 3734 25 15 10 5 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. DETAILED BUTTER SCORES-Continued. 227 Name. Post Office Address. 9i (>» o ^ 1 s M 6 83 & Lenius, Wm Larson, Peter Lissner, Carl Landis, T. E. . . Languist, G, L. .. Ladage, Herman. Laird, S W .... Lehman, Fred — McFarlane, E . .. McCaffery, J. E Miller, H. N. . . Miller, J. O Mansager, M. J. . Nelson, Christ C. Neilson, J. P. .... Nilson, B Nelson, Chris . Olson, Adolph Olson, L. B.... Odell, F. L Paulson, A. G Palmer. A. A Patterson, S Peterson, L. C Pecinovsky, Prank Pollard, W. K Peterson, Peter.. Peterson, S Remington, A. L. Ross, J. J Rohrssen, C. H . . Stolberg, Rasmus. Seim, Theo. N . . . . Stolberg, Knute . Savrid, P. J Smith, John S. .. Sherk, H. A Smarzo, W. S .. Sorenson, Chris. Schrieber, C. L. Schmidt, J. J Spohn, A. J Stewart, R. J Scott, J. E Stephenson, F. W.. Strait, Geo Squires, B. O Soles, Byron T Saveraid, R. J Storvick, T. A Schreiber, Fred Trimble, N. H Thompson, S. D. . . Vargason, E. M Whalen, J. P Wood, H. S Werder, C. H Wick, Geo Wallack, R "Wedemever, J. W. Wendt, H. D Wiese, Radolph Prairie Rose Yant. O. P Manning Waverly New Hartford. Lake City Farley Saude Buck Creek Walker Coggon. Odebolt . Earlville Randall . Milford. . Ellsworth Exira Bray ton... Swea City . Garner Shell Rock Waukon . . . Greenfield . . Rock Valley Manchester . Austinville. . Rosendale .. Schley Thorpe Elkhorn New Hampton. Dickens Iowa Falls Klinger Dallas Center. Decorah Pioneer Huxley Preston Grand Junction Masonville Wiota Four Corners . . . Almoral Miles Grimes Dubuque Dundee Marengo Waterloo Fern Slater Lake Mills North Washington Alden Albia Jesup Elma Salina Monmouth Story City Manchester Denver Magnolia 37 40 37 38 36^ 38^ i'^ 39 36 38 35 " 39yo 35 " 4u 401. 37 34 37 363^ 37^ 34 37% 41k 363 i 39^1 38^ 39 •32 38^ 351 36^ 33 371. 39 37% 43 37^ 38 38^2 34 36 371^ 42^2 413^ 39I2 39 373^ 3734 37 38 40 373^ 39 38^^ 25 15 25 15 25 14:^1 25 15 25 14% 25 15 25 15 25 14% 25 15 25 UVn 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 113^ 25 15 25 141^ 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15- 25 15 25 14% 2o 14 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 13% 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 10 25 14 25 15 25 14 25 141/4 25 10 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 1434 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 143^^ 25 15 25 IJII 25 25 15 25 15 25 141^ 25 15 25 14% 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 2iy, 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 25 15 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 £% 10' 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9^ 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 94% 91% 92% 9134 933i 95 913^ 90 933>'2 91 93 91^ 90 941.^ 90 91^2 9534 913>2 89 92 913^ 92% 89 94K 91^2 963-. 9iy: 93 v^ 92% 87 93 93% 93I4 9314 903^-2 91% 83 91)2 94 91% 931 4 82I4 931^ 94 98 92 93 931 o 941^ 94 921. 943- 94 94 91 mi 93>2 9132 93 95 921.; 94 " 933o 92M 228 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. REMARKS BY MR. SMARZO. Ladies and Gentlemen: I am a little like Mr. Wright. — I think my hair is standing right up. but I feel very much gratified to think I have won the prize. If I can be of any benefit to any of the boys, I would be willing at any time to give them any instructions I may be able to. I thank you. THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 19, 1903. Called to order by the president. The President : Otir constitution provides that the officers of your association shall be elected at this time. I am some- what disappointed at the size of the crowd here to attend t1:is meeting, but we did all \ve could to get them here and feel that we have done our duty so far as that is concerned. The first point is, how will yoti elect your officers? Mr. Wright : I\Ir. President, I move that they be elected by acclamation. Motion duly seconded and carried. The President : The first officer to be elected for the ensu- ing year is the president. Wdio will you have for your president for the year to come ? REMARKS BY MR. WENTWORTH. Mr. President, Members of the Iowa State Dairy Association: I am greatly surprised to think that a man who has served as long and as thoroughly as our present president has, should have developed the egotism that he has this morning. Here he goes to work and apologizes in a sense and expresses his disappointment at the smallness of the crowd, notwitstanding that we who are here can halloo just as well as the whole association. I propose, on the motion that was made by Mr. Wright, that we all have a chance to halloo just as soon as I name Mr. Shilling for president of the Iowa Dairy Association for the ensuing year, and 1 have the pleasure of nominating Mr. Samuel Bachelor Shilling. REMARKS BY MR. NEITERT. Mr. Chairman. I would like to be heard on this question. I am pleased to second this nomination. I understand it is somewhat em- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 229 barrassing to our president to accept this nomination at this time. T know he realizes the responsibility of the office, the duties to be per- formed and the time it requires. I know he is modest and fears that this might be embarrassing to him; but I want to assure him at this time that no president in the history of this association has given better service or more generously of his time, has brought about better results and greater results to the Iowa State Dairy Association than our pres- ent insumbent, Mr. Shilling. We do not want to listen to any objections he may make but simply re-elect him, and I assure you that it is my belief the association will continue to grow even more than the wonder- ful growth it has shown in the past two years. I therefore desire to second the nomination of Mr. Shilling and trust he will allow the chair- m/an to put the question. The mction hQing ckily made and seconded, Air. Shilling was nnanimoiisl}' elected by acclaniati(jn as president of the Iowa State Dairy Association for the ensuing year. REMARKS BY MR. SHILLING. Gentlemen: 1 confess I never stood before you in my life that I did not know what to say, until now. While I appreciate the honor and while it is a pleasure for me to work for you, I can not feel that you have done the right thing in placing me in the chair as president of your association for lanother year. It has been a time-honored custom of the Iowa State Dairy Association to accord this office to one man not oftener than two years in succession, and this is the first time in the history of the organization in twenty-seven years that custom has been violated. I believe it is necessary to follow that custom in order to have the success that the association deserves, but I will say here I appreciate the honor and I will accept the office. (Applause.) I ac- cept the office and, gentlemen. I thank you for it and I want to say here that I promise you now. as I did a year ago, that you shall have the very best that is in me for the year to come. I thank you. The President : The next is the nomination and election of your vice president. Who will you have for your vice president? AIr. W^right : I nominate ]\Ir. Barney of Hampton as vice president of the Iowa Dairv Association for the coming year. Nomination duly seconded, and Mr. Barney tnianimotisly elected vice president. REMARKS BY MR. BARNEY. When I accepted this office a year ago. at Cedar Rapids, I was rather loath to do so from the fact that I did not feel that I could give the 230 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. time neces£iary, but I have felt greatly honored by being elected vioe president and in view of the fact that we have such an able president I have had so little to do. although I hope to be able to do more during- the next year, I will accept the ofRce for another year. Thank you. The President: The next is the office of secretary. \Mio will you have for yotir secretary? ^Ir. Olson : I will name our present incumljent, Mr. P. H. Kieffer. Xoniination duly seconded hy ]\Ir. Gibbs, and Mr. Keiffer unanimously elected secretary. REMARKS BY MR. KIEFFER. Members of the Iowa State Dairy Association: I highly appreciate the honor that you bestow upon me and I will try and prove myself worthy of the honor. I heartily thank you for this and I hope that we may continue to have a large convention and. get the support of the traveling men, as we have had it the past year, and the hearty support of the creameries throughout the State. Since our president has made an elaborate speech here and has told everything there is nothing for' me to say except I thank you and will accept the office and serve another year. (Applause.) The President : The next is the office of treasurer. Mr. SmarzO : The name of Air. F. A. Leighton is placed in nomination. Motion made and duly seconded, and there being- no other nominations, Mr. Leighton was elected treasurer for the comino- year. The President : This completes the list of officers. I want at this time to appoint one more committee and that committee will be the auditing committee. I will appoint on that committee ]\Ir. S. B. Reid of Des Aloines. chairman, Mr. Joe Stanhope of Sioux City and Air. Pufahl of Nora Springs. Is there anything more to come before this meeting? AIr. Xeitert : Air. President and Alembers of the Associa- \\y\\\ 1 desire at this time to announce that the executive com- mittee has appointed your present secretary, Air. Keiffer, as ex- pert at the next annual contest, or six months test as it is called, of the butter scored by the National Butter- Alakers' Association. The last scoring (in October) will be made at St. Louis. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 231 ]\Ir. Keiffer is well known to all of you and should receive due recognition of his work. I am pleased to know that the other menihers of the executi\'e committee have recognized so worthy a fellow co-worker for the State of Iowa, and I hope and trust he will have the warm support of all of our members. Knowing him, as 1 do, to be intelligent, diligent, pushing and faithful in the cause of good butter; knowing him to lie honest r:nd capable of filling this position to the fullest, it gives me great pleasure to make this announcement, as the other members of the committee have so kindly suggested his name. I know it must be pleasing to every one of the members oi the Iowa State Dairy Association and all the people of his acciuaintance, and I can not think of any man in wdiose hands I would rather place this trust than in those of our present secretary, ^^Ir. Keiffer. The President : I know I voice the sentiment (jf the mem- bers of the Iowa State Dairymen's Association when I say I appreciate the honor, and it is an honor, of having a man ap- pointed from our State as a member of the National Butter- Makers' Association. It has done lots of good and I wish at this time to urge the butter-makers to give their support as here- tofore. It has opened up the educational features of a six months' contest and I hope it will receive your support. I know I voice the sentiment of the entire delegation when I say it is an honor for the State and I thank you for it. REMARKS BY MR. KIEFFER. Mr. President. Members of the National Butter-Makers' Asscoiation and Executive Committee: I very much appreciate what you have done for me and I will accept the offer that you have made me and thank you for it. I will do the best I can in this matter, but at this time I want to make a plea to our butter-makers in this State. Thoy have responded heartily to this conve9tion with their butter; they have sent to this convention, as I understand it, the largest number of tubs of butter that has ever come to an Iowa State conventions of iowa butter for a long time. They have responded nobly and I again appeal to them to do the same if the national test is held; and I assure them, eo far as I am concerned, the treatment will be alike in all states, and 1 belieA^e so far as the executive committee and your judges are con- cerned that the treatment will be alike. I am assured of that and I beg for your hearty support in this matter. Thank you for what you have done. 232 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The President : Is there anything further before the meet- ing-? For this afternoon we have a prog-ram of great interest. In addition to the fact that Governor Cnnimins wiU address you, we have IMr. Col>l), otherwise known as "Buff Jersey" with us, Mr. Mowliray of Minnesota an.d Mr. Kennedy of Ame^, and we want everyone to l^e present. W'e want to give the Governor one of the most nxising receptions ever given at a dairv conven- tion. If there is nothing more before the house we will consider ourselves adjourned until 2 o'clock this afternoon. AFTERXOOX SESSION. The President : It is not often that the Iowa State Dairy As- sociation is favored by the presence of its Governor ; it is less often perhaps, that it is favored by the presence of a Governor who has attracted the attention of the nation lowaward bv the ad- \anced position that he has taken upon all questions of pu1)lic interest. I want to reiterate just one word that I said last night — one statement — and that is I l>elieve if it were possible to measure the advancement that has been made in the State of Iowa in the last year in the dair^- interests, we would compare fa^•orably, if not be at the head, in point of advancement. This is due al- most wholly to the appointees the Governor has made, and I am glad to have an opportunity to say it in the presence of the dairy- men of Iowa because thev will bear me out in it. This, coupi^^. with our dairy school, has brought about this result. \\> have with us today that Governor, and I Iiave the pleas- ure and the honor of introducing to you Gov. A. B. Cummins. ADDRESS. Gov. A. B. Cummins, Des Moines. Mr. President. Gentlemen of the Association: The most perplex- ing thought that has filled my mind during this morning is why I was invited to speak to this association. You will share that diffculty before I am through. It is true that I was born and raised on a farm, though I never heard of a Jersey, or of a Galloway, or a Holstein. or a Guernsey so FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 233 long as I worked on that farm. It is a new thought to me — these classifications. The principal quality that we sought for in a cow in the country in which I was born and raised was that she should be a good climber, for upon the mountain-sides of Pennsylvania it required a sure-footed animal to gain an existence. I feel, however, all the honor that this invitation involved. It is la great pleasure to me to stand for a few moments before you, while you interrupt and suspend your ordinary proceedings, and while I can not hope, I do not hope, to interest you in the particular calling or business in which you are en- g'aged, I doubt not that we can spend a few minutes looking at soma matters from points of view that are not wholly technical with advantage. While I do not know much about butter-making (in fact, the most painful memories of my life are the hours which I have spent at the churn; you have not that to do nowladays, I fancy) I hope I am not quite as bad as my friend, Mayor Caldwell, of Sioux City. Some of you may know him; we call him in Iowa "Happy Cal." He used to be an editor at Sioux Falls and he reiached the conclusion that the work of publishing a newspaper was altogether too hard and that he would go to farming, and he knew just about as much about farming as a hog does about literature. But he bought a little piece of ground and moved out on it, and shortly after he had settled there the farmers had an association in the neighborhood and he was invited to attend one of its meetings. He went, and the subject of that particular meeting was sheep raising, and "Happy Cal" was very much interested in the dis- cussion which took place. First one man arose and spoke about the merits of the Cottswold ram; another arose and expounded the merits of the Southdown ram, and another spoke on the merits of the Shrop shire ram, and so it went. And finally the president, seeing Mr. Cal:l- well in the audience and knowing he was a stranger, raid he had no doubt the meeting would be glad to hdar from the new comer, Mr. Cald well; and he arose and said that he had been much interested in the discussion of the merits of these various kinds of sheep; that the truth was he was thinking of going into the sheep business himself and that lie wanted a little light, and that he would like to have the opinion of those who had experience in the business, considering the climate and the soil and everything connecte.d with the business, — he would like lo have their opinion with regard to the merits, not of the Cotswold ram. or the Shropshire ram or the Southdown ram. but of the hydraulic ram. (Laughter.) Now I know a little more about butter and butter-making than my friend Caldwell knew about sheep raising, but not much. I know enough to know that you are entitled to be congratulated for member- ship in the largest, probably, as well as the most persistent and most flourishing association that is allied with the products of agriculture, I know enough to congratulate you upon the inestimable benefits and advantages that you have conferred upon the State of Iowa by turning intelligence and scientific investigation towards this subject. I know enough about the business to be sure that the product in which you 234 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. most largely deal in this group of states, in the three or four states surrounding Iowa, and Iowa, and I know that it rivals in its color and sur- passes in its value all the gold dug from the bowels of the earth between the two seas. And so it gives me the greatest pleasure to occupy your time for a few minutes, — just how I do not know, but I will discover as I go along. The first thing that I am moved to say is something with respect to the State of which many of you are citizens. I welcome these men from other states here, but it embarrasses me. I am glad they are here, but I am always reluctant to say what I think about Iowa in the pres- ence of citizens of other states, lest it shall hurt their pride and their feelings; but I know that you will attribute anything that I say not only to some desire to adhere to the truth, but to the pride and loyalty I feel in the State of which I happen to be governor at the time being. ' Iowa occupies the most beautiful spot upon the earth's surface. Now that is not the statement of one who is unduly fond of Iowa. It is the statement of an accepted fact, not only here but throughout the whole country. I believe it to be true that if you had the earth's sur- face in which to carry on an investigation, if you had to select irom every sovereignty and every people, and were to select that place where Nature has bestowed her most benignant smile. I believe that territory between the Mississippi river and the Missouri river and Minnesota and Missouri would be chosen as the most blessed spot on earth. (Applause.) There is no equal area that incorporates so many of the things that Nature has given to mankind for his use; there is no other territory in the world of equal size of which this can be said — that there is 971-^ per cent capable of successful and profitable cultivation. There is no other State in the Union which approaches that percentage so closely as to be a reasonable secona. 97 1^ per cent of all our area. — hillside and valley, river and hill and prairie— 97^4 per cent of it may be put under cultivation and will yield a profitable return for faithful labor! You have already heard with regard to its capacity in your particu- lar direction, but I happen to remember a statement made not long ago in my presence, and I believe it to be true, that the hens of Iowa cackle every year over a product that is worth more than the whole agri- cultural output of many of the states of the Union. (Applause.) That may sound a little bit enthusiastic but it is actually true. But may I say, before I float away further upon the waves of my own enthusiasm, may I say that these treasures which God has hidden in our fields and' upon our prairies, these wonderful riches that he has bestowed upon us, they are not the shining, the crowning characteristics of the State of which we are citizens. Her n.en and her women are the bright jew- els in our crown of statehood. Somehow or other it seems to me that Iowa, by the interposition of Providence, has been set apart for the fairest and the best experiment in few instances among men. There are fewer evil influences about the people of the State of Iowa than any State in the Union. This is probably true because of the prominence of the interests which you represent and which does not involve the crowded, the very crowded population which are characteristic of many FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 235.> of the states. Then we are particularly happy, too, in the pioneer period of our State. The early settlers of this commonwealth gave it an impulse and the direction from which it can never escape, and it moves as by tradition and by instinct into paths of righteousness and safety and of conservatism. But these men and women who now occupy this kingdom in everything that tends to make life lovely and sublime (I do not discourage the men and women of other states; they are the best in the worldi save our own)— these men and women who now In- habit this empire in everything that tends to make life complete and happy and content, have neither parallel nor companions upon the face of the earth in education, in the diffusion of intelligence and in respect for law and order, in the beauty and sanctity of their homes, and above- all in the comparison of these things in the ease and dignity with whicli they pass from rank to rank in life; as I said a moment ago. they are without parallel or companions in all the world. I have used the word ranks, and that has gotten to be an unpopular word in these later days, but I used it advisedly for the people of Iowa understand that there are ranks in life. There are ranks in society, there are ranks in literature, there are ranks in art, ranks in every- thing; but they understand that it is the genius of our institutions that these ranks are always and ever open to every man and every woman who has the courage or spirit to enter them. (Applause.) I compliment this association most heartily upon the direction which it helps to give to the thought^ of the age. I am delighted in these days of turbulence, in these days when civilization has become complex and it is difficult to unravel the intricate thoughts that bind u$ together, I compliment and congratulate you that you are doing something, doing much to dignify, dignify the cause, if I may so term it, of human labor. These people of ours, not in Iowa but throughout the United States, tlje first people in all history who have assigned honest, faithful labor to its true place in the economics of the earth, and you are teaching — you are teaching the world that agriculture, that labor is not only honorable (it has always been honorable), but that it is dignified as well as hon- orable because you are bringing thought, investigation, research, intel- ligence to the work at your hands. It is one of the happiest comments of this state, or of any other, that the people begin to understand that agriculture in all its phases is a scientific pursuit, and that the man. who accomplishes victories in this field must have a mind as well trained and a hand as steady and true as the man who accomplishes victories in any of the learned professions, — and that is the reason that you are doing much, not only for your own following, but for the world,, in making it understand that there is such a thing as nobility and dig nity and high-mindedness and high citizenship in these ranks. And that leads me to a suggestion, because I am not going to talk about butter. I do not know hew many different kinds of cows there are; I do not know there is such a thing as a dual purpose cow and a special purpose cow, but then I do not know half as much as you do, and it would be folly for me to stand here and attempt to teach you the alphabet in a learning in which you all hold post graduate diplomas. 236 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. I shall not attempt it. But for the moment I represent this State ana I have a deep interest in it and I have a deep interest in all the means and methods through which its people are to be lifted up to .a higher plane of living, and through which its various enterprises may be car- ried forward to a still more splendid success. I have spoken about the dignity of your business and of all agri- culture, and that leads me naturally to say a word not in behalf of an institution but of an institution which I think is entitled to as much credit for the wonderful things that have been accomplished in agri culture as any other in the world; an institution which in my humble judgment means more for the people of Iowa than any other in its midst. I stand for all our institutions of learning; they are all associations of which we may well be proud and to the support, the enlargement, the development of which every citizen ought to give his best thought. But in this present instance,' speaking to the dairymen of the State bf Iowa as the men who are particularly interested in the profession (because I shall henceforth call it a profession), the profession of agriculture, I Avant to remind you that we have in this state an institution of which all its people should know more, and towards which all its people should stretch forth a more helpful hand than has hitherto been tendered to it — I speak of the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Art^-.. (Applause.) I believe that this institution is doing as much to confer honor upon the men of Iowa as any other in our midst; I believe it is doing more to make the business in which you are engaged profitable than any that we have ever founded amongst us. and we have, and it is with pride and with gratification that I mention it, — ^we have at the head of the; agricultural department in this great college a man who leads the world in the field to which he has devoted his life — I speak of Professor Curtiss. (Applause.) All this should stimulate the pride of an Iowa man. But I am noi now speaking as a member of its board of trustees. I am not here soliciting alms for it. It belongs to you. it does not belong to me, it does not belong to the members of the board of trustees, it belongs to you; and I lift up my voice for it this afternoon because if we would maintain it at the high point that it has already attained, if we would give it additional efficiency, if we would bestow upon it additional help- fulness, it needs the sympathy, it needs the good will, it needs the inter- est of every man in this broad State who is interested either in agri- culture or in the mechanic arts. I have been boasting a good deal this afternoon and I have a right to. I have boasted of the things that God has given us. But there are some things I can not boast of. The things that man can give us I am not able to place upon the high pinnacle to which I have those of bounteous Nature. This institution of ours, well equipped as it is with the best intelligence of the age. can not maintain the elevated position that it has acquired unless we can keep pace with developments in other states and other countries. Why we need for this institution at this time a million dollars to expend in building. Now this seems a large sum, does it not. but we have twelve to thirteen hundred of the FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 237 strongest, the most loyal young men and women gathered in this insti- tution at this moment fhat ever came together for the purpose of devel- oping their minds and strengthening their bodies, and we are housing them in barracks that the army of the United States would reject for its regular army. This is a misfortune to some extent and we aro going to remedy it as soon as we can; but we have been floating along here on the tide of prosperity and have been forgetting that here was the instrument, the weapon by which these battles were fought, and they need sharpening every day. I am not here to take up a subscription, mark you, but I want you to feel well towards this institution, and I want you when the legis- lature comes to consider what it should do for its enlargement and development. I want you to look upon the work of the legislature with a sympathetic and generous eye. It seems to me that the people of this State are already reaping the profits of the work done in this field of laDor. I honestly think that the agricultural department of the col- lege at Ames will add 33 per cent to the value of every acre that is planted in' corn in this State within the next five years. I say that with knowledge. I know more about that than I do about butter-making. I know that if the work being done here in the way of these investiga- tions of science, coupled with this ancient and honorable profession of agriculture, if even the propositions which this college, and all agri cultural colleges, for that matter, — because it is not singular in that re- spect,— if the propositions which they are putting before the farmers of this country receive encouragement and are adopted, every acre of land in this State devoted to corn will produce within the next five years 33 per cent more than it now does. No doubt that the light with vvhich it and other institutions have supplied the business in which you are engaged has added equally to its profit, to the productiveness of tl'.o capital which you have employed. Now I want to say another word, and here I may tread on some- body's toes — -I don't know. What I have said up to this time I am sure you will all agree with; but I now come to a point that I have in mind and it has become a sort of fad with me, I suppose, yet I believe deeply in it. Here we are in Iowa, a great agricultural State it is now, and it always must be the greatest agricultural State in the Union. I repeat that there is no State in all the splendid sisterhood, taking all the products of agriculture together, that is even a fair second to this commonwealth. And that is because we have the best opportunity of any other State in the Union. It is not because we know how to im- prove these opportunities better than our brothers in other common- wealths. But don't you believe that your butter would be worth more if it could be consumed in the State of Iowa rather than sent to Chicago and New York, or to the ports across the sea? In other words, I plead for a diversification in industries in Iowa. I never expect to see this State standing at the head in manufacturing; I never expect to see it lead the procession in the great industrial fields other than agriculture, but I do believe that there is opportunity here for a much higher place in the ranks of manufactury than we have hitherto attained. Why the tendency of this age is to take the manufactory to the raw material. 238 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. That is naturlal. It is logical. There are reasons for it which appeal instantly to even the casual thinker. There are a great many excep- tions to this tendency, but if you will look over the work of the world you will find a growing and as I think irresistible tendency to carry the manufactory to the raw material. What is our raw material in the State of Iowa? First, cattle; sec- ond, hogs; and I assert to you, and it is a subject to which I have given more than ordinary attention,— I assert that not a fat steer or a fai hog should ever leave the borders of the State of Iowa to be manufac- tured into their ultimate producLs. Take hogs, for instance. It is a blasphemy, almost, to haul hogs three hundred miles or four hundred miles. Take a fat hog, — a carload of fat hogs at Kansas City, and transport them to Chicago, and I care not how go'od attention you give them in transportation, there is an actual loss of anywhere from li^ to 3 per cent in meat tissue. That is a loss that can never be repaired. It is irreparable. I do not mean to say that the animal can not again take on his original weight, but if he does he takes it on at the expense of the food that is given to him to replace this loss. Now tell me, if you please, why should hogs be taken from the State of Iowa to Kansas City or to Chicago or anywhere else to be manu- factured into meat products? Tell me why j'our fat cattle should be transported by the hundreds of thousands of train loads from year to year to be manufactured in Chicago or elsewhere? There is no reason, but you ask why it is done. I will tell you why it is done; it is done because the adjustment of the railroad rates between the live animal and the dead product is unfair. There are one or two manufactories in Iowa which by reason of their being close to the Mississippi river, and others possibly at the Missouri river, that are able to survive the unfairness in these rates; but manufactories scattered over the State of Iowa can not compete. Mark you, I am not here an advocate for the reduction of railroad rates. I do not know whether railroad rates are too high or too low. I am not quarreling with the returns which the railroad companies are securing upon the business which they do; but I do say that, whether intentional or otherwise, the rates between live stock and dead product are so adjusted that the business which we ought to do, not only for economy's sake but for prosperity's sake, we do not do. Railroad rates in this State, so far as their adjustment is concerned, are much like Topsy, — they have simply grown. They do not bear that relation to each other which a scientific investigation of the subject would require. You know, as well as L it is not a question, it is not a technical question, but j^ou know as well as I that the railroad company ought to be willing to deliver a packing house product cheaper than it trans- ports the live animal. There are a great many reasons which lead to this conclusion, reasons which have been investigated, because I am not suggesting anything new, and I am suggesting it to you because it is a matter of vital importance, not only as citizens of this State, not onH- as men who are interested in seeing a general diversification of the work, of our people, but as men who are interested in seeing a market for your product created within the limits of your own State. That is the FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 239 policy. That is the policy of this country; it has been' the policy of the country since its birth, so far as it concerns foreign nations. Now, why ought it not be the policy of the State of Iowa to create these markets in our own cities, and these homes of industry upon our own prairies? It is something that is worth thinking about and it is not imprac- ticable. It simply needs the united forces of intelligent effort to accom- plish it. It is not a war upon our transportation companies. I look upon them as the great arteries of commerce and indeed the pioneers of prosperity, and I for one should not under any circumstances suggest any course that would bring misfortune or adversity to them, because without them and the help they give to the business of this great country, we could not exist a single fortnight. But I do quarrel, and I leave it with you, — I do quarrel with the adjustment of these rates that pre- vent the State of Iowa from obeying an economical law of production, viz. that our raw material shall be turned into the finished product adjacent or approximate to the fields in which this raw material is produced. (Applause.) I have said a great deal more than I intended to, but it is one of the questions which the future will require you to answer, and while we are not jealous of the prosperity of Illinois, or of Nebraska, or of Missouri, I think we have a right to look to our own interests first, and I commend this subject for your thought and for such discussion in the future meetings of your association as you think its merit or its importance entitle it to. Now just one word more upon an entirely different subject and I shall finish. It is a great wonder that I have not fioated off into a Republican speech before this time; but I have been making Republican speeches for two and a half months now. until my mind is saturated with that kind of thought, and I am going to make a reference to a political subject. Not partisan — not partisan. You have heard a good deal in the last year or two in this State about "stand pat." I am not a "stand patter", as you all know. I am not using the subject in reference to tariff, not at all. I want to com- pliment you because you are not "stand patters" in the business in which you are engaged. There are a few great principles true yesterday, true today and they will be true tomorrow, upon which we must stand pat; but their application to the affairs of men change, changes with tho rising of each sun, and what I am. prouder of than anything else is that this association and all the associations throughout this State and other states of the Republic are moving on, moving on under the impulse of higher thought and of greater knowledge; moving on with safety under the illumination which brightens and lightens the path of the workman and the thinker of this day. Because the great danger (if there is a danger in this country, and I am not a pessimist about the future of this country; I have no more doubt about it than I have of my ov^n existence), but if there is any danger at all that is plain in our path over there, it is because we have come to think that the work of the world has been done, that we can securely rest upon the achievements of our ancestors or contemporaries. We come insensibly sometimes, in the very flood of great prosperity, to think that all has been done that 240 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ought to be done, and it is to dispel that thought, or rather that illusion^ that you will allow me a concluding word. You have heard, I suppose, a great many times, some ambitious and glowing Fourth of July orator declare that the age of experiment in the Republic had passed; that when Grant refused the sword which Lee offered him at Appomattox it became an equal structure in the archi- tecture of nations. Now I would not for the world clip the wings of any imaginative orator; I would not for the world dampen the enthusi- asm of any lover of his country, but let me say to you that the age of experiment has not passed, it never will pass and it never ought to pass, because the very moment that the faith and futurity of this great country of ours do not depend upon the intelligence and con- scientious performance of the duties of citizenship, that moment we have begun a decadence that will end only in the failure of the fairest experiment in free government that the annals of the human race have ever seen. Therefore I say to you, not only with respect to the material thiug<5 of life, not only with respect to the business in which you are engaged, but with respect to those higher duties which affect not only yourself but your fellow men as well, which affect not only the present moment but the future as well, be as diligent, be as progressive, be as alert in the discharge of these high duties as you are alert and coscientious in the discharge 'Of these things which affect your immediate profession or avocation. Remember that in this growth of which we are so proud, and of which we are a part and to which you have contributed, we have devel- oped problems the like of which our forefathers never knew. This great prosperity in which we all so much rejoice and which we so fervently pray may be continued, this great prosperity is thundering into your ears and mine, questions that must be answered — must be answered right if we are to preserve even what has been so sacredly handed down to us by our forefathers, I am glad it is so. I am glad that you must tight in order to preserve yourselves. I am glad that it is necessary that you should be active in order to accomplish victories, or even enjoy those which have been accomplished. And these problems.— I will not mention them now because they are floating through our minds all the time, — you can not take up a paper but that you will see them set in every column; you can not read a periodical but that you will con- tinually hear these questions humming and drumming in your ear.— and how are we to answer them? By shrinking cowardly back and saying that we stand upon and by what has been already said and al- ready done? No! Every day creates not only its conditions but it creates its difficulties as well, and while you are going about in this world attending to your own affairs remember that you have to attend to somebody else's affairs, too. The school of which I spoke a few moments ago, it may, — possibly its dominant need is to teach John how to take care of himself. I am now talking of a larger school, a post graduate university, the university of life in which we have to teach John not only how to take care of himself but how to take care of others as well. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 241 It is not enough for any man to fold his cloak around him and say- that it is well with me. He must ask his neighbor, "Is it well with thee?" and unless wo do take on this higher and greater civilization, unless we do occupy this higher and, as I think diviner point of view, it will not he well with us. I am not a disciple of the maxim, "Let well enough alone," for it never was well enough with any man, with any nation or- with any people. I do not think, as I said before, that I have the slightest doubt with regard to the future. When I see here sometimes my young friends lifting up into view and picturing with all the eloquence and the enthusiasm of the young the master minds of former times, those great spirits that dominated former generations and former centuries, I know, although he does not, I know that there are giants in these days as well as in former days. I know that the man and woman of this age are treading their way easily through difficulties and through intricacies before which these great spirits, luminous as they are of former times, would have recoiled in utter helplessness. So do not think that I have any doubt with re- gard to the future, but I preserve my confidence simply because I know that what you have to do. you will do well and you will do righteously and conscientiously. I know that from time to time, as the laws of your country give you opportunity to do so, you will express your opinion with regard to public affairs; freely, independently, conscientiously express them so they can be heard through the civilized world. I have no doubt with regard to the future of the republic, or the future of this commonwealth, so long as every man will, when the time comes, approach the polls and there declare what he believes with respect to his fellow men and to the government which binds him to them. And so my first injunction is not energy in business, because there is another motive that prompts you to that, but it is energy in the dis- charge of your public duty, not only energy but fearlessness and intelli- gence as well. No, I repeat that although I am conscious, perfectly conscious, that we have these great problems before us, — and they are all about us now, — I look off into the future and I see problems vital and important, but I do not see any that an educated and patriotic intelligence can not solve; I see difficulties over there that are mountain high, but I soc none that courage can not overcome; I see warfare, ceaseless, never end- ing, perpetual warfare, but I see gallant soldiers in the army or reform, in the army of righteousness, and, thank God, I see no defeat. 16 242 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE FARMER'S COW— HOW TO KNOW AND HOW TO FEED IT. Professor Kennedy, Ames. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I assure you that I am glad to be here this afternoon to speak to the members of the Iowa State Dairymen's Association and visitors. You have heard a sreat deal from our Governor in regard to the prosperity of the State of Iowa — Iowa, wlio stands first in agriculture in comparison with all the other states of the Union. This afternoon I wish to take your attention for a short time to discuss one phase of agri- culture which has not been taken up yet. I wish to take your time for a short while to discuss the farmer's cow, how to know her and how to feed her. I may say that in my estimation the farmer's cow has probably done more towards development and prosperity of agriculture in Iowa than probably any other one line. In the first place, as Governor Cummins has already said, we have several kinds of cows. We have the special purpose cow, the dual pur- pose cow. the beef cow, and so on. This afternoon I do not wish to dis- cuss the special purpose cow, or the dual purpose, or the beef cow. I am simply going to talk a little while on what is considered the most profitable farmer's cow. In the first place we have several breeds of cattle. AVe have several breeds of dairy cattle, cattle which are intended and bred especially for the purpose of dairying — for the production of milk. We have in addi- tion to that, breeds of cattle which are bred for the one purpose of beef production; furthermore, we have other breeds of cattle and other types of cattle which are bred for the combined purpose of producing beef and milk. In certain sections of this country there is no doubt but what the special purpose cow, of which the Jersey, the Guernsey, the Holstein, Ayrshire and some other breeds are representatives, that that type of a cow is the most profitable for a farmer to own. In other sections of this country, in the West, for instance, where land is cheap, where land can be had for almost nothing, there is no doubt but what the beef cow is the cow for the farmer. In other sections, of which Iowa is a good example, there is another type of cow which in many instances can be handled profitably, that is the dual purpose cow — the cow which gives a fair amount of milk and at the same time produces a calf which makes a fairly good steer when sent to the market. I wish to make myself clearly imderstood in this connection. To not misunderstand and think that I stand here for a moment and say that this dual purpose cow is a more profitable cow than the dairy cow for a farmer to own; but I may say under the mo.-t intensified methods of farming, where dairying is adopted, that the cow which will last longer is the special purpose cow. That cow will last and will be present after the other types are gon-3. A special purpose cow demonstrates that she will produce butter at a lower cost than any other type, but ;iowa is different from other sections FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 243 of the country as this is a great ijeef State. Our farmers have lots of rough feed, they have lots of corn fodder, they have lots of forage in the shape of hay, they have lots of corn, and in their work they follow diversified farming, that is. in many sections a certain amount of dairy- ing is carried on. In all sections there is a great deal of beef pro- duction, so the cow which will combine both beef and milk is the cow which perhaps appeals more to the farmers than any other class of cow. Some men have gone so far as to say that it is impossible to get this kind of a cow. For the past ten years we have had at the college at Ames an experiment station. We have kept there different breeds of cows. Have kept accurate records of all the feed they have consumed. Morning and evening we make notes and record the amount of milk given by each cow; morning and evening we have collected samples of the milk given by each cow and have had them tested so as to know exactly how much butter fat eacli cow gave us; at the end of the year we have the total amount of milk given by each cow, her average test in butter fat, the total amount of butter produced, the cost of feeding the cow for the year and the cost of producing one pound of butter. In addition to that we have kept the calves from these cows, have fed them on skim milk and after a while sent them to the market, where they were slaugh- tered for beef purposes. In the first place, I wish to be understood on this point; that is, there is only one way to know a dairy cow, and that is by the use of the Babcock test and the weigh scales. That is the method we are fol- lowing; but still a great many people would like to know a few other pointers which will help them in the selection of cows. There was a time when we had many men who claimed they could lok)k at a cow and tell you how much milk she would give; that they could go into a ring where there were a dozen cows and could tell by certain points which v/ere the best of the dozen. I have been called upon to judge cattle at the state fairs, county fairs and international fairs, and in judging dairy cattle I have never made the claim, and do not intend to now, that I can go into a ring where there are a dozen good cows and pick out the one which will give the most milk, because I can not do it by looking at it and neither can any man living. There is 'only one way and that is by weighing the milk and testing it. Still there are several points which serve as a basis, that is, we can tell between the poor cow and the good cow, we can judge perhaps be- tween the good and the medium cow. I wish to call your attention to some of these things which indicate dairy capacity. Now the dairy cow is simply a machine. Governor Cummins has spoken this afternoon about the advisability of increasing our manufacturng industries in this State. I believe dairying is the greatest industry we have in the State at the present time. The farmer grows the feed; he has the cow; she is the machine lor converting the raw material into milk; it is taken to the creamery, where it is separated, the cream taken from the milk and converted into butter. The dairy cow is simply the machine. That would lead us to believe at once that one thing a cow must have is 244 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. capacity; she must have room for consumption of a large amount of feed. Capacity is judged by depth of hody and length of body. This is an important point— that she has a good barrel or body; that indicates that she has room for a lot of feed and that is an important factor. Another point we must consider — that is the udder. It is in the udder the business is done. That is where the milk is manufactured, and the udder should be large when full of milk, and when you are through milking I like to see a cow whose udder milks down well. I do not like to see a fleshy udder. Have the udder large, extending well back and well down. Now we have all heard a great deal about having a cow with udder square, that is each quarter should be properly devel- oped. That is something which looks nice, but in actual dairy business you will find lots of your best cows are those cows which have not the nicest balanced udders; but from a practical standpoint it does not mat- ter so much whether a cow's udder is properly balanced if she has a good large udder, one that milks down well, and ^ood milk' veins. The milk veins, that is the veins which come from the udder — I like to see them large and numerous, two or three on each side, and have them large and the milk wells, have them large, and the milk veins should be crooked. After you have taken these points into consideration I do nbt think there are many other points. Get a good body, a good large udder, large milk veins and large milk wells. These are things always present in a good cow and not very generally present in a poor cow; but between two good cows it is hard to tell which would give the greater amount of milk. I have here an enlarged photograph of a cow which we own on lho college farm (shows picture). She is a pure bred Shorthorn called "College Moose." She is a cow that a year ago, just before she had her calf, weighed 1,700 pounds. This cow a year ago won second prize at the Chicago Live Stock Association, in competition with all grades for the best farmer's cow. As a cow she stood first and on her milk record she stood first, but her calf was sick for two months before the exposi- tion and, as the calf counted more than the cow or milk record, she fell to second prize. When this cow is in high class she weighs 1,700 pounds, giving 8,734 pounds of milk, the average test of which is 3.8 per cent, and she has made over 400 pounds of butter at a cost of a little over 6 cents per pound. This cow has calves which are fit to go on the market and top the market from a beef standpoint. We consider her a very profitable type of cow. I have here on this chart (shows picture) a Jersey cow known as "Nicollett," and she is an exceedingly good cow. This cow has a record of 5,787 pounds of milk, testing 7 per cent. She has an average of 7 per cent for the year and has made 513 pounds of butter at a cost of 4.7 cents per pound, 1 1-3 cents less than the pure bred Shorthorn cow. Some characteristic things about this cow is a good deep body, length of body, large udder, large milk veins. Here is a cow (shows picture) another pure bred Shorthorn cow owned by the college. This picture was taken when she was dry. She differs from some of the others in some points. She has not as much FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 245 depth of body as some of the other cows; she has a long body and she gets her capacity in length of body. She has not a fancy udder; she has a good hind development but her forward udder is light. Her record is 9,326 pounds of milk in twelve months, average test 4.12 per cent, and has made 449 pounds of butter, and it cost 5 cents per pound. You would not think to look at her she was a very high type of dairy cow, but still she is a producer. We have here a pure bred Holstein (shows picture). She has a wonderful depth of body and good length of body, an exceptionally fine udder, very large milk veins. She is a heavy milker. I have not her record for a year but this cow made 72% pounds of butter in thirty days, net profit $8.75 over and above her feeding. A pure bred Holstein cow. She gave a large quantity of milk tested fairly high, consumed considerable feed but still the most profitable cow in the herd. I have here a Red Poll cow (shows chart) which has made over 300 pounds of butter in a year, and I have on this chart here an Aber- deen Angus cow. She has a record of 336 pounds of butter in a year. You are shown on these charts the best cows of difierent breeds. Wo have found good dairy cows in the Shorthorns, in the Aberdeen Angus, m the Red Polls, and exceptionally good in the Jerseys and Holsteins. Here is a cut of a Shorthorn steer (shows chart) born on the college farm out of one of the Shorthorns which I have shown you. I merely present this cut to show you the possibility of pr'oducing beef from a cow that is also a good milk producer. This steer's mother made us over 400 pounds of butter in a year. He was brought up on skim milk and at 263^ months old weighed 1,640 pounds. That made an average gain of over two pounds per day from birth, and was one of six steers that dressed out 64.9 per cent on the Chicago market and was good enough to sell 10 cents higher than the market on the day sold. This simply shows you the possibility of producing calves and milk from the same cow. Now after you have selected the dairy cow, pr'obably one of the most important points is the questiono f feeding, that is feeding your cows economically. Feed them so as to give the best results. In feed- ing it is all important that we have a thorough understanding of feed- ing rations, that is the balanced ration, as it is "often called. We have a list here of the ordinary feed stuffs grown upon the average farm, and the ordinary feed stuffs which are purchased by the average farmer to feed his dairy cows. The first column represents 100 of each of the different kinds of feed stuffs. The blue material rep- resents water. In each and every kind of feed stuff there is a certain amount of water. The red on this chart represents the protein. In analyzing the feed stuffs the chemist finds one constituent he calls pro- tein. This represents the digestible protein. This protein in the food is used for the purpose of nourishing the body, of producing hair and producing nerves, and so on, and it is from the protein part of the food, so far as observations of the present day show, that the milk is pro- duced. That is the red part of the food, so in feeding dairy cows it is all important that you feed them on those feed stuffs which are rich 246 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. in this red material, because that is the part which is turning the food into the production of milk. The black parts shows the carbohydrates. The carbohydrates are simply the fat and heat producers. We have here in the yellow the fat of thCi food and in the brown portion we have the part of the feed stuffs not digestible, also the ash. This includes the ash and that part not digestible. In this column we have the nutritive ration. Now this is another column which you should study carefully. As I said before, the protein is the part of the food which is mainly concerned in the production of milk, so from a dairyman's standpoint it is impiortant. The nutritive ration of corn is 1--7. Now think of it as this, that for every pound of protein there is 9-7 of the black and yellow. That is what it means. That for one pound in the corn, of protein there is 9.7 per cent of carbo- hydrates' and fat. In oats there is 6.2 per cent in a pound. In the feeding of dairy cattle total results of experiments conducted in this and different colleges, they have found they get the best results when they feed one pound of this protein or red material to 51/^ to 6 of the black and yellow. That is what we mean by balanced rations. One pound protein for every six pounds of carbohydrates. Corn is too wid'^, we will say. That is for one pound of protein there are over nine pounds of the other things, over three pouiids too much, probably .four pounds more of the black and yellow than there should be. Take in the case of oats — we have one pound of red to over six and two tenths pounds of black and yellow. Oats are a much better feed than corn for the production of milk and give much better results; but corn is the staple feed 'in Iowa, and in the feeding of dairy cattle, or in the feeding of beef cattle of any kind, or live stock, the ration must be composed largely of corn in Iowa, simply because it is the feed grown in this State. Because corn does not contain enough red material in proportion to the black and yellow is no reason we should discard it. We should balance it up. Simply where one stuff is lacking in one kind of material we should add some feed stuff which has that material that is lacking in the other, such as gluten feed and gluten meal to corn. Oil meal is rich in red material; bran is rich in red material; peas are rich- in red material, and a great many feed stuffs we have contain more of this red material and should be added to the cbrn. Oats is a properly balanced food, but oats are too high as a general thing. When oats are worth, say 20 to 22 cents a bushel they are pretty expensive from a financial standpoint, but in the feeding of dairy cattle we must take the cost of the food ration into consideration. In feeding stock we must first have the ration balanced; second, the cheapest ration w^e possibly can get; and third, a ration the animals will eat. When other feed stuffs are very high, oats are sometimes cheaper at 25 cents a bushel than other times at 18 cents. It depends on the price of other feed stuffs. Rye as a nutritive ration is 1 to 7. Rye can 'often be used, pro- viding you use bran, oil meal, oats or some other food rich in protein with it. The same of barley; barley is rather too wide. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 247 Bran contains 121 ■_- per cent of protein and has a nutritive ration of 1 to 3 to 7. The proper balance for the dairy cow is 5,1/2 to 6. Bran as a nutritive ration alone is too narrow. Taken on that as basis, bran is a good thing to add when corn, rye, wheat or barley or any feed stuff is employed. Shorts are very similar to bran, but shorts are much bet- ter for swine feed than f6r dairy cattle. Take in the case of swine we want to concentrate feed. In the case of cattle of any kind we want it bulk. Gluten feed is used largely at the present day. At the experiment station we are feeding a great deal of it to cows, also to fattening cattle. During the past three or four years we have carried on a good many experiments in the feeding of gluten, feed, oil meal and cottonseed oil. Experiments show one about equal to the other, and it will depend upon which j^ou get cheapest. If you can buy oil meal as low as gluten feed, feed it. It depends largely upon the price of these stuffs. They will all give good results, and the feed which can be bought for the least money is the stuff to u-3. Just at the present time gluten feed can be bought for a little less than any 'of the others, and gluten feed at $19 per ton is as cheap when fed as bran at $10, so it is a much cheaper feed than most on the market. Gluten meal, though used largely several years ago, at the present time is little fed in this country, due to the fact that firms which manu- facture both of these stuffs or by-products are the glucose factories. The gluten meal is the gluten out of the corn; the cob bran which is given up here is the shell of the corn. Gluten feed is a mixture of gluten meal and corn bran. We have here corn cob meal, and while a good feed oftentimes, should be mixed with gluten feed, cottonseed meal or some feed rich in protein. We have on this chart a continuation of feed stuffs and the different kinds of straw and fodder. We have here corn fodder; it makes a good feed — too wide in nutritive ratio, but all right to use with such as bran, oil meal, gluten feed or some of those feeds. The same thing is true of the different straws. We have down here sorghum, this is the corn sorghum, a very good feed, but t)oo wide. We have here oil meal, old process and new process. The difference between old and new process is that the old process oil meals contain 4 per cent more fat. Generally speaking, the old process is worth $1 more than the new. We have here dried blood, beef meal, and so on. All these are by-products from the packing houses. Dried bood and beef meal, which is the blood that has been dried, are rich in protein. The greatest objection is that they are too high in price. 2V2 to 3 cents per pound. At 114 to 1% cents per pound they might be fed to advantage, but they are too high at the present time. We have on this chart the different kinds of hay. Timothy hay is something which is grbwn quite largely throughout the country and is exceptionally good for horse feeding, but not for dairy cattle. It is lacking in protein. Ten pounds more of the black and yellow material 248 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. for every pound of red in it than it should have. Prairie hay is much better than timothy hay. We have here alfalfa. Alfalfa contains 11 per cent protein; 39.6 pf^r cent carbohydrates, 1.2 per cent fat. The nutritive ration is 1-3-8. In any section of the country where alfalfa can be grown it is the best feel for dairymen; a ration of alfalfa and corn will give you a balanced ration, one of the cheapest rations, and it can be grown on the farm. In the districts -where alfalfa can be grown it is one of the best things and one that the farmers in that vicinity should grow. Clover hay comes next; its nutritive ration is 1-5-8. We have here rape and blue grass pasture. Rape is something which can not be fed dairy cows, as it will taint milk. Cottonseed meal is richest in protein, richer than gluten feed or oil meal and good feed for dairy cattle when it can be purchased cheaper, and generally speaking it is a cheap feed. We have flaxseed meal here from which the oil meal is made. It is fairly rich in protein but especially rich in ])ran. It can not be fed with profit to dairy cows, but is exceptionally good to add to skim milk for calves — mix flaxseed meal and skim m'lk for calves. A great many people take one part flaxseed meal and six parts water and soak it seven or eight hours and boil it an hour, until it gets into a thick mush. We have here germ oil meal. This feed has been advertised quite extensively but in our experience has not proven nearly as satisfactory as gluten feed or gluten meal. You will notice from the very beginning we have emphasized es- pecially the importance of having a large amount of prot^ein present. That is for the feed which is consumed for the purpose of the production of milk. We are often asked the question. "What is the value of this kind lof feed in feeding cows?" Bran is worth, say, $15 per ton now, ^nd oats, when compared to bran at that price, is much cheaper for the dairy farmer to feed . In order to work out a chart on that line I have the following figures. This is a chart gotten up simply to show the protein value of different feed stuffs. I don't want you to understand for a moment that this chart gives the actual value of the feed stuffs. The feed stuffs on this chart are represented as having low values are high in carbohydrates cr fat. This gives protein value. On every farm there is plenty of carbohydrates and fats grown and one constitu- ent which is lacking is protein, and this chart gives the protein value not the exact value, but the protein value, and is based on the following basis. When bran is worth the following prices per t'on other feeds are worth these prices: What is the price of bran (Answer— $20. $18, $14). Well, we will say $16. When bran is worth $16 per ton on a protein basis shorts are worth $16; gluten feed, $32; corn bran, $9.47; oil meal, old process, $37; new process, $36; cottonseed meal, $47.61; flaxseed meal, $26.36; germ oil meal, $26.88; clover hay, $8.70; timothy hay, $3.58 (That looks low, and it is a low value for timothy hay, but timothy hay is low in protein and not a good feed for dairy cattle and is not worth one half as much as clover hay); prairie hay, $4.48; corn fodder, $3.20; alfalfa is worth $14 per ton when bran is worth $16 from a protein standpoint; FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 249 corn, 28 cents per bushel; corn cob meal, 1G.8 cents per bushel; oats, 18 cents per bushel from a protein standpoint when bran is worth $1G per ton; wheat, 39 cents a bushel; rye, 35 cents a bushel; barley, 26 cents. Beef meal about $71 per ton; dried blood, in skim milk, 18i^ cents per hundred-weight and palm meal 24.9 cents per hundred-weight. Feeds which are placed here at a low value are valuable for other things; corn is not valuable for the amount of protein it contains but is valuable as a fattening feed; the same thing is true of timothy. So those things may be valuable for other things, but on the average farm there is an abund- ance of carbohydrates and what we lack is protein, and the question is "How can I purchase protein cheapest?" This chart is to show you the value of the different subjects. I have gone over this subject hurriedly, but the time is limited, ano I thank you for the attention you have given me. (Applause.) DISCUSSION. Question : Professor, do you consider it wise in feeding corn, to balance corn ration witli o-luten meal? Or would it be better with wheat bran? Answ^er: No, it will depend on the price of feed stuffs. We are feeding corn and gluten feed l;ecause we can get gluten feed for $18.50 a ton delivered in Ames, and that is cheaper than bran. It w^ould be as cheap as bran at $9. Otiestion : Gluten feed is a part of corn, then is it as good as some other feed ? Answer: That is not the point at all. Corn grown upon the farm does not contain enough protein. It contains an abundance? of starch and fat. The glucose man Ixiys the corn and it is l)roken up for the carbohdrates, and he takes out that part the farmer does not want. It would not make any difference in that respect at all, l^ut we find the cattle eat gluten feed and corn just as well as wheat Ijran and corn. We get as good results and much cheaper. We do feed a little, more or less wheat bran all the time. We keep a little on hand not ]3ecause it is cheap, but it is an appetizer; but I think under present prices it would be much more economical to feed gluten feed and corn than wheat bran and corn. At the present prices gluten feed is $6 or $7 cheaper than wheat bran. 250 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE ADVANTAGES OF A SILO TO THE IOWA DAIRYMAN. A. W. Mowbray, St. Charles Minnesota. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: It affords me great pleasure to meet with you on this occasion. Although the greater part of my life has been spent within sixty miles of your northern line. I have never before been within the borders of your State. Some weeks ago I received a letter from my old-time friend — your secretary — asking me to read a paper at your annual meeting, on the subject, "The Advantage of the Silo to the Dairyman." Why he should have assigned to me this very important subject I can not understand, unless it be that hy some means he learned that up in Minnesota I am dubbed the silo crank, and thought possibly I might have a few ideas along this line. The silo in some form of construction has been in use for hundreds of year.:' in various parts of the old world; while only little more than a quarter of a century has elapsed since its first introduction in the United States. Naturally its adoption was somewhat slow at first, hn^ at the preent time silos are in use in eyerv State of the Union. The number of silos would not have increased sio rapidly in the last few years had it not been clearly demonstrated that by no other means was it possible to store so large a proportion of the winter's food supply so economically. You will all agree with me that the best, most satisfactory single feed for the dairy cow is pasture grass, and that in midsummer if pas- tures are short and brown no supplementary feed of which we have knowledge will give us so good results as green corn. This being th«> case, it naturally follows that corn is pre-eminently the plant to be us'^d for silage. On good soil, well fertilized, we can produce an average of fourteen tons of green corn per acre — 28,000 pounds. Professor Haecker of the Minnesota station, from the analysis of many samples of silage, draws the conclusion that the average protein content is not less than two per cent. That being true, in one acre of corn — or 28.000 pounds — we havo five hundred and sixty pounds of protein. To incorporate sufficient protein in the ration for our dairy cows to enable them to do their best work, is the problem ever before the dairymen; but if we are feeding thirty pounds a day of good silage the cow derives from that alone one third the amount of protein necessary Hor very satisfactory dairy work. But simply the protein content of corn silage is not the only advantage we gain. As in pasture grass the cow finds something in corn silage that enables her to produce milk and butter fat more economically than she can possibly do on any combina- tion of dry feeds entirely. It is not entirely the high price we may obtain for lour dairy product that marks our measure of success but the low price from which it can be produced as well. If we feed a ration of thirty pounds of silage, twelve pounds of clover hay and five pounds of corn meal, the average cost for a series bf years FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 251 ^will not be more than nine cents per day, and still the ration is sufficier.i to maintain the cow in normal flesh while doing better than avera^^e dairy work. Until the advent of the silo dairymen have been forced to part with much good coin in exchange for feeds rich in protein, as without them it has been found impossible to obtain a satisfactory flow of milk; with the silo this is all changed. It is entirely possible for our cows to do good dairy work if they have silage cllover hay, corn or barley meal in the proper proportion, and tlie money that formerly went for commer- cial feeds can be placed where it will give greater satisfaction. At home we have kept a dairy of twenty cows the past year withoiii, an acre of pasture. Until July fifteenth the cows were given a large yard and fed on corn silage, clover hay and wheat bran. The bran was used because our corn crop last year was a total failure. July fifteenth they w-ere given the run of a Thirty-acre meadow from which we had cut a heavy crop of June and Alsike clover and timothy. This is the first year we have tried the plan, and I am glad to be able to say it has proven entirely satisfactory. We can not afford to devote good tillable land, worth sixty dollars per acre, to pasture when, by a little more work, the cows can be fed and the entire farm cropped. Without the aid of the silo this method could not be successfully adopted. A silo sixteen feet in diameter and thirty feet high will hold one hundred and thirty tons of corn, or the crop of nine acres. In this amount we have approximately five thousand pounds of protein as much as is found in thirty tons of good clover hay. or the product of possibly twelve acres; or as much as is contained in fifty tons of timothy hay, twenty-five acres of an average crop. Thus it will be seen that in one acre of corn silage we have as much protein as in one and one third, acres of clover hay or in two and seven ninths acres of timothy hay. It has been quite generally conceded for years that clover hay is the most desirable roughage the dairyman could produce, but experiment has demonstrated that corn silage will furnish cheaper protein, beside the advantage of the succulent nature of the feed, thus giving our cows a ration closely resembling that of the summer season. If we provide our cows Avith warm barns, w^arm water and corn silage as a part of their daily ration, other things being equal, we may reasonably expect them to do^ better work in the winter than in the summer months. Then again it will be remembered that the winter market for butter is 30 to 60 per cent better than the summer market. We can in this w^ay do the greater part of our dairy work in the winter season, when the higher prices prevail and our time is not so fully occu- pied with field work as is the case during the summer season. As a supplement to pasture grass there is nothing that will give as satisfactory results as corn silage. It can be used the entire summer and the carrying capacity of the farm greatly increased. No matter how busy we may be. or how inclement the weather, the necessary feed is always at hand, and the cov^^s are not necessarily subjected to a few days of insufficient feed, with a prop'ortionate shrinkage in the milk yield. 252 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Then to sum iiy the advantages of a silo to the dairyman, we find these: 1. The production of more and cheaper protein per acre than by any other means that has been demonstrated as practical. 2. The ability to give our cows a succulent food, during the winter months, closely resembling June pasture. 3. The prtoduction of the bulk of our dairy products during the win- ter season, when we realize the best prices and have the greatest amount of time to devote to the work. 4. By the use of the silo we are enabled to store the greatest amount of feed in the least possible space. 5. The necessity of purchasing large amounts of commercial feed is largely done away with. 6. The producing capacity of the farm and the herd is increased, thus necessarily increasing the profits of this branch of our work. 7. It is the cheapest and best supplementary feed that can be pro- vided, thus obviating the danger of too closely cropping the pasture. These are by no means all of the advantages to be derived from the use of the silo but enough to convince the most skeptical that it fills a long felt want, and its use is a long step toward improved dairying. Your State, like a few others in the upper Mississippi valley, has made marvelous strides in the production of dairy products during the past decade, but your possibilities in this direction have not even been dreamed of. With better cows, better care, better feed and better dairy- men, the net returns t)f the industry in your State will be greatly enhanced. But I beg your pardon; I am diverging. Although the subject as assigned me, "The Advantages of a Silo to the Dairyman," does not clearly give me the right, still I wish to call your attention to a few of the mistakes that the average dairyman is in danger of making when plan- ning a silo and buying the machinery necessary to fill the same. When planning a silo two ideas should be kept constantly in mind, — • the necessity bf using the entire surface at least every forty-eight hours; and the fact that the bottom five f&et is worth about as much as the top ten. To illustrate — if we have a herd of twenty-five cows and desire to feed an average of thirty-three and one third pounds of silage per day for a period of three hundred days, we will need one hundred and twenty-five tons. A silo sixteen feet in diameter and thirty-two feet high has a capacity of one hundred and twenty-eight tons, the required amount, and will give much better satisfaction than will one of greater diameter and less height. I have seen in Minnesota a silo twenty-four feet in 'diameter and twenty-four feet high, the first bne built in my home county. While this silo will store a large amount of feed, still it is by no means satisfactory to its owner, owing to the large surface exposed to the air. With greater height and smaller diameter the pressure would be greater, expelling the air more completely and result- ing in a better quality of silage. A safe rule is this, the height should be twice the diameter. But a silo without the necessary machinery to fill it is of no more FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 253 value than a church without a preacher. There are comparative^^ few days when corn is in just the proper stage to make the test silage, hence it is of the utmost importance that we be provided with good machinery and have everything in perfect order. If a carrier is used it should be put in place long before the binder is in the field and loaded teams are at hand. If a pneumatic carrier or blower is used you should know that it will elevate to the height desired without causing delay. No greater annoyance comes to the dairyman than unnecessary delay at the time of filling the silos. After five years' experience with the silo I am fully convinced that there is no single adjunct that the dairyman can adopt from which he will derive the advantages obtained by the use of the silo. Thi: Pri:side>;T: I would like to have this whole siihject dis- ctissed and would be glad to have you ask Mr. Mowbray as many questions as you desire. Tt is a subjeet of great importance and one that will claim your attention ircm this time forward. DISC'/SSION. Mr. Olson : I would like to ask the gentleman if he fills his silo from the top and if he takes out stuff from the top? Answer: We fill it from the top and we take it out from the top. Our silo is built thirty by sixteen feet and stands about two and a half feet from the barn. The l^arn stands here and the silo is here (illustrates with model). The machinery stands off here; we have five doors on this side. Mr. Olson: Will silage freeze? Answer: It will freeze a little aroun.d the edge but we always keep a pickaxe in our silo and keep it ]:)erfectly level on to]i. Take off the entire surface exery day, or at least every two days, ^■^ cold weather. Question: Is Your silo round or square? Answer : It is round. Question: Hoops around it? Ansxver: Yes, hoops around it. V.'c have fourteen hoops around. Our silo is thirty feet high. Mr. Taylor: How^ are your joints? Answer : This illustrates exactly the way in which our staves are spliced. That is fourteen and sixteen feet two by four. 254 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The saw cut in the end of two or three and a piece of g'alvanized iron, and they are put in in that way. It is simply to keep them from turning. Wlien your silage is in there the pressure is so great that it would he rather tight without them, in all proha- ])ility; but we put these in there and never have had any trouble with the silo, and have used it for five years. Mr. Taylor: How is }'our other joining made? Answer: Two by six. When they are put up they are a little tig-hter, but the difference is very little. AIr. Taylor: I have heard it said that the joints should be perfectly tight., Answer: At filling time, if you stood outside of our silo you would think it would never hold silage in the world. You can see through it in every direction; but twenty-four hours after the corn is in there it is as tight as a bottle and we have never lost a bushel of silage with that kind of silo. Mr. Taylor : Some men have suggested that it be lined with l^aper, and all that. Answer : That is true ; seme people may have mcniey to burn and if they want to use it that way they may; but we have demon- strated to our satisfaction that we can keep silage perfectlv in the cheapest kind of silo. Our silo, sixteen by thirty feet. l)uilt five years ago, cost us $140, roof and everything else. Mr. Carpenter: After you take the ensilage out, will it shrink ? Answer: It will shrink and I believe that is no detriment, for this reason — to sa\-e that timber and keep it from decaying, the sooner it is perfectly dry the better and if it shrinks and the air passes between the boards the drier it gets and the longer it will last. , Oiu" has been in use for five years and, as I have stated before, I have not yet seen a particle of decay. Mr. Carpenter: You say the silo is east of the barn? Answer: No, at the south end of the barn. I would recom- mend that you put your silo at the south end. The north and west winds in Minnesota, and probably in Iowa, are cold and you will have less trouble with freezing on the south side, if practicable to put it there. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 255 ATr. Taylor: What ])ievents it from falling down in summer time? Answer: We stall it with two small wire ropes from each corner of the l^arn. Our l:arn stands here (illustrates) and from the corner of the liarn here is your wire rope. That is all the support. It has a good solid roof and I think the roof goes a good way towards holding it in shape, ^'ou will notice here there are four posts, six hy six, one at each corner, and the root stands on those four posts and that holds it firmly, although I iiave seen in the summer, during a strong wind, our silo shake a little, hut still I haYC ncYcr been frightened for it. Question: Have you solid bottom in that silo? Answer : If y(;u are g'oing to l)uikl a silo, the foundation is th.c most important. If you want your silo sixteen feet build your foundation at least seventeen or seventeen and a half feet; go into the oTound far enouoh so vou will feel that it is solid and lirn' ; o o ^ build your wall (jn the outside a good strong, solid wall ; in tlie center you can lay anything- in the way of rough stone, but towards the top break them up an.d make them small ; at the top if you have coarse gravel, put a coating of that over it so the spaces are well filled, then put on }'(:ur cement and it should be almost like one solid stone. The foundation is very important. By some means or ether, the rats got into our silo' last winter, the first time we ever had any trouble in that way, and we lost more silage last winter than we ever had before until we discov- ered the cause — simply the rats got in there and let the air in. AIJr. Cobb: If you had a six-inch jog in your wall, about eight inches down, you would never have had any trouble with rats. Say the foundation is twelve or fourteen inches and your trench twenty inches. Then jog in from the outside six or seven inches; go up another foot. I never saw a rat in the world come in on that jog. Answer: That is quite a scheme; it's all right. ]\Ir. Carpenthr : It seems tlie men who have remained here are much interested in this subject and I believe we could spend a little more time on it very profitably. I am a thorough advocate of the silo and I have used one for years on a farm in Mimiesota. I understood the gentleman 256 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. to say he could feed a cow much cheaper from a silo in the sum- mer than on a pasture. I wish, if he said that, he would em- phasize it a little stronger and get these farmers to believe that it is so and stop pasturing cows on land worth $ioo per acre. Answer : I said exactly what I am accused of. I said you could feed a cow more economically on silage than you can on pasture. If land is worth five or ten dollars an acre we can afford to pasture it, l;)ut when it is v^orth sixty, eighty or one hundred dollars an acre we can not afford to devote that land to pasture entirely. Now, we kept our cows last year on ensilage until after we had taken off' a heavy crop of hay; about the 15th of July we got a second crop, otherwise we would not have cut it; but two or three months* pasture that we get oft* that cost us that second crop. Silage, good corn silage, will save the farmers of Iowa hundreds of thousands of dollars by allowing them to crop their acres and feed their cows with something just as good as pasture grass. Mr. Taylor : How are you going to maintain the fertility of the farm? Answer : You can not afford to haul fertilizer from your barn any great distance; we simply had to do it to get it out of the way. You can purchase your fertilizer much cheaper. Question : Why will a cow give the most milk and make the most butter on pasture? Answer: You will all r-gree with me that there is not a single food that is better than pasture grass, but a cow will do equally as good work and will make you more net money in the twelve months if you have her freshened in the fall and use corn silage, than she will by freshening in the spring and putting her on pas- ture. Mr. Goodrich: I think, before the Iowa farmer can be brought to put in a silo, he has to be educated up to the point of putting in a silo to store his corn cr(jp instead of letting the Avin- ter winds blow it aAvay. I believe the corn crop to almost fifty per cent of the farmers of northwestern Iowa is almost a total loss. A man turns his cows into the corn field and they do well on it for a few days, but that is all. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 257 Answer : That is very true. When we remember that about half of the value of the corn planted is in tlie fodder, only about half of it in the grain, just think for a moment what we are los- ing when we let that stand in the field. There is a very small proportion of it utilized by the cattle, and it is in such condition that it gives very poor results indeed. There is no doubt in m.y mind but the farmers of Iowa will reap much better results, their net profits will be better and they will be encouraged in their occupation, when they adopt the use of the silo more extensively. I'am somewhat surprised, and perhaps I will be pardoned if I say pleased, when I am told since coming to your State, that from the State of Minnesota the farmers are learning the value of the silo. Xow we in Minnesota came down here to northern Iowa to learn the \alue of co-operative creameries. We took the thought home with us and adopted it, and we have changed our financial condition very materially. Now then, if we can return the compliment and give you thoughts along the use of the silo, I at least am very glad indeed ; I am also very glad to be able to say that the silos of my own country have increased two hundred per cent during the past year. While three years ago. five years ago, there were but two silos in the county today there are fifteen. I know of perhaps fifteen farmers in my own neigh- borhood who will build silos next year, simply by having seen the results of the silo on our farm. Question : WHiat is the cost of machinery to fill silos and v\'hai machine is used for that purpose? Answer : There are many kinds of silage and machinery. We have used at home three different machines, and with the first one we were very much dissatisfied; it was constantl}- breaking and getting- out of repair, — a source of annoyance. When you are filling silos everything must run smoothly. The second ma- chine was just a little better than the first, but far from perfect. A year ago last fall we bought the third machine and I am free to say that is has given us perfect satisfaction. We have used it two years without one cent of expense or a moment's delay, and you can not ask anything better. That is the machine made by the Warsaw-W^illiams Co., of \\^arsaw, X. Y. I do not want to be understood to say that is the best: there may be others just 17 258 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. as good, but that is what we are using and lind it perfectly satis- factory. Mr. Taylor: What is the expense of the machine? Answer: Retail price $190, but they guarantee they will put twenty tons of corn an hour into a silo thirty feet high with twelve horse-power. They make a smaller size machine but the price of it I can not tell you. Question : How many horse-power ? .\nswer : Twelve horse-power. Question : How many teams would tha^ require ? Answer: It depends altogether on how far you have to haul it. We have the field where we raise the corn for silage right close to the barn. We have twenty acres there, and one year put one half in corn and the other half in some small grain. In that way we have ten acres, use what we want for the silo, cut the rest and feed it dry. Last year we used sixteen acres, but mind you we never ran that machine, or at least only a few moments at a time to the height of its capacity, simply because it is al- most impossible to get the corn into the machine unless your men are experts. It takes practice tO' get twenty tons of corn an hour into a machine, but it can be done. Question : Cut the corn with a corn cutter ? Answer: Yes. We always start our corn binder the day be- fore we commence to fill the silo.- Question : What stage is the corn in ? Answer : A few years ago they thought the greener the corn was put in the better ; but experience has demonstrated that the nearer maturity you can put it in the better silage you will get, the less acidity will develop. ]\Ir. Carpexte:r : You do not mean until the corn gets dry and hard? Answer : No, just so it is a little damp. Question : Dou you advise to fill your silo as soon as possible, that is, I mean would you fill it as quickly as you could ? Answer : This year we began at noon ; it rained all the fore- noon. We began at noon and finished the next dav by noon. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 259 We moved our machine and engine about nine miles that after- noon and filled two silos for friends of ours. They had built silos hurriedly because their corn crop was threatened to be in such shape that it w^ould not mature. Then we came home and two or three days after that, perhaps a week after we first filled it, \\Q finished ours and filled it, within two and a half feet of the top. We had an experience with frosted corn one year. The ma- chine we bought was delayed in coming to us and before we could cut our corn we had a heavy frost. We took a water-tank along beside the cutter and ran a small stream of water into the cutter all the time ; we put that into the silo and never had better silage than that year. If your corn becomes frosted do not be discouraged ; if you put a sufficient amount of water with it you will get a sufficient amount of silage. Question : How deep could the silo be run ? Answer: Our silo is about one foct above the ground. There is this advantage, — if you put your silo dowm you will have to raise your silage out. You might a good deal better build it a few feet higher than raise it by main strength. FOOD VALUE OF FEED STUFFS. . Euclid N. Cobb, Mammouth, Illinois. The subject assigned to me by your secretary is one that I have given more study than any other phase of the dairy subject and I am free to say that as dairymen we have no subject that is of more vital importance to us to the profitable conducting of our business than the one of the value of the feeds we give our cows to make them live up to their possi- bilities as dairy animals. Our greatest source of profit lies in the pro- duction of as much feed as possible on our own farms, and briefly I will enumerate the feeds that I have found most profitable to produce; first let me say that the condition in which the feed ils given to the cow is a great facDor in the results obtained. I have found that at no time is a farm raised feed so profitable and palatable as it is in its green stage; so it stands us in hand to have our feed in this condition as much of the year as possible; and I have found it both practical and profitable to have the feeds in this condition the entire year, that is some of them. In order to do this we must have lour soil crops and silos as well; and so arrange the pastures and soil crops that our cows have a liberal daily allowance from early spring to late in the fall, regardless of 260 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. drouths. After some years of experimenting I have settled down to the following rotatiion to insure the cows their green feed in ample quantity: About the 15th of May we turn our cows on grass, not stopping their feed of grain or silage at the barn at the milking hour, this is a mis- take made by a large number of dairymen, and should be avoided . A cow that has been fed a liberal ration of grain in the barn is in a poor condition to go to grass and at once get the amount of nutrients neces- sary to make her yield the same flow of milk she did on the grain and other feeds she was receiving at the barn. She will not consume enough of the grass that is in the early spring immature, to get the amount of nutrients she requires, hence the necessity of giving her a feed at the barn for a time at least, and it is yet an open question whether she should not receive some grain every day she is at pasture. In my own case this is the first year I have conducted a herd of dairy cattle and not fed grain the whole summer through and at a profit in every case. This summer, with the greatest growth of white clover I ever saw and good fall pastures of blue grass. I have riot fed any grain, but am not in a position to say it would not hav^ paid to have fed some. As our pastures are liable to be cut short by dry weather and the blue grass becomes tough and unpalatable, we must make provision for furnishing the cows some green thing Ho take the place of the pasture grass; I have followed the following plan with good results: In the spring as early as the land can be worked, I fit a piece of land for rape by dressing it well with manure, then plowing about four inches deep and harrowing finely, then sowing about four pounds of Dwarf Essex rape to the acre, harrowing again lightly. This crop will be fit to feed in about eight weeks from sowing if weather is at all favorable. Care must be used in feeding it to milk cows, or tainted milk will result. It should be cut and fed in stable or on the grass, or the cows may be turned on it after being milked, leaving them on it for two or three hours; a longer period will result in the milk being tainted. This crt)p is one of the greatest producers of green feed we have. One acre has been known to produce as high as twenty-five tons; it is a very profitable feed for swine also, and you will not make any mistake in sowing a field of it next year. After I have sown the rape crop I then sow a crop of Canada peas with oats. This is a crop that will make you a splendid hay in case you do not require it for soiling purposes. It yields well and is relished by all farm animals. To sow this crop, select a piece of land that made you a good corn crop last year, sow on the ground, before plowing, about a bushel of the peas, then plow them under four inches deep, after which sow a bushel and a peck of oats on the land and harrow them in. This crop will be ready to cut for green feed about June 15th, and for hay on the 1st to the 5th of July. As a soil crop it will yield eight to twelve tons per acre and from two to four tons of hay. The oat crop as sown on our farms makes a good green feed and comes in about the 25th of June and continues tio be fit for soiling up to the 10th of July. Some of the large varieties of sweet corn are now ready for planting, and if we fit our land well we will get a great amount of green feed from the crop, and the returns in milk yield will pay well FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 261 for the trouble expenclc^d. This crop will come in just after the above named crops have been rendered unfit for feed from becoming too ripe. In feeding this soil crop I have found the best plan is to feed it in the pastures, hauling it out once or twice per day as required. In feeding, begin on one side of the pasture, spreading it out sio that the cows will all get a share, and the feed be kept clean. Feed each day with method, that is, spread each day's feed in a new place, so as to accomplish two objects, namely: To keep the feed clean and also to spread the resulting manure evenly over the pasture. After the sweet and field corn crops have been planted we then plant a good sized field of sorghum, both for soiling and other uses. Th? yield of sorghum being much greater than corn, it will pay anyone well to have some every year, whether he is a dairyman or feeding other kinds of stock. It is relished by horses, steers and hogs alike, and in th<. silo is a gc'od feed. The Tennessee experiment station reports better results from feeding sorghum silage to steers than in feeding silage made from corn. In planting sorghum, to insure harvesting it easily, I advise planting in drills. My method is to plant with a corn planter, using the small plates, a set of plates that will plant one grain of corn will drop ten pounds of sorghum per acre, which is enough on good land. It should be planted thick enough to keep the stalks from growing too large and in cultivating this crop I have found the weeder the best tool for the early stages of growth, in fact it could be used to the exclusion of any other tool. In 1902 we raised ten acres that produced twenty-two tons per acre and was only worked once with a cultivator, the weeder did the rest. As, a soil crop for all kinds of farm animals Sorghum ranks among the best and when it becomes fit to feed it will keep in a green stage up to freezing weather; this quality is of value to those who have silos, as it gives them a longer period in which to fill them with a crop with the right amount of moisture and in case one has sbme corn that has become too dry he can mix it with the sorghum in the proportion neces- sary to make the silage keep well. I have now covered the period between early pastures and winter feeding period. I have shown how I provide my stock with ample green feeds throughout the summer season, and in concluding the subject of this summer period Ij will say that the value of all the feeds named is governed to a great extent by the environments of the animal that receives it. A cow will not return a profit on the feeds if she is sub- jected to the torture of flies, and in this matter or flies, let me say that I have tested the results of flies or no flies a great many times in the past fifteen' years, and have found that the loss represented full 33 1-3 per cent, which is more than any dairyman can afliord to lose. We not only lose the immediate product, but in the case of young cows lose the growth as well, and with mature cows they lose a great amount of weight that they will consume food to replace after the files are gone. Another source of loss is in the water supply not being ample. Still another loss and one not often considered is irregular milking. It is so easy for a farmer in the busy season, to put off his milking for 262 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. a half hour, so as to finish a piece of work he has in hand. With his heavj' milkers, he will have a loss of 10 to 20 per cent and the entire herd will shrink, and if this .irregular milking is continued as a habit the herd will not yield the profit they otherwise would if system was used. So that to sum up, it is as much the care as the feed as to the profit derived from feeds consumed. I have now presented to you the possibilities of liberal summer feea- ing. I will now take up the subject of winter feeding. As I have- before stated, we can have green feeds 365 days in the year if we so desire, and the farmer wbo does not have them for his stock, from his steers down to his chickens, is a good way in the rear of the band wagon, and should get a move on himsell and be abreast with the most advanced of his brother farmers, who have made provision for green, succulent feeds right through the winter months. In my boyhood days 1 was very fortunate in having a father who was always studying his business and who looked on farming as a profession that required as much gray mat- ter as any of the recognized professions (at that time farming was not classed as a profession). He early learned that to carry a herd 'of cows through the long winters of Wisconsin, it took something more than dry hay and grain to make dairying profitable; he recognized the advantages of succulent feeds but having no silo, and at that time never having heard of one, he had to get his succulent feeds fi"*om other sources. He found this in roots; beets, turnips and carrots were the crops we raised for the cows, and at that time we were well satisfied with the results. At the present time we can get the succulent properties in feeds much cheaper than in growing roots, that is for a number of cattle. If I were to live in town and only wished to keep one or two cows, I would still depend upon the root crop for succulence, as there are but few who keep a cow in town but what have enough ground to produce enough roots to keep their dow well during the winter. But to return to the subject as it affects the dairymen at large, let me urge the necessity of having silos; you can not reach the highest success in your dairy unless you have an abundace of ensilage, not only during the winter months, but during the summer ones as well. Let me illustrate the latter proposi- tion with some figures that we obtained during the year of 1901, when our c'ows had no grass from the 1st of July to the 28th of May, 1902. When the last feed of our soiling crops are fed in the fall, how for- tunate we should feel to know that our cows and all other farm animals will continue to receive green feed and not be subjected to the shrink in both milk yield and bodily weight as well, as in the case of animals that ,are put on dry feed. Not only will our animals continue to give us the same results as they were in being fed the soil crops, but we will make the change without increasing the cost of the daily rations. I have found that my ensilage is the cheapest feed that I produce on the farm. To illustrate, let me give the amount of feed in days and weeks that an acre of corn in the silo represents. I am making these statements after using ensilage for the past seventeen years. This fall I went through our corn field and cut representative hills enough to get a fair average and found that the yield exceeded nineteen tons per acre. Now as it requires from thirty-five to forty pounds t)f ensilage to feed a cow daily. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 263 we have a yield in the field sufficient to feed a cow thirty-six months. In the case of our sorghum last year, it represented a feeding value of forty-four months, and this year, with a poor stand, we have a food value of thirty months per acre. These figures are startling to the average farmer who has been in the habit of saving his fodder in the old way, or not saving it at all, as I see a great many are doing in this State. In con- nection with the food value of an acre of corn, let us see how it com- pares with an acre of our blue grass pastures. I find that one can not depend upon pastures to furnish a liberal feed throughout the season, but admiting it will, we can not safely put more than one mature animal on an acre which means that for six months an acre will sustain one animal, while our acre of corn in the silo will feed the same animal from five to six times as long. We have now devoted as much space as we are entitled to in pre- senting the advantages of green feeds, so will turn our attention to the grains and by-products that are being extensively advertised by stock- men and dairymen. The farmer who buys these feeds that are advertised notices that the advertiser puts especial stress on the protein content of his feed. This is due to the fact that the lacking element in farm grown grains is this nutrient, so that the former is obliged to supply it outside of his own farm crops, and he soon finds that most of the feeds that are rich in protein, are high in price as well, and from the viewpoint of cost of actual protein content. I wish to discuss these feeds briefly: First, let me say that the man who feeds his stock a balanced ration, no matter what kind of stock it may be, he is the man who is making the most money, and the different feeds that I will speak of are the ones I have found the best to make the balance tor the stock in connection with the green and dry feeds that we grow and feed on our farms. We can grow all of the fat forming feeds we require much cheaper than we can buy them, but the element that promotes growth and milk is lacking in all that we produce outside of the clovers, peas and oats, so to know how and what to buy will be a help to us all. A striking example of the sub- ject is the cost of the protein content in corn. Corn contains but 7.9 pounds 'of protein in 100 pounds, so that in paying 70 cents per hundred for corn, we pay G.8 cents for every pound of protein it contains. I will now give the names of the different feeds that I have found valuable to use in both the dairy herd, fattening lot and hog pens, and as I mention them will give the cost per pound of the protein they con- tain. The first on the list is Atlas Gluten Meal, a by-product of dis- tilleries. It is composed of rye, corn and rice, and contains 24 per cent of priotein, and at the price of $1.25 per hundred weight, the protein costs us 5 cents per pound. Gluten Meal is another feed that is becom- ing quite popular, both for the dairymen, stockmen and swine feeder. This feed now costs us $1.25 per hundred weight and has a protein con- tent of 32 per cent, or a cost of 4 cents per pound for the protein it contains. Gluten feed, another by-product of the corn syrup factory, is one we must buy with a great deal of confidence in our dealer's honesty, for it admits of being adulterated, and is not a feed that I would recomm-end 264 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. where the meal can he had, which is of such a nature that adulteration' may be readily detected. Good gluten feed is compbsed of gluten meal and the finer parts of the corn bran. Its only virtue is in its being more bulky than the meal. The protein content ranges from 23 per cent to as low as 15 per cent, and the cost of protein content is about 5 cents. " Cottonseed meal is the cheapest sburce of protein we have offered to us, but unfortunately the feed is one that requires skill to feed it; if not, the results in either the dairy or beef herd is against its use. but the only precaution is in feeding it in small quantities. In the case of feeding in open bunks where cattle are allowed free access to the feed at all times some of them are liable to get more than is gbod for them, and in the dairy herd over feeding often results in abortion, but if fed in moderation it is a valuauble feed and one that I keep in our barn at all times of the year. It is astringent in its effect, so goes well with ensil- age or the soiling crops I have named that are s'omewhat laxative. It causes the butter product of our cows to stand up well in the warm months as it raises the melting point five degrees. This feed carries an liverage of 37 per cent of protein and the protein costs us 3 1-3 cents per pound at the present price of the meal. Oil Meal O. P. is a gCod feed for the farmer who does not feed ensil- age, but where ensilage is fed it does not do well, as it is laxative in its nature the same of. They have never stepped inside of a saloon door, use(i tobacco in any form, or contracted any habits that are calculated to make them spend money foolishly. One of these boys is now a citizen FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 265 of this state, holding a responsible position with a large milk dealer of Burlington. DISCUSSION. Question: Do you feed all cottonseed? Answer: Yes, sir. Question: Does a cow take to this cottonseed meal? Question: Cottonseed meal, fed with any other grain, sticks to their gums. It is disagreeahle to them, while perhaps it is palatable, it is disagreeable, and should be mixed either with silage or with other grain to ol>viate the stickiness. Question: Arc there any injurious effects from feeding cot- tonseed meal? Answer: Yes; if yott feed too much of it. The only draw- back is when some careless person feeds too mtich. Three pounds is plenty to feed any ordinary dairy cow. Question: How dO' yott advise planting corn for silage, thick ■or thin? Answer: My rule is plant a bushel in hve acres. Question: That is about one third thicker than you would naturally follow ? Answer: Yes, sir. Question : Speaking of rape for dairy cows, a friend of mine stated a couple of days ago that he lost six c^f his best cows this Fall from turning them into a rape field. Answer: Well, he turned those cows in hungr}-. The cows were hungry for something green and the result was ine\itable, just the same as though he turned hungry cows into a clover field that had dew on it. Question: When is the best time to turn the cows into a rape field? Answer: After the milking hour, in the morning, if you can turn them in an hour and a half or two hours, that is long enough. The rape is so easily gathered that they fill themselves sufficien.tly in that leno-th of time. 266 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Question: How about the rape tainting the milk? It is con- sidered that it is eight hours before the odors of any of those feeds disappear? Answer : It is not so much taking it into the stomach as com- ing in contact with it. That is w^here the taint comes. You may feed rape or anything cf that kind in the manger where the cow udders do not come into contact with it. It is the con- tact that makes the trouble. Question : Do you think vorir system of silage is sufficient for feeding the entire season through? Answer: No; I do not. I never was fortunate enough to- have ensilage enough to run through the summer. It is cheaper if you have silo capacity. Question : Wliy do the condensaries object to milk that is obtained from cows eating ensilage, and how would vou obviate the trouble? Answer: Condensaries object from this one point — twenty men take milk to a condensary; nineteen of them are perfectly cleanly and particular and have first-class silos. The twentieth man is a sort of slovenly fellow and his silo was put up in a bad way, he has it full of poor ensilage, and so his one silo and his one bunch of cows will affect the whole product, and to insure themselves against anything of that kind they just bar out the nineteen men because of this tewentieth man's carelessness. I just want to say, I do not know as anyl.odv present belongs to my correspondence school. This I^all I answered sixty-one letters, twenty-one from Iowa, — and those twenty-one from Iowa were all about silos, fourteen of the twenty-one were from beef men. I will say regarding this school, you are all perfectly iuic to write me in regard to any of the subjects with which I am familiar, but do not forget the stamp; and I will further say that those of you who have not my book, I have a few of them here and have made a special price on them for meetings of this kind. You may see me later about that. Question: Do you think 'it desirable to have these silos inside a building? Don't you think it would last longer inside than when exposed to sun or air? Answer : If you farmers were as careful about the lasting of your selfbinders and vour cows and all other machinerv as voit FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. . 267. are about the lasting of your silo, I don't know how long }-our binder and other machinery would last. The hrst question asked is, How long is it going to last? When a man builds a corncrib he never talks about it. Up in Henry county, Illinois, there is a silo built of three quarters inch flooring and has its flfteenth crop of ensilage in it. If three quarters inch flooring will last flfteen years in a silu, how long will 2 by 4 last? And as far as the inside of the barn is concerned, it is as this preceding- gentleman has stated — after the silo is emptied the staves spring apart and the sunlight and air pass through, and that 2 by 4 is just as free from decay as though piled up in your barn. It is practically dry; no moisture can stay on these 2 by 4s. Question : Do you paint them ? Answer: Paint them with cold tar. Xo other paint will with- stand the acid produced in the silage. No paint will withstand it. Just ordinarv gas tar will cost you three or four dollars a barrel. It is the best preservative for the silo that we know of. Question : What size posts do you use ? Answer : Four by 6. You may call that a corner post, if you please, that is a cornier post of the silo. You put this up before you start your silo, just the same as you would your barn, and spike it. I tell you when your silo is done you can certainly see there is no flat surface that the wind is going to get hold of, and the consequence is it is one of the strongest buildings on the farm, and the most profitable. Question: Do you have your joints beveled? Answer : No, sir ; take the lumber as it comes from the yard ; the only precaution is, see that the stick holds its width through ; do not have one end wide and the other narrow. ]f you desire any further information I shall be \ery glad to gi\e it to you here in the hall, after the meeting, or down at my hotel. The President : We have a session of the National Dairy Union this evening and I want to offer as an attraction that Mr. Jules Lombard will be in attendance and will sing for you. I believe you realize that the work of the National Dairy Union is something in which you should all be interested, and I hope we will have a good attendance at the meeting. 268 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SESSION OF THE NATIONAL DAIRY UNION. Thursday Evening. Nov. 19, 1903. Vice President S. B. Shillino- in the chair. 'fe The Chairman : We have met this evening for the purpose of discussing the affairs of the National Dairy Union. I do not at Ihis time deem it necessary to tell you what the National Dairy Ur:ion is, nor do I helieve it necessary to stand here and tell you what it has accomplished and what it hopes to accomplish, or for what objects the association was formed. I know that I speak advisedly to you when I say that it was the earnest wish of the officers of the National Dairy Union, when they met a year ago, to have the affairs of the organization wound up at the end of the year if possible. They believed it had lived its day of usefulness and hoped it would not be neces- sary to maintain the association anv lono-er. It has been a discouraging fight, and since --I have become con- nected with it my greatest wonder has been that the officers of the association have not become wholly discouraged and aban- doned it before this. The facts of the matter are that the exist- ence of one of the largest industries in the United States today h?s been threatened and is in as critical condition as it ever has been, from the time that this fight commenced. A short time ago w-e lost the president of the association. Gov- ernor Hoard. He felt that the duties connected with the office were to much for him in connection with his other duties; and I know it to be a fact that the secretary, ^[r. Knight, has felt upon several occasions that were it not for the friends who have stood by him so loyally that he did not feel he could sacrifice their interests in anv wav, he. too, would have abandoned the field. I have no desire, ladies and gentlemen, to paint the picture any darker than it is; I have no desire to in any way misrepre- sent the facts as they exist, but I do want to tell vou the condi- tions that confront us todav. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 269 So far as the combination in opposition is concerned, I want to say to you that it is an organization with millions of money behind it and a willingness to spend it; and so far (although I have no desire in any way to fin.d fault with what has l)een done, because there is a host of dairymen and creameries of the United States that have come to our rescue and contributed to the sup- port of this movement) we have not had the mone}^ to nght our cause that the oleomargarine people have. T will make this assertion, and I beheve I make no mistake, that if we had one dollar to their hundred we could follow them through the courts of the United States ; we could meet every move they would make. It has been the cry with us from the start, we have had to keep after you to get money. I am glad the meeting has been called in connection with this association, for the fact is had it been impossible for us to have had a meeting this year I fear the organization would have been forced to disband before another year. T wish to give you freely the situation as it is at the present time and then the question will be up to you. W^e want an expression from you. I am sure of this fact, and that is that the officers of this association have no desire, unless it is the earnest wish (and even then I do not know whether we will be able to carry on the work or not) of the dairymen of this coun- try, to continue the work in their behalf. The conditions are these: A suit comes up for trial the 30tli of this month, the first before the Supreme Court of the United States, in which the constitutionality of the oleomar- garine law is attacked. And I want to say so far as the oleo- margarine people are concerned, they are represented by the best lawyer in the United States, one acknowledged as such. He is the man who attacked the inheritance tax law^ and brought it to a successful issue. They have him employed and I want to place the question before you, while they have an enormous amount of money, yet if they do not hope ultimately to win, why do they employ a man like Mr. Guthrie to plead their case before the Supreme Court of the United States? That case comes up the .-^oth of this month. 270 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. You are aware of the fact that for five months of the past year we were absolutely helpless in preventing them from incorporat- ing- a color in their product, which baffled the skill of the best chemists the government could employ. They went undiscov- ered for five months, during which time their product was sold the same as before the law was enacted, until the revenue depart- ment was finally able to demonstrate for a certainty that they were using artificial coloration. Since then the government has assessed the manufacturers who produced these colored goods, and in one case $30,000 was sked for and has been paid by one firm to the government. This factory has sued the government, which is simply another way of arriving at the result they sought to attain when they endeavored to have the law declared uncon- stitutional. If they are successful in this suit, if they are able to recover that money from the government, the work of this organization for the past five years amounts to nothing. We are simply where we started from. In addition to that, they have commenced a campaign in which, if they do not succeed in incorporating a color into their product, they are trying to bring butter upon the same plane as oleomar- garine. If they can prevent the coloration of butter in certain states of the Union, they will have arrived in another way at the same point as where they colored their oleomargarine, — they have simply got both white and can go ahead and sell their product the same as before, without restrictions. Not only that, but they are taking advantage of technicalities. This is some- thing that only came up last week in the state of Pennsylvania in relation to food products, which is an old law, and says that nothing shall be incorporated into a food product unless it is a part of that food product. They have gone so far as to have the law looked up with the intention of taking advantage of this, — that butter color is not a part of the product, and prevent the coloring of butter in one of the largest states we have. I simply give you this tO' show the desperate straits to which they are driven, to demonstrate that they will not be downed in the matter. We know this. We also know that they have a high-priced corps of chemists at work trying to incorporate a color into their product and stiil FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 271 ^vade the law ; we know they have the best chemists that money -can hire, and I beheve, unless some unforeseen circumstances arise, that in the end they may be successful in this. I am giving- you these conditions just as they exist for this reason, — I want to show you the necessity of our not letting the organization of the National Dairy Union die. I am trying to put the matter before you, the facts indeed, just as they exist today. Not that I wish to exaggerate or in any way to unneces- sarily alarm 3^ou, but I consider the most critical question before the dairy people of the United States today is the maintenance of some organization that will protect them. There is not a JAisiness today of one half the magnitude of the dairy business l3ut has its organization, and the conditions are such today that I would regard it as a calamity (as I think you would) if we did not have some organiation to look after and perpetuate the •dairy interests. Now, I do not wish to take too much of your time just now, but probably will have an opportunity to talk before }'0U again. I want to say to you that the secretary of the organization, the man w^ho has been at the butt end of the gun from the inception of this fight, is with us tonight : he is here prepared to make a report to you of what has transpired in the past year, and I will leave the question now and call upon him for his report. I have the pleasure of introducing to you Mr. Charles Y. Knight. SECRETARY AND TREASURER'S REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 1, 1903. Charles Y. Knight, Chicago. Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Iowa Dairymen's Associa- tion and Guests of the National Dairy Union: I am here this evening-, not to entertain you, but to give yufacturing Co.. Hammond, Ind 7,000.00 Cudahy & Co.. Omaha, Neb 17,000.00 Total $201,449.00 Moxley, of Chicago, made 284.000 pounds of oleomargarine in which he introduced an oil. claimed to be cottenseed oil, but which proved to be a preparation of palm oil with cott^onseed. and the government pre- sented him with a bill for $28,449.80 being ten cents per pound tax on all the goods he had put out of this kind. He paid the penalty and has now sued the Government for recovery. This case will come up- in court in Chicago some time in December. The Oakdale Manufacturing Oo. of Providence. R. I., put out 600,000 pounds of oleoliiargarine containing the forbidden palm oil, sold it as uncolored oleomargarine, and the Government came onto them and demanded $60,000. The demands of the Government when made upon a manufacturer means that manufacturer must immediately pay the money "or the Government takes charge of his factory. In the case of the Oakdale Manufacturing Co., which is the largest oleomargarine estab- lishment in the East and one of the largest in the country, it could not meet the demands of the Government and went into the hands of a receiver. The Globe Manufacturing Co.. of Providence, also used some of this forbidden oil to color their oleomargarine, put it out under the quarter cent tax. and were called upon for $40,000 by the Government. The Vermont Manufacturing Co.. also of Providence, was called upon for $35,000 by the Government in the shape of fines. Kingman & Co.. of Indianapolis, were assessed and paid $14,000. Cudahy & Co., of Omaha, came in contact with a smart young man from Kingman's plant, who told them he had a secret way of making oleomargarine just as yellow as ever; they took the young man up; he made oleomargarine for them one month and the Government presented them with a bill for $17,000 for the oleomargarine which they thought to be (and i presume in good faith) uncolored, but they had been deceived by their maker and will be compelled to pay $17,000 and it will take them some time on uncolored oleomargarine to make this profit. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 275 The Hammond Manufacturing Co. of Hammond, Ind., was assessed $7,000. These are the amounts the Government has assessed against manu- facturers who have tried to violate this law. I want to say to you in this connection that while under the old law oleomargarine was made in imitation of butter and was sold as butter, manufacturers could get good prices for it and make big money. It was nothing for William J. Mioxley of Chicago to put away $300,000 in a safety deposit vault at the end of a year as a result of the profits of the business of the year. Things are different now. The oleomargarine business is conducted dif- ferently, for this reason: When colored oleomargarine was made and every retailer had an incentive to sell it as butter, he was always liable to prosecution either under the Federal or State laws (and we endeav- ored to do our part in Chicago towards making life a burden to him). T,he consequences were he would not dare sell oleomargarine unless backed up by the manufacturers, who would indemnify him against the payment of fines in case he should be arrested for fraud. The packers, who have naturally the best facilities for making oleomargarine, in our city at least (Chicago), would not stoop to this. They refused abso- lutely to 'indemnify any retailer who fraudulently sold oleomargarine. That opened the field for a class which was known as independent oleo- margarine makers who came in and said to a retailer, "See here, I am making oleomargarine that I will sell you for fifteen cents a pound and you can sell it for biitter at twenty-five cents. While it is true that Swiift & Co., or Armour & Co., will sell you oleomargarine at thirteen cents, they will not defend you, consequently you do not dare to sell it f?or twenty-five cents. You take our goods and sell them for twenty- five cents and if anybody interferes with you we will come into court and employ counsel to defend you and pay your fines. Go ahead and sell our goods and you can make money." The result was the retailers were all driven to buy goods of these independent people, because if they did buy of the packers these independent manufacturers had men going around and threatening them with arrest and driving them out of the business, or driving them to the independent manufacturers. That en- abled those independent manufacturers to get from one to two cents a pound extra for their oleomargarine, and it did not cost them one quar- ter of a cent per pound to do the protecting. In that way they corralled nearly all the business and were making a big thing. Wliat is the condition today? With uncolored oleomargarine, witn the profit squeezed out of the business, there are practically rio prose- cutions for the sale of oleomargarine for butter. A firm can just as well buy his oleomargarine one place as another. The competition is so keen that instead of there being from one to three or five cents to figlit the law with as formerly, they are getting down to a quarter of a cent. The independent manufacturers are being d''iven out of the business. Mr. Burridge, of Cleveland, Ohio, who is here on the platform to- night and who will address you upon this subject later, tells me that the Union Dairy Co.. of Cleveland, one of the largest oleomargarine manufacturing companies east of Chicago, has gone out of business as 276 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. a result of their inability to make oleomargarine in competition with people who are selling it on its merits today. The foregoing amounts are penalties levied for the use of cotton- seed oil containing the forbidden palm oil, used in 2.000,000 pounds of oleomargarine put out under the quarter cent tax for the uncolored I)roduct. This makes a total of $490,493 in these two items for the past fiscal year alone, which the Government would be compelled to refund should oleomargarine makers win these suits and added to this would be almost as much more on retail licenses for colored goods, and tho amounts paid thus far this year for ten cent tax stamps. In short, the internal revenue department has in these suits a stake of nearly u million dollars for the Government, making the cases so important that we believe the department will leave no stone unturned to win. We must understand one thing in connection with this case, that the Government and Government attorneys are not as familiar with the technique of this matter as those w^io have spent years in its investigation, as have the officers of the National Dairy Union. STATUS OF THE OnC ANIZATION. The work of the National Dairy Union during the past year has been one of effort to establish a surplus fund to be used in case of emergency which is certain to arise. At our last annual meeting at Milwaukee an- nouncement was made that the Cream^ery Patrons' Handbook had been prepared to be placed upon the market for the purpose of raising funds. It was also decided to request creameries to subscribe 1 cent per tub upon their product to assist in this work. During the past year over 19,000 of these books have been sold or consigned to butter-makers to be sold to patrons. These books cost the National Dairy Union $800 for engravings, composition, imposition, elec- trotypes and compilation. Paper, press work and binding cost $4,336.51. To express them to the nearly 2,000 agents w^ho pushed their sale cost $1,402.65, besides the services of a bookkeeper to keep track of 2,000 ac- counts ($371.00 for the year), a stenographer ($781.00) and the services of the vice president for a large portion of the year, whose salary at $100 per month amounted to $800, and expenses of $827.59 in attending meet- ings brought the expense for the handbooks up to $1,627.59, a total of $9,318.75, as nearly as can be figured. From the sale of the books to November 1st we received in cash $9,487.18, and have in the hands of agents throughout the country enough more unpaid for and unsold to bring in $6,270.25 additional. In short, ihe profits of the National Dairy Union upon the Patrons' Handbook de- pend upon the successful sale and collection for the 9,000 copies unac- counted for to date. From the one per cent tub subscription and other contributions $3,940.63 has een received during the year. This has been very largely ac- complished through the personal work of Vice President Shilling and Special Agent James A. Harris, the salary and expenses of the latter am'ounting to $773.77 for the six months he was employed by the National Dairy Union. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 277 Other items of expense for the year are printing, aside from Patrons' Handbooks, $759.28; inailing, addressing, etc., outside the office, $224.14; commissions, $62. .50; exchange on checks, $60.85; office rent, $177.00; office expenses, typewriter, etc., $175.85, and $66.25 expense accoimt — the only one incurred during the year — by your secretary and treasurer. A detailed and tabulated account of receipts and expenditures, as shown by the books of the National Dairy Union, follows: CirrcAco, Irx., Nov. ]9. 190.3. CONDENSED FTNANGTAL STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL DAIRY UNiON FOR TPIE YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 1, 1903. Credits. November 1. 1902— Cash on hand $ 136.27 Patrons' Handbooks cash sales 3,294.60 Sent on commission, paid for 5,348.94 Received from 1 cent a tul) subscriptions 3,940.63 $12,720.44 Debits. Paid C. Y. Knight, expenses $ 66.25 S. B. Shilling, salary and expenses 1,489.44 J. A. Harris, salary and expenses 773.77 Bookkeeper 371.00 Clerk 255.00 Stenographer 781.00 Office expenses 369.05 Exchange on checks 60.85 Money refunded 4.75 Patrons' Handbooks 8,075.55 Balance on hand 473.78 $12,720.44 The auditing committee simply grouped the items a little different from what I did in this report and made a little different charges. Totals are all the same. They called some thiugs expense for the one cent a tub that we might say was on the books. There is no difference in the totals ait all, only what we might consider belong'ing to the Patrons' Handbook and they consider belongs to some other department. In this no account is taken of the money which is out in the shape of books in the hands of butter-makers, for the reason we cannot account for the number sold. Since the first of November, however, after this account had been made up, we have received $399.06 and paid out $147.84, which leaves our balance today in the treasury something like $723. We have gained that much since the first of November. 278 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. It has been my ambition, ever since I commenced this work, to ac- cumulate enough money in the treasury to make us feel that we were safe at any time from attack, having the money ready to take up the defense and then drop the work and turn it over to somebody else. Acd I have struggled for the last year, undertook the sale of this book iKi order to do it, and have worked right along with that intention, but, as \ told you befo're, we find our efforts are out in the country yet. The discouraging part of our work is the effort and expense neces- sary to keep up interest In the cause. It is almost impossible to secure financial support from co-operative creameries without a personal visit from some representative of the National Dairy Union. An analysis of this personal work shows that upon the basis of one cent per tub it costs almost as much to get the money as it amounts to. The average cream- ery is supposed to turn out hot far from 90,000 pounds, or 1.500 tubs of butter per year. While our representatives have only visited the more important co-operatives, those visited, when sending in their subscrip- tions for the year, have shown an average of only about 1,000 tubs. We have spent money visiting many where pledges have been received and no attention paid to their fulfillment. We started in the work a year ago with many promises from prominent concerns v/hich have been forgotten by them, and repeated communications from the secretary's office fail to bring a response. Had we received all we were led to believe would be subscribed, we would have had in our treasury from four to five thousand dollars instead of that many hundred. Which reminds me of a story, — I never think of our financial condition but what I think of an inci- dent which occurred once when I was South in Florida, where I had the pleasure or misfortune to live a few years in my early days. There was a darky church $150 in debt and the minister was very anxious to pay off the mortgage. He took the matter up one night when it happened there were ten ministers from the North in the town and had gone to church to see what a darky church was like. The old darky preacher put the thing so pathetically and exhorted so earnestly for a large sub- scription to pay the mortgage off the church that the ministers concluded they .would give him a surprise, and thought the expression on his face when he saw what they had done would be worth what it cost them. So between them they subscribed one hundred dollars, ten dollars a piece. The strange part of the stcry is that one minister happened to have a one hundred dollar bill. They thought it would be very nice and the surprise would be greater if they changed these ten dollar donations and put the one hundred dollar bill in the hat. So they did it, and when the deacon came around with the hat the minister who had the one hundred dollar bill dropped it in. The old deacon went back as fast as he could, up to the minister, called him to one side, beckoned him over, and they got their headsi together and held a long and earnest consultation. Finally the old darky preacher came to the front with a sort of dubious look on his face and said: "Bredern and sistern, it seems as though dere had been a kind of divine visitation here dis evening. As nearly as I can make out from counting de money in de hat we have $147.49 and two col- lar buttons, provided the hundred dollar bill wat the gentleman in de FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 279 back part of de church put in de hat am genuine." The National Dairy Union has a surplus in its treasury, or rather accessil)le, provided the $9,000 we have out among the bututer-makers and others who have under- taken the sale of our books is accounted for. For the book hundreds of butter-makers have done their part well. Others have received consignments from us, express prepaid, and re- turned them "collect" without even opening the package, not only failing to do anything for us, but practically eating up the efforts of others. As a matter of fact, your secretary has become weary of spending a dollar to collect a dollar, having at the end of the year only a few hundred dollars ($473.78) in the treasury and a few thousand dollars of anticipation and promises. Not only is there no satisfaction in wasting time in this way, but this fruitless work is very likely to create the impression that there may be a leak somewhere, particularly when it is shown that without any active fight on hand more than $12,000 have been spent in a year. There are many who do not stop to consider the fact that the National Dairy Union has been run during the past year almost as a business venture, that it has printed vi book and put it on the market at prices lower than any private individual or firm could have afforded to have done it, and that more than 75 per cent of the organization's expendi- tures have been in the production and handling of this book, yet I would not think for a minute of bringing this report before this meeting without first having submitted the records of my office to an auditing committee, appointed by the president of an outside interested organization, who has been afforded every. facility to verify every item which goes to make up the various totals* and who will report his findings here tonight. In conclusion, I desire to say, as you may readily understaand, that I am weary of this work. I have held the office of secretary of the National Dairy Union for six years. Five years of this time has been spent in the most aggressive warfare ever undertaken by any organiza- tion. We passed an anti-color bill in the Illinois legislature in 1897 only after an almost hand-to-hand fight in the Senate and having our bill stolen in the House, because in the State of Illinois the city of Chicago holds more than ,33 per cent of the representation, which is solid against any- thing the agricultural interests may want. In the spring of 1899 we passed a bill creating the illlinois food commission to enforce the law of 1897, We then began our active work • in behalf of the national law, which required three years of effort, the history of which you are familiar with. We now have before us vexatious legal and technical questions which are to those in places of responsibility like an aching tooth; they don't take a great deal of actual physical effort or time, but they keep one in a frame of mind and suspense which prevents him doing much of anything else. How we are going to get along without Grovernor Hoard I do not know. His name was a source of confidence in the organization and his counsel a continuous balance wheel. It was he who gave your secretary his first insight to what is necessary in securing legislation in behalf of the farmer. So long as his name remained at the head of the organiza- tion he could not escape the responsibilities entailed. Governor Hoard 280 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. has thousands of friends and acquaintances among the dairymen who know no other in the organization. Each one of these friends appeared to feel called upon to write him, as president of the National Dairy Union, whenever anything happened that was not understood. He had either to retire from the office, devote a large portion of his time to answering this correspondence, or ignore it. The latter he would not do, and have we any right to expect him to further carry the former burden? Personally I feel that I too should be permitted to shift the responsi- l)ility which I have carried the past six years. I cannot see my way clear to continue the work. Justice to my own personal interests and the wel- fare of those with whom I am associated and those depending upon me demand that I cease to spend my time in this great' struggle and begin to look out more for my own personal future. I realize, of course, that during an experience of six years in this work I have made acquaintances and accumulated knowledge which is almost indispensable to the office. Yet there must be a change some time. I can not continue the work forever, and it must always be carried on by somebody, or we will very rapidly lose all and more ground than we have gained. There will never be a better time to change than now. So it seems to me that right now is a good time to determine upon some plan or organization for the future which will put the National Dairy Union upon a solid foundation. This means that promises for its finan- cial support must be arranged for and in some manner that will not cost a hundred cents to collect a dollar. And in final conclusion I will say I have exhausted my ability along this line. In six years I have worked every scheme which my brain can devise for raising funds to carry on the work. I confess I am at the end of my rope, and it's up to those who are interested and benefited to decide in regard to the future. Now I have done just as I said here in this reiJort. I have exhausted every scheme that I can think of to raise money; I have worked the whole ground over; I have come to you with all kinds of schemes and plans and propositions to raise money. I can not think of any more. I have racked my brains. The trouble with tlie dairymen, and all other interests as far as that is concerned, is they are like the man from Arkan- sas when he was asked by the Arkansav/ Traveler why he had no roof on his house, and the Arkansan said: "When it rains I can't put the roof on, and when it does not rain I don't need it." The trouble with the dairymen is when the time for fighting arrives they are not ready to fight, and when there is no fighting on hand they do not want to be both- ered. That is the situation. Now I requested the Elgin Board of Trade that they send a commit- tee to the office of the National Dairy Union to look over its books. It was my desire when I came before you tonight to be able to present to you, through the eyes of others, some sort of an idea of what has been done. The Elgin Dairy Board of Trade was requested to appoint a com- mittee to come in and audit the books of the National Dairy Union. The bookkeeper was placed at their disiK)sal and INIr. .Joseph Newman, whom FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 281 the Board appointed to do this work, who is president of the Illinois State Dairymen's Association, spent two days in the office, and he will now tell you what he found and make his report. We should be very glad to have and court the fullest investigation on this matter, and invite questions as to the disposition of any of these funds. The more you can ask and learn the better it satisfies us. I thank you for your kind attention. (Applause.)- The Chairman: I have the pleasure of introducing Mr. Joseph Newman, of the Elgin Board of Trade, who is a member of the auditing- committee auditing the secretary's Ijooks. REPORT OF AUDITING COMMIITTEE. Joseph Xewjnan, Elgin, III. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I do not know just why the Elgin Board of Trade was requested to do this work, as we -certainly have not been hounding the National Dairy Union as to what the funds are or where they came from. We know where they have been used without going into the books, but, as the gentleman has said, I took it when they asked me to do this work and I found out it was to be a genu- ine auditing. I was to go into the books and find out what I could for you. Of course it is your work and Mr. Knight has felt that this should have been done for you. It has been neglected until this year, so when Governor Hoard and the officers of the association insisted that we should do it, after talking with him I consented to act. Knowing some- thing about books. I believe I have dug out facts for you and will present them. I will say here, of course, an auditing committee has to do with just figures; but the National Dairy Union wanted me to give you more par- ticulars and details as to how the office was conducted, etc., so I have gone into it more fully than mere figures. I beg leave to report as follows: At the request of your officials, to the Elgin Board of Trade, to appoint someone to audit the accounts and books of your Secretary-Treas- urer. Chas. Y. Knight, I was the one selected, and after spending two days in examining the books and vouchers and obtaining information from the various employes, I v/ould report to you as follows: The office is connected with the Chicago Dairy Produce at 154 Lake street. Chicago. One room is set apart for and is used by the National Dairy Union, for which they pay a rental of fifteen dollars per month and janitor service of one dollar per month. The office force consists of a stenographer, who puts in her whole time at fifteen dollars per week, a bookkeeper half time at seven dollars per week, and a clerk part time at five dollars per week. Mr. Shilling, in the absence of Mr. Knight, is in charge, balance of time traveling in the interests of the association, at a salary of one thou- 282 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. sand two hundred dollars per year and expenses. Mr. Harris travels in Minnesota at a salary of six hundred dollars and expenses. I find no salary is charged up for Mr. Knight, and during the past year only sixty- six dollars and twenty-five cents in traveling expenses has been paid him. The large item of expense during this past year was for 19,389 copies of the Patrons' Handbook, for which about eight thousand dol- lars was paid out. This included the express charges and other neces- sary expenses, both for getting up the book and delivering same to the purchasers and sent out on commission. The ledger shows books out on commission to several hundred creameries, amounting to about six thousand dollars, that are not settled for, and about eight thousand five hundred dollars has been received from the sale of books. I saw all the bills, went into the files, took all the bills, examined them and saw they were properly receipted by the Regan Printing Co., of Chicago, where the books were made, and all the separate bills that went to make up the large item of $8,000. The donations from the one cent a tub contracts have netted this year nearly four thousand dollars, I found the books kept in a systematic manner and balanced each month, and are entirely separate books from the Chicago Produce books, with the exception of the cash account, which each day is balanced into the Chicago Produce account. In other words, the cash ac- count on our ledger reads "Chicago Produce account." On looking inio the reason for this, I found that the account was more than half the time overdrawn, and we owed Chicago Produce oh January 31st of this year over $100; February 28th, $400; March 31st, $1,130; April 30th, $1,750; May 31st, $2,000; June 30th, $1,700; July 31st, $1,600, and August 31st we had a credit again of $200. Hence, by keeping the cash together we have received quite a benefit by having our bills paid promptly without formally borrowing money. I found that all items paid out had voucher receipts filed away ac- cording to date, and easily accessible. Mr. Knight and all the office force were very courteous to me and gave me every assistance possible to get at the facts wherewith to make this report. I w^ent over several months and took every voucher, no matter if only for twenty-five cents for express receipts, went over them very carefully, took at random bne month and found all recipts in their regular order for every item, no matter how small or how big. I went over several months that way. I did not go over the whole year, for it would take me weeks to do that. I satisfied myself that everything was done in shipshape. I would recommend that two new accounts be opened, one showing the amount paid in each month on the "one cent a tub contracts," and one "Patrons' Handbook account," so that anyone interested can see at a glance the amount received from each source at any time, without go- ing over the petty accounts of same, which, as I have said before, are several hundred. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 283 Since November 1, 1903, the services of Mr. Harris and the clerk in the office have been discontinued. The statement just rendered, show- ing a balance on hand of $473.48, I found agrees with the ledger balances. Respectfully submitted, Joseph Newman, Auditing Committee. Elgin, Illinois. TiiK Chairman : You have heard the re])ort of tlie secretary- treasurer and of the auditing committee. W'liat will you do with it ? Mr. Ne:iTKrT: Mr. President, 1 l>eheve that everyone here is satisfied wnth this report. I am pleased to state that it is entirely satisfactory to my mind. I have no reasou, in the first place, to question any of the officers of the National Dairy Union or their acts, and it certainly should satisfy the minds of the most skep- tical when our friend Newman, as auditor, presents his report so conscientiously and conclusive that everyone ought to he will- ing to accept it. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to move that the report of the secretary he accepted as read, approved auvd placed on file. Motion seconded hy Mr. Schreiljer, and duly carried. The: Chairman : We have with us the representatives from two markets, Chicago and CleA'eland, and we are going to call upon them to tell us the conditions that existed before and the conditions as thev exist since the enactment of the oleomargarine law, and how they regard that law. I wdll first call upon Mr. T. E. Purcell of Chicago, president of the Chicago Butter and Egg Board. ADDRESS. T. E. Purcell, Chicago. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I was very much surprised a couple of weeks ago to have our friend Mr. Knight come and ask me to come out here tonight and tell ycu creamery 'men what the butterine law has done for Chicago butter interests. This is the first time I have ever been called upon to make a public address, and it was in fear and trem- l)ling that I consented. I am in the same office building with Mr. Knight and I have listened to the troubles and tribulations of the National Dairy Union for some time. It seems strange to me that a large interest like the butter inter- est of the country should have any trouble whatever in supplying all the 284 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. necessary funds for such an organization as the National Dairy Union. These officers have been with you now for a long time; you know what they have done for you; they have been tried and have not been found wanting. One of the most difficult things to do in this cmmtry is to go to con- gress and have congress pass a revenue measure. They did that for you and for the salvation of the butter interests of this country. Let me tell you as quickly as possible, because the hour is growing late, in regard to butterine in Chicago. I have been on the market for twelve years, I first went with Mr. Wrightson, who was one of the largest dealers in butter at that time in the country. That was back in '91. We did a large business; we bought from thirty-four jobbing houses in the city of Chicago, houses that had a butter business where they sold in a wholesale way, and business con- tinued good both to the commission houses and brokers until along in 1894. About that time things began to show something was wrong, and along in '95 it commenced to get worse. Then we called a meeting to talk the matter over. We knew there was an increased sale and consum])- tion of butterine, and with the assistance of Mr. Knight and a few others on our market, we sent a delegation to Springfield and had passed by our legislature there a law similar to laws enacted in other states, which had apparently been all right in those states. We felt quite happy and cheerful when the delegation came back from Spring- field and stated that the law had been passed. We felt that we would regain our prestige as a butter market. Unfortunately, our joy was short lived. We never got a conviction under the law, and we then realized what a desperate proposition it was to go up against the butter- ine crowd, men who were making millions and had political influence to undo our work. In 1900 things began to get desperate, and I remember when Mr. Price, one of the old wholesale merchants of our city who had retired from the butter business three or four years, said to me one day: "Purcell," he said, "how is business?" I replied, "Business is all right, but there is no butter. You know we have few jobbing houses now." He then asked how many are left there. I , counted them up, I knew them all and there were eight. In ten years the butter business in the great city of Chicago had declined from thirty-six jobbers (where it should have increased to fifty or sixty), down to eight, and yet Chicago is one of the most prosperous cities in the Union. The reason was that practically every grocer in Chicago had become an agent for butterine. If this con- dition had gone on, probably every grocer in the United States would have soon been in the same position. Why? Because they were able to make large profits out of butterine, and grocers are human — they are not in the business for their health. I am only going to keep you a moment. Mr. Knight then came for- ward with a proposition to tax colored oleomargarine ten cents per pound. You know the rest. He accomplished his work, he did it well, but we were a little doubtful after the work was accomplished whether it would stand or not. They commenced to use palm oil; we then FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 285 thought it was all off with us, but the Government came to our assis- tance and declared that illegal. What is the condition today in the Chicago butter market after one and a half years under the new law? We have eighty-nine members of the Chicago Butter and Egg Board, some of whom are in the butter busi- ness, and probably about thirty or forty are wholesalers. We have regained in a year and a half the business we lost in eight years. Wliat is going to be the future if this gain continues? Chicago will be the great commanding butter market of the United States, and you will need it. For the proper distribution of this article you must have some gen- eral distributing market in the Central West. The Eastern cities will take care of their own trade, but the West must have a city which will be able to distribute butter economically, carefully and well. In Chicago we have one of the finest cold storage system raili'oads running to every point of the compass; we also have the best banking facilities that it is possible to have. You know, if you read the papers, that Chicago banks are probably stronger than those of any other city — they were taught a lesson in '93 and afterwards. All we require now is simply that we be protected as a consuming market. It has been demonstrated to us that we can never become a great distributing center unless we have the large local consumption which we have today and which we hope we will continue to have. But gentlemen, it is a surprise to me to hear the report which Mr. Knight has just made; hear him state that you creamerymen would not contribute willingly one cent a tub to protect your livelihood and j^our business. Why, it is a shame and a disgrace to have such a statement made as Mr. Knight has just read to you. The merchants in th^ butter business in Chicago have had their business practically annihilated by the ever-increasing sale of butterine, but we have fought continually and have contributed probably more money to the National Dairy Union than any other city in the United States (even under the conditions existing), and I do hope that this will be the last time such a report will have to be made. You creamerymen should come forward with your active assistance. It may be all right today, but tomorrow it may not be so, as Moxley and the rest will not stand back and see their busi- ness destroyed without making a desperate struggle. They know every trick of the game, they can shuffle from the bottom of the deck just as nicely as they can from the top, and unless you meet them dollar for dollar they will win out. In conclusion I would say that you have the most efficient officials at the head of your organization it is possible for you to procure, and I trust you will demonstrate by your action tonight that you appreciate the work they have done and insist that they remain with you. I thank you. 286 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ADDRESS. I. E. Burridge, Cleveland, Ohip. Any discussion of the benefits derived from the new law must take into consideration the conditions preceding its enactment, those immediately following and what we may reasonably expect in the future. Anyone at all conversant with conditions in the great "interior" markets of the country preceding the enactment of the law was, in a sense, better fit to judge of the load the dairymen were carrying, than those who are doing business in markets where oleo was not the prime factor. And little as the interior markets of this country have in the past been appreciated, yet they at that time exerted a considerable infiuence upon the butter market and had great weight n the 'making of prices and the using of the surplus. By the term "interior markets" we mean such markets as Chicago, Cleveland,' Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Loui's and a few^ other smaller ones which, at that time consumed comparatively little creamery butter, but at the present time, are drawing considerable supplies. Great as is the Chicago market, enormous as the demands are from New York and other seaboard points, yet these alone, without the balancing power of the other interior markets, would not have been able to care for the enormous product that w^e have witnessed the past season. Speaking of such markets, for instance, as Cleveland, Pittsburg and Cincinnati. In them oleo was "king." In Cleveland probably as much oleo was sold as butter, while in Pittsburg and Cincinnati the quantity sold was several times greater than that of butter. And we say, without fear of successful contradiction, that in ninety-nine cases out of a hun- dred oleo was sold not only for butter, but for the best grade, and a large contingent of jobbers and dealers was supported by the oleo men, and they in turn used every effort to place oleo first in consumption. Their violations of State laws were constant. When arrested by the State officers for violation their fines were paid by the oleo manufac- turer— they were urged to go forth and repeat. In Cincinnati the business of violating the law was an organized one. The dealers there in oleo were in a combine, every pound sold was sub- ject to tax of one cent, which went into their protection fund, which was used mostly to pay the fines of violators of the law. The scheme of pro- tection in some other cities was carried to as great an extent as in the Cincinnati case. Those interests w^ere thoroughly organized and their influence was not only local, but extended to the State capitals in the different States. Since the enactment of the new law the writer has had from an employe of one of the largest manufactories in this country the statement that the dairy and food commissioner of one of these States was in the regular employ of his company and received his check on pay-day the same as the other employes. This, of course, would be a pretty^ hard matter to substantiate and can not be accepted as a fact only when considering the source and when one is conversant with the nu- merous other schemes used to affect and nullify the law. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 287 The organization possessed by ttie manufacturers of oleo was superb, notliing- lilve it in a business way has ever before existed in this coun- try. The territory was divided and combines on prices were religiously kept. Funds in plenty were forthcoming to protect violators, and this fact of itself was an Incentive to men to violate the law, knowing full well that their profits would be immense, and that every violation, even if convicted, would cost them nothing personally. This was a condition closely bordering on anarchy — it stimulated a contempt for the law and paid a premium for its violation. We presume that the respectable gentlemen who were engaged in that traffic would dispute this vigorously, but it is a fact and is well known to everyone connected with the trade. The oleo traffic was also a source of what is popularly called "graft" for some of the politicians who ranked high in party councils in the dif- ferent States. While this probably would be difficult to prove as a fact, yet it is true by implication and could be proven a hundred times over from good, substantial evidence. ' The great stimulus for all of this was the enormous profits in the traffic. Immediately following the enforcement of the law, these prac- tices disappeared completely. Many of them had only been hinted at, others were matters of general knowledge. It is perhaps not out of the way to remark here that there were at the time the National Dairy Union started its fight very few men in the country who had a good idea of the traffic in its different phases. It was extremely fortunate, and a fact of which we will speak more fully later, that the dairy people should have secured as their champion a man whose knowledge was extremely broad, greater perhaps than that possessed by any one else, and that he brought to the work that spirit of aggressiveness, coupled with a safe conservatism that assured an honest fight. To go back to the conditions immediately following the enforcement of the law: The oleo trade was in a quandary; they realized that through law enormous profits must disappear, but they were possessed of their plants for the manufacture of the goods and it was necessary that they should use them, else they would be an idle asset. Following this very soon after the law went into force there appeared on the mar- kets their so-called "uncolored" butterine. Their previous education, their environment and their utter contempt for all law was shown by the eager haste in which they sought to evade the law by incorporating in their so-called "uncolored" goods, palm oil in such minute quantities that it was almost impossible for it to be detected, but which gave a certain yellowish tinge to their product. However, this was one time that they overreached themselves. In their eagerness to get a reasonably yellow color, they used more of this oil than was safe and the resulting product, after it had been kept for a few days, was good for nothing but soapgrease . The oleo manufactur- ers had enormous losses from this source. I speak of this understand- ingly. At the time the new law went into effect it seemed that the hand- ling of oleomargarine would be a legitimate business, that it would be sold on its merits, that people Avould buy it for what it was. We, in 288 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. common with other dealers, believed that there would still remain among the cheaper classes a certain demand for these goods and that the lack of color would have little effect, except that it would be sold for what it was and at correspondingly proper prices. We therefore took out a license for the sale of uncolored oleomargarine and during the first sixty days that we handled these goods induced about one hundred of our cus- tomers to take out a license for the sale of the goods. In all of these cases we supplied them with their original purchases and not one out of ten of them were able to sell the goods, and not to exceed two or three duplicated their orders. These, too, finally discontinued it. The result of the six months' vigorous campaign among this class of dealers was that we had less trade than when we started. It was demonstrated clearly that people would not buy oleomargarine if they knew it, that is, where they bought the goods for their own consumption. The trade in oleomargarine in our city has dwindled to next to noth- ing; before the law went into effect we had a large oleo factory, which has since been turned to other uses, the proprietors discontinuing the manufacture of these goods; not one store in fifty carries them, and on only a few of the stands in the market are the goods to be found. The only demand exists from a certain class of cheap restaurants and board- ing houses. Whether the goods are doctored before being served at these places we have no means of knowing. But in so far as consumers buying the goods for their own use, the traffic in Cleveland is completely at a standstill. It has been an enormous benefit to us in the butter trade, especially in this season of extremely heavy production. Our own butter sales for the month of August, September and October were over 40 per cent in excess of the sales of a year ago. We have also built up a heavy outside trade among communities where "oleomargarine" was solely used, and it is safe to say that there are in our territory alone upwards of two hundred thousand people who are using butter today that have not been for years. The same conditions doubtless exist in all other markets where "'oleo" was supreme. That this has been a wonderful value to the dairy industries can not be questioned, even if prices are not at the present time where produc- ers would likp to see theni. Had it not been for this new channel that was opened to the butter trade there would have been nothing but dis- aster for us in the enormous production of this season. However, the greater portion of it has been cared for and has gone into consumption. While stocks are heavier than dealers wish, yet we do not believe that if the present consumption holds good up to the first of April, we will see any stock of butter on hand anywhere in this country. Had it not been for this heavy consumption, stimulated by the discontinuance of the sale of oleomargarine, prices of butter would have had to decline to the level of foreign prices. We have before us on one hand a cold-blooded busi- ness proposition, that we fight for the very life and existence of that business, as its prosperity affects each of us in its varied phases and while this is the view that will most likely enlist our sympathies quick- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 289 est, yet there is another view and of equal or greater importance and that is the duty we owe to the consumer and his posterity. Let us Iveep the dairy industry free from the taint of fraud and adul- teration. It seems as though we have had the aid of a Helper greater than human, that every phase of our struggle for right had been under the care of One who believes in right, and that justice should prevail, I am glad to believe that the inscription that filled the mind and soul, that guided and directed the leader who has done so much for us all was heaven-born and that God raised him up from among his fellows, to be His humble earthly instrument for good. I believe it would be sacrilegi- ous to neglect, to fail to support, the man who under divine Providence has done so much for the American people. The man who has scotched the serpent of fraud, and under whose guidance greater things are pos- sible. I believe that Charles Y. Knight has done a greater good for the dairy industry than any other man that ever lived. I believe a greater work than that which has been done lies before him. He needs your help, we must lift up his hands and furnish the sinews of war. He is a great general, but a general to win must have men. Who ever heard of a leader going into battle to the tune of the "Dead March of Saul." What he needs is cheerful music, and the steady tramp, tramp, tramp of the boys behind him. Let us back him up. Let us put new vigor in the fight. Let us here consecrate ourselves to this fight satisfied that if our leader can sacrifice so much, that we will give freely of our means and time. Let us encourage him. Let us take a new vow of allegiance t^o the principles he represents. Let us remember that he is willing to lead and that it should be a welcome privilege for us to follow. There is always a time in every fight when fresh troops are needed. The butter trade of this country, while we have borne grievous burdens, yet we can bear more and I do not feel we have done all we should do; and for the firm I am with pledge ourselves to give one hundred dollars a year to this Union as soon as it is necessary. All we ask is that twenty more representative commission, butter or creamery men go in with us. TiiK Chairman : As I tuld you from the start you are going- to have a. chance to speak (jn this question. We want to hear from the audience. We do not want t your opinion on this question now, the audience. We do not want to lose time. W^e want to get . MR. NEITERT. Mr., President: It seems to be quite a mum spell just now. I do not understand this. Certainly you should not feel discouraged because the officers of this association have had trials and tribulations in raising sufficient funds to prosecute honest laws, to try to get them enacted, in other words to try to see them enforced after they have been enacted; and they have suffered for the want of funds in order to do this and 19 290 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. have given liberally of their time without pay. It is no wonder they feel somewhat pessimistic, and have perhaps themselves cast a little gloom over this meeting — not with the intention of surrendering, I know them too well for that. I wish to state before I go further that the paper we have just lis- tened to is full of meat, full of strong and stubborn truths that have been nicely treated. I only regret that more did not stay to hear the rest of it. Now the fact is that it is up to the dairymen and creamerymen of this country to say whether they will stand by this warfare for right and honesty and for their interests, or whether they will surrender in dis- grace. It is too bad that we have to stand in this hall and plead for aid and support, and urge it year after year whenever we meet; but it is true, it is necepsarj-. It is right that we should all put our shoulder to the wheel. I am not discouraged. I feel that the dairym.en are not dis- couraged, and I feel that if the cause is pushed as honesty and rigiit and equity demands, they will all put on the harness, press hard against the collar and push forward for broader and more close victories. As has been so clearly stated, you have no common trick or game to deal with. Such men as Moxley, Avho have the best legal minds that are in the lard in their employ. They never sleep when this question Is up or when their unlawful business is attacked. Now then, are we to sit still and look on, as it were listless and lifeless, and allow them to place their hands in our pockets and take out the last shilling that is there and ruin the business? As has been stated and as was mentioned in chis valuable address thai: the gentleman just read, it is well that the price of butter did not advance to enormous figures for the interest of the dairy and the best interest of the law that has been enacted, because a howl would have gone up over the country that we were selfish, it was special legislature in the interest of a fev/. Now the fact is there are millions of dairymen in this country who are interested in this cause. I can not understand why we cannot raise suflicient funds for the good that has been accomplished and through the efforts of our worthy secretary, our president, Ex-Governor Hoard, and others of equal strength and standing in our midst. We would not have had the law as it is today, which no doubt has put millions of dollars into the pockets of the dairymen of the United States, and I stand here ready to say that it is a wonderful feat to accom- plish.— to go in single-handed, almost, as they did, into the halls of Con- gress of the United States and secure the passage of this law with the great opposition they had to contend with. (Applause.) It is not an easy matter. This is an age of organization and combin- ation. It is necessary for us to combine, but there does not seem to be much of a combination. There only seems to be a few. It is true that every interest in the land appears at the halls of legislation. Whether at State or National halls, that interest has a paid and talented lobbyist, paid attorneys and men that are ever looking after their interests. They never sleep; night or day there is some one on board all the time when FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 291 questions are up Ihat affect them. It costs thousands to do it, but it pays to do it. And if we do not look after our business with the same diligence and pay the men that spend their time and money and leave their own business to suffer, then we should not have any laws in our interest. •Now then, I do not want to discourage anyone, but I want you to say that I am not a quitter on this subject. I want to stand by it and desire that every creameryman and every dairyman in the country shall stand by it. You have the law enacted, but you place laws upon the statute books and they will never enforce themselves. It is simply by the acts of the people that are in favor of the laws that they will be enforced. As has been said here this evening, some of the employes of the State, or some food commissioner, it appears too awful to be true, were drawing pay from some of the opponents and still drawing their monthly pay from the State that had them employed. But this is an isolated case these men are astonishing. I have wondered in my own mind, when I have thought about this, how they ever accomplished as much as they did with the little aid they have had. I believe it to be (I would not make the assertion if I did not believe it, its of the mind and not of the heart) that if it were not for the legislation, for the law that was passed, enacted, through the efforts of these men we would be suffering greatly today, we would receive much lower prices for butter than we are receiv- ing at the present time, because it is true that the consumption has been enormous by our people and that has created the markets for butter to a great extent. Still there are thousands of pounds and millions of pounds in the cold storages ready to supply demand as soon as the fresh make is less. We have not been able to export butter and compete with other markets because our people could pay higher prices. Now as a clear business proposition, if they had supplied them with oleomargarine as in years past (as has been told you this evening of the great reduction in the make since the law was passed) if they had con- tinued to increase their make, reason teaches me, business* thought teaches me that it would have cut off the consumption of butter so great 'that you would have shrunk at least from three to five cents per pound in the price of your butter for the last eight or ten months. You may think I am strong; this is strong, but it can not be stated cOO strong because it is truth, and if we do not heed the warnings that are given us in time we will have to suffer the consequence, and natur- ally we will. Now then, we have had the report of the secretary. We know how much they have received and what they have expended, and I am aston- ished at the small showing that has been contributed from the good re- sults that the dairymen and creamerymen have received from this. Now what are wC to do? Are we to stand by and let this g'o by defeault. or are we to continue the good work and help it along? I. for one, am in favor of urging every one to take an interest in this matter. As said before, we must have an organization. We must not 292 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. drop it. I presume these gentlemen are tired of their positions. There is no one that would be willing to take the place and do the work for what they have received. I am not talking for pay for them, but I am talking to get the idea before you, to put yourself in their place. Now if we expect to defend these cases before the Supreme Court ol the United States (and as we are well informed they have the greatest constitutional lawyer in this land to prosecute the oleomargarine end of it; that should be convincing to you that they are not playing with us; they are not intending to play a losing game, but hope to win, and when they win disaster will overtake us. But I trust they will not win), but in order to sustain our side of the question we must have legal minds to present our side of the case. Now there is no question in my mind but what the dairy department has aided us wonderfully at Washington. The people have aided us all over; they have been honest in their intentions in enforcing the law, but this matter has to be kept alive until they are so dead they will never arise again, and now is the wrong time to quit. We have them about two thirds killed already, and do not let us leave enough life so they can ever breathe when we get through with them. Now then, we are not fighting any honest enterprise (we do not mean to convey that idea here), or any honest product that is put upon the market for what it is. They have the right to be there; we do not object to that, biit we do object to having their product sold for what it is not, and that is what has been done. There is no class legislation about this, it is simply that the dairymen are looking after their own interests. Now do you want a half dozen manufacturers in the United States and a fev/ men to rake in all the coppers and get millions upon millions? We are not opposed to a man honestly acquiring wealth; I respect him if he does it honestly. Or are you going to let the thousands of dairy- men in the State and their creameries suffer, and probably in the future bring mortgages on them? We have heard it told here time and again at different conventions what the cow has done for dairymen in this land. No one has denied it. Now if we kill them off what will the cow do for us? You will not have a market for your product. This may be said in rather a plain way, but' these are facts and we have to understand them, as they appear to me, and I believe you view them in the same light. Gentlemen. I thank you for your attention. If I have not said any- thing very interesting, or that does not meet with your views on this matter, act as it appeals to you; but if I have I trust you will lend us a helping hand and try to encourage your officers and push our desires and hopes well towards the accomplishment of a thorough finish. (Applause.) MR. LARSON. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I would like to suggest an original way of collecting money. I believe if we were to start out and print a copy of the proceedings of tonight, so that every one that is FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 293 interested would understand the straits we are in at this time, mail a copy to and ask every member of the Iowa State Dairymen's Association to contribute one dollar; then go over and ask the creamery butter-mak- ers in the union to contribute one dollar. I do not know the number of butter-makers, but the number is large enough so as to bring in quite a sum. Then ask each creamery, both individual and co-operative, to contribute at least $5, or as much as a good, bright butter-maker can induce them to give up. Then go over and ask every patron to do as much as he can. I think in this way fiiend Knight will have enough interested in it so he will not feel like quitting. I do not know but what this can be gotten at in an easy way and I shall be glad to contril)ute $10 to start this. I think more wiJl do the same thing. I thank you. DBWITT GOODRICH. When Mr. Knight originated the scheme of the Patrons' Handbook, he got up a grand scheme and this has not been entirely exhausted yet. If the creamerymen, even the small number that is here tonight, will go home and take a new hold of the Creamery Patrons' Handbooks, I think a great deal more can be gotten out of it. A. B. SLAUCxHTER. I do not want to take much time, because I realize that it is late, but the last suggestion by the last speaker touches me. Possibly I have done as much as the average butter-maker in getting rid of Patrons' Handbooks. I do not remember now just how many, but it is close on to one hundred that I managed to get rid of, and I believe that if you could get the butter-makers to wake up to that fact, and get them to take hold of this matter, there would be no difficulty in getting rid of the books. The books sell themselves; there is not a l)it of difficulty in sell, ing them. Now just one or two other thoughts, then I am through. I was in the State of Ohio, a member of the legislative committee of the Ohio Dairy Association, when this suit was brought, and I was delegated to wait upon the district attorney and find out the status of the case, and did so and reported it to Mr. Knight. Now, without reflecting at all upon the Government att'orneys, I want to say that the man who now has charge of the case is not the attorney who instituted the proceedings. The gentleman who instituted it is dead, I believe, and his assistant has been appointed in his place. He is a nice young man, but he knows as little about the wiles of the oleomargarine people as we do about the world beyond. He does not know them at all. because I had a conver- sation with him of some two hours, and I found he did not know anything at all about it. 294 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Now, another thing, I want to say this for Mr. Knight's benefit, and I am not here to throw boquets, but I think I know what I am talking about. I possibly had something to do, indirectly, with the securing of this law. I had an interview with Senator Foraker of Columbus just before he returned to Washington, and he informed me and some other members of our association that he was going back to Washington to vote against the bill and that he expected he would make a speech against it; but before Mr. Foraker had time to get, aboard the train, Mr. Knight and others were notified of the fact by wire, and that set the wires teeming with messages such as caused Mr. Foraker and the other senator from our State of Ohio to change their opinions and we got the vote from Mr. Foraker, although he did as he suggested, pulled the teeth of the bill as he thought he had, before he voted for it. Now there has been another thing stated about Mr. Guthrie, the law- yer they have retained, as the greatest constitutional lawyer in the United States. This is possibly true and I want to say that they not only have the greatest constitutional lawyer, but they have the firm of the greatest tricksters in that high position, and the firm that first took up the defense of this suit in Cincinnati, the firm with which Senator For- aker is connected. One other thing, I do not believe the constitutionality of this law can be attacked successfully. Senator Bailey, the man who represented the interests of the oleomargarine forces in Congress, admitted, when forced to admit it, that if the bill became a law it would not be unconsti- tutional because we could not go back of the law and state what the Senators' motives were in voting for it, but they had no moral right to vote for it. S. B. Stiillixg: It seems to lie the sentiment of the puhhc that this organization l)e maintained and it seems a lousiness prop- osition for us to entertain a^ moticMi of this kind and have it as a record. I have felt this way. — that we are working- today in a business manner and we have tin )Ught that the probabihties are that if we wotild incorporate, n.iake our body a legal body and make it broader ar.d wider the people would have more c(Mihd- ence in it. The hour is growing late. I believe the sentinnent expressed has been stronglv in favor of the maintenance of this organiza- tion. I believe if we would pass a resolution that we proceed to reorganize, I guarantee if we can go ahead, if someone will make a resolution of this kind that we can get through in the next ten minutes. ]\Ir. Slaughter: I make the motion that we proceed to re- organize the National Dairy Union. Motion seconded and carried. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 295 S. B. SiiiTjjxG: In order to dn that we will liavc to adopt articles of incorporation and by-laws. In order to hurry business I hnxQ pre]:arc(l hurriedly articles of incorporation and it will not take but a little while to adept them, elect (;fticers, and then we will be read}' to o-o to work a,^-ain ; lut we want more assur- ance. Someone told me a little while a^^-o that we are ,^'oino- to ha\e a bii^g-er pledge, and a few mintites ag-o this tele*^'ram came in : COPY OF TELEGRAM. Dkxveh, Colo.. November 19. 1903. S. B. Shilling. Waterloo, Iowa. We will subscribe one hundred dollars for National Dairy Union. Wish yon a rousing meeting. G. E. Haskell. TiTK Chatrmax: I will now read articles of incorporation wliich ha\'e been prepared, also b\'-laws : CERTIFICATE EOH IXCOIII-ORATIOX OF THE NATIONAL I)AI!;Y I'XIOX. 1. The name of such corporation is the National Dairy Union. 2. The object for which it is formed is to protect the dairy interest from the fraudulent sale of any substitute for the product of the dairy, disseminate dairy knowledge and to in every way further the interests of thei dairymen' and others engaged in handling dairy products. 3. The management of the aforesaid National Dairy Union shall be vested in a board of six directors, who are to be elected annually, and from said board of directors there shall be annually elected a president, vice president , secretary and treasurer. 4. The following persons are hereby selected as the directors to control and manage said corporation for the first year of its corporate existence, or until the first annual meeting", to be held in the year 1904, viz: of whom shall be president shall be vice president, and shall be secretary and also shall *)v3 treasurer. 5. The location is in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, and the postoffice address of its business office is at No. 154 Lake Street, in the said city of Chicago. Upon motion duly made and seconded the articles of incor- poration and liy-laws of the National Dairy L^nic/U were adopted as read. The Chairman : That adopts the new articles of incorpor- ation. Now, gentlemeiij we have placed ourselves upon a busi- 296 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ness basis, something Ave had not done before. The laws of the State of Iowa, and I suppose the laws of other states as well, require that the articles of incorptiration 1;e read and acted upon separately. A\'e haxe done tliat and now we can go on incorpor- ated as a legal body. The next before the meeting is the election of officers. Mr. Nkitkrt : It appears that we have no president. We are forming- a new organization. In A'iew of the fact that we have to have a president, I desire to present th.e name of a man who is ever diligent in the interests of the dairy and dairymen of this land — a man \\ho has devoted the greater part of his life to the best interests of the butter and cheese ar.d milk production in our land and especially in the State of huva — a man who has always been faithful to his trust — a man in whom I have the utmost confidence, — he is energetic and untiring in his efforts and in whatever he undertakes, — a man who can be trusted, and I am not throwing bouquets at him at all, only stating plain facts, — and that man is Mr. Shillin.g. J desire to nominate him for our president. Mr. Fulmhr : It seems as though on the present occasion here tonight we have had a sort of new machine presented to us in the new articles of incorporation. It seems to me that the best person to run any new piece of apparatus is the inventor, or originator. Therefore. I take pleasure in seconding the nomina- tion of Mr. Shilling for president. ]\Iotion dulv carried. MR. SHILLING. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am not going to make a speech. I feel that I have had too many honors. I had one railroaded upon me this afternoon, and one I had hoped to get opt from under. I thank you. I thank you from the l)ottom of my heart and I stand ready to do this. I accept the office, knowing the conditions, as I have beorj intimately associated with the office for the last year and understand the condition that it is in. Before this nomination was made I had intended to tell you that I. as an individual dairyman, realizing the im- portance of maintaining the organization, stood ready to subscribe twenty-five dollars as an individual dairyman in the State of Iowa, rather than have this organization go down; and I stand ready to do FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 297 this today, to step out and put my name down a^ a milk jiroducer fo'' $2r>. ratlier than see the National I^airy ITnion go under. S. I). Shiijjxc;: The next cftice is secretary and treasurer Fs it tlie wish (-.f tlie meeting" tliat ilie two oitices l;e coml)iiiecl in one? [ want to say t< , yon tliat we ha\-e tliono-Jit once or twice tliat ];r(;l)aljly it w'onld l:e l;elter to have tlie (;ffice of secretary an.d treasurer separated, 1;iit it comes l;ack to the same ])roposi- tion. I do n(>t know wlicre we will take that oflice unless we leax'C it in Chicago Dair)- Produce hands, because jirst the minute we f^et in a hole they ])Ut u]) the mone\' for us and, as has heen stated h}' Afr. Xewman, at one time we owed them v'^2,ooo. It is n(.t a question of money with the secretary or treasurer. Tt did not make a l):t of difference whether we had a dollar or not. When the occasion came up it made n(; difference how much money he had t(^ g-o down for. I have seen the time when we ^vere $3,000 liehi nd in Chicago Dairy Produce money, an.d T want to suggest that after the thorough and exhaustive report of the auditing committee, I do not see how we can do anything hut combine the two oflices for tlie year to come, unless some- b.ody stands ready to take that ofhce. I will say this for Mr. Knight in the office of treasurer, he would be only too glad if someone would take the office off his shoulders and i)ut up the money when we ha\-e to have it. S. B. StiiLiJXG: I forgot the office of vice president. Who will you have for your vice president? Mr. Xkwmax : I would suggest the name of Mr. Lynn to act as vice jjresident. Moved and carried. S. P>. ShiijjnG: Who will you ha\'e f(;r your secretary and treasurer. ■Mr. BrRRiDOK : There is onl\- one man to nominate— ?^[r. Chas. Y. Knight. X(; use in discussing that. (Api)lause.) T move that we nominate C. Y. Knight as secretary and treasurer with a standing vc.te. • C. Y. KxiGiiT: Gentlemen, you did n( t hear my i)aper evi- dently. (Cries of question, question.) 298 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. C. Y. KXiGiiT : I know, Init g-entlenien. it is hardly fair. This is the sixth time that I have g-one tlirough this and it has really gotten up to a point of where I think there sh(;nl(l l)e some change. It is an old story with me; it is n< thing new, 1 ha\-e heen through it six times. (Cries of ([uestion, question.) C. Y. Knight: Iveally, gentlemen, 1 won't he downed. I ne\'er have heen downed. ( Ap])lanse. ) I want to say this, that if this is thrust upon me that I will (;n]y accept upon the condition that people become interested, and I do n(.t regard it as a good indication to see empty seats tonight. As I said before, I Avant it understood, I am desperately in earliest in this matter. I have been in the office six years and it is not an entirely new matter. It is merely a matter of duty, and duty I have paid pretty expensively for too. But there are a few of us here tonight, not manv of us left, and not enough to do business, \\dien you come to a meeting like this it does not show you liave many peo- ple with vou. I do not suppose th.at we are [fettering conditions very much, Ijut if you are determined that I must continue this work somebody has got to take an interest, more people have got to take an interest, or else I will throw it up between times as Governor Hoard did. Nomination of ^Ir. Knight moved and carried l)y standing- vote. The Ciiair^ian: The next in order will be a board of three directors. Moved and seconded that Air. H. J. Xeitert be named as first director. Mr. Knight : ]\Ir. President, seeing that I am in the organ- ization now, I would like to take the libertv of suggesting tlie name of Air. Joseph Xewman as second director in the organiza- ition. A'Ir. NKwman : I have more organizations now than I can take care of. I would suggest that Air. Burridge, of Cleveland, be nominated for the second director. Mr. Knight : I accept the amendment. Motion duly seconded and carried. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 299 Mr. Xkwmax: T sug-o-est Mv. TTaskell as a friend of the association for the third (Hrcct(>r. ThK Chairman: Mr. TTaskell lives in Denver and so far away that he would he of no use to us. Mr. Xkwmax: I nominate M;r. AFowhray, of AFinnesota. Motion duly seconded and carried. 'I'ttK CiiAiRMAX: The hour is growino- late. I thank you for the way you ha\'e stood l)v us, and if there is nothing- more we can consider ourseh'es adjourned. AR-'TCLES OF INCORPORATION OF THE NATIONAL DAIRY UNION. A majority of the board of directors shall constitute a fniorimi for the transaction of business. Article IV. This corporation hereby assumes unto itself all the rights, privileges and immunities conferred by the laws of the Stato of Illinois upon corporations not for pecuniary profit, including the right to receive, hold and disburse moneys in the furtherance of the above stated objects. All business shall be transacted in the name of the corporation and all purchases of materials or supplies or sales of personal property shall be valued when duly made by the secretary or general manager, or any other person authorized to do so by majority vote of the board of directors. Article V. All persons who shall have contributed to the support of the corporation to the extent of one dollar or more shall be consid- ered a member thereof, and every creamery company or creamery cor- poration contributing as a company shall be considered as members cf said National Dairy Union corporation, and shall be entitled to a vote therein. Each and every one so contributing shall have the right to participate in all meetings, but said amount must be paid since the last annual meeting to entitle the member to a vote; and a majority of the votes cast at any meeting shall be necessary for the election of officers or the carrying of any pending motion unless otherwise provided. Article VI. The board of directors shall have power to fill all vacancies in the board, and also any vacancy which may occur in any other offices. They shall determine the number of employes and their salaries and make such by-laws for the government of their body and all officers and employees of the Incorporation as it shall deem proper. Article YII. The private property of the stockholders shall not be subject to the debts of the corporation. Article VIU. These by-laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the members by a two thirds vote of all the members present, but in calling a special meeting for that purpose each member shall be notified in writing by the secretary, of the time and place of 300 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. said meeting, at least ten days prior thereto. The deposit of such a notice in the postofRce. addressed to such members, shall be considered a compliance with this requirement. All special meetings shall be called in the same manner, and the object of the meeting shall be stated. FRIDAY AFTKRXOOX. XovEMBKR 20, 1902. The President : Ladies, CTeiitlemen and Boys — that is Btit- ter-Makers : I want to say to yoti l^efore we commence otu" ex- ercises this afternoon (I am sorry there are not more btitter- makers here, l^nt having 1)een at one time a butter-maker myself, I know the conditions the iDoys ha\-e to laljor under, and I knew, when we liad so many l^utter-makers here the iirst day of the meet- ing that we coukl not expect a very Large crowd the kist day, be- cause their duties require that tliey shall ije at liome at least by this time), but I want to say that on the first day I requested that the butter-makers would not take advantage of the liberality (I might say) of the executive committee in admitting them to the butter- room in classes, and I feel that the}- have not done so. I feel that so far as it has been possible they are loyal to us, and I want to say, boys, I thank you and I am proud of you. I am proud of you for more reasons than one; I am proud of you for the loyalty you have manifested to the dairymen and to our association, and I am proud of you, and J want to thank you, for the way you l)acked up the (;fficers of this association at this meeting. \\^e have established a precedent. \\> have had more Initter on exhibition in tlie State of Iowa, notwithstanding the disad- vantages under which we ha\'e labored, than has ever been ex- hibited here before. Another thing I am proud of is the fact that the average score is over 92 — 92.33, and Professor McKay tells me that it is as fine a lot (^f l;utter as he has ever scored at this time of year. And, I want to say further that Mr. Crude, the gentleman who l^ought the butter, tc^ld me today that he considered it the finest lot of butter he ever purchased ^t a' con- vention. I do not know how much this may mean, not knowing FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 301 wl-at (H)in'enti()n Inittcr lie lias liou^-lit befcre, lint llial is wliat he said. Now, in conclusion of this sliort lall<. 1 want to say we are g-oing- tO' have as good a session tliis afternoon as we have had since this convention commenced Just one thing more, I A\ant to say that we feel gratified at the interest -you have taken in tlie way we have opened the l^ntter-room. Professor McKay tells me that it has been an enlliusiastic lot of ])ovs that have visited, the butter-room. We did the Ijest thing possible when we opened that room t(; you and, so far as I am concerned, I feel we made no mistake, and liope we will be in ])osition tO' do the same next year. W^e will n(;w i)rocee(l with the program. The first on the j)rogram this afternoon is ''Losses and Profits in the Creamery P)usiness," by Prof. Geo. L. McKay, of the Iowa Agricultural College. It does not seem to me necessary to stand beft)re you with an introduction of this gentleman, but I want to say to- you now that if there is a friend to' the Ijutter- makers in the State of Iowa today, if there is a man in^Iowa who has your welfare and interest at heart, it is Professor ]\[c- Kay; and I do not believe it is necessary for me to tell you that from the fact that he inaugurated the six months' contest and carried it on when there was no' call upon him to do this except to advance your interest and knowledge as butter-makers. Pie needs no introduction. ADDRESS. PROF. (!. L. MCKAY, A:kIES. I am pleased to be present at this meeting, but I am sorry to see the small gathering. This is a butter-makers' convention, and I believe a butter-makers' session should have been called earlier. However, the officers will probably have more experience another year. They havo worked hard to make this one of our best conventions and we will have to put up with it. Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen: The subject assigned me, the ''Profits and Losses of Dairying," I find is a very important one at the present time, owing to the decline in the price of beef. WHien our worthy secretary first notified me, I immediately began to look into this subject and prepared an address on milk production and the breeding of the dairy herd. Just as I had completed my woriv I was notified by the secretary that I was expected to speak on the 302 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. manufacturers' side, so I found myself minus a speech. However. I can not refrain from making a few remarks on tlie producers' side of the question, as I believe there are greater losses on the part of the producer than in any other place in connection with the dairy business. In the Middle West we have four states that are particularly noted for dairying. Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois are especially adapted for butter-making, Iowa being the banner State, as more butter is made here than in any other State in the Union. This has the effect of making us rather boastful, in fact it is a common thing to hear some of our public men eulogize this State so much that we sometimes overlook what they are doing in other states. It is true that we have many things to boast of, but when we ap- proach the question of milk production we find that we have not kej t abreast of the times as compared with the advancements made along other lines of agricultural pursuits. In the year 1830 it required seventeen and three quarter cents worth of labor to produce one bushel of wheat. In 1896 it required but threo ;aid a half cents. In 1850 the average time required for producing a bushel of corn was four and a half hours. In 1900 we find this reduced to thirty-four minutes. Take up the progress that has been made ia the horse business. Not many years ago a three-minute horse %vas con- sidered quite a novelty; today a three-minute horse ranks nothing better tiian If good driver. When we speak of a fast horse novr. we look for a two-minute horse. See the great progress that has been made in the beef business. good sires selling way up in the thousands. What do we find ia the dairy business?— the average of our State one hundred and forty pounds of- butter per cow, in this enlightened age. We certainly have nothing to boast of in such a record as this. It is true we have some herds in the State that are averaging over three hundred pounds per cow. There is no reason why every dairyman in the State should not strive for a herd of this kind. When we get such herds we will hear no complaints that dairying does not pay. The rapid increase in the price of lanJ during the last five or six years makes it necessary that farmers must farm more intelligently than they have ever done before. Economic problems must be studied more carefully if they expect to get adequate returns from the money investei. We have a country as well adapted for dairying as any in the world. Our soil is rich, our climatic conditions are good, and we have an abundance of grass and pure water. In connection with this we hav3 a progressive, intelligent people. Nevertheless, we must admit that wo are producing milk just about as expensively as we did twenty years ago. How many silos have we in the State? I could possibly count them all on my two hands. It is estimated l)y the Wallaces' Farmer that tone acre of the average Iowa corn mill make fifteen tons of ensilage, •and two tons of ensilage are equal to a ton of the best clover hay. Forty pounds of ensilage will keep a cow a day and a ton will keep her fifty days, or an acre of Iowa corn would make enough ensilage to keep a FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 303 cow two years. There is no better food for dairjr cows, with a litilo Lorain added, than ensilage. It is a good sncculent food aijproaching nearer the grass condition than most any other food. We hope the time is not far distant when we will see a good silo on almost every dairy farm in the State. Not only this, but we will see alfalfa grown in abundance, as it is one of our cheapest sources of pro- ducing protein. We can never expect to make much progress in dairying until more intelligence is displayed in the production of milk. This certainly opens a large field for future investigation. A lot of useless writing has appeared in many of our agricultural papers within the last few years on the merits of the dual purpose cow and the special dairy type. What we want is a cow that will produce three hundred pounds or more of butter in a year. It does not make much difference whether she is a dual purpose or a special dairy type. If she can produce this much butter she is entitled to the name of a dairy cow. iowa is a natural corn State, hence the value of the calf should be taken into consideraticn. If we can get a good large cow that can make three hundred pounds of butter, and at the same time produce a good calf, she is a very desirable animal to keep. No practical farm.er can afford to keep a cow for the value of the calf alone. The low yield of butter in our State is not due to the kind of cows kept as much as to the care they receive. Cows are like people; they only do their best under the most favorable conditions. It takes about sixty per cent of the food consumed to sustain animal life, and the profits must therefore come from the extra food consumed. We can not expect to let cow.5 run out in all kinds of weather and live on the roughage picked up around strawstacks. and then give the same returns as cows that are well cared for. At our school we have a number of Shorthorns and Shorthorn grades that are producing from three hundred to four hundred pounds of butter. These are the results of intelligent feeding and proper care. A great many rules have been laid down, for the selection of a dairy cow, such as deep barrel, sloping hips, small neck, broad head, full eyes, and even the length of the tail, have been taken into consideration. While many of these points would give some indications of the dairy type, the best test is a good pair of scales and a Babcock tester in intelligent hands. Many of you. no doubt, have heard of the Holstein and Jersey breeders' test for their respective breeds. .A Holstein breeder was boasting about the rich milk that his cows were giving. The Jersey man said. "Friend, are you sure that your cows are full blooded Holsteins? I have a sure test for determining Holstein cows.' The Holstein man wanted to know what his test was. He said, "When you begin to milk, put a silver dollar in the pail. If the milk is thin enough so that you can see the dollar when the pail is full of milk, you may be sure you have a Holstein cow." The Holstein breeder replied that he had a test that never failed to detect a Jersey cow. When asked for an explanation he said, ••Put a silver dollar in the milk pail when you begin to milk, and if the milk does not cover the dollar when you ?ire through,, you may be sure that you have a Jersey cow."' 304 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. A great deal of good work could l)e accomplished by our creamery manufacturers and butter-makers, l)y testing the. individual herds of the patrons monthlj^, during the milking period. Some cows are like ^ome lazy men, they make a big spurt for a short time, — 'that is, they will give a big flow of milk for a short period. The owner frequently only thinks of them when at their best. The only true test is the amount of fat given during the milking period. We are in hopes that the school will be able to take up this extension work in the near future, if we can get the necessary funds. T.he manufacturing side we find is much in advance of the producing side, as many changes have taken place In recent years in the manufacture of both butter and cheese. Some of these changes have possibly not been for the best, regarding quality. Especially is this true in regard to the hand separator. INIuch more will be expected of the butter-maker of the future than has been required in the past, as the advancements made along the different lines reouire additional skill. In fact, the butter-maker of the future should be a sort of encyclopedia, not only up to date in handling all kinds of modern machinery, but should also understand the latest methods of handling the milk, cream and butter in the best sanitary manner, and should also be able to give information to patrons concerning the feeding and breeding and milk production in the most economical manner. This will be the case, no doubt, as many of our best men in the four-year-course are specializing along these lines, expecting to make dairying a life profession. The same is true in other states. In the past five or six years possi- bly the question of butter flavors and the use of starters have received more attention than anything in connection with the dairy busi- ness, both from our butter-makers and the experiment stations in gen- eral. While good flavor is very essential in butter, as it is this factor that largely gives it its selling value, at the same time there are other factors in connection with the butter business that are very im.portant both to the producer and the manufacturer. I refer to the quantity as well as the quality. During the past few years we have heard consid- erable contention through the dairy press, owing to one creamery pay- ing a greater price than a neighboring creamery. Various reasons have been set forth for this, but the most common is that the creamery payin.g the high price has either cut in the test or had cut weights in weighing, or, in orther words, has used dishonest methods. During the past few. years we have been conducting experiments on. the question of overrun. We have also been carrying on an educational scoring contest, making complete analysis of each sample of butter sent in each months. These analyses have revealed to us some startling facts on the reason why one creamery is able to pay more than another. I"i some of these analyses we find a difference of 15 per cent, or. in other words, we find that one creamery makes fifteen pounds more butter from one hundred pounds of butter fat than another. W^e have makers exhibit- ing in this contest who have a reputation of paying extreme prices for butterfat. and their butterfat has invariably shown three or four per cent increase over the average. While we have not completed our con- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 305 test the indications are that the average water content for butter will run about 12 per cent, but the water content alone does not entirely govern the overrun. We find the amount of casein runs from .7 to 3.27, and the amount of salt from .5 to 4.5. We also find that the butter high in casein will keep about as well as the butter running low in casein, or, in other words, the amount of casein butter contains is not always an indication of its keeping qualities. It depends more on the condition of the casein or on the condition of the cream, or possibly on the kind of wash water used in washing the butter. For instance, we had one sample of butter containing about 13 per cent water, 3.06 casein and 2.95 of salt. This butter, after being exposed to a warm temper- ature for eight or ten days and then shipped to New York, scored within two points of what it scored at Ames, scoring 94 at Ames and 92 in New York by Mr. Healy. No criticisms were made in either case on the amount of salt. In this case the maker would have an overrun, from the chemical analysis, of almost 23.5 per cent. Now, if this maker had incorporated 15 per cent of water he would have had an overrun of 'over 26.5 per cent, that is, based on the chemical analysis. Undoubtedly, however, there would be as much as 3 per cent loss in the skimming and churning process, which would of course have to come from the 26.5 per cent. We have no methods to determine how much loss is sustained in the process of manufacturing; we can only approximate this by general good workmanship. Usually the maker who makes good butter does good work along other lines, such as close skimming and good churning, but because a man wins a gold medal or makes highly flavored butter, it is no indication that he is getting a large overrun. I believe the American butter-makers are all pretty weak on this particular point. Thei chemical analysis of Danish butter shows about 15 per cent water, while the American and Canadian butter shows about 12 per cent. Thus we find the Dane is making about three pounds more butter to the hundred pounds of butterfat than our Americin butter-makers, providing he has the same amount of casein and salt present in his butter. From my general observations I would think that the average casein content of Danish butter would be much higher than that of American butter, as the methods they use in' not washing their butter very much and at the same time chilling it to give it a dry appearance, would have a tendency to incorporate a high per cent of casein. The salt content of the butter is lighter than ours, as the English market demands a light salted butter. It is surprising, however, how much of the butter exhibited at our contest contained one per cent or less of salt. In nearly all cases the butter having a high per cent of salt showed much better keeping qualities. In making butter the first consideration should be the quality and the second consideration the quantity. The law, of course, permits 16 per cent of water. I would not advocate going to the limit Of the law, as I have no faith or confidence in anyone who is honest because tha law compels him to be honest. We could with safety increase the water content of our butter in this State at least 2 per cent. This would 20 306 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. give us additional revenue of $558,699.80. To illustrate to you more thoroughly. I will quote the difference between two of our large creamer- ies. About two years ago one of the largest creameries in our State, in a Norwegian community, sent to our dairy school for one of the best butter-makers we had. I sent a young man to their annual meeting who I considered to be one of the best butter-makers in the State. He asked the company $90 per month to take/ charge of their plant. They were quite anxious to secure his services, but the ninety dollars seemed to frighten them. Another young man who was present offered to take charge of their plant for $55 per month. The young man I sent over stated to the board of directors that he could make more butter than the fifty-five-dollar man. or enough over to meet the difference in wages. The Norwegian directors could not see things this way. One of them said, "The machine skims just as close for that man as for you, and the cream sours just the same, and he churns it and gets just as much butter as you can." so they hired the cheap man. Last spring they entered butter in our educational contest, and comparing their make with that of another creamery of about the same make, we found a difference from the chemical analysis of $17.50 per day, or $445 per month, providing each man maintained the same loss in skimming. The man who goi, the large overrun got a score of three points higher than the other fellow, and his butter sold at a half cent premium above that of the cheap maker. The one company pays their maker $55 per mouth, while the other pays theirs, $100. The cheap man made a saving of $45 per month on wages and lost on quantity $445- a month. This brings to mind the old saying of "a penny wise and pound foolish" method :»f saving. A maker's wages is a very small item in connection with the cream- ery business. Paying high wages does not always mean high skilled work, but high skilled w^ork should always receive high wages. We have been able during the past season to make butter containing 42 per cent water, giving an 'overrun of 62 per cent, without the use of any butter increaser. Butter of this kind, however, does not possess good keeping qualities. The high per cent of water seems to affect the color, giving it a dead appearance, and the butter is short in grain and does not draw out on the trier. The tendency for such butter is to sour after standing some time. In my experience as a butter judge, I do not believe that I would be able to distinguish the difference in water content of butter between 10 per cent of water and that containing 17 or 18 per cent, but I could readily tell when the water content got up to 20 per cent. Otir experiment butter containing 42 per cent was sold on the New York market for three cents less per pound than Western extras. Mr. Healy's comments were that the butter was short grained and would not draw well on the tryer. Now, I do not propose to discuss here any method of working in 40 per cent of water, as I do not approve of making butter of this kind, but I do believe the question of a proper overrun is one of the mooi important questions that confronts the manufacturer of today. We expect to take up this question at our special short course beginning FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 307 January 4th, and will give practical demonstrations daily as one of the specialties of that course. We are getting out a bulletin on this sub ject, and will be pleased to send it to any butter-makers desiring it. Much of the butter sent to our contest, especially at the beginnin.a. showed that the cream had been churned at too low a temperature, an-l the butter had been drained too dry before the salt was applied. If you wish a low overrun, or no overrun at all. the best method for you to adopt is to churn at a very low temperature, in fine granules, and wash with very cold water and allow your butter to drain about half an hour or more before salting. Then apply the salt and work for about seven or eight minutes, which will be about the time required to dissolve the salt in the butter. Now. to get a good overrun you would naturally adopt the opposit'^ methods. Churn at a high enough temperature so that the butter wiU gather middling soft, but not slushy, chiirn in large granules and wash with water at about the same temperature as the buttermilk drawn off. In the churning of butter in large granules or lumps the water seems to be broken into smaller particles and the fat assumes a pasry condition, which gathers up the water and at the same time holds it ii. such a condition that the working does not remove it. This is seen quite frequently in dairy butter that is churned soft and churned until the butter is rolled up into large lumps. Such butter usually contains 20 to 25 per cent moisture. Have your salt ready, and as soon as the wash water is removed apply your salt to the butter, and then revolve your churn three or four minutes without putting your rollers in gear. This will thoroughly incorporate the salt with the butter and the moist condition of the butter will soon dissolve the salt. After waiting fifteen or twenty min- utes, put the rollers in gear and work the butter about three minutes, or until the salt is thoroughly dissolved and the loss moisture has passea off and the butter has a waxy appearance. Such methods will invaria- bly give a large overrun. Now, in conclusion I would say that every butter-maker who expects to follow butter-making as a profession should attend some dairy school, as inquiries coming in from the large central plants and many other places call for specially trained men. We put out last year some men at $1,200 per year, and we had more inquiries for men at salaries from $1,200 to $1,500 per year that we could not supply. Now this was not iDecause we did not have men, but because we did not have enough men with all the necessary qualifications to go around. I believe we will accomplish more in the next five or six years in educational work in the dairy business than we have in the past fifteen years. We not only expect to see great changes in the manufacturing side, but milk production must receive more attention than it ever has before, and butter-makers must apply scientific principles if they expect to hold their positions. 508 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ' DISCUSSION. C. E. Carr : I would like to ask you. Professor, if you wash with water at the same temperature of the buttermilk this time of year, or warmer ? Professor McKay : I \\ (juld wash with water at the same temperature as the buttermilk any time of the year. That is, I would churn at a hig-h even temperature so the butter would gather middling soft but not slushy. I mean by middling soft, butter you can take in the hand and squeeze together and at the same time it will not assume that pasty condition which rather soft butter contains. HOW TO IMPROVE IOWA BUTTER. AI. MORTEXSEN, SIOUX CITY. In no other industry has there been greater progress during the last few years than in dairying. The methods employed by butter- makers ten years ago will now not be recognized by any up-to-date butter-maker. The machinery is different. The butter-maker who at that time was generally chosen from the ordinary walks of life is now a man who has attended school for perfecting himself in his profession Yet the Iowa butter-maker of today comes far from reaching perfectioii, and in order that we may keep our reputation of making the best butter in the country it is necessary that immediate steps are taken toward making improvement in our system, and that to such an extent that we will be far out of our competitors' reach. An Iowa butter-maker should never be satisfied to follow; he should always aim to be a leader. '■ Some years ago one of the leading questions at the conventions was how to avoid mottles. This is a thing not frequently spoken of today. The butter-maker, as a rule, now understands the mechanical part of butter-making to such an extent that he knows how to prevent mottles. The question of most importance now is how to make a high and uniform grade of butter possessing keeping qualities. We do not aim to make the kind of butter that used to win sweepstakes a few years ago, as that did not very often possess keeping qualities. The butter now in high- est demand is quite different in quality from our fancy butter of a few years ago. Quality and uniformity are the two main factors to be considered by the butter-makers at present, and for each step he is taking these two factors should be kept in view and be the main centers for all his labors. Some think that in order that such butter may be produced Ii is necessary that the butter be made in smaller creameries, where all of the territory is within easy reach of the factory. Others claim that the central plants have advantages over the smaller ones in manu- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 309 facturing butter of that quality, while still others claim that this Is easily done in a whole milk plant, hut not in a creamery run on the* hand separator plan. These various ideas are not really true. We ar3 able to make a high grade of butter under any of these systems, pro- viding the proper methods are adopted. Some of the main factors to be considered in this connection are the condition of raw material, pasteurization and the use of commercial starters. It was once supposed by a few progressive creamerymen that a first - class butter-maker ought to be able to make good butter from half rotten cream. Later on experience taught us that there is no method by which, we can renovate old over-ripe cream or milk and make a desirable product from same. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that the milk or cream furnished the creamery is in a clean and sweet condition and free from all foreign odors. In order to reach this result it is necessary for the butter-maker to gain some influence over his patrons so that they will receive his instructions and feel that they are benefited thereby. The care of milk on the farm and the relation of the butter- maker to that subject has been so fully discussed at conventions and through dairy papers that it would be superfluous to spare time for that subject at this time. The hand separator system has undoubtedly within the last years tended toward lowering the quality of the Iowa butter. This is not because the hand separator system is wrong, but because that system is still in its infancy and the methods employed by the hand separator factories need improvement. Similar difficulties were observed the first few years after the factory separator was introduced, but soon the sep- arator system was found to be superior to the old system, and the hand separator system has already proven to have several advantages over any of the previous systems. When the hand separators were first introduced there were several of their agents that advocated washing of their separator once a day or once every other day. These representatives have nearly all disappeared by this time, which is a blessing to the dairy industry, as such men win^e not only a disgrace to the firms they represented, but they were trying to tear down that splendid reputation which the Iowa butter has and which it has taken so many years to establish. A cream separator, it matters not whether it is a factory or a farm machine, and all dairy utensils used in connection therewith must be thoroughly cleaned each time they have been used, and if this lule is not followed, then the qual- ity is going to suffer. This has been fully demonstrated by the bacteri- ologists as well as by the practical creamerymen. In using care and judgment in our work the hand separator system can be made a success and as good or even better cream can be secured in that way than by the older system, but in order to get the best resulto it is necessary that the cream is gathered as often as the milk. The one who starts a hand separator factory and recommends that the farmer? keep their cream at home until their can is full surely does not have much regard for the reputation of Iowa butter. It is often the fault of the butter-maker or creamery manager that it is so difficult to have the 310 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. hand separator cream arrive in good condition. They generally oppose the system until they are aware of the fact that they must either accept hand separator cream or close their creameries. Whenever the hand sep- arator is trying to work its way into a certain territory the most sensi- ble policy for the creameryman to adopt is to have the system general- ized as soon as possible. This prohibits his patrons from patronizing other creameries. It makes it possible to have routes organized and have she cream delivered as often as the milk, and finally if the creameryn.an is putting out the machines he will have better opportunity to explain to the farmers how to operate them and how to care for their cream. It is important to remember that cream, especially that rich in fat, ab- sorbs odors and taints more readily than milk and must therefore be kept in a room where the atmosphere is pure. If care is taken in this respect it is evident that a farmer can more easily take care of ten pounds of cream than of one hundred pounds of milk. It takes only a small amount of work to cool ten or fifteen pounds of cream to a temperature of about fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and we all know that the temperature has great influence upon the keeping quality of milk. According to Doctor Conn, the bacteria may at fifty degrees Fahrenheit multiply only five fold in twenty-four hours, while at seventy degrees Fahrenheit they may multiply seven hundred fold. As soon as the milk or cream has been received at the creamery it should be thoroughly pasteurized so as to check any further activity ot the fermentation present. Perhaps there is no way in which the Iowa butter would be improved more readily than by having a State law to the effect that all dairy products must be pasteurized. Pasteurization is undoubtedly going to be the main step toward improvement, and if the State authorities would take this matter in hand and make pasteur- ization of milk and cream compulsory, then the Iowa butter will gain much in reputation and be in such demand that it ought readily to sell for from one half to one cent above the butter sold from our competitive states, and like the Danish butter, which is noted in Europe for its excel- lence, so would the Iowa butter be noted in this country as being supe rior to any other butter produced. Pasteurization improves the flavor and enables us to make a uniform grade of butter possessing keeping qualities. These are the main quali- fications which the consumer^ or butter dealer expects the butter to pos- sess and as long as there is butter sold these will always be the prin- c'ipal requirements made by the buyer. Furthermore, pasteurization prevents the spread of contagious disease, which is of greater impor- tance than often realized. The main reasons why the Iowa creameries are so slow in adopting pasteurization are that this operation is considered to involve extra expense without any assurance of a higher return for the product, the butter-makers are often less familiar with pasteurization than they ought to be; they have heard from others that it causes greater loss in the buttermilk and thereby reduces the yield, and that the body of the butter is injured, and of course they are well aware of the fact that Ui order to be successful in making pasteurized butter it will be necessary FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 311 to take a term in the dairy school, and this will naturally have some effect on the butter-maker's willingness to accept the new system. In regard to the extra cost involved by pasteurization, this will not exceed one tenth of a cent per pound of butter where the whole milk is pasteurized with live steam. By a very careful operator this expense may be reduced to one fifteenth or even one twentieth of a cent per pound. This expense can furthermore be reduced by using exhausc steam. In many of the creameries they will be able to do all of their pasteurizing with exhaust steam, and in that case the only expense' will be the cost of the pasteurizer and co'oler. This expense is very small, and a progressive creameryman cannot afford to consider that expense if it will assist him in improving his product. When we have been able to bring our butter up to a high standard it will soon be noticed by the consumers and they will readily, pay a premium on quality. In regard to the other object'i'ons that are made against pasteurizn- tion, they are all suppositions without being based upon reliable experi- ments. We can do just as exhaustive churning from pasteurized as from raw cream. In Denmark they even claim that pasteurized cream given a better yield than raw cream owing to the butter's ability to retain more moisture. The body of pasteurized butter is as nearly perfect as any produced, providing it is not injured in churning or working. The cream, however, must be more carefully cooled before churning. It is surely no objection that pasteurization will demand capable oper- ators. A few creameries could well afford to introduce pasteurization for that reason. When pasteurization of milk or cream is introduced pasteurization or sterilization of watei used for the butter should not be omitted. At the Iowa Experiment Station they have eliminated sev- eral germs from water that cause the butter to deteriorate in quality in a very short time. This makes it evident that the pasteurization or sterilization of water is just as important as the pasteurization of the cream. Pasteurization alone will not enable us to make a uniform grade of butter, although, it is the first step toward it. W^hen the cream is pas- teurized, from ninety five to ninety nine per cent of the germs are sup- posed to be destroyed. Then by adding a good starter we obtain perfect control of the fermentation in the cream, and by always keeping a uni- form starter and ripening the cream uniformly we will always produce butter of the same quality. This is almost impossible when the fermen- tation already in the cream is not destroyed. Without the butter-maker having good knowledge of the preparation of starters and the ripening of cream he will find that pasteurization will be of no advantage to him, but rather to his disadvantage. Aj good share of our Iowa butter is spoiled because of the butter-maker's ignorance of starters and cream ripening. The starter, if any is used, is allowed to be overripe and in that case it contains active fermentation very undesirable in butter- making. The cream is also allowed to be overripe and the result is similar. The butter made from such cream will have a very poor fiavor when fresh and when a few days old it becomes rancid. 312 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The dairy butter manufactured in Iowa surely tends toward lower- ing the average quality of our butter. It generally has to be renovaterl before it can be disposed of. It is the duty of every creamery manager and butter-maker to have his creamery operated so successfully that the farmers realize that they can not afford to sell their butter to the stores for from ten to fifteen cents per pound. Iowa is no State for renovated dairy butter. It is pure butter of a high standard of excellence we want. Iowa, the greatest butter State in the Union, can not afford to have its butter sent to New York as renovated butter or as the lowest grade of creamery butter that has to be sent to England where it is sold to th;^ poorest classes of people who can not afford to buy good butter. Finally. I shall mention another cause of poor butter. There ar.? still a few incompetent men who occupy positions as butter-makers in Iowa creameries. Some of them have never even given their creamery a thorough scrubbing. They do not understand the necessity of cleanli- ness. They know nothing about milk or how to care for it. A starter has never been inside of their creamery and they ripen their cream In the same way as did the old lady from their home village fifteen years ago. In fact, all they know about creamery work is that they know how to start and stop the machinery providing everything is in running order. If such a man is disinterested in his work he should seek some other occupation. If he is 'interested in the dairy work, but simply lacks information and training, then the dairy school will be the proper place for him. This is also the proper place for any butter- maker when he finds that he is getting behind and besides that he should aim to keep himself informed by reading dairy papers and experiment station reports. It is quite natural to blame the butter-maker whenever a creamery is kept in bad condition. The proper one to blame in most cases is the manager, as in the first place he should never hire an imcompetent man. He simply does so that he may save from ten to fifteen dollars per month. He does not realize that by doing so he is losing one hundred dollars per month. Some of our Iowa butter-makers are working under rather discouraging conditions. The average wages paid our butter- makers does not reach sixty dollars per month, and even at that figure some of the directors are confinually worrying about how they will be able to reduce his wages. They do not appreciate their butter-maker's work, no matter how well and skillfully it has been performed. Th-B result often is that the same creamery hires a cheaper man. He has perhaps been employed as can washer in some creamery. He know:! nothing about butter-making and as a result the quality of the butter from that creamery is impaired. A seventy-five or a hundred-dollar-man is a great deal more profitable than a cheap man. and unless good men are employed it will be impossible to keep up our butter standard. Even if the creamery has secured a good butter-maker, there are often difficulties for him to overcome, ov/ing to local conditions. In that case we should have experts employed by the State that could assist in solving the difficulties. The State has so far appointed one man. and we do appreciate the fact that they have appointed a man as capable FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 313 as Mr. Kieffer, but what we need is more of them, and at the same time, as they are instructors, they should have the power to discharge any incapable butter-maker and debar him from a position in an Iowa cream- ery until he could be recommended by the dairy school. This would surely. have a tendency to furnish our creameries with better butter- makers and a final result will be a higher standard of the Iowa butter. DISCUSSION. Mr. Anderson : I would like to ask M:r. Mortenson the cause of the easier incorporation of water in butter from pasteur- ized than from raw cream. Why is it easier? MIr. Mortenson : That was not my statement. In Denmark they claim it is easier. You can incorporate more moisture in pasteurized cream butter than in raw cream butter. Without taking into consideraticjn that pasteurized cream really has to be .cooled a good deal more than the raw cream in order to arrive at the same result, and I do not believe that is the way we in- crease our overrun. I think, as Professor McKay has stated, you can get an enormous overrun for either pasteurized or raw cream and pasteurization has nothing to do with it. Mr. Anderson : Does this pertain to pasteurization of sour cream ? Answer: No; it does not. What I have taken here is sweet cream. I have not considered pasteurization of soiu" cream, and if you are pasteurizing your sweet cream and handling it prop- erly, you will not have any greater loss than from raw cream; but you will if you are pasteurizing- sour cream, for the difference will not be so great. We have conducted a number of experi- ments along that line, taking the same cream, pasteurizing some part of it and leaving the other raw, then churned it. From the raw cream we generally got the loss in Inittermilk down to .05 per cent, and from the pasteurized the loss about .2 per cent. We find there is always a little more loss in that case, but that ^vas cream containing between thirty and forty degrees of acidity. Mr. Grant : Do you think you could avoid some of that loss by churning pastein^ized cream at a lower temperature? Answer : I do not believe you cotild. We have churned it at a low- temperature, which took nearly an hour to have it fin- 314 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. islied, and 1 do not think you could avoid the loss by churning it cooler. AIr. Grant: \\'hat*I want to ask is, do you think you could overcome the loss by churning- it cooler? Answer : I do not believe you can, not in sour cream ; because- it is natural. You know as soon as it curdles it will incorporate the fat globules and of course does not curdle to such an extent that you will really notice it. Professor Webster has made ex- periments along this line, and you will find a very fine curdle like flour, but in the ordinary work we ha\e in the creamery we- never notice that; but that is the only way that I can account for it, that a small amount of fat globules are incorporated in every curdle and I do not believe a low temperature would be able to reduce that. Mr. Grant : Do you think there would be any percentage- in the difference in the casein in the butter? Answer: No; I do not. You can incorporate a whole lot of casein if you have a mind to, under either condition. I do not believe there would be any difference, not that I know of, at least. ]\Ir. Austin: I would iike to ask if in the churning of sour- cream at a lower temperature, the loss would not be greater if you churned a little warmer and incorporated more water. Answer: By churning warm, as butter-makers often do. you will find you are getting a big yield and you are havng niore loss in your buttermilk. If you will follow Professor ^McKay's advice I think that will solve the whole c|uestion. He is churn- ing it cool and thinks he incorporates the moisture that way. Mr. Austin : I did not take it that way. Answer : That is as I understood it. Then he is receiving* the full amount of butterfat out of the buttermilk. He has more to build upon, — more fat, and of course can get more butter out of it that way. yiR. Austin : I would like to ask what would be approxi- mately the temperature we would churn at at different seasons ; how many degrees change? We used to consider fifty degrees FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 315 to hftv-two (lei^rces in summer. How much cliani^-c anouIcI we make from that? Answer: In the spring, when }'ou have that difficuh time, you all know we have churned down to forty-six, and we have had to churn at forty-f(3ur degrees. Later we raised it to about fifty degrees; in the fall we got to fifty-two to fifty- four degrees and continue upon that temperature right along. That will always give you best results. You can get your Imttermilk clean to .05 per cent, and that is clean churning, and the butter will always come solid. AIr. Slaughter : Do you think you can use the same churn- ing temperature in all sections of the country? Answer : Of course not. There are many conditions we can- not account for. There are different kinds of feeds and a num- ber of conditions that I am not familiar with. Mr. SIvAughTER : In other words, you could not lay down any specific rule for churning. Answer: I have never been able to do so. You can get some cream from away up in Dakota and mav have to churn that a little different from the central part of Iowa. There are so many conditions that influence that part of it that it is pretty hard to describe. STARTERS AND CREAM RIPENING. C. LARSOX, AMES. Members of the Iowa State Dairy Association, Ladies and Gentle- men: Ordinarily speaking, all the different kinds of starters are included under the names, "natural" and "commercial. ' The latter is pre- palred from a supposed pure culture of bacteria obtained from the labor- atory. The former, or natural, include a great many kinds of dairy products, which are supposed to contain a preponderance of those germs which are involved in the production of desirable flavors in butter. But- termilk, sour cream, whey and sour whole or skim milk are classed under this heading. While all of these may be termed natural starters, and at certain times the use of any one of them may produce better re suits than if no starter at all was used, it is not safe to rely upon these to bring about better results than could be obtained without the use of starters, because these products are likely to be contaminated in a large- degree with undesirable germs. A good natural starter is usually ob- 316 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. tained by selecting a number of different samples of the best milk com- ing into the creamery into sterilized glass jars. The samples are al- lowed to sour naturally at about seventy degrees Fahrenheit and the sample which coagulates into a smooth, uniform curd and has a pleasant mild acid taste, is selected and used as a mother starter. When inocu- lated into a large sample of selected pasteurized milk, cooled to and kept at a temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, until it be- gins to coagulate, it will usually produce a starter which is equal and many times superior to a commercial starter. The discovery of using pure cultures of commercial starters for cream ripening dates back to 1890 by Professor Storch. Copenhagen, Denmark, who found that certain species of acid-producing germs were chiefly responsible for the production of the desirable flavors in butter. Doctor Weigmann. Kiel, Germany, later isolated a species of germ from milk which produced alcohol and lactic acid as by-products, and which, according to experimental evidence deducted by him. was claimed to be largely responsible for the flavors in butter developed during ripening. Doctor Conn, at Storr's Station, Connecticutt, claims that the germs which act upon the nitrogenous matter of milk are associated with the produc- tion of desirable butter flavors. Whether a commercial starter or a natural one is the most profit- able for a creamery to use would depend upon conditions. In large dairies the certainty of conditions for getting first-class milk for starter:^ is in a measure removed from the butter-maker. In comparatively small creameries there are usually a few patrons who can be depended iipor. to deliver good milk, which can be purchased and used for starters. It has not yet been proven Ihat one particular specie of bacteria is responsible for the production of flavors, but it is agreed upon by all scientists that the flavoring substances are excretion or decomposition products of bacterial growth, and that the lactic acid producing types. are the most desirable ones to have present. In preparing starters for cream ripening the whole problem is then centered upon excluding from the starter as many undesirable germs as possible and foster the development of the desirable ones. This fact was recognized years ago by practical men. long before the scientists recommended the use of pure cultures. In European dairy countries, the use of the buttermilk borrowed from a neighboring fac- tory, to add to the cream in order to overcome abnormal conditions, was a common occurrence. In Holland, sour whey borrowed from some other factory, was used in order to overcome gassy fermentation in cheese making. While the reasons for doing this were not well understood, the underlying principle was involved, namely that of overcoming undesir- able fermentations by adding ferments of an antagonistic kind, and in that way subdue and in a large measure supplant the action of those undesirable ones already present. The surest way of accomplishing this and excluding undesirable fer- mentations from the cream is to use a good natural or commercial starter. A secretary of a large co-operative creamery in the State of Massachu- setts one said: "Our quality of butter is falling short: we are not FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 317 able to produce as good butter as we did a year ago. We have the same butter-maker, and our creamery is running on practically the same plans." When the use of a good starter was suggested as an improvement of the quality of the butter, he objected very seriously on the ground that in the year 1900 they made some butter to be sent to the Paris Exposition. The first lot was made from cream ripened with a good starter and it was pronounced by a competent judge, to be unfit for exhibition. The second lot was made from cream ripened in a natural way and the butter was good, and won a gold medal at the exposition. A poor starter is worse than none at all. It is evident that at times good butter and even the best butter can be made from the cream without the use of a starter. From cream ripened in a natural way from day to day, a uniform, high quality of but- ter can not be expected. The quality of butter depends upon the kind of ferments present in the milk and cream, and the kind of ferments present depend upon conditions, such as treatment of cream prior to the time it arrives at the creamery, degree of cleanliness of utensils and pur- ity of surrounding atmosphere. Such conditions, especially when not under the control of the creamery operator, are sure to vary, and conse- quently the quality of the butter will vary also. The different experiment stations that have investigated the use of starters have all reported a decided improvement in the quality of cream and butter by the use of good starters. All modern dairies have intro- duced it as a necessary permanent process in the manufacture of the best butter, and in daily practice the addition of good starters in cream ripening has enabled many makers to excel in competition with contem- poraries. In the face of such evidence the use of starters for cream ripening is meeting with considerable opposition, and perhaps progressing more slowly than its importance demands. The question whether the improve- ment in the quality of butter will raise the price of it to such an extent as to repay the creamery owner for the trouble involved in the prepara- tion of starters, evidently depends upon conditions. At creamery plants where good milk for starters can be obtained at a normal price and the butter manufactured sold on its merits, the use of good starters has proven to be very essential. The centralization of creameries, and the changing of whole milk plants into hand separator plants, has in some instances introduced un- favorable conditions for the use of starters in cream ripening. In the first place, milk to use for starters is often difficult to secure; secondly the cream is usually already so sour that further acid fermentation is impossible. Some time ago the head butter-maker of one of those central plants was asked if he was using starters. The reply was, "No, I am more in need of a 'stopper' than of a starter." Under such conditions, especially if milk is difficult to obtain, the economy in using starters for cream ripening may be questioned. If the cream has already developed the maximum amount of acidity when it is put into the ripening vat, acid fermentation can not be started anew by the use of a ripe starter, with- 318 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. out the addition of some sweet milk, or by the use of a neutralizer such as bread soda. The addition of a good starter to ripe cream will improve the quality of it by mixing the two together, but that the butter flavors can be developed in the starter and imparted to the butterfat in the cream directly, has yet to be proven. It is generally thought that the process of lactic fermentation in the cream is necessary in order to bring about the desired results Unsuccessful results by tne use of starters for cream ripening have been reported in a great many instances. This can be traced to the im- proper use of starters. If starters are good they will never bring about poorer results than were obtained without the use of them. Owing to the fact that it is difficult to keep the same starter in a good condition very long many starters are used which develop the wrong fermentation in the cream. A slightly acid, somewhat bitter taste, and a slimy, lumpy condition of the starter are defects which are very common. These con- ditions seem to be brought about chiefly by overripening it at a high temperature and keeping it a long time at a low temperature before using it. If ripened gradually at a comparatively low temperature and not kept too long, a starter will usually keep in good condition a long time. The Danes, who use starters more regularly than any other peo- ple, do not generally cool their starters with ice. They are usually in- oculated with abotit 5 per cent of the mother starter at a temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, allowed to stand at this tempera- ture for about three hours, then just previous to coagulation they are put into cold water and allowed to cool gradually. This produces a starter with smooth curd and a clean, mild, acid taste. It is kept in good condition and carried on from day to day. sometimes a half a year or more. Nearly always two kinds of starters are kept on hand at the same time, so if one should happen to "go off," the second one could be used in- In this country, even if special precautions are taken, it seems al- most impossible to carry on a starter for half a year without getting a new culture. A starter which has been properly prepared, cooled gradu- ally before coagulation, and not over-ripened, will contain a smooth, soft curd, and retain its mild acid flavor even when carried on for a month. Whenever the slimy ferment develops in the starter it can be noticed in the cream and starter both, by not being able to develop acid as rap- idly and to so great an extent. Whenever this particular ferment gains entrance to the cream, it seems almost impossible to develop any more than .5 of a per cent of acidity in 30 per cent cream, while if the proper ferment were present .7 per cent could be developed. A decrease in the quality of butter always accompanies a development of this ferment in the cream. When the sliminess appears in the starter it is best not to use it. Buttermilk can sometimes be used to an advantage until a new starter can be prepared. The question whether w^hole milk or skim milk should be used in the prepartion of starters has been argued pro and con, but according to experimental evidence starters prepared from skim milk seem to give better all around satisfaction. A mild, rich acid taste is produced in a starter prepared from w^hole milk, while the starter pre- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 319 pared from skim milk has lost some of the rich, soft taste, but has a cleaner acid taste. The very fact that a starter prepared from whole milk has a more desirable taste when first prepared is not necessarily an indication that it will produce better results as a starter for cream ripening. From what we now know concerning starters, the ferments which develop in the milk serum are those which are desirable in the production of butter flavors. It is a well known fact, that just al)out the time when milk begins to turn sour, that is when the sourness can be recognized by the taste, it has a rather disagreeable flavor. After more acid develops the undesir- able flavor largely disappear, and the milk assumes a clean desir able acid taste. The reason for this has recently been accounted for by Storch, the well known authority on starters. He claims to have proven that those disagreeable flavors are due to certain undesirable organisms, developing some acid and a great deal of other undesirable products in the milk during the first souring stage. As the souring proceeds these germs are subdued and gradually crowded out by the desirable acid pro- ducing types. In the preparation of a starter the probabilities are that some of these undesirable types of germs are present, at least it is safer to go on the assumption that they are present. This makes the question of under- ripening of starters just as important to guard against as the over-ripen, ing. Starters which have been under-ripened by cooling too early for several successive days assume a watery, flat, disagreeable taste, and if used for the ripening of cream produces poor results. Finally a few general remarks as to cream ripening. When a good starter has been prepared there should be no fear that it will produce undesirable results, when added to the cream, provided the proper pre- cautions are taken during the ripening process. The same precautions in regard to "over-ripening" and "under-ripening" are as important In the ripening of cream as in the preparation of the starter. By measuring the degree of acidity in the cream by Mann's or Farrington's test, the proper ripening stage can readily be determined. This will vary accord. ing to different percentages of fat in the cream. The rapidity of ripening depends chiefly upon the ripening tempera- ture and the amount of starter used. According to results obtained by investigators, the greatest relative growth of the desirable germs is obtained at a comparatively low temperature, namely about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, The amount of starter which has been recommended to add ranges between 5 and 40 per cent of the cream to be ripened. With- out going into detail the amount of starter to use depends chiefly upon the following factors: (1) the quality of the cream (pasteurized or un- pasteurized, fresh or old, thick or thin, good or poor cream); (2) upon the time when the ripening should be completed; (3) upon general cream- ery conditions. A very large starter has in many instances been recom- mended for thick cream, but as a rule better results are obtained if a normal amount of starter (from 10 per cent to 15 per cent) is added, together with some of the best milk that can be obtained, and then ripen ■all of it together. 320 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. DISCUSSION. Mr. Anderson: Do you mean cream in fat? Answer : Yes, sii . AIr. Anderson : Thank you. HANDLING AND CARE OF MILK AND CREAM. J. P. Xielson, Brayton, loica. Care of milk and cream is the subject assigned me by our honorable Secretary. This subject has been treated upon time and again, yet I believe it to be one of the most important questions before us butter- makers today. The demand for high grade creamery butter becomes greater year after year, and as the qitality of the raw material delivered us has a noted effect on the finished product, it is evident that the qual- ity of milk and cream delivered at our creameries must be watched closely. As a rule it is usually the creamery patron who takes good care of of his cows that are most clean v/ith his milk. With this in view, I take it for granted that in handling and caring for milk and cream the cows should first be well cared for. The place where the milking is done should be clean and dry, and the atmosphere pure, as nothing will contaminate milk more than an impure air coming in contact with the milk, warm, as it is. coming from the cow. Before starting to milk the cow's udder and teats should be well cleaned so that no dirt of any kind may be left that otherwise would find its way into the milk pail during milking. The milker should wear clean clothes and perform the milking opera- tion with dry hands. As soon as milk is drawn it should at once be removed from the barn or milk yard and strained through a good cloth strainer. If milk is to be separated at home the separation should be done as soon as possible after milk is drawn, and it is more than ever im- portant that the hand separator be set in a place where the air is per- fectly free from bad odors. Immediately after milking or separating the temperature of milk or cream should be reduced to at least fifty degrees, either by running ^t over a cooler or setting cans in cold water and stirring often to hasten cooling. The quicker it is cooled the better. The morning and night's milk should not be mixed until both have been thoroughly cooled, and then not before ready to deliver to the creamery. Cans containg milk or cream should be loosely covered and set in a place where they are protected from frost, heat, dust and bad odors. These latter rules should also be followed during transportation to the creamery. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 321 All pails and utensils should be thoroughly washed and scalded after each milking- and laid in the sun to dry. Cans should be emptied as soon as returned from the creamery, then cleaned by first rinsing out with cold water, then with washing powder, a scrub brush and warm water. All seams inside and outside should be well cleaned and finally rinsed with scalding water and set out to dry. If all our creamery patrons would only follow these few and simple rules the butter-maker's task would be greatly lessened and the stand- ard of Iowa butter raised a few points. .21 322 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. REI^ORT OF CO^IMITTEE OX RESOLUTIONS. H. J. XEITERT, CHAIRMAN. Mr. I'resident, Ladies and Gentlemen : Before reading this re- ]j()rt, I wish to dehver a message from Senator Erickson, who was here during this convention an,d who is also one of the com- missioners from Iowa to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the dairy exhihit heing under his charge. The Senator wished me to announce to the members and people in attendance here that he was much pleased at the sessions and that he would be glad to assist the committee or any one who might appear before the legislature to aid and further the dairy interests of the State, and also to obtain increased appropriation for the dairy depart- ment, which is absolutely necessary. He, being one of the mem- bers of the district in which Boone county is located, desired me to say that he is a friend to the dairymen of Iowa and will do all in his power to assist them. I have here a resolution handed me just before the party de- siring it offered left. Resolved, That the secretary be instructed to write to the proprietors or manager of each creamery in the State of Iowa, requesting them to remit the sum of one dollar ($1) to defray the expenses of the "Iowa State Butter-makers' Band," which is to accompany the Iowa delegation to the next annual convention of the National Creamery Butter-makers' Association, and that the same request be sent to each butter-maker of the said creameries. Mc'tion duly seconded and adopted as read. Mr. Xkitkrt : I will read the resolutions incorporated by your committee, composed of Mr. \A'right, Mr. Smarzo and my- self. RESOIvUTlONS. Resolved. That the members of the Iowa State Dairy Association express their sincere thanks to the city of AVaterloo, its citizens and hotels for their generous hospitality and liberal contributions which have enabled this association to hold a most successful convention. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 323 Resolved, That the thanks of this association be extended to the Hon. James Wilson, secretary of agriculture, and the dairy division of his department for the good work being done in advancing the best inter- ests of the dairymen throughout the country, and for the assistance and financial aid given to the National Creamery Buttermakers' Association in their efforts to improve the work of the butter-makers. Be it further resolved that we recognize in Hon. James Wilson, secretary of agriculture, a true and tried friend of the great dairy inter- ests of this land; that by his unselfish and untiring efforts he has done more to advance the best interests of the dairy industry during the time he has had charge of the national department of agriculture than was done by that department during all the preceding years; and, in further recognition of his good work we hereby tender him our most hearty co-operation and support. Whereas. The practical and scientific investigations undertaken by the dairy department of the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Me- chanic Arts have been to the very great advantage both to the dairy interests of this State and of the national as well, and Whereas, That department has far outgrown the present dairy build- ing and equipment, Resolved, That this association warmly endorses the proposal of the college authorities asking liberal aid from the legislature of this State for the purpose of erecting a new and modern dairy building and for the establishment of a dairy herd and for the prosecution of investigation and instruction in milk production under practical Iowa farm conditions. Resolved, That this association commends the work of Prof. G. L, McKay in conducting an educational scoring contest during this year. Resolved, That the pre-eminence of the Agricultural College of Iowa warrants increased State aid to put all its departments on a basis equal to the demands made upon them. Resolved, That we congratulate Commissioner of Internal Revenue Hon. J. AV. Yerkes and Hon. Leslie M. Shaw, secretary of the treasury, and the President of the United States upon the impartial and satis- factory manner in which the revenue laws concerning imitation products have been enforced by the administration, and hereby express our con- fidence in them and our appreciation of their honest and fearless admin- istration of the laws which are of such great importance to the protec- tion of our interests. Whereas, The State of Iowa occupies a prominent and conspicuous position in the galaxy of our Union, and the importance of her great and varied interests demand that she shall be second to none in the part she shall take in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition to the end that the just pride and ambition of her people be fully realized, therefore, be it Resolved, That we earnestly urge the next general assembly to make a full liberal additional appropriation to the end that the educational, industrial and agricultural interests of this State may be fully repre- sented at that Exposition and that the Iowa Commission may not be • embarrassed and hindered m their work. 324 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Resolved, That this association should receive a liberal amount an- nually from the State for its support, so that its usefulness may be con- tinued and further extended. Resolved, That we recommend and urge that the next general assem- bly give authority for the appointment of five assistant dairy commis- sioners. Resolved, That we pledge to the National Dairy Union our undivided support. Resolved, That the association tender its sincere* thanks to Mr. Jules Lombard for his fine vocal selections. Resolved, That we thank the railroads leading into this city for courtesies shown and the granting of low rates for the delegates, H. J. Nietert. W. S. Smarzo, H. R. Wright, Committee on Resolutions. Mr. Keiffer: I move the adopti(;n of the resolutions as read. Motion duly seconded and carried. The President : I have a telegTam I wish to read. It is ad- dressed to the Btitter-Makers Association and was received yes- terday, but I held it over for this session because it is the butter- makers' session. It is a matter that we can take no action on, as the constitution provides. Mason City, Iowa. Nov. 19. 1903. S. B. Shilling, Care Iowa Butter-makers Association, Waterloo, Iowa. Secure meeting next year for Mason City, if you can. A. H. Gale. I am glad to receive this telegram because it indicates the fact that he will be in sympathy with the effort we are going to make to get an appropriation for our meeting next year. I have a committee to appoint, the committee on legislation. I have chosen this committee with a view of securing, if possi- ble, assistance from the State for our association, regardless of favoring anybody, butter-makers, dairymen, or anyone else. I cleem it necessary to make this explanation to you on account of the way the committee will read. E. M. Wentworth, Davenport; H. J. Neitert, Walker; Joseph Trigg, Rockford ; Frank Dunning, Bedford ; Martin Mortensen, Sioux Citv. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 325 In Mr. Trigg- we have a champion and supporter, an editor wliose paper is largely circulated and who took out a meml^ership in the association to be of assistance to you. He has promised us his assistance in farm institute work, and he is the best ir.- stitute worker in the State of Iowa. We have also placed Mr. Frank Dinining on the committee. We want a member from the southern part of the State, where we have always been opposed. There is no dairy interest down there, they being all fat stock men and breeders, and fight us all the time. Mr. Dunning is a man who is strong down there and is in attendance at this convention. There was a resolution adopted by the butter-makers of the Dairy School of Wisconsin to the butter-makers assembled at the Iowa convention, which I received a few days ago, and which are as follows : Resolutions adopted by the Wisconsin Dairy School Students' Debating Society of 1904, at their regular meeting held Novem- ber 13, 1903 : Resolved, That the one hundred forty-one butter-makers and cheese- makers now attending the winter term of the Wisconsin Dairy School at Madison send greetings to the Iowa Dairymen's Association now in ses- sion at Waterloo. Be it further Resolved, That the debating society, organized and conducted by these dairy students, at this their regular meeting, express their apprecia- tion of the work aone by the National Dairy Union for the protection of honest dairy products, and we earnestly request that every effort possible shall be made in the future to prevent the fraudulent sale of oleomar- garine in the United States. W. E. Clark, President. S. C. Thompson, Secretary. The PrksidKxt : I want to say one word more to the boys before we adjourn — go home and commence work at once on this appropriation committee. We want at least from fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars, and we will not 1)e satisfied if we cannot get that. Go home and work on the members of the general asseml^ly ; see them and see that they favor giving us this, and then we will be in a position to do you more good than ever before. 326 r 1 have always contended that more credit was due to the Iowa butter-maker than any 1)utter-maker in the United States, for the simple reason that e\-erything- they have done has been ac- complished without State aid, without any assistance from the State. I want to impress it upon you to take the matter up when you o-Q honie. The memljers of the leoislature are now elected and we are going to work in a; systematic way to get hold of every man by letter, and I want you to go after them too. W'e want that appropriation and we are going- to have it. Is there anything more to come before the meeting-? If there is nothing more, a motion t(; adjourn will be in order. Mr. Wright : I move we adjourn. Motion duly seconded and carried, whereupon the meeting adjourned. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 327 IOWA STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION. MBMBERSmP. Name. Address. Ashby, M. W Waterloo, Iowa Atwood, J. H Chicago, III. Ahrens, F, E Waterloo, Iowa Anderson, A. E Oelwein, Iowa Allen, A. R .• . . . Dubuque, Iowa Ahrens. J Kendall, Wis. Austin, C. E Marcus, Iowa Anderson, M Audubon, Iowa Allison, C. A Newell, Iowa Benson, Scott Dubuque, Iowa Banta, A. E Wheatland, Iowa Burretts, J. F Cambridge, Iowa Bristol, G. A Primghar, Iowa Beckman, George Arispe, Iowa Bergesather, R. S Northwood. Iowa Benson, M. E Brandon, Iowa Botterman, D. A Waverly, Iowa Borglum, T. M Rutland, Iowa Baitinger, John Ladora, Iowa Barker. .7. A Monona, Iowa Bruck, J. N Fallow, Iowa Barber, M. L Marion, Iowa Brown, F. M Cedar Rapids, Iowa Burton, B. F Waterloo, Iowa Bair, S. B Webster City, Iowa Battern, Charles Webster City, Iowa Benson, G. T Des Moines, Iowa Beecham, Albert \Vaterloo, Iowa Bagley, F. R Chicago, 111. Ballard, H. C St. Paul, Minn. Beecham, Walter Mankato, Minn. Blair, G. W'. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Boler, S. J Iowa City, Iowa Blschoff, Fred New York City Bancroft, H. P Nashville, Iowa Buchanan, A. P Marshalltown. Iowa Bailey, E. R • Clarinda. Iowa Barber. A. H Chicago, 111. 328 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Baker. E. :m Monticello, Iowa Bee. William Fredericksburg, Iowa Bracy. E. L Farmington, Iowa Byrne. G. P Genoa Bluffs, Iowa Bruiiner. Frank Charles City, Iowa Bingham. Samuel New York City Barney. W. B New Hampton, Iowa Brokaw. H Rowley, low^a Baruum. Duke New York City Barkelow, W . S Clarksville, Iowa Bowen. George Mason City, Iowa Burridge, E. I Cleveland, Ohio Bean, E. L Epworth. Iowa Beyer. H. ^^ Edgewood. Iowa Brant . C. E Fairbanks, low.i Capper. C. H Alta Vista, Iowa Carr. Cecil E Frederlka, Iowa Codner. W. B Parkersburg, Iowa Conway. C. R Garner, Iowa Chadwick. R. W Waterloo, Iowa Casper. F Guernsey, Iowa Cochrane. A Stuart. Iowa Crocker. H. M Parkersburg. Iowa Doleschal, A. J Miller, Iowa Donovan, M. J Williamstown, lowa Herden. Den Hull, Iowa Dawson. J. F Iowa Falls, Iowa Crawford, F. .1 Cedar Rapids. low^a Cushman. J. T Osage. Iowa Collyer. \V. D Chicago. 111. Carpenter. H. C Waterloo, Iowa Cherry. G. W Cedar Rapids, Iowa Gulp, Thomas E Liscomb. Iowa Cherry. W. R Walker, Iowa Conklin, J. D Lone Rock, Wis. Cummings. J. T Maynard. Iowa Remington. A. L Dickens. Iowa Ross. J. J Iowa Falls, Iowa Richards. L Forest City, Iowa Rohrssen, C. H Klinger, Iowa Rye, J. A Festina, Iowa Stolberg. Rasmus Dallas Center, Iowa Seim. Theo. N Decorah, Icw^a Stolberg. Knu'e Pioneer. Iowa Schrieber. C. L Four Corners, Iowa Savrid, P. J Huxley, Iowa Schultz. .1. F Arnold, Iowa Smith, John S Preston, lowa Sherk. H. A Grand Junction. Iowa FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 329t Smarzo, W. S Mason ville, Iowa Sorenson, Chris Wiota, Iowa. Schmidt. J. J Almoral, Iowa Spohn, L. J Delmar, Iowa Spohn. A. ,J Miles, Iowa Stewart. R. J Grimes, Iowa Scott, J. E Dubuque, Iowa Stephenson. F. W Dundee, Iowa Strait, George Marengo, Iowa Squires, B. O Waterloo, Iowa Soles, Byron T Fern, Iowa Saverraid. R. J Slater, Iowa Storvick, T. A Lake Mills, Iowa Schrieber. Fred North Washington, Iowa Cherry, Howard H Cedar Rapids, Iowa Crabb. W. R Greeley, Iowa Colvin. W. J Omaha. Neb. C'lute, L. G Manchester, Iowa Cochrin, L. C Latimer, Iowa Case, C. L Chicago, III. Caven. George Chicago, 111. Carver, C. A Omaha, Neb, Clancy, P Pomeroy, Iowa Cochonour, F. J Manley, Iowa Delstrother. Edward Waterloo, Iowa Daly, J. C Charles City, Iowa Drysdale, A. C Dubuque, Iowa Dunning, Frank Bedford, low^a Dinsmore, Wayne Ames, Iowa Daniels, Frank Grove Hill, Iowa Dairy and Creamery Chicago, III. Elliott. James Waterloo, Iowa Edholni. E. S Dubuque, Town Elder. George A Chicago, 111. Elvidge. A. O Elkader, Iowa Erickson, Elov Mankato, Minn. Erickson, Senator Boone, Iowa Evans, William Bradgate, Iowa Erb. R. .J Arbor Hill, Iowa Elder. C. D Manchester, Iowa Enevaldron, M. E Gilbertsonville, Iowa Edwards. L. S Waterloo, Iowa Forrester, H. E Fredericksburg, Iowa Flickinger. L. L Fredericksburg, Iowa Frees, A.J Cedar Falls, Iowa Frisbie, Jack St. Olof , Iowa Flaskgaard. P. C Storm Lake, Iowa Feldman, J. B Dyersville, Iowa Fisher, F. H Vilmar, Iowa. 330 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Frandsen, A. M Stuart, Iowa Ferris, K. B Chicago, 111. Fisher, H. G Waukon, Iowa Farr, K. B New York City Fairchild, Arthur Chicago, III. Fullmer, F. B Ettrick, Wis. Finch, I Fairbanks, Iowa Grow, Oscar Osage, Iowa Graham, E. J Nashua, Iowa Grommon, J. H Manchester, Iowa Godley, A. P New York City Gibbons, Thomas Elgin, 111. Guptill, F. E Cedar Falls, Iowa Griffith, N Greeley, Iowa Galbraith, H. R Sioux City, Iowa Graham. F. W Omaha, Neb. Geyer, E. W Storm Lake, Iowa Gurler, Charles De Kalb, 111. Green, William F New York City Goodrich. DeWitt Goldfield, Iowa Gude, W. A New York City Geyer. E. D Omaha, Neb. Gutz, John F Pomeroy, Iowa Gibbs, L. J Waucoma, Iowa Gehrls, William Germantown, Iowa Gudvanger, Erik Vinje, Iowa Goodnow, M. J Collins, Iowa Gimer, A. D Cleves, Iowa Gallagher. James Toronto, Iowa Herman. A. J Maple Leaf, Iowa Hessel, F. W \Vaterville, Iowa Helfter. C. L Osage, Iowa Homan , C. H Artesian, Iowa Hicks, O. W Guernsey. Iowa Hansen, A. M Silver Lake. Iowa Hill, L. D Humboldt, Iowa Houghland, A. C Owatonna, Minn. Hoff, .lohn F New York City Haughdahl, Samuel St. Peter, Minn. Harris, J. J.. J. B. Ford Co Wyandotte, Mich. Hollenbeck, H. F Waterloo, Iowa Hauge, K Orchard, Iowa Hohnzbehn, C Waverly, Iowa Hart, C.N Xew Providence, Iowa Hadley, H. R Zearing, Iowa Howe, E. F Omaha, Neb. Hutton. S. J Independence, Iowa Haggerty, P. J Greene, Iowa Hummel. W. F Hudson. Iowa FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 331 Hiibbell, G. L Cedar Rapids, Iowa Hall, L. J Union, Iowa Hubbard, C. B Independence, Iowa Hopkins, H. H .• Hinckley, 111. Howard, Frank Cedar Rapids, Iowa Hanson, Edward Maquoketa, Iowa Iliff , B. C ; Urbania, Iowa Jensen, P Exira, Iowa Johnson, A. J Graettinger, Iowa Jorgensen, Soren Fredsville, Iowa Johnston, R. W Waterloo, Iowa Jennings, A. A Chicago, 111. Jetland, G. N. F Goldfield, Iowa Jacobs, F. J Chicago, III. Jenn, Peter Dubuque, Iowa Johnson, I. D Quandahl, Iowa Kesiter, Charles Storm Lake, Iowa Kennan, W. P Cedar Rapids, Iowa Kieff er, P. H Manchester, Iowa Kelly, S. L Waterloo, Iowa Kolarik, Joseph Chicago, 111. Kinslej^ R.J McGregor, Iowa Keachie, J. B Estherville, Iowa Kendall, W. L Cedar Rapids, Iowa Kersey, W. T New Providence. Iowa Kelley, George W Wilton Junction, Iowa King, F. F Akron, Ohio Knight, Samuel Chicago, 111. Kennedy, G. W Thornton, Iowa Keachie, James L Dexter, Iowa Kolbert, P. J Devon, Iowa Kindbrug, A Dike, Iowa Kuennen, Ben H St. Lucas, Iowa Kallenbeck, William Bremer, Iowa Knudsen, C. F Radcliff, Iowa Knief, George H Minkler, Iowa Koenke, H. C . . ! Eagle Center, Iowa Larson, F. L Dows, Iowa Lenius, William Waverly, Iowa Larsen, Peter New Hartford, Iowa Lisner, Carl Lake City, Iowa Landis, T. E Farley, Iowa Languist, G. L Saude, Iowa Ladage, Herman Buck Creek, Iowa Laird, S. W Walker, Iowa Lehman, Fred Coggon, Iowa Larson, J. P Cedar Rapids, Iowa Lowitz, C. C Wyandotte, Mich. Lillybridge, C. N Manchester, Iowa 332 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Leighton, F. A New Hampton, Iowa. Lambley. P. E New York Larson, J. E Sioux City. Iowa Little, C. H Cedar Rapids, Iowa Lang, M. W Washington, D. C. Lavalle, J. A New Orleans, La^ Larson, C Ames, Iowa Laiighlin, W. L Osage, Iowa Lesserman Bros Chicago, IlL Laiiredson, J. E Pomeroy, Iowa McElhinney, W. H Cedar Rapids, Iowa McVan, E. J - Chicago. IlL McDonald, J. A Mason City, Iowa McHenry. Charles Denison. Iowa McGinnis. W. H Waterloo. Iowa McAdams. Edward Lincoln, Neb. McAreavey, J. J Coggon. Iowa Marsh, Wilbur Waterloo, Iowa Martin. H. C Waterloo. Iowa- Millard. Frank Waterloo, Iowa Mack, W. F Waterloo. Iowa Mitchner. E. P Chicago. III.. Musselman. E. N Sioux City, lowa Mitchell, I Benton, Iowa Mitchell, F. W Cedar Rapids, Iowa Miller. Frank Festina, Iowa Menzres. G. A Wilton Junction. Iowa Mallie, Robert Sumner. Iowa Mead, Manchester. Iowa Montgomery. E. E Williamsburg. Iowa Miller. M. B Omaha, Neb. Mortenson. M Sioux City. Iowa. McNary. H. L Britt, lowa. McFarlane, E Odeboldt. Iowa McCaffery, J. E Earlville. Iowa Miller, H. N Randall, Iowa. Miller. J. O Milford. Iowa Matravers, C. H Casey. Iowa Mansager, M. J Ellsworth, Iowa Miller. G. O Cedar Rapids, Iowa Nelson, Christ C Exira, Iowa Nielson, J. P Brayton. Iowa Nilson. B Swea City, Iowa Nagel, W. J Scarville, Iowa Nelson, Chris Garner, Iowa Nichols, S. B Mason City, lowa Nagel, E. L Deep River. Iowa Nayfus, Lewis F Chicago, IlL Neitert, H. J Walker. Iowa FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART V. 333 Newbiirger. J Chicago, III. Newman, Joseph Elgin, 111. Nelson, P. H Calmar, Iowa Owatonna Mfg. Co Owatonna, Minn. •O'Neill, Ira Iowa Falls, Iowa Olson, Adolph Shell Rock, Iowa Olson, L. B Waukon, Iowa Ols'en. A. B Newton, Iowa Odell. F. L : Greenfield, Iowa Paiil&on. A. G Rock Valley, Iowa Palmer, A. A Manchester, Iowa Patterson. S Austinville, Iowa Peterson, L. C Rosendale, Iowa Pecinovsky. Frank Schley, Iowa Pollard. W. K Thorpe, 'Iowa Page, O. J Woodstock, Iowa Peterson. Peter Elkhorn, Iowa Peterson. S New Hampton, Iowa Putney. C. L Nashua, Iowa Purcell, T. E Chicago, III Palmer, D. A Monticello, Iowa Pufahl, E Nora Springs, Iowa Plumb. H. B Waterloo, Iowa Prussing, H Chicago, 111. Rundall, W. E Cedar Rapids, Iowa Reed, S. B Des Moines, Iowa Robinson, W. I Philadelphia, Pa. Rogers, James Earlville, Iowa Rhynesburger. Richard Pella, Iowa Rogers, F. F Fort Dodge, Iowa Reynolds, Howard New York Riddell, W. D Omaha, Neb. Rowe, A. M Vinton, Iowa Richards, F. S McGregor, Iowa Reid, F, H Dubuque, Iowa Rathjen, H. M Marengo, Iowa Smith, W. J Waterloo, Iowa Sudendorf, E., Jr St. Louis, Mo. Scott. Z Dubuque, Iowa Shinn, B. H Waterloo, Iowa Sandberg, J. A Waterloo, Iowa Smith, W. E Des Moines, Iowa Schucknecht, E. C Waterloo, Iowa Shilling, S. B Mason City, Iowa Stanhope, Joseph Sioux City, Iowa Stevens, S Spirit Lake, Iowa Sudendorf, E St. Louis. Mo. Storm, F. H Preston, Iowa Shaw, C. F Tama, Iowa 334 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Shepard, H. C St. Paul, Minn. Schiipantiz, John Festina, Iowa Sheridan, J. F Wyandotte, Mich. Stewart, W. J Grimes, Iowa Sandholt, H ^ St. Paul, Minn. Sherwin, W. W Elgin, 111. Selway, J. G Waterloo, Iowa Thomas, Guy Goodell, Iowa Tyler, W. E Chicago, 111. Tabor. W. C New York City Tower, W. D Kansas City, Mo. Turner, W. E Mitchell, S. D. Trimble, N. H Alden, Iowa Thompson, S. D Albia, Iowa Vargason, E. M Jesup, Iowa Van Hosen. James Omaha, Neb. Van Camp, J. E ". Muscatine, Iowa Van Auken, E. E Mason City, Iowa Wright, Z. L Cedar Rapids, Iowa Woodring, I Waverly, Iowa Walsh, F. H Cleveland, Ohio Wills, Fred Knittle, Iowa Wright. H. R Des Moines, Iowa White. H. C Waterloo, Iowa Walker, C. R W^aterloo, Iowa Williams, C. H Chicago, IlL Wescott, N. E Des Moines, Iowa Wentworth, E. M Davenport, Iowa Wilcox, W. S Mason City, Iowa Whitmore, E.J Owatonna, Minn. Woodring, F. W Dubuque, Iowa Woellert, J. M Mechanicsville, Iowa White, E. A Sioux City. Iowa Wilson, W. C Elgin. 111. Wood, Andrew Rockwell City, Iowa Wilcox. F. F Panora. Iowa Wheeler. N. J Alden. Iowa Whitney, A. M Kesley, Iowa Welton. F. A West Union, Iowa V/halen, J. P Elma, Iowa Wood, H. S Salina, Iowa Werder. C. H Monmouth, Iowa Wick, George Story City, Iowa Wallack, R Manchester, Iowa Wedemeyer, J. W Denver, Colo. Wendt, H. D Mangolia, Iowa Williams. V. O Afton. Iowa Wiese, Rudolph Prairie Rose, Iowa Yant. O. P Manning, Iowa Zbronik, L. L Manchester, Iowa PART VI PAPERS ON LIVE STOCK AND AGRICULTURAL TOPICS. A. BABY BEEF. THE BEST METHOD TO PURSUE WHEN RAISING CALVES FOR BEEF. Hon. 8. B. Packara, MarshalUown, Iov:a. The "best method'' is the quickest and most economical method by which the calf can be matured to the highest priced marlvetable product. It follows, of course, that the calf must be pushed through its suckling period and on to the age and w^eight the market demands by a generous supply of appetizing food, such feed as will give the most economical gain in flesh and growth to the cost or value of the feed consumed. To those believing in "baby beef" the proposition will be regarded as axiomatic, so the best method of feeding and handling calves should be discussed. It being assumed that the greatest gain in weight can be made with a given amount of feed whie the anima is a growing calf. There are con- ditions involved, such as the convenience of separation of the calf from the cow for the purpose of grain feeding during the suckling period, also the sufficient protection of barns for shelter for late fall and winter calves; and, whether the cream from the milk of the cows is a factor of farm management. Referring to these conditions, it may be said that grain can be fed profitably to calves while suckling; that late fall or win- ter calves can be pushed to greater weight for age with grain rations than the spring calf, and that skim milk calves can be made into good beef at an early age by proper food and care where the farm separator has a place in the management. For the suckling calf on grass a ration of corn and oats will do the needful, and for the winter calf before grass a ration of corn, oats and oil meal equal by measure, will answer. The separator calf has not come (335) 536 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. within my observation, but rich rations to supply the place of the jbutter fat removed will be needed for three or four months. Mill stuffs, when prices are right, should have a place when oil meal is not at hand, and when calves are not on grass. The cost of the grain for a calf on fall milk, up to six months of age. Avill not much exceed five dollars, the equivalent of twelve and one half bushels of corn at forty cents per bushel. The weaned calf will thrive better on a ground ration of corn and ■oats than on dry feed; bran, oil meal or clover hay will be needed up to twelve months, when the calf should weigh from ten to twelve hundred pounds. The cost of the grain for the second six months of the calf will not much exceed fourteen dollars, bringing the total cost of the grain for the year to nineteen dollars; the equivalent of forty-seven and one half bushels of corn at- forty cents. To the grain value consumed must be added the cost of the grass, hay and milk. The grass and hay consumed will not exceed seven dol- lars, and the milk value can be estimated as being the cost of the ma- turing of the dam. The cheaper kept cows are those dropping their calves in the spring, since the dry cow will winter on a good coarse ration of rich corn stover, oat straw, millet and cane (sorghum), with stock corn fed sparingly in the coldest weather. The corn stover and oat straw are waste products on most farm?, and millet and sorghum are generous crops for the land needed to grow them, hence the cow^ forage is cheaply provided. The cow dropping her winter calf must have a good forage and grain ration until grass, which must be estimated to incrpa.se the cost somewhat of the winter calf, but is compensated by the greater gain in the weight for age heretofore mentioned. The best bred calves with generously milking dams can be made to give one hundred pounds increase in weight for each month of age. Any good calf should go to the market weighing one thousand pounds at twelve months or thereabouts, under good conditions. As to the shelter in winter, the calf must have a dry pen with yard sheltered from the winds for exercise; if confined in a barn with other stock, great care must be taken that proper ventilation is provided. No gain from the best feeding will be made if the stock is breathing impure air during their confinement at night. Oon't expect the poisoned air to go up the hog shute and escape, but open the doors and windows of the "lee side" (the side opposite to the wind), so the heavy gaseous impuri- ties may by circulation be drawn away. The number of farms where the cows are milked for the cream are decreasing, the milking chore not being relished by many, so the num- ber of cows that will be kept for product of the calf may be expected to increase in number. There will be no profit in this without cows of the best beef breeds are used, and pure bred bulls used to the end that a quick growing and maturing, and so-called "easy keeping" stock may be bred and raised. Choice one thousand to twelve hundred pound yearlings now sell at the top. The twelve to fifteen hundred weight steers marketed in Chi- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 337 cago ill 19(Jo averaged $4.90, or $(i6.15 per head; the average price for all cattle, excluding calves, was for 1903, $43.50 per head; for all of the same in 1902 was $54 per head; with a half million more cattle in 1903 than in 1902, still the total value was less by $30,750,577. A load of Ne- braska yearling Hereford steers sold yesterday in the Chicago market, weighing ten hundred and fifty pounds, for $5.75, five cents higher than any other lot on the market. These yearlings averaged $60.37 per head. Had they been brought to that weight in twelve months their cost would not have exceeded $26 for grain, forage and grass, leaving a mar- gin of $34.37 for the milk consumed and the profit. The estimated value of grain consumed, if produced on the farm, will return a profit to the farmer as values are based on corn at forty cents per bushel. It seems to me that the farmer should grow his bunch of calves for beef, as he does his pigs, around an average of twelve months, to the finish for market. Certainly, the greater profit lies in the direction of ra])id growth and quickly to market. R. /Sf. Johnston, Coltimhus Junction. Iowa. This subject is becoming more prominent each year among the cat- tle interests of the United States. Anyone who reads the market reports of our great beef centers will note that young fatted cattle, or baby beef, always command a good price. There is at least two prominent reasons for a careful study of the early maturing idea of beef cattle. First. All through what is known as the corn belt land has ad- vanced from fifty to one hundred per cent in the last few years, so that the old method of keeping a cow and raising a calf each year and allow- ing them to run until three to five years old before being fattened for beef will not pay, therefore other means must be adopted to make this beef in a short,er period and get much quicker returns from the investment. Second. It has been the custom of a great many of the smaller feed- ers, as well as the larger ones, to go to the range for their feeding cattle. This will no doubt continue for some time to come; yet the range does not support the cattle it did years ago for several reasons, among them being a large farming immigration into the valley land all over the West, where they make pleasant and profitable homes through Irriga- tion. Again, the sheep owner has taken up a great deal of the original cattle range. As the result of these conclusions, the time is coming when we will have too look more carefully to the production as well as maturing our own beef. We are Convinced it will take very carefuul study, planning and feeding to make a profit in the way of beef only from a cow kept for the calf alone on our present one hundred dollars per acre Iowa land. But this can be done. We should aim to get as many good high grade cows of either of the prominent breeds as ^ur land would carry, and by all means procure a thoroughbred bull, one with good quarters and good through the heart, or what we term a "beefy looking fellow." Should arrange so that the calves would be dropped in the fall or early spring, 22 338 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. being- careful to have them as near of an age as possible. If we were aiming for beef alone and did not expect to use the milk, we should al- low the calves to run with the dam during the summer on grass, or where they are early fall calves, allow them to follow the dam until cold weather, being very careful to teach them to eat oats and a little chop before cold weather, and still allow them to run to the dam two or three times a day, being careful also to provide them a good warm place during the winter. It is a common question to hear asked, ""How long were they fed?" The proper answer is and should be, "All their lives." The animal that makes the best "baby" beef, and that makes the best profit was never hungry. At the age of six months, as near as circumstances would per- mit, we should take them from the dam, being careful to have them on a good feed so that the change would scarcely be noticeable or in any way set them back. As to the feed, in the early age of the calf we should feed largely on oats, adding a little shelled corn, or, better yet, ground corn; gradually increasing the corn and diminishing the oats, and when not on grass, all the timothy and clover hay, with corn stover for roughness, they will eat. We M'ill not enter into the balanced ration feed, yet would urge the beginner to study all these methods carefully. When the finishing period arrives corn should be the bulk of the feed, with a little oats and cotton seed meal or gluten meal. Care should be taken to at all times have plenty of good pure water at an even temperature. Keep the cattle as quiet as possible, and the more gentle they are the better they will do. Experience will teach the feeder to carefully note the droppings, the hair and general appearance of the animal to be sure he is properly assimilating his food and in a thriving condition. Where weighing can be done once a m^onth without too much annoy- ance to the animal, it is of much benefit to the feeder. It will be found from these methods that baby beef may be marketed at from eighteen to thirty months old, owing to the early maturing qual- ities and the success the feeder may have had. We also find that the weights will run from an average of nine hundred and fifty to twelve hundred pounds, more often, however, around one thousand to eleven hundred pounds, and at almost any season of the year will bring a price up near the top of the market. Our experience is, that any feeder Avill find some of his calves will go forward and make a much more rapid growth and gain than others. This usually can be traced to the breeding and the milking qualities of the dam, therefore we should urge that a careful pruning out be made each year of the poorest cows, adding new and better ones as it is possi- ble to do so. At the present prices of all pure bred cattle, we think it advisable for the farmer to purchase in a small way a few good registered cows, as anyone starting in a small way can in a few years have quite a herd of registered cattle. They eat no more, cost but little more, and are surely a joy and satisfaction to any lover of good cattle. After getting FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 339 a start in registered cattle, tlie l)est female should be kept for breeding- purposes. The best males may be sold for breeding purposes, but by all odds the majority should go towards supplying the ever growing demand for baby beef. Where the males and females go into the feed lot, the males should be castrated at as early an age as possible and the heifers spayed, and you will find them all selling at the same good price in the markets. We believe the time is drawing near when the above plans will be followed by a vast majority of our most prosperous corn belt cattle feeders. E.G. Holland, Milton. I&wa. I regard the writing of an article for publication on the "Best Methods to Pursue When Raising a Calf for Beef" as quite difficult. There are so many varied conditions under which we have to work that it is extremely difficult to formulate any set rule that will apply to all cases, and under all circumstances that may come up to test your ability to meet the particular case in hand. It is often we have to study the partic- ular case, then apply all the good common sense we have and do the best we can under the circumstances. The man who cares for the calf should be a icell hred man; one who has plienty of patience, is in love with his work, and is willing to do it well at all times. The dam should be in a thrifty condition before calving time, and should be fed some laxative food that she may have plenty of milk for the calf. The calf should have all the milk it wants, being careful to milk what is left to guard against any fever in the udder. It is best to let him remain with the dam as much as possible in his early life, letting him have all the sunshine possible. This treatment may continue for some days, when some nice bright hay should be placed where he can reach it. A little later on a box should be provided to give him a grain ration, which should consist of oats, a little bran and shelled corn may be added to good advantage. Should there be trouble with scours, look after that at once, and give* some of the excellent remedies that are ad- vertised, or any of the remedies that are good for a baby are all right here, only in larger quantities. As he advances let the watchword be push. He will soon want a little water in connection with his other food, and be sure to give him the needed sunshine and exercise. After he is about six weeks old it is better to keep him from the dam a part of the time, as he will take more of his feed, which should be given in suuch amounts as he will clean up. not allowing any to remain in the box from time to time. As he advances, don't be afraid to feed with a liberal hand, and with such foods as will make the best growth, remembering that it is growth that we want in his early history. If he is a; good calf and well bred it will pay all the better to push him, along as fast as possible. I think it is possible to make him weigh 340 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. six hundred pounds at six months of age. I don't think it best to do as some people do, to give the best feed to the horses and hogs, and give what is left to the cattle, but give the calf a good chance from start to finish. Most people know better than they are willing to do, saying, "that will do,"' when they are far short of the care that is needed to obtain the best results. As the little fellow grows, which he surely will, and which is a real pleasure to the man who is in love with his calling and loves to take care of his stock, give him what he may want to develop bone and tissue, which feeds may mostly be found on the farm. A good allowance of oats is splendid for a calf, and if ground, all the better, but the little fellow will gladly do his own grinding if placed within his reach. Good bright clover hay is also splendid for a calf, especially for win- ter feed. In the summer season plenty of good grass is all right, but he should have the grain as well, to get the best results. He should never be allowed to go back for a day, for all he loses will have to be put on again. Always let the watchward be, "keep him going as fast as possible." As he is nearing six months old it is well to begin taking some of the milk that he may learn to depend upon his own efforts more, taking away the milk gradually that he may not go back any. Someone perhaps will say this may be all right for the record calf but ''how about the calf w-here the owners are patrons of the creamery." Well, that is sometimes a little hard on the calf, and I have known some cases where the calves were almost ruined, and in my judgment a losing game, but someone must milk, an^ the calf must be cared for in some manner. Some years ago, when I was a patron of a creamery, I tried to keep the calf going from the start, and I don't know of anything that carries a calf along as well as a part of the milk at least; then give a good grain ration, and push them right along, and not be in a hurry to wean them. In my judgment they should not be taken from the cow entirely until six months old at least. Always remembering that the calf is a machine in some sense, and cannot make beef without plenty of material to work on, and the better the material furnished, the better work it will do. It is folly to feed a calf in such a manner that he will stand still, for then all you feed him is almost if not entirely wasted; so let it be the determina- tion, whether for breeding purposes or for beef, to feed with a liberal hand, and in most cases you will be rewarded in proportion to the care given. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI. 341 B. STEERS. THE MARGIN A FEEDER SHOULD EXPECT BETWEEN THE BUYING PRICE OF HIS FEEDERS AND THE SELLING PRICE OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT TO GIVE HIM A REASONABLE PROFIT FOR HIS TROUBLE. TAKING AS A BASIS CORN AT THIRTY CENTS PER BUSHEL. R. T. ^t. John. Riceville. In discussing the above subject it will be necessary to first consider the many circumstances and conditions entering into the problem. We must not reason from the experience and results of a careless and sloth- ful feeder, who would place inferior steers in exposed yards, with cold or pooly ventilated sheds, with little or no bedding, ice water to drink and irregular feeding. Neither can we reason or figure from the experi- ence and results of the professors and students at the agricultural college, because the college fed steer is petted, groomed and cared for individ- ually, with all the comforts possible to bestow, which are not practical for the average farmer and feeder. Neither can we figure from the re- sults and experiences of those* who would put thirty-cent corn into infe- rior or scrub steers. Our experience and observations will therefore be better understood by taking as a basis the feeder who is a farmer, experienced, thorough and prudent, a lover and judge of good cattle, selecting high grades from any of the popular beef breeds. Cattle to be dehorned, free from blem- ishes, and free from the vicious hired man who would cause blem- ishes. To be in good flesh from pasture, reds, roans or blacks preferred. Bunch and place in closed, well-drained yards, with warm, well-bedded, well-ventilated sheds, with fresh water (chill taken off) in yards good troughs that will not chafe or injure stock. Peed regularly, grad- ually but speedily getting them on full feed. For economic and best re- sults feed in quantities that they will clean up at each meal. Having access to good clover, or clover and timothy hay, water and salt at all times. One man will feed and care for eighty or one hundred steers. For a l)unch of well-bred, smooth, two-year-old steers, the period of finishing will be about one hundred and fifty days. It will take sixty bushels of corn to each steer and about one ton of hay. We would presume that the question does not confine us to a ration of corn alone, and would there- fore substitute for about one eighth of the corn its equivalent in wheat, bran and oil meal, which will give better balanced ration. During the last fifty days of the finishing period, when their teeth become sore and appetites not so sharp, the grain should be ground, either corn or cob meal. Vov profit, hogs must necessarily follow steers. One hundred or one hundred and twenty-five pound shoat. or lean hog, to each steer. Gain on steers per day each two pounds; gain on hogs per head, two thirds pounds per day. 342 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. As the corn is priced at the yard, we must also price the finished steer at the yard, which will be at one cent margin, which would give an even remuneration for interest on money invested and labor performed. In making our estimates we offset the experience of yardage and salt against the value of the barnyard manure that reverts back to the soil to grow more corn. To more fully illustrate, we will take one steer of the bunch, weight, say eleven hundred pounds; price, three and one quarter cents (the price in this part of the State the present season for choice), and make an estimate: Feedery steer, 1.100 pounds, 314 cents per pound $35.75 Commission for buying and bunching 50 Corn, GO bushels at 30 cents per bushel 18.00 Hay 5.00 Insurance risk 2 per cent 70 Interest on money invested at 7 per cent 1.05 Labor in care and feeding 2.00 Cost of steer at close of finished period $63.00 Finished steer's original weight 1,100 pounds. Gain during finishing period 300 pounds. Weight of finished steer 1.400 pounds. Price per pound for finished steer. 4^/4 cents $59.50 Gain in pork, 100 pounds at 3i4 cents per pound 3.50 The receipt for finished steer $63.00 The figures show an even balance. However, we are of the opinion that there is a greater balance in favor of the farmer feeder in the value of fertilizers, as against selling the corn on the market. We therefore con- clude that the feeder should expect one cent margin, but ought to have one and one quarter cents margin for a good investment. However, all he* receives over one cent margin adds that much to the glory of the farmer and feeder who owns Iowa, land and raises and feeds well bred stock. ./. Elerick. Doud's Station, loiia. The cattle business of this country is one of the leading branches of agricultural industry and should be handled in such a manner as to con- tinually improve our cattle by using nothing but pure bred males, thereby giving better steers for the feed lot. The serious decline in the stock market the past year, the corresponding high price of steers the forepart of last year gives us food for thought. High priced corn ha'd much to do with these high prices, but cattlemen themselves did much to help the downward tendency by rushing their cattle on overstocked markets of all grades from canner to the finished steer. The buyers took advan- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 343 tase and stood ready to pound the market on all such occasions. The buyers at the leading markets lay their plans to best succeed in bearing the market by sending news out to demoralize feeders, and the rule is that feeders will let go much quicker on a declining market than on a strong advancing market. From the very high prices of one year ago, &ome decline should have been expected, but the farmers themselves have done more to de- moralize the market than any other class of men, acting as if they tliought there was no bottom to the cattle market, and shipping cattle to market that should have been left at home. The only remedy that I can see is for farmers to organize and stop glutting the market to help the buyers to demoralize prices. I do not want to be understood that I am in favor of combining to demand unrea- sonable prices to the consumer, but to only protect the producer in get- ting a reasonable profit on his product, is the consumer getting the ben- efit of these low prices, or are packers and butchers demanding and re- ceiving more than a fair profit? Chicago appears to be able at any and all times to change the value of the different grades in the twinkling of an eye. When the market is well supplied with good, ripe well matured cattle, the combine makes a leader out of some other grade that is in less supply, and pounds the market on the better grades. The shipper is a professional that can tell where his cattle will grade. Our export trade has been good all season. The exporters have lined their pockets with that which should have been partially divided among the shippers and feeders. Lest you may think that I have digressed entirely from the subject as- signed me, I will give- you my views on the question of feeders and feed- ing. I consider this a very diflBcult question — one which depends upon many circumstances. First, quality of cattle. Second, the ability of the feeder to get the best results . and knowing how to balance the ration. Third, in economy in keeping expenses down to the minimum. Fourth, in knowing when to ship or to sell. Fifth, in consigning tt? a good firm that will look after your interest and earn their commission. In selecting feeders we should always select the offspring of pure bred males, from any of the beef breeds, and regulate the prices paid according to quality. A rough, coarse steer, poor in quality, will consume as much or more in the feed lot, and will not sell within one dollar per hundred where the smooth, mellow-hided animal will sell. Our motto should be fewer and better cattle. In the first place, let us as nearly as possible compute the cost to the feeder of the finished product: 1 ,000 pound steer, at 4 cents $40.00 Interest on $40 six months 1.20 70 l)ushels of corn, at 30 cents 21,00 .300 pounds oil meal, $2 per cwt 6.00 Cost of finished product $68.20 344 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Sale of finished steer, original cost 40.00 Gain on six months feed, GO pounds per month, at 5^ cents 18.90 Gain, $1.25 per cwt, on original weight 12.50 $71.40 Net balance on finished steer 3.20 In the above computation I do not consider anything for roughness or expenses in feeding, approximating that the profit in the hogs that fol- low cattle will about pay expenses in feeding and for the roughness fed. I am of the opinion that the best results come from balancing the ration in the commencement, then not make any change during your feed- ing period. Cattle learn to relish the kind of feed they are fed on, and whenever you make a change they go off their feed until hunger drives them to eat again. According to my judgment, a feeder should have a margin of $1.25 between the price of the feeder and the finished product. My computation is made on winter feeding. Summer feeding on good grass can be done on a less margin. In my computation I have $3.20 net profit on steer, or $57.60 on carload of steers, this profit includes risks of loss, risks of some steer failing to feed. At any less margin I would rather someone else would do the feeding. I think the estimate on corn a little low. perhaps thirty-three cents per bushel would come nearer the mark. Many feeders claim that if they came out even on the sale of cattle that are dry fed, the hogs that follow still leave them a nice profit. I certainly think a farmer is entitled to fair compensation for his time, labor and roughness fed to cattle in the feed lot. True, the farmer must have a lot of valuable manure left in the feed lot to be returned to the soil. This belongs to the soil, and if not returned to the soil is robbery, and will cause those that follow us to suffer. Manure made on the land should not be counted as profit, but should be returned to the soil, whose fertility we have no right to exhaust and destroy. Feeders, let us feed fewer and better cattle. Let us buy only well I red cattle for the feed lot, then c:ir chances will be many times greater in securing a profit from the feed lot. W. H. Freeman. Oakland, Iowa. The margin one should expect will depend considerably on his prac- tical knowledge of stock feeding, good judgment in selecting cattle, thorough equipment for the business and skill in selecting a ration which will give the best results in net gain in the shortest time. To convert the raw material into the finished product with the least waste possible, will diminish the expense and widen the margin of the profit, and the practical stockman will see to it that all waste and refuse is saved for its value as a fertilizer. The margin necessary will also depend to some extent on the class of cattle fed. Most of the cattle fed in western Iowa are raised, on the ranches of the West and consequently have to be shipped a considerable FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 345 distance before they get into the feeder's hands. This handling of the cattle disturbs them both in regard to their habits and feed. The quality of stockers both in "'westerns" and "natives" will have a great deal to do with their adaptability to feeding conditions. This difference in quality may reduce the time necessary to fit them for the market twenty lo thirty per cent. Cattle that are raised and fed on the same farm will mature for market in the shortest time. The selection of cattle must depend on the individual judgment of the buyer. No one can buy cattle by rule. This knowledge is born of ex- perience in the business, but generally it may be said that the cattle must give evidence of good breeding, ])e as even as possible in size, weight and color, dehorned and not too old. It is unnecessary to men- tion different breeds, as every feeder has his preference, and many va- rieties are equally good. Shorthorns, Herefords and Angus are the favorites, as they have the essential qualities of build and proportion, namely, wide backs and heavy quarters. The cattle which will yield the biggest margin of profit must be the best quality, which, when finished, will command the top prices. We must continue to improve the quality of our cattle to increase our profits as feeders. A few suggestions in regard to the care of feeders, both in pasture as well as in the feed lots, may not be out of place. It is a w^ell known fact that the mental condition has much to do with animals as well as man. Let either get restless, uneasy or worried, and immediately they will begin to lose flesh. To avoid this in the human family I shall not attempt to furnish a theory, but with live stock, particularly feeding cat- tle, they must be kept as much as possible in a good quiet place, with a quiet attendant in charge. This attendant should be patient and indus- trious, ever looking to tne wants of his charge. They must not only have good food and water, but they must have it at a regular time every day, so that their habits in regard to feeding and resting may not be disturbed. This regularity in feeding soon becomes a fixed habit. The feed lot should not be too close to public places, where strangers and dogs will annoy the cattle. A strange dog will sometimes annoy a herd and disturb 1 heir habits for a day with consequent loss in gain. To be well equipped for the business is an important factor in suc- cess. In cold weather cattle require shelter. This shelter may consist of a feed barn, open sheds or a good grove. Cattle that are exposed to storms in the open lot will not eat or rest well, while more food is used in maintaining animal heat. In a good barn or shed, with plenty of bed- ding, they can always find a warm and comfortable place to rest. It is hard to estimate the value of good bedding, especially a straw stack, in the feed lot. In fine weather cattle do better in the open lot, but in very cold or stormy weather shelter is very essential to avoid shrinkage. In regard to ration. I believe that corn is the best feed for cattle and hogs. The corn belt furnishes the market with most of the fat cattle and the best quality of beef in the world. A good deal depends on the quality of the corn. In wet seasons, or with early frosts, it is sometimes soft and of poor quality, with consequent decrease in fat-producing qual- ities. While I believe that corn is our great staple in feeding and that 346 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. there is no other food product equal lo it, yet I have often obtained good results from a little change in ration, such as the addition of a ration of oil meal, bran or oats, which seems to help the digestive functions and aid in giving a good finish to me steer. The value of good roughage should not be overlooked. Red clover hay is my preference and corn fodder comes next. This roughage aids in the digestion of the stronger foods, as well as inclining the cattle to be more quiet and restful. The question of margin to afford a reasonable profit is a very impor- tant one. All the details can not ])e discussed in a short article. As nearly every farmer engaged in this industry is a ''cattle feeder" and not a "cattle grower," as he must pay cash for the raw material which in six months he expects to have finished for the market, he must take a conservative course to allow for fluctuations in the market and changes in the business and industrial world generally. If he has all the equip- ment necessary he must realize a reasonable profit on the investment, and as "the laborer is worthy of his hire," he should realize some reward for his work and experience. Granting that the hogs will pay for the labor and roughage, we will take the following table as an average esti- mate at different market values, taking as an example a steer weighing one thousand pounds, consuming eighty bushels of thirty cent corn and gaining four hundred pounds with six months' feed on a margin of one dollar profit. This estimate does not make any allowance for unavoid- able accidents of unprofitable animals in the herd. 1 a o H o 'C ^-2 ^• S ,;i a «p| Price. o o M QD ^ 2 ,j_j o s ■^a> R ■J. -j^ ,jj '^ uS o V i) e U ^ GC §^ ^ At three cents per pound $ 3:^.00 $ 24 00 $ 54. OJ $ .04 .$ 56. 00 $ 2.00 At four cents per pound 40.00 24.00 64.00 .05 70.00 6 00 At five cent-^ per pound 50.00 24.00 74.00 .06 84.00 10.00 It will thus be seen that the price of cattle has a great deal to do with the amount of profit. To summarize briefly then, the feeder must be reasonably sure of a margin of from one dollar to one dollar and fifty cents, depending upon above conditions to realize a reasonable profit for his trouble. BUYING STEERS FOR THE FEED LOT. A. L. Ames, Before Black Haick County Farmers' Institute. The best method of buying steers for the feed lot is a problem never solved, and is always new and of vital interest to the feeder. The old adage, "An article well bought is half sold." was never better illustrated. When? Hg»w? Where? What kind? What weight and what price? are questions that should be thoroughly settled in the mind of the pros- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 347 pective buyer. I wish to call attention to a few necessary and im])ortar.i; points to be observed before attempting to secure the cattle. In this age of change and if you will progress, when the tendency of every industrial department is toward combination and centralization, in this land where labor rules and where unions are more powerful than law, religion or right, where the successful man in every business de- partment devotes his whole energy and thinking being to the perfection of some one idea and to prove to the world its value, the farmer, feeder and stock man is expected to take his place. In order then to buy well a drove of cattle for the feed lot he must know something more than cattle. There must be long, hard hours of study over the industrial problems of the day. The reason why he feeds being his desire to sell beef at a profit, it becomes necessary for him to study the future prospect of the market. He must be well posted on the number of cattle relative to other like periods that ate going "on feed" at the time he expects to start his. He must know to a certainty the power or feeding value of the feed he is to use and its cost per hundred weight when ready for the cattle. He must also be reasonably sure of the pounds of gain to be made during the feeding period by the use of this feed. He will then know just exactly what he can take per hundred weight for his cattle and not lose on the investment. He also has the advantage of knowing at all stages of the feeding period the actual cost of the cattle up to date, and can take advantage of a profit should the proper inducement present itself. To all of these questions and many others should the feeder give his best thought and study before deciding to feed. It would be impossible in one article to speak of all the different methods or combination of circumstances that must inevitably arise and can only be settled by one person, and he the originator of the plan. I will therefore confine myself to a few general principles that I have found useful in buying all kinds of cattle but more particularly those to be used for the "dry lot" or placed immediately on full feed. The first and most important point to be decided by the buyer is the class of cattle to buy. This question should be settled at home before any attempt is made to find or purchase any cattle whatever. Only those of the same class, age, weight, and breeding should be fed in the same yard. A mixed drove of big and little, rough and smooth, well-bre 1 and scrubs, do not feed so well nor sell as well as though they were all of the same kind. Having fully determined this point, do not allow your judgment to be overruled by what the other man is doing. A good axiom to follow is to "Buy when the other man wants to sell." You can then get your money's worth. The kind or Qlass you buy will depend largely upon your surroundings and the time of year, but you will certainly take those which in your judgment will make you the most money. In order to determine this we find four factors, three of which are known: the cost price, the feed bill, and the average gain per day or ratio between feed and gain. The fourth member of the equation is more uncertain and at times very difficult to control, namely, the selling price. If this 348 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. were known the solution would be easy, but, as many of us can testify, such is not the case. In the selling market are four well defined grades of beef cattle: the choice, good, medium, and poor. In one of these four market divisions the feeder must place his finished product and his profit or loss be esti- mated from the price obtained. This being true, it will be well to exam- ine these divisions a little as a help toward selecting your feeders. In the division of choice cattle you will find only the very best bred cattle — those as good or better than registered stock and always a selected bunch and fed to a finish. They must be prime in every way — in breeding, style, finish, flesh, fat. form and weight. Cattle that occupy this exalted place on the market are as a rule bred and fed by the same individual and pushed from calfhood up, and so need not be considered at this time. In the next two divisions come the bulk of the cattle sold, the principal difference being a matter of flesh and finish, the medium cattle covering a wider range and not dressing out quite so large a per cent when slaughtered. In the poor column a feeder should never be found, for they are invariably money losers. A person can hardly be called a feeder unless he can make a medium fat steer out of a poor stocker. We find then the large majority of feed yard cattle are sold on the market for what are known as useful cattle, and to make these cattle with least possible expense is the business of the feeder. It is impossible to say where to buy your feeders, for if any one place were known to be the best we would all try to be there at once. There is, however, a growing tendency among buyers to use the market centers for this purpose, and on the whole it is a good plan with many I)oints in favor. You can get what you want and just when you want it. Have more to select from, and, therefore, an evener bunch of cattle. It takes less time and may not cost any more. There are drawbacks to rhis method as well, and not every man can be sure of getting just what he was looking for the first time he tries. A word of caution may not be out of place. Cattle will look different confined in a close pen than at home in a large yard or open field. There is more danger of overlooking some physical weakness in the short time you have made up your mind or not to buy. You may not have the right valuation of the cattle you are looking at. A countryman is often known by his impetuosity. Don't be in a hurry. You have more time than money at your disposal just now. The cattle may be in no condition to buy at all for the reason of an extra fill. You can supply water at home cheaper than you can pay for it there. Sixty pounds of water make a very material difference in the gains you make during the feeding period. If you do not feel entirely competent to buy for yourself, go to some reliable commission firm to help you select the cattle, buy them for you and see they are properly loaded on cars. Nine times out of ten it will be money well spent. If you are buying in the country the same points are to be observed, but it will be necessary to use more care in order to FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 349 secure cattle of the same class. I would say, then, buy the kind of cattle you need as cheaply as possible, and never buy water. Throw out all undesirable steers such as weak legs, backs, lungs, lump jaws. Buy only those with good back, head, legs, and digestion, and it will be your fault if they do not fatten. FEEDING CATTLE, AS A PART OF GENERAL FARM OPERATIONS. ■John Fox, Dallas Center. Iowa. Except in a few locations, near to cities, and localities where the demand is such as to make it morp profitable to devote the land to fruit and vegetable gardening, and such can hardly be classed as general farming — the question of keeping cattle on the farm admits of but one answer. If the fertility of land is to be kept up the keeping of stock is a necessity; this, of course, admits the whole range of domestic animals, each having its especial adaptation to local environment. In the great corn and grass belt of Iowa, where the writer lives, cattle and hogs seem to be peculiarly adapted, and in the thirty-five years of practical experience I have found the rearing of cattle and hogs, the milking of cows, and the special business of feeding steers, together with hogs, reasonably profitable. My experience has been that the milking of cows and the raising of calves and hogs has proven most profitable on the smaller farms, there being less of the speculative element in it than in the purchase of steers and hogs and fattening them; but earlier success leads to larger holdings and the detail required for dairy farming is harder to follow out on a large scale, and an entirely different proposition is met if one makes the change to feeding for beef and pork. Many things come in for consider- ation, on which may depend success or failure. To begin I would say, go slowly until you learn what you can reason- ably expect to do with a given amount of feed and fair animals, depend- ing largely upon the feed produced on the farm until you know what you can reasonably expecr to produce under given conditions, then with a knowledge of cost of production you are prepared to make a fair esti- mate of what you can pay for feeders and feed. But, be sure you do not discount the future buying your feeders, expecting a raise in the price of the finished article, for in a series of years there is sure to be as many declines as advances, and if others seem to see great things ahead, and put up prices on stockers where an advance on finished beeves must be realized to make a profit, .do not abandon the business altogether, but put in fewer cattle and more hogs, as a few cattle with a number of hogs to follow will rarely ever cause a loss. I have known of a number of failures made by parties who seeing the apparent success of some large operator, think that all that is neces- sary is' for them to get an advance from the bank, buy the cattle and the corn, and lose in a single year the savings of several, where if they 350 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. had begun slowly aivl increased their business by degrees they would have made a success. For a beginner, I would recommend a few steers, say eighteen or twenty, in order to lia\ e a carload. As to quality, that would depend on the cost, but for a single carload I would want them of fair quality as nearly even as possible in size, and from seven to eight hundred pounds weight. If I had plenty of grass would buy in September, getting the benefit of two months' pasture in the fall, being careful to supplement it with a small feed of snapped corn through the month of October, keeping them to a steady growth of at least fifty pounds per month. Having for the carload of cattle from fifteen to twenty acres of corn cut up in shocks, should begin to feed shock corn a number of days before 1 was ready to turn into the stalk field, getting a portion of the field husked as early as possible to have the use of the stalks in the best condition, which in central Iowa ought not to be later than November 1st. I would then turn them in on the stalk field a few hours each day until the cattle had most of the corn picked up, and then begin to add corn to their feed with oil meal, beginning the oil meal at the rate of a poimd per day to the steer until all were accustqmed to it, when I would give at the rate of two pounds per day until well on grass. Have never found it profit- able to feed more than two pounds in connection with corn, as corn is the cheapest of all feeds for the bulk of the ration. When the stalk field was well picked over I would increase their feed of snapped corn held for the purpose so long as there was any profit to be made by keeping them in the stalks, after which I would feed shock corn in quantity to give each animal about one peck of com per day; feeding on the field if frozen and dry; keeping hogs away until the cattle are done feeding. If muddy, would feed in racks, throwing out refuse to make bedding and to provide a foundation to keep them out of the mud. In the spring have at times raked stalks off the field into the yard for this purpose. Handled in this way, I should expect the cattle to gain from forty to fifty pounds per month during the winter, owing to weather conditions, thrift of cattle, comfortable quarters, and particularly good breeding, and plenty of good water to which access should be had at all times, as well as salt. On May 1st we should have cattle w^eighing between one thousand and eleven hundred pounds, and in prime condition, for four months further feeding. To change from dry feed to grass without loss is another difficult problem. I used to think I must save my pasture from early tramping, but except in case of clover do not think it really necessary, so let them run part of the day as soon as there is any grass, being careful to keep them to their feed until there is grass enough to answer for roughness. If clover pasture, keep in yard until the stalk with- the shape of the head for bloom appears, which will ordinarily, in central Iowa, be about the tenth or fifteenth of May. Would let them into the pasture but an hour or two in dryest part of the day, for at least a week, when they will go right along and eat from a peck to one third of a bushel of corn per day. If I wished to crowd them, and corn was reasonable in price, would give FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 351 them all I could get them to eat up clean. If corn was high, should give not more than a peck per day. and feed longer. With the full corn ration the middle of August or September first they should be fairly well finished, and weigh from thirteen hundred and fifty to fourteen hundred ])ounds. This would give for the year's feed six hundred to six hundred and fifty pounds per head. Now would it pay? I can only say that for a number of years farm- ing operations carried on as above described has satisfied the writer fairly well, particularly in increased productiveness of the land, having fed from one to twelve cars per annum covering a period of thirty years in central Iowa. The best answer I ever heard as to "pay for feeding" was given by an English gentleman in relating the experience of a younger brother who had been provided for by the purchase of a commission in the army in connection with the commissary department. He sold his commission, returned home and began farming. His army training made him very methodical in his accounts, so he held each department of the farm to a strict account. He found that, though the farm as a whole paid, the largest profit was in wheat and smallest in the feeding operations, so the feeding operations were given up, and more grasses plowed up. For a year or two all was well, but the first bad season showed less profit, and for a series of years each season showed less profit. When he agam took up feeding he found the general profits of the business to increase. So I think it is largely with cattle feeding; it is hard to take the price of corn, pasture and what you pay for feeders, put them together and show a profit, but judiciously managed, most of the feed being grown on the farm, taking a series of years, will be found profitable and worthy of attention, as is proven by the success of many farmers in central Iowa. THE TAIL OF THE STEER. Breeders' Gazette. "Say, 'Feed-Box," I never t'old you how I came to buy that other eighty for Steve, did I?" It was in the late summer or early fall, when for weeks the wind had blown unceasingly from the southwest. The Kansas highways, as straight as the surveyor's chain could run them and Hanked on either hand by the waving, nodding thickets of yellow sun- flowers, were an endless and almost bottomless trail of gray dust. Essen- tially "It was the time when breezes blow, When clouds are high up in the air," for the horizon seemed unattainable, the sky to extend to heaven itself and the southwest wind never-ending. It was also the season of the rip- ening corn and plans for winter and when men buy calves and steers and talk steer at home, in town, at the neighbors' or on the road between. 352 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Tom and I were going over to inspect a buncli of steers that had been lately shipped in from Kansas City to a neighboring feed-lot, when he made the remark with which I began. Now it is not the custom in Kansas for a man with a mortgage on his own homestead to buy land ■ and present it to his neighbor any more than it is elsewhere. I knew Tom was at all times truthful, never given to romancing, hoaxing or any- thing of the kind, but how a man with his own home mortgaged to the limit, often compelled to buy even his chewing tobacco on long-time credit, forced in every autumn to sell the corn that was really needed to carry his stock through the winter, whose taxes were often paid in part at least by the sale of hides from cows or horses that died simply from the lack of feed — how such a man as this was to buy an eighty and give it to his neighbor scotfree astounded me so that I could not ask even a single question. Doubtless Tom read my amazement, for he continued: "You see that was the year we had the F. M. B. A. down at the schoolhouse. Steve and I were elected delegates to the county conven- tion that met down at Sola. It was on Saturday and I walked up to his place and rode to town with him. It was along the last of August and we were just gathering out our first corn to feed the hogs. Steve's corn was turning out about a crop and a half and mine on the bottom was still better. We were talking about feeding steers on the way to town. I knew the bank would let me have money to buy the steers with if only I could stand that mortgage off a while, for the year's interest had to come out of the corn. I was telling Steve about it, but he didn't talk much, only listened, and didn't seem to take much interest. But two or three weeks later he drove to my place one afternoon. 'Say, Tom," said he, 'are you going to feed any steers this winter?' I told him I couldn't, for I had just got a notice from the mortgage agent that all my back interest would have to be paid up at once. After a bit he said: " 'Tom, do you think a man can go into a bunch of steers when they are all poor and pick out the ones that will be the best feeders?" "Sure." said I. "How?' 'By the tails.' 'Tails?" 'Yes, tails.' 'Why.' said he /how is that?' You see, he had been over among the New Yorkers on Elm Creek and the English up on Rock Creek and he had heard all about picking the steer with a bright eye and a waxy horn, or a short, wide face, or for a wide chest, or for short legs, and all that kind of rot that the old feeders fool away their time talking about. But he had never heard about a steer's tail having anything to do with the way he feeds out. 'Well,' said he finally, 'would you mind getting in the spring-wagon and riding around with me this afternoon?' I got in and the first bunch of steers we saw he asked me to show him what I meant. I picked out five or six steers that had the right sort of tails on them, tapering tails, you know, tails in which the l)one is no larger than the bone of your little finger down next to the brush, but is ixZ big as your arm up w^here it joins on. Pretty soon Steve thought he had found another tail that was just right, but I told him no; that the brush was too long and that a long brush usually meant a wild fool steer, and it always meant a slow-feeding steer. Finally Steve said: FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 353 " 'Let us try this thing once. You pick out the steers that you think are right and don't take them unless they are right.' Well, nobody thought we were trying to top their steers, and so in a few days we had them all bought, and when they were all bought and all gathered up it was just the kind of a bunch that my grandfather used to buy up in Ten- nessee and fatten for the Baltimore market over eighty years ago. "Steve had stacked all his hay in great big long ricks in the feed-lot and built a manger around them. As soon as we had the steers bought he said to me: 'Now. \ want to buy your corn,' so I had my corn shelled and hauled it up and filled those big self-feeders that he had built for shelled corn out in the feed-lot. Just then Steve took down sick. Well, I had picked the steers for him and had sold him the corn to feed them on. His wife salted them, the windmill pumped water for them and I went up every two or thre days and put out hay for them. Steve did not get out of bed from the day he had me open the self-feeders until the day we loaded up the cattle for Chicago. His brother signed his note at the bank to buy the cattle and buy the corn to feed them. When Steve got back he squared the notes. Then he sold a pair of horses for one hundred and thirty-five dollars — they would be worth four hundred dol- lars if he had them now — then his wife chipped in some butter and egg money that she had been getting ahead of their grocery bill for two or three years before. He still lacked about four dollars of having enough to pay for that eighty acres. He told me himself that he got that four dollars by "hitting" the children's toy banks. But of the two thousand dol- lars that went to pay for that eighty I made over eighteen hundred dol- lars for him, so I say that I just made him a present of that extra eighty he has over across the road. " This was some twelve years ago. At that time Tom was already one step in advance of his mortgage, that dread fiend that had for years pur- sued him so closely, had starved his poor dumb brutes to death and deprived his family of even many of the absolute necessities of life. But at that time his interest was arranged for one year in advance. The next fall Tom was buying a bunch of sieer calves. Since then he has pros- pered like the proverbial bay tree. At last he was able to do what only a rich man can do and only a foolish man would do; he has moved to town and is trying to be happy while doing nothing. His money is now a main pillar to the bank where he once entered with fear and trembling. In the big farm house which he built on the corner of the square his daughter to learning to drum on the piano, that she may some day be able to take an active part in city society. Perhaps in her dreams she may aspire to have that soda fountain tender with the football hair for a steady caller or of ending a long career of social successes by becoming the helpmate of the local Beau Brummel. a shoe clerk, who on the princely salary of twelve dollars a week is the dictator of local society. So much for the tail of the steer. If last is it not yet foremost? If weak, has it not power? 23 354 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. CHALLENGER'S FEEDING. H. R. Smith in Breeders' Gazette. There has been considerable inquiry concerning the feeding of Chal- lenger, the recent International grand champion steer, the details of which are herewith presented. The Department of Animal Husbandry of the University of Nebraska has no secret methods of feeding or fitting. The public is welcome to any information concerning the feeding of Challenger which may be useful. While it is not considered practicable to carry all animals to Challenger's degree of finish, the ration given him can not be criticised for being an unduly extravagant one, as the record will show. First of all. Challenger was raised by hand on skim milk. The breeder, Lawrence Murphy, who was also his feeder until May 1st, last, never gave him any preference because, as he says in a recent letter, "we noticed nothing in him to give him a preference." He was given an abundance of grass in summer, and corn, hay and corn stalks in winter. When first seen by the writer last April he was in the open lot with about fifty more of his own size. He was being fed corn on the stalk, shelled corn and prairie hay. Challenger's record in the Department of Animal Husbandry of the University of Nebraska begins May 6, 1903. On that date he weighed 1,275 pounds on feed and water. May 20th he again weighed 1,275 pounds. The change in surroundings partially explains why there was no gain between these dates. His later weights were as follows: June 20th, 1,355 pounds; July 20th. 1.4430 pounds; August 20th, 1.525 pounds; September 20th. 1,565 pounds; October 20th, 1,700 pounds; November 20th, 1,825 pounds. From May 6th to November 20th, six and one half pounds, he therefore gained 550 pounds or an average gain of two and three-fourths pounds per day. For a steer of Challenger's age and flesh this was a remarkable gain for a summer period of that length. May 6th he was started on a ration consisting of 60 per cent corn, 20 per cent oats, 10 per cent bran and 10 per cent oil meal. September 26th his ration was changed to 50 per cent corn, 20 per cent oats, 10 per cent bran and 20 per cent oil meal. October 17th the bran was cut out and the oats increased to 30 per cent to counteract the laxative effects of 20 per cent oil meal ration. November 7th, for the sake of variety, three pounds of ground wheat was introduced. He was then under extremely high pressure feeding, consuming twenty-five pounds of grain per day, besides a few pounds of sugar beets and about eight pounds of alfalfa and prairie hay. Challenger was kept in a cool shed away from the files during the hot weather in company with two Angus steers of his own age, one of which won third in the college class and the other second in the carcass test. The feed for each meal was weighed out for the three together and the herdsman divided i<- among them as evenly as could be estimated. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 355 The average amount of feed consumed by each was as follows: 2,276 iJOiuKls of corn meal, worth $14.80; 613.5 pounds of oil meal, worth $6.90; ;514 ;; pounds of wheat bran, worth, $2.04; 878,9 pounds of oats, worth $8.23; forty pounds of ground wheat, worth 40c; 100 pounds of sugar beets, worth twenty-five cents. Total grain, 4,222.7 pounds, worth $32.62. We gave Challenger no condimental stock food, prepared sugar or cooked feed. His total cost to the university, not including freight and labor, foots up to $105.72. Had he sold for only six and one-quarter cents per pound in ('hicago he would have paid out. As it was he won $430 in prize money and sold for twenty-six cents per pound, bringing in all $879.80. No grand champion was ever produced without being well fed. On the other hand, not all well-fed animals can ever hope to become cham- pions. There must first be that conformation of body and inherent as- similative powers which make possible a rapid formation of flesh and a flesh placed evenly and thickly over those parts which command the highest prices. Barring a little lightness of flank, Challenger was excel- lent in conformation even in his 1,300-pound form. Had he not been good in conformation, with a hide showing every indication of thrift, he w^ould not have been taken from the herd of the original owners and shipped some distance to the university farm, the sole occupant of a freight car. He has been called a scrub, which some people have used as an argu- ment against good breeding. This is an injustice to Challenger and the breeding interests of the country. Challenger was not a pure-bred, but he possessed not less than 75 per cent of the blood of two most excellent beef breeds. His mother was a Shorthorn cow with enough Holstein blood to give her a blue-white color. 'It does not take much for that. She is quite ordinary in appearance. Challenger's sire was a registered Hereford bull of unusual individual merit. Challenger was a powerful example of what good pure-bred sires can do toward grading up common stock. This is the real object of all pure-bred breeding — the production of sires for the common stock of the country. The pure-bred is far more prepotent in transmitting characters to offspring than is the animal of mixed breeding. The little Holstein blood in Challenger's veins mani- fested itself in the blue tinge to his coat and his w^onderful assimilative pow^ers. He had many characters of the Angus in his well-rounded hips and evenly-curved back, but no trace of Angus breeding can be found. His horns were sawed off when young. Challenger was sold to Dunning &. Stevens, East Buffalo, N. Y. He was later purchased by Mr. Klinck. a meat dealer in Buffalo, who slaugh- tered him for exhibition. December 20. and afterwards presented him to the Buffalo Orphans' Asylum. Challenger dressed 1,135 pounds of meat, or 65.6 per cent of his live weight. A letter from Dunning & Stevens states: "A portion of all four leg joints and tail were removed with the hide by the taxidermist. Our experts here think with a fair weighing test he would have made 68 to 70 per cent of beef. He made a magnificent carcass of beef, by far the best 356 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. our cattlemen had ever seen, and you should feel proud of your effort and encouraged in your work." Challenger is being mounted for the St. Louis Exposition Commission to exhi])it at the World's Fair next summer, after which he is to be returned to the University of Nebraska for class-room illnstration. University of Nebraska. C. H(3RSES. BREAKING AND FITTING HORSES FOR SALE. John Buckler, Herdsman Iowa Experiment IStation. in Wallace's Farmer. The horse has always been recognized as man's closest companion, and it is a question as to whether the man ever lived who did not delight in driving or riding a good horse. This subject is of particular interest to every man who raises or handles horses. An old saying is that eggs and colts are much alike, for they must be broken before they can be used. The proper breaking of a colt determines in large part the future usefulness of the horse, and no man who has dealt in horses and experi- enced difficulties in iheir management will deny that there is much room for improvement in ■ hat line. Every day brings fresh illustrations of im- proper breaking. Less than a week ago a man drove down to the experi- ment station barn, driving a horse that had been handled for over two years that had not yet been taught to back. This is only one of the many similar cases. Besides the losses result iiig from improper breaking, thousands of dollars are lost to the farmers of this State every year by selling horses that have not been properly fitted for sale. It is a comparatively easy matter to fit horses for sale, and it can be done without taking them from their regular work, while to the farmer it means an increased re- turn of from fifty dollars to one hundred dollars per team. In breaking, the first thing to be considered is the nature of the horse. The dispositions of no two horses are exactly alike. As a rule there is a great difference in the dispositions of native and western horses. The native horse is much easier broken, not requiring so much time, but when a Western horse is thoroughly broken there is none more reliable. There is also a great difference in the draft temperament and those more highly bred, such as trotting and coach horses, the former requiring much less preparatory handling than the latter. After studying closely the disposition of the colt, the next step is to halter, and in this, as well as all other periods of the breaking, the per- son in charge should exercise a great deal of patience. The colt should be gotten into some shed or l)ox stall, preferably one with a ground floor, FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 357 so there will be no danger of slipping. Now. with halter, to which is attached fifteen feet of rope, gently work around the colt, caressing him as much as possible, so as to win his confidence, and when he sees you are not going to hurt him you can usually put the halter on without any trouI)le. Now, presuming this colt to be one that will pull on the halter, lake the loose end of the rope and pass it through a hole in the manger or around a post, back between the tore legs, around the girth, and tie. The colt is now tied by both head and body. Step l)ack and lot him fight it out, which will take only a short time. And v/hen tied in this way there is no danger of injury, as is sometimes the case when tied by the head only. As soon as he gives up pulling go to him and caress him, and by so doing give him to understand that you are his friend. It is well to leave him tied for some little time, after which he may be led. Now, loading is a very important part. A horse well broken to lead is more attractive, easier to handle, and will command a higher price in the market than one that is not. In training to lead, always teach the colt to walk beside you and never allow him to follow along behind, as is often done. This can be done by taking a whip in the left hand and touching him up a little from behind. A few lessons of this kind will teach him that the proper place for him is beside you and he will not want to be any place else. After being well trained to walk beside you, encourage him to trot. This can also be done by the use of the whip. It is well to have the lead shank in the mouth of the colt so he will not get away from you. 'In leading, keep the colt's head well up so as to make him look attractive and stylish; also keep his head as straighc ahead of him as possible. Do not make the lessons too long or tiresome, as short lessons, and often, are much better. After the colt is well broken to the halter so he will show to good advantage, the next step is to get him used to the bitting harness. This consists of an open bridle with check, surcingle, crupper, and side lines, which go from the surcingle to the bit to prevent him from turning his head to either side. Put this on him and check him up, not too high at first, but raising him a little each day untill the desired height to make him look attractive. For this lesson let him have a yard to go about as he pleases. When well accustomed to the bit and check put on long lines instead of the short side lines and teach him to drive, start and stop at the word, also to back. This is a very important part of the breaking. It is very easy to train a colt to back, but you must not get in too big a hurry or failure will likely be the result. Encourage him to back a step by pulling on the lines, at the same time telling him to back. As soon as he makes a step backwards, slacken on the lines and say "Whoa." Repeat this until he will back when told, which will take but a short time if properly done. The next step is to hitch in harness. This may be done either single or double. If single, they should be hitched in some kind of a breaking cart. This need not be one bought at a high price, but can be made by using two wheels, of a light wagon' with an axle to which attach two poles to act as shafts; arrange a seat, and the cart is ready for use. 358 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. This may not look very nice, but will answer the purpose all right and will often save the breaking of a good buggy. An open bridle is best, for when broken in an open bridle they will usually go all right in blinders. Always start a colt with an easy bit, for a severe bit that will irritate the mouth will often make them misbehave where they would otherwise go all right. When first hitching a colt always use a harness with a breech- ing, so they will get used to it along with the rest of the harness. Now- before hitching it is best to put the hopples on, and then, should he do anything wrong, you have something to protect yourself, and if he goes all right you do not need to use them. Some people object to the use of hopples, but they are very useful, as they will teach a colt to stand in a much shorter time than can otherwise be done. When hitching the first time, be sure and not frighten the colt, as success much depends on the first time Hitched. As soon as the colt is gotten into the shafts and everything is securely fastened, get on the cart and start the colt off as quietly as possible. Should he attempt to run or do anything out of place, a gentle pull on the hopples will straighten him up all right. Keep him at a moderate speed, stopping occasionally, and, above all things, do not overdo a colt. About two hours will be sufficient for the first lesson. Many people think they should wear a colt out just on the start, but this is a mistake. Kind treatment and moderate driving will accomplish more in less time. The colt should receive these lessons every day until thoroughly accustomed to driving. Should a colt have a tendency to shy, never whip him for it, for if you do he will shy worse next time. In getting a colt accustomed to the cars do not go too close at first, but gradually drive a little closer each time until he will finally stand quite close without fear. Should a colt get his tail over the line do not pull on the line, for if you do he will soon learn to grip it, and cause trouble. .Just slacken it, and you can usually get it out without any trouble. In teaching a colt to back when hitched, do it in much the same way as when driving with the lines, being careful not to expect him to back too quick. In bringing a colt in after being driven never do up the lines first, then the tugs, and last the hold backs; but always do up the tugs first, then the holdbacks, and, last, the lines. So much for the colt in single harness. Now a few words about hitching double. It is best to hitch with some well broken horse that is a good walker and never with some lazy old skin that has to be whipped to get to move out of his tracks. A colt that has any life or snap in him wilj in nine times out of ten be utterly ruined. Use much in the same way as when hitched single. If colts are heavy enough, it is well to do some light work as they will learn just as fast and. besides, will pay for the handling, and even light horses often make better horses if used at some light work. In teaching a colt to draw, load light at first and keep increasing the load as you see he is able to handle it; encourage him to go up on the line and start easy, and be sure and not put a load behind him that he can not handle, neither put him in a place where he has not good footing. After being nicely FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 359 started, the object should be to keep them going nicely, using care not to undo anything that has been done. In preparing horses for sale, however, breaking, while important, is only half the battle. The merchant seeks to arrange his goods in such a way as to be attractive to his customers; the successful horticulturist considers it very important to pack his fruit in neat, attractive packages; while the butter-maker is also taught to lay special emphasis on packing his products in like manner. No live stock breeder expects to win prizes in the show ring unless his stock is in show condition. And with even more truth we may say that no farmer can expect to receive an adequate return for the colts he has raised and broken unless he fits them in such condition as to meet the requirements of the market. The market de- mands horses of mature age, and it matters not whether they are trot- ting, coach, or draft horses; they must be in high flesh to bring what they really should. Farmers as a general rule fail to recognize this last fact and thousands of dollars are lost to the farmers of every county in this State from this cause alone. Every reader can recall instances, either on your own farms or your neighbors', where losses have occurred from this very cause. A horse is not recognized on the market as mature until five years old, and for a farmer to sell his draft horses before they are this age is sheer folly, for they can be broken when two or three years old, and can easily pay for their keep from then until they are mature. In discussing the fitting of horses for sale we will suppose that we are taking our horses in the fall four and a half years old, and expect to sell them in the si>ring. The first thing to be done is to prepare comfort- able stalls, which should be kept well bedded. Should there be a number of horses, arrange them, in their stalls so as to best attract the eye of visitors or buyers who may happen to visit the farm. It is not necessary to keep them idle, they are just as well doing a moderate day's work; but under no consideration overwork or overdrive. It is a common prac- tice to take horses out that have not been driven for some time and let them go as fast as they want to. A horse will do better to work or drive at a reasonable pace every day in the week than to get a half day's overwork or overdrive. If they are not needed for work, they should be driven about two hours for exercise every day, but under no considera- tion turn them out into the stalk field and let them stay all day in all kinds of wet, cold and stormy weather. There is no objection to them running in the stalk fields, but it should not be for more than two hours each day. Always water before feeding, and never after until a period of two hours has elapsed. Alv/ays keep salt within their reach. Hay should be fed in small quantities. Many horses are ruined by feeding too much hay, as it makes them pot-bellied, and, if not of the best quality, is bad for their wind. About three-fourths of a pound per day for every 100 pounds of weight of horse is enough. For instance, a 1,600-pound horse should get twelve pounds per day. For light horses even less will do. The grain ration should consist of corn, oats and bran, mixed in the pro- 360 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. portions of fifty ix)unds of corn and oats and twenty-five pounds of bran, and of this mixture they should be given about one pound to one and one eighth pounds for every one hundred pounds weight of horse, divided in three feeds. For instance, a 1,600-pound horse should get eighteen pounds per day. This is approximately correct. There are cases, how- ever, when it would be necessary to feed a little more or a little less. About two quarts of bran with a handful of oil meal added, and made into a mush and fed about eight o'clock in the evening, will be very beneficial, as is also a feed of carrots once a day. Always see that they clean their feed up well and are ready for the next meal. Grooming is very important. A horse with a sleek, glossy coat is much more attractive than one with long, dry hair. They should receive a good cleaning at least once a day of head, neck and body, and not neglecting the feet and legs. The mane should be kept well brushed over so as to give the neck a neat appearance. Do not use a curry comb on the mane, as it tends to cut the hair and thus gives the neck a rough appearance. The singer can usually be used to good advantage to do away with the long hairs around the belly and throat. In light horses a great improvement can be made by clipping the legs as far as the knee in front and as far as the hock behind. This requires to be neatly done, well tapered off at the knee and hock, so as to look as smooth as pos- sible. The hair in the ears should also be clipped out and the mane pulled. The feet should also receive attention by keeping them trimmed and well leveled. A few hours put on a horse in this way will add much to his appearance, as well as several dollars to the selling price. When the horse is nearly ready for sale, give him occasional lessons in the halter practice. Teach him to trot up well with a graceful carriage of his head, and when about to stand him for a buyer to look over always select a spot so as to have his front feet the highest . Just imagine what a horse would look like with his front feet in a hollow! It is quite often done, nevertheless. If they are to be shown in harness, have it well fit- ted. See that the blinders are not too low, giving an untidy appearance to the head, and that the crupper strap is not too long, so as to let the back-band too far up on the withers, thus making the back look too long Also see that the breeching does not hang too low, giving a slouchy appearance to the hind quarters. In showing horses in harness have them taught to drive up, also to stand with their heads well up, and when about to stand them have a spot in your eye where their front feet will be on a raise. THE HORSE'S HEAD. Homestead. When examining a horse and especially one intended for breeding purposes the head should be given particular attention. It may seem to many beginners that there is little of moment about the head. Lex us see! It cannot be denied that in man the face speaks for itself in a FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 361 majority of instances. It is so with horses to a certain degree. For in- stance one comes to the conclusion that a work horse is obstinate if the profile is bold and of Roman conformation. He says when he sees too much "white" in the eye, "Look out! He's unruly or a runaway." Then, too, we judge when the ears are drooping that the horse is either a "dummy" from brain trouble or a "loafer" from constitutional "weari- ness" and dislike for work. If, on the other hand, the ears are set and no attention is paid to sound we conclude that the animal is deaf or if the ears are constantly on the move we suspect that the eyes are at fault. Coming to the close examination of the head we like to see breadth between the eyes as an indication of brains and intelligence. Your narrow-browed, long-visaged horse is a weak, silly beast and usually lacks stamina for work and to withstand exposure. It is so surely if his nostrils are small and tightly shut. On the other hand, wide, clean, thin, flexible, dilated nostrils bespeak vigor, vim, "staying" powers and good lung development. With the lazy disposition we are apt to find a flabby, hanging lower lip, meatiness of face, dull, or shrunken eyes and eyelids and general coarseness of conformation. In the horse of quality, be he of light or heavy breed, the muzzle is fine, lips firmly shut, face lean and clean-cut and eyes bright, prominent and alert. 'In the latter horse, too, the ear, like the eye, is alert, fine in texture, pointed and erect. If the ears are held back during examination look out for meanness or vice; they should when erect form a practically straight line with the face, but in mares there is a slight tendency to dish face and in stallion, to the opposite conformation. Let us get back to the eye. While it should be bright, that bright- ness may be due to "amaurosis" or paralysis of the optic nerve, causing incurable blindness. When a horse suffering from this disease is led from a dark place into the light the pupil of the eye does not become less. In a sound eye the pupil should dilate in the dark and contract in the light and have an elliptical shape. In amaurosis and cataract or blindness from periodic opthalmia the pupil retains a spherical contour. In such cases, too, the eyelids are seen to be wrinkled, and the orifice of the eye less than in health. The latter signs of unsoundness are of great importance, seeing that they are indications of a former attack or two of periodic opthalmia (moon blindness) which comes and goes until it finally causes total blindness of one or both eyes. Where the disease has run its course the eye appears to be milky in color and any trace of scum on the eyeball may be considered suspicious. Look, too, at the inner can thus or corner of the eye and seo that there is no enlargement of the "haw" (membrana nictitans) or running of tears over the face, as this may indicate obliteration or stoppage of the lacrimal duct, the cause of no end of trouble during hot weather and fly time. Stand in front of the horse and note the contour of the head below the eyes. In this posi- tion it is easy to notice bulging of one or both sides, denoting trouble in teething in young colts, the presence of ^ diseased molar or chronic catarrh in older horses, or "big head" (osteoporosis) in cases where the teeth are not at fault and where there is found a thickened condi- tion of the bones of one of the lower jaws as compared with the other. 362 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. A scar under the eye, having a circular shape, should suggest that the treiJhine has been used for the punching out of a diseased molar tooth in upper jaw and cause the examiner to open the mouth and inspect the - teeth. A pronounced •"dent" in the bones of the face should lead one to examine for fractures, chronic catarrh or "nasal gleet" and is often seen in glanders, in which case an examination of the lining membrane of the partition between the nostrils (septum nasi) will disclose the presence of ulcers or a "mouse-bitten" appearance, as it is often called, together with a discharge of a sticky nature from one or both nostrils and grape- like tumors between the jawbones. There should be no discharge from the nostrils, and the lining membrane should be a healthy pink in color. If purple spots are seen the horse is either coming down with an attack of purpura haemorrhagica (anasarca) or has recently had a severe attack of colic or some inflammatory disease. When examining this part run the finger into the false nostril over each true nostril for the location of cysts or tumors which may interfere with breathing or cause other trouble and always see to it that one nostril has not been plugged with a sponge to hide broken wind. Examine top of head between, and back of ears for evidences of "poll evil" or scars telling of a previous attack; examine base of ear and its edge for discharging fistula of the bursa mucosae, or fistula proceeding from a supernumerary tooth. See that the throat-latch is clean cut, that the glands under the ear are not enlarged or scarred and that there is no tumor on each side of windpipe at throat or on windpipe lower down where a tracheotomy tube has been used during a bad attack of laryngitis, possibly leaving the horse a "roarer." Apart from soimdness and returning to good conformation of the head see that the jaws are wide. Some horses have "scissor mouth" from abnormal narrowness of the upper jaw. but more often we find undue narrowness of the lower jaw. making proper mastication of food impossible and giving the horses stiff action of the head. Then, too, the teeth should come together properly in front. "Parrot mouth" is caused by projection of the upper jaw over the under jaw and the opposite con- dition is occasionally seen. In stallions the head should have a bold. masculine appearance, but in mares we wish to see docility, sweetness of temper and maternal love indicated by softer contour and placidity of expression. THE LEGS OF DRAFT HORSES: Dr. A. N. Alexander in Homestead. Continuing our hints to the beginner in the breeding of draft horses some points relative to the quality of legs to be chosen and bred for will prove of interest and importance. While every engine must have a capa- ble and adequate boiler for tjie generation of steam and every horse a fully developed body for the consumption of food and furnishing of force the "working parts" of both machine and animal are of first importance. The material entering into the formation of these parts must be of first FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — -PART VI. 363 clasy quality and every part must have its proper relation to its neigh- boring parts so that the whole may work harmoniously and well. So in examining a horse it will be well lor us to pay special attention to the feet and legs. To a novice in the business all legs look alike, to a certain degree, but when we come to make a close investigation and compare parts and relationships we find that there is a great diversity of type and cpiality in different horses and different breeds. In every horse, how- evei', there are necessary qualities of foot and limb irrespective of breed. It is said, for instance, that "no foot no horse," but every horse has feet and most of them have fairly good ones provided they are set on good legs. It is the leg, then, that we shall first consider. It is a common saying that a horse should have "flat bone." This is but partially correct, for there is no such thing as flat bone in the legs of a horse. The leg bones are like the blade of a razor in shape v/ith the back of the blade turned to the front and the thin edge to the back. Such a bone presents a flat surface looked at from the side, but cut through a section will have an eliptical shape. When the leg appears to be round that fact is caused by lack of development of back tendons and the presence of a surplus covering of coarse tis- sue. What we are after is a '"flat leg." This is denoted by a clean, practically tissueless bone from the back of which the tendons stand out distinctly and so that they can be readily grasped in the hand. From such a tendon and bone in the best draft horses of the Clydes- dale breed and the improved English Shire the hair should grow as a silky fringe. Such hair or "feather," as it is often called, should not hide the bone and tendons nor surround the leg. Neither should it be coarse and kinky, like the dead horse hair stuffing of a sofa, or be so profuse in growth as to be plainly a nuisance. Hair of the right quality is a sure evidence of a flat, compact "gun-metal" bone and as a rule goes along with clean, well-marked tendons. Such bone is seen in the best class of the breeds mentioned, but is by no means a spe- cial possession of these breeds. It should be seen in every draft horse whether accompanied by "feather" or not. When coarse, gummy, kinky hair is seen about the legs of a draft horse and its presence can not be successfully explained by the lack of care of the owner, look out! The entire animal is apt to correspond in coarseness to that of the hair. He is likely to be sluggish, dull, gross, unimpressive as a breeder and apt to beget progeny prone to grease and other kindred evils and ailments. Given to a clean bone and well developed tendon see to it that there is enough of such bone in comparison with the weight of the superimposed body. See that the joints are large, clean and properly set. The knees should be wide and ample and the hocks clear of all excrescences, puffs, fillings and adipose tissue. When we find a clean leg and good joints the spring of the pas- terns should be the next consideration, for no matter how nice may be the quality of the bone and tendons these good qualities are largely destroyed by a steep pastern which makes the action stilty, stiff and 364 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. sure to cause trouble from severe concussion. We require oblique pasterns to offset concussion — to gradually or easily convey the con- cussion from the foot to the pillar of leg bones above it. Looking at the profile of the leg the angle of the front of the hoof should be ex- actly that of the pastern. Any serious departure from an angle of 45 degrees is to be considered a grave error not to be set right by par- ing or shoeing and to be rejected if possible in breeding, A springy pastern possessed by a horse having clean bone and well-marked ten- dons with or without the fine hair alluded to al)ove may be taken as indicative of free, straight action. Action and quality go together and it remains in examining a horse to see that this is the case when he is moved at • a walk and trot. If his legs are properly set and his joints under proper control he will go and come without '•paddling," or "'wobbling." The feet will be carried in a straight line and rise and fall rhythmically, showing the shoe soles both fore and aft. A plummet line dropped from the center of the elbow joint should cross the center of the knee and pas- tern joint and back of the foot and the same line hung from the hip joint should cross the center of the foot and divide the gaskin in the middle. By this rule it will be eas'y to notice whether a leg good or bad is in or out of the proper position and whether the hind leg is crooked or sickle-hocked, hence prone to curbs and other ailments. Learn to look first at the feet and legs of every horse and soon it will be natural to make instant comparisons and to distinguish in d.epartures from the normal or ideal type kept ever in mind by the trained judge of horses. We arrive at all information as to soundness and correct judgment by a negative process. In other words, we look for possibilities regarding unsoundness or departure from good type and not finding them conclude that the more or less perfect condition or conformation is there. In addition to this manner of approximat- ing good points we acquire a faculty of '-'sensing" quality and valuing parts. Such proficiency requires time, a correct eye, constant study and experience, but it is based at the outset on understanding of qual- ity and bone, hair and tendon together with a mathematical knowl- edge of angles as they apply to pasterns and hocks, to say nothing of the knees and set of the shoulders. In breeding ever endeavor to improve types possessed, for many otherwise noble specimens of the draft breeds are woefully deficient in slope of pastern while others have good pasterns and poor feet. Good feet should be dense in structure, well developed, but not over- sized, wide in heel, concave in sole, free from cracks, mealiness and rings and having large, well developed frogs in contact with the ground. TREATMENT OF SUNSTROKE OF HORSES. Br. A. S. Alexander, Wisconsin. During periods of excessive heat, when work horses in the fields or upon the streets are liable to suffer from sunstroke or overheating, FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 365 much may be done by the owner to lessen the likelihood of an attack. Seeing that affected horses are usually those that are sick or soft, every possible means should be taken to prevent indigestion and fit the animal to withstand lal)or in hot weather. Horses under five years of age are more apt to suffer than seasoned, adult animals; hence should be worked lightly during hot weather, as should new purchases and horses being acclimated in a new location. Indigestion, the common forerunner of sunstroke, is indicated by dullness, sluggishness, thick urine, panting at light labor, sweating in stable and the changeable character of the manure, which is normal some days, and again clay- colored, mucouS' covered, or an undigested, offensive mass. When so affected it is extremely dangerous to work the animal in extra hot weather. The symptoms of overheating are: the horse lags, requires urging, may pass soft manure and gas, sweats, but dries off suddenly, be- comes weak, staggers, pants, has dilated nostrils, red eyelids and lin- ings of nostrils, anxious countenance, weak, rapid pulse, high fever, and falls. In sudden attacks may fall at once, show above symptoms and die in a few minutes or hours after period of madness or uncon- sciousness and loud snoring. Following bad attacks the brain becomes softened and the animal stands with head jammed in corner, is blind, for- gets to chew food and remains stupid, weak and useless in hot w^eather. Less severe attacks recovered from unfit horse for work in warm weather. Do not bleed or allow bleeding to be done. Do not give aconite, belladonna, acetanilid. They are highly dangei^ous in amateur hands. Do not put ice pack on the head, as it tends to produce softening of the brain. Stop work immediately, remove harness, get horse into a shady place under a tree where there is a breezre or draft of air. Ad- minister half a pint of whiskey in equal quantity of water, or two ounces alcohol well diluted with water, or two ounces sweet spirits of nitre and one ounce aromatic spirits of ammonia in one quart water. Repeat in half above doses hourly initil horse revives. Add four ounces of granulated hyposulphite of soda if he is bloated. Tap with trocar and canula high in right flank if bloating is excessive, and in bloated cases give rectal injections of soapy warm w^ater hourly. High fever may be detected by hand in horse's mouth or use of thermometer in rectum. If it is 108 degrees or over, give one ounce saltpeter dis- solved in pint water, in addition to stimulants prescribed above and repeat in six hours. From start of treatment keep cool, wet packs to poll of head and sprinkle entire body with cold water from a sprink- ling can held a foot above body. On recovery feed lightly upon bran mashes and a little grain, and allow rest for two weeks. Do not work again in hot weather during season of attack. Wherei symptoms of brain softening remains after at- tack, give one drachm iodide of potash three or four times daily in a little water according to severity of symptoms and continue cold wet packs to head. Feed soft light easily digested food. 366 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. D. SHEEP. THRIFT THE GREAT ESSENTIAL IN SHEEP FEEDING. Jacol) ZeigJer, Clinton. III., in Bulletin Missouri i about $12.00 per day for about eleven days, with the result of four hun- dred and twenty-five tons of silage at thirty-one cents per ton, or $3.1v per acre for the two fifths of the crop that would be in the old way to go to waste. A test at one of the experiment stations has shown that an acre of average corn put through the silo will make as much beef as $32.90 worth 'of feed fed in the usual way. Two fifths of this is $13.12. making pretty good returns for an outlay of $3.10. Black Hawk County, Iowa. RAPE GROWN IN GRAIN FOR PASTURE. Prof. Thomas Shaic, in American Sheep Breeder. This method of growing rape pastures in the West is becoming very popular, so much so that many farmers in grain-growing areas now sow rape in nearly all the grain they grow. They then purchase lambs and bring them from the West, or they gather them up where they can. and make them ready for market on the grazing furnished by the rape. The methods of sowing are various, and by many are not well understood. A discussion of the question, therefore, should prove helpful to some at least. The rape plant can not by any means be grown thus with equal suc- cess on all kinds of land. On stiff, hard clay it would make but little FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 399 growth, even though a stand of the plants could be obtained. The same is true of infertile soils too poor to grow a crop of grain other than rye, in good form. Then there are grain-growing lands on the border of the semi-arid country and elsewhere in which the soil is so light as to lift with the winds, on such soils it is not easy to get a good stand of the plants should the season turn dry. But on the average prairie soils under average conditions, a stand of the plants may be obtained almost any season. Some growers sow the seed on these soils along with the grain. The plan is excellent in a season of normal growth, unless the soil be very rich. When sown thus thfe seed is just mixed with the grain. Usually it is mixed in the grain box. A bag of grain is put into the grain box and then' a little seed, enough for an acre or so is poured along the grain from end to end of the box, and a little mixing follows with the hands. This means a little delay in sowing, but it is not a serious delay. On soils consisting mainly of clay this plan would noi work very well. The seed would be buried so deeply that it would not' come up. but it is not so with prairie soils. It will come up readily even though buried two and a half to three inches deep. With drills which have a grass seed attachment the seed may be sown in' fine form the same as grass seed. The attachment should be in front of the grain tubes. In a normal season and on average prairie soils, the rape plants will remain so small as not to injure the grain, while it is being grown, or to interfere with the harvesting of the same. But in a season of much growth, the rape plants become so large as to make the cutting and cur- ing of the grain more or less troublesome. This will be so in all. or nearly all, instances in which the grain lodges, and it will be so in many instances in a barley crop whether it should stand or lodge, since the shade furnished by the barley is not so dense as the shade furnished by oats. Because of this hazard that the rape-plants may thus give trouble in harvesting the grain, some are beginning to practice sowing the rape seed a little later. Happily, this is being made entirely practicable on prairie soils, but the introduction of the weeder. This implement is surely a godsend to the farmers who live on the weedy, grain-growing prairies of the West, if they will only use it as they may. It is the firm conviction of the writer that if farmers will run the weeder once or twice over their grain fields at the proper season they will add many bushels in the aggregate to the yields of the crop. This makes it easily possible to sow the rape seed a little later than the sowing of the grain, and to cover it with the weeder. As the weeder will far more than pay for its use in the benefit resulting to the crop, the covering to the rape seed comes without any cost. But of course the seed must needs be sown by hand or by a hind machine. When thus sown, the rape plants do not get so large as to injure the grain crop. On. the other hand, should dry weather follow, the hazard of failure to get a stand of the plants is increased. Rape seed may not only be sown on spring crops, but it may also be sown bn winter crops, such as winter wheat or winter rye, and in the' 400 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. South also on winter oats and winter barley. "When sown' on these the seeding should not be done too early. When thus sown the harrow should be used to cover the same. Because of the impaction of the soil the weeder will not ordinarily provide a sufficient covering. The harrowing thus given to the grbund, if judiciously done, will also be peculiarly helpful to the grain crop. When rape seed is thus sown on winter grain crops, it should produce pasture both early and ample when the grain is cut, since it is removed so early in the season. The amount of seed to sow varies. It runs all the way from one to twio pounds. On good soil the smaller amount of seed is sown. On ..oil not so good the larger. It would probably be correct to say that one and a half pounds would be an average amount to sow. No advantage fol- lows over-thick sowing, especially in a dry season, as the plants in the contention for moisture do not grow as large as when they do not grow too thickly. In some seasons the amount of pasture thus furnished is very great. In other seasons, as when the drought is excessive, the results may be disappointing. In fact the stand of the plants may entirely fail, but this does not often happen. Under some conditilons an acre of such pasture will grow rape enough to fatten half a dozen sheep and lambs. The pas- ture is also less liable to produce bloat than rape grown by itself, sinco other plants grow up in the rape and these will be eagerly eaten by the sheep. All weed seeds growing in such pastures will be consumed. There are some objectitons to the system, especially in' the West. To be effective fencing is wanted. On. many grain-growing farms there are virtually no fences. It is the custom also to plough much of the land intended for grain, at least in the Northwest, as soon as practicable after harvest. Where this is done it does not give time for rape plants to develop or tio be grazed down after harvest. Moreover, where lands are sown to grass it would not be a gclod plan to sow rape thus for grazing, as the close cropping in the autumn' w'ould be much against the safe wintering of the young grass plants. Nevertheless the opportunity is furnished for growing almost endless pastures for autumn grazing in this way. Some farmers, for instance, in Minnesota, who sow five hundred acres or thereabouts to grain, fatten more than one thousand lambs upon the rape gnown thus upon the same every season or almost every season. In fact they look upon the revenues produced froin the rape as being in itself quite a profit and is obtained without lessening the fertility of the land. It is alsoi very beneficial because of the influence which it exerts on the destruction of weeds. SOWING SORGHUM. Homestead. To those who are not familiar with the merits of sorghum we will say that the crop yields abundantly if properly put in and that the hay or fodder is relished by all kinds of farm animals. The argument is FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 401 sometimes made that where one has an abundant supply of corn fodder there is little need for putting in a crop like sorghum, and, while to a certain extent this is true, yet there is always some advantage in having a variety of fodders to feed during the winter. Sorghum is a southern plant and should not be sown until the soil is warm. Generally speaking, it is just as well to delay seeding until after the corn crop is in. As the seed is comparatively small it will alway:, pay to thoroughly prepare the ground. A clover meadow plowed in the spring and afterwards thoroughly worked down with the disc and harrow makes a most excellent seed bed for sorghum. In case the soil is rich there is more or less danger of lodging, but as sorghum is a gross feeder the yield will be about in proportion to the supply of available fertility. Where the aim is to secure the greatest possible weight per acre we believe it will generally pay to add a little farm yard manure unless the soil is naturally very rich. The crop may be put in in rows about the same distance apart as corn rows, in which case the ordinary grain drill is used and the seed sown very thickly in the row. As the seed is small, it will require only a few quarts of seed to sow an acre in this fashion. When the crop is seeded in rows it is usually cultivated much in the same way as corn, and it may be harvested with the ordinary corn binder. Possibly the greater ease in harvesting is the best argument that can be given for sowing the crop in rows, the disadvantage of this method being that the stems of the sorghum will not be so small as if the seed is sown broad-, cast and a larger amount used per acre. Where no drill is at hand we would advise using at least eighty pounds of seed per acre, and so much the better if one hundred and twenty pounds of seed per acre can be used, because the fodder in this case will grow much finer, and on account of this there will be much less waste when it is fed. Care should be taken to insure a good cover- ing of soil, and unless the season is unusually wet it will be advisable to cover the seed to a depth of two or three inches. If the soil is fairly firm and fine on the surface we would much prefer discing in the seed to harrowing it. When sorghum is sown broadcast in this manner it is necessary to cut with a mower, or in case the soil is light it may be pos- sible to handle it with the ordinary self-binder, in which case it may be shocked similar to a grain crop. FARMING ON $100 LAND. Wallaces' Farmer. It has been a long time since farmers west of the Mississippi have made as much money on paper as they have made in the last two years. They have seen their land advance on an average of about twenty dol- lars per acre without crooking a finger or winking an eye. A man with a half section can easily count himself six thousand dollars richer with- 26 402 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. oiit exuding a drop of sweat or soiling his hands. All this makes the western farmer exceedingly hopeful and optimistic and he is prepared to listen to the prophecies of the city editor who tells him that every acre of good land in Iowa will soon be worth one hundred dollars and land in the adjoining states will increase in the same proportion to its present value. A good many who are skeptical on this point have embraced the opportunity and cashed in; that is, have sold their lands at high prices and invested in cheaper lands, hoping for a similar streak of good luck some time in the future, or put it out at interest, or let it lie as a heavy mortgage at interest on the land sold. Without repeating what we have said before as to the causes of this advance, it may be well to remark that whether land will remain at the present prices depends after all on its productive value; that is, on its ability to pay the rate of interest which other first class securities, such as railway or city bonds, bring in the market. If it can be so farmed that it will produce this amount of income either as rent or interest plus the labor and care involved in looking after it. then it will remain at that price; that is, land that will yield four dollars per acre on the investment is worth one hundred dollars as long as first mortgages on railroads yield 4 per cent. If, however, the railroads should be compelled to pay iy., per cent, then the land must pay four and one half dollars per acre to be worth one hundred dollars. Many of our readers may not see the connection between land and railroad bonds. The connection is just this: Money will seek invest- ment where it can get the highest rate of interest with undoubted secur- ity and will change from one investment to another provided it can secure a greater return. The price, therefore, which land maintains per- manently will depend on the net income that it yields. It is, therefore, very easy to see that if land is to maintain the pres- ent high prices, it must yield in average years a greater return than it has in the past. Therefore, if these paper values are to be made real by the men who still own their farms, they must do a good deal better farm- ing than they have done in the past. It is needless to say that any sys- tem of farming that allows land to lose its fertility and become less pro- ductive must sooner or later fall in price, and the farmer will find these paper values vanish if he holds his land and fails to farm it in such a way that it will yield the largest possible returns. This opens up a sub- ject entirely too wide for discussion in any one issue. We have room only for a suggestion or two. If the farmer so improves his methods that for ten years to come the land produces ten bushels of corn per acre more than it has done in the ten years past, he will have more than covered the increase in price. We are having the boys figure that out, therefore, we will not state how much an average yield of ten bushels additional per acre puts into the actual price of the land. The same may be said of land in wheat, if he can so improve his seed bed and his seed that instead of growing fifteen bushels, as in the past, he can grow twenty bushels in the future he need not fear that his paper profits will vanish. If he can so improve the breeding of his cattle by the purchase of thoroughbred sires and grading FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI. 403 up, these cattle will give twenty per cent more for the corn and grass they consume and he has nailed down his paper profits so long as he se- cures these results. Another way of nailing down these paper profits is to study the bal- anced ration and learn how to get the full feeding value of every kind of grJain or grass grown on the place. In short, whether land retains its present high prices or not depends more on the farmer than on anything else. The rise or fall in interest may affect him, the general prosperity of the country may affect hint, the mutations of politics may change more or less the value of his land from year to year, but if he can increase the actual productiveness of his farm in bushels and tons in proportion to the increase in prices during the last two years, he need be in no hurry to cash in and move to town, live on the interest of the money and possibly shorten his days. For a man who has been active, energetic and pushing can not afford to quit until he is from sixty to seventy years of age, and even then he ought to Keep in close touch with the farm and the boys. SMUT IN OATS. Wallaces' Farmer. We do not know that we can add anything to what wfe have been saying during the past year. Buy a pound of formalin, which, as our old readers know, is a 40 per cent solution of formaldehyde, and can usually be bought at the drug store. Put a pound of this solution into from forty to fifty gallons of water, spread your oats in a thin layer on the barn floors, and sprinkle them with a common sprinkling can or a spray- ing machine, using from one to two gallons per bushel of grain, then put on more oats and sprinkle again, then shovel them into a long pile, say eighteen inches deep, and over this spread gunny sacks or any other covering convenient, and let it remain over night. The next day spread out on the floor, so as to dry out. This treatment should not be undertaken in freezing weather. It should be attended to, however, in good weather in March, or at least pre\ious to the time of sowing. Treated in this way, and dried out by shoveling around, they can be sown as usual. When we began investi- gating this subject, we were of the opinion that oats from seed treated this year would not need treatment next. In this, however, we were mis- taken. This treatment, if the formalin is fresh and properly applied, will almost, if not entirely free it from smut. The oats will grow much more vigorously than that not treated, and will yield from five to fifteen bushels more per acre. It is foolish for any man to sow oats without first treating them for smut, the fact being that smut destroys from 10 to 20 per cent of the untreated oats sown in any of these central states every year, and sometimes as high as 30 per cent. Not one farmer in ten understands the amount of loss he suffers from not treating his oats now that an easy method has been devised. 404 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. We did not much blame farmers for not treating their entire seed crop for smut when there was no method available except the Jensen hot water treatment. This is effective, but it requires very particular work, must be done the day before sowing, and as oats treated with hot water cannot be sown through an ordinary drill, to treat an entire crop in this way would involve labor which the farmer cannot spare. The formalin treatment costs but little except careful work, can be done in advance, is equally effective, and the time has gone when there is any excuse for sowing untreated oats. If our readers do not belie^'e this, let them go ahead the old way, and after their oats head out, let them go into the field with a hoop off an old bucket, let it drop into the standing grain, then count the entire number of stalks enclosed within the hoop, then count the number of sick heads. To these add the number of undeveloped heads which show weakness, and they will learn something that will be to their advantage ever after. Just now, for the sake of new subscribers, we will say again that the oats smut is sown with the grain, that the smut spores cannot be discov- ered with the naked eye, that when the oats germinate they germinate, that the smut plant grows inside the oats stalk and by the time the oats head out and are forming seed, these smut plants take possession of more or less of the heads, blight them, and are blown by the wind into the rest of the field and into the neighbors' fields. The smut growing in the oats plant so weakens it that in many cases it does not make its full growth, in some cases does not head at all, and in other cases sends up a very short, immature head. The time for birth came, but there was not strength enough to bring forth. Any man who will try the experiment and notice the superior thrift of his treated oats, the scarcity of undeveloped heads, the vigorou.-> growth and greater yield, will be convinced of what we are now trying to tell him and which he must either take on faith or learn by his own experience. This smut treatment is no longer experimental. AVe have published numbers of letters from men who have tried it over large sec- tions of the country and in only one case was failure reported and this was due to formalin that had been standing a long time and was of insuf- ficient strength. If farmers in any neighborhood will adopt this method, it will not be difficult to secure the services of an efficient druggist who will prepare the formalin, have it fresh, and sell it at a reasonable price. It is well to state that this treatment is not efficient for corn nor for the loose smut in wheat. An efficient remedy for these has not yet been discovered. The stinking smut, that is the smut in wheat that leaves the grain apparently all right in shape but a mass of black spores, can be prevented by the use of sulphate of copper, or blue stone, in which very few wheat growers need instruction. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 405 THE APPLE ORCHARD. Farmers' Tribune, The census bureau collects a vast fund of information about the re- sources and prfoductions of the United States, which show us just what we are doing along certain Ines of industry. While we are made familiar with the production of the grains and live stock, the output of our fac- tories and the extent of our foreign and domestic commerce, but few people have any conception of the extent and value tof the apple crop of the United States. From the statistics of our exports last year, we learn that 459,719 barrels of fresh apples and 15.664,468 pounds of dried apples were ex- ported, with a total valuation of $2,819,479. From the census report, we learn that there were in 1900, 210,000,000 trees in the commercial or- chards of the United States and these dlo not include the trees in the vil- lages and gardens of the country, but only those which are kept for rais- ing apples, to be sold in the markets of the country. There was, a great impetus in raising apples from 1890 to 1900, the increase in apple trees being over 75.000,000, and the yield from the com- mercial orchards for the year 1890 was over 175,000,000 bushels. Divid- ing the country into districts, we find that the North Atlantic states have 29,500,z00 trees; the South Atlantic States, 25,500,000; the North Central States, 92,000,000; the Southern Central States, 31,000,000, and the rest of the country 13.000,000. This gives the North and South Central districts 123,205,000 trees — nearly three fifths of all the apple trees in the country. The principal apple growing states have the following number of trees: No. of Trees. New York * 15,054,832 Ohio 12,952,625 Pennsylvania 11,774,211 Michigan 10,927,899 Misslouri 20,040,400 Illinois 13,430,006 Virginia 8,190,025 Kentucky 8.757,238 Indiana 8,624,539 Arkansas 7,486,145 Kansas 11,848,070 North Carolina 6,438,871 Tennessee 7,714,053 West Virginia 5.441,112 Iowa 6,869,588 Total in fifteen states 201,794,764 406 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. These states during the last two years produced the following number of bushels of apples: - 1901 1902 New York 13,628,082 36,166,833 Ohio 16,935,774 14,726,760 Pennsylvania 14,507.153 19,814,648 Michigan 8,060,191 16,991,754 Virginia 12,975,112 7.533,936 Missouri 6,125,196 10,023,048 Illinois 5u648.096 9,354,659 Kentucky 8,226,819 5,898,474 Indiana 7,561,650 6,351,786 West Virginia 7,351,548 5,333.476 Tennessee 7,089,150 5,529,537 Arkansas 3,798,850 5,318,390 Kansas 3.649,422 5,461,024 North Carolina 8,065.280 7,561,200 Iowa 3,129,875 5,724,350 Total number of bushels 126,752,198 161,789,875 Total number of barrels 42,250,732 53,929,958 The years 1901 and 1902 were poor apple years, the cropi in the for- mer year being only 42 per cent of an average crop, and in the latter, 54 per cent. In the year 1900 these same states raised 207,402,004 bushels, or 69,134,001 barrels, and that year the crop was only 69 per cent of an average crop. From the above tables it will be seen that it is not always the State that has the most trees that raises the most apples. Thus Missouri has almost twice as many trees as has Pennsylvania, and yet it only raises about half as many apples. This can be acounted for from the fact that mbst of the trees in Missouri are young trees, while those in Pennsyl- vania are large trees. The same thing will be seen in comparing Missouri and New York. Missouri has a third more trees than New York, and produces less than one third as many apples. Michigan and Missouri present the same conditions. Iowa only has three tenths as many trees as Missouri, and raises over half as many apples. There is a great differences in the different parts of the same State as to their adaptability to raise apples. Thus certain parts of Illinois, Missouri, Michigan and our State and adaepted to apple raising, v/hile other parts will not grow them successfully. So well has this been as- certained, that there are now thirty-five counties in the United States which have over 400.000 trees each, while other counties in the same states do not have enough to supply the home demand. The following are the ten counties in the United States which have the most trees: No. of Trees. Bentbn county, Arkansas 1,613,365 Washington county. Arkansas 1 .555,146 Niagara county, New York 929,086 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI. 407 No. of Trees. Wayne county, New York 796,610 Marion county, New York 795,188 Monroe county, New York 789,409 Clay county. New York 751,727 Erie county. New York 631,283 Orleans county. New York 604,401 Wayne county, Illinois 604,215 It will be seen that three states contain these ten great apple produc- ing counties, and that New York contains five of them, Illinois three and Arkansas two, although Arkansas' two counties contain almost as many apple trees as does New York's five counties. This apple question is an important one, and the industry is receiv- ing mbre attention each year. Better trees are being selected, and they are receiving more attention than formerly. Spraying is having a bene- ficial effect, and the outlook for apple culture is good. POTATO CULTURE IN GERMANY. Chicago Record-Herald. B. H. Warner, consul at Leipzig, Germany, has recently made an interesting report to the government at Washington on the production of potatoes in Germany. The most striking thing in the report is the wide difference in the production per acre between Germany and the United States. It shows that Germany's farmers raise more than twice as many potatoes per acre as the American farmer does. Although Consul Warner makes no explanation of this fact it is easily explained. The Germans are better farmers than Americans. They have small plots of ground instead of many acres and are of necessity compelled to get the most out of the ground that is possible by the high- est cultivation. Nothing is allowed to go to waste that can be used as fertilizer and the greatest care is taken in the selection of seed and the preparation of the ground. Most of the small farms in Germany are worked by the spade, the hoe and the hand rake, and the soil is always in the most perfect condi- tion. German soil is no richer than ours and it has been worked much longer, but it is made to produce more by intelligent and thorough culti- vation. American farmers may find a lesson in the following figures: America. Acre. 1899 2,581,353 1900 2,611,054 1901 2,864,335' 1902 2,965,587 A^ re. per Bushels. acre. 228,783,232 88.6 210,926,897 80.8 187,598,087 65.5 284,632,787 96.0 408 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Germany. Ave. per Acres. Bushels. acre. 1899 7,737,845 1,411,160,740 182.37 1900 7.953,597 1.488.128,290 187.11 1901 8,200,833 1.785.199,570 217.68 1902 8,907,465 1,593,621,076 199.01 The enormous production of potatoes in Germany, as compared with the United States and the comparative prices are interesting. Prices in the United States are nearly double those in Germany, and the value of the product j?er acre is shown to be $44.78 in Germany, against $41.21 in the United States, in spite of the fact that the production in Germany iti twice as large. There is an overproduction of potatoes in Germany, while the reverse is true of the United States, the supply being unequal to the demand. Potatoes are used more for food in Germany, people subsisting almost entirely upon potatoes and coffee. An enormous amount of potatoes is also consumed in various manu- factures, seven eighths of all the alcohol of that country being distilled from this vegetable. Many of the large farms maintain distilleries for the utilization of the crop. The manufacture of starch and glucose is also another important factor in the consumption. PLOWING BY RULE. Homestead. " A good deal of plowing that is done in the corn belt may well be described as belonging to the corduroy order, and this we believe may be given as one reason why the corn crop in this belt, where conditions are almost ideal, only averages between thirty and forty bushels per acre, taking it for a number of years in succession. Young men should be en- couraged to take greater pains when working with the plow, not only because skillful work of any kind is better for the worker than thai: which is performed in a slipshod manner, but from the utility standpoint. A crop on any land will be better after good plowing than on poor plow- ing. A plowing match was recently held near Brandon in the Province of Manitoba, under the auspices of a Farmers' Institute. In passing on the work the judges adopted the following scale: ^ Crown 13 Straightness 15 In and out at ends 5 Evenness of depth 7 Width of furrows S Evenness of top land 10 Covering of weeds 30 Finish 12 Total 100 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 409 In the above scale the first item, "Crown," refers to the first four or six furrows in the land. If properly laid, these should be but very little higher than the balance of the plowing-. By making a high ridge there, one is only making obstruction for all forms of machinery that pass over the field afterwards, by throwing up heavy furrows on the start. If the intention is to plow four inches deep the first furrows should be more shallow than this. Straightness is essential, inasmuch as it is impossible to plow of uniform width unless the furrow slices are cut straight. The workmanship throughout the land will not only be better if the furrows are straight, but there will be a material advantage at the finish, as in this case there will be no turning in the middle of the field to take ouc partial furrows. By letting a plow in at the same distance from the end and out at the other end in the same way, the field not only looks better, but it enables the workman to complete the work when plowing the head land in much less time and in much better fashion than if the ins and outs are rough. It will usually pay to draw a straight scratch along each head line, using these as signals for putting in and taking out the plows. No surface can be kept in good condition unless it is plowed of uniform depth each time. This does not mean that it must be plowed the same depth every time, but rather that each plowing should be uniform throughout. Evenness of top of land refers to the same matter as touched on under the heading of Crown. It means, as there alluded to, that the crown furrows shall not be laid so as to make a prominence on the surface when the work is completed. In order to properly cover weeds furrows must be turned somewhat flatly or else a jointer of some kind used in order to bury the trash. A good finish means that a furro\7 of uniform width should be turned at the last, and that this should be laid over as perfectly as any other furrow and that it shall not be deep. A scale such as the one given above simply calls attention to the various points that should be kept in mind by the plowmen. If in the past one has been in the habit of doing the work carelessly it cannot be expected that anything like perfection can be approached upon the first attempt to do better. When we advise more skillful plowing we have specially in mind the boys and young men. These should be encouraged to take pride in their work as before indicated, because of the effect upon themselves, saying nothing of the benefits to be derived from skillful workmanship in the increase of crops. The cut-and-cover plowing should be made a thing of the past and its place should be taken by workman- ship involving the clean cutting and laying over uniformly without buck- ling of every furrow. 410 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. LIVE STOCK OF THE WORLD. Farmers' Tribune. The Tribune has received a number of letters complimenting it on the article, "The Meat Supply of the World," and asking it to publish the number of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs in the different stock countries of the world, so they can see how many of each the different countries have and can also compare them with the United States. We gladly do so, giving the number of horses, cattle, sheep and swine in the different countries, other than Great Britain, up to the time the latest reports are available: Countries. Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Swine. Algeria • 204,761 4,446,85^ 1,711,077 2, 308, 4o7 241,553 343, 940 449, 264 2,903,063 4, 184, 009 284,900 741,739 1, 586. 891 864, 746 19,681,769 1,38 5,908 1,020,550 180,871 397, 172 124,896 525, 2.6 150,898 19,285,461 561,408 1,045,102 21,701,526 9,606,526 6,738,865 1,657,494 1,767,974 1, 743, 440 14, 520, 83 J 19,001,106 1,646,500 1, 433, .583 2,589,040 32,913,:;28 3, 003, 629 3,515,590 942,087 2, 217, 659 1,340,375 2, 583, 065 1,006,499 61,764,483 6, 827, 428 7, 523, 763 74,379,56: 2,621,026 8, 12i;, 682 235,722 6, 808, 291 1, 074, 413 20, 179, 561 9, 672, 143 755,400 88,(85 652, 766 Austria 4,682.734 Hungary .... 7, 330, 343 Belgium Bulgaria 1, 005, 501 461,635 Denmark .. .. . 1,178,514 France Germany Holland .. ... 6, 740, 405 16, 758, 436 737, 6u0 Italy Japan... 5,644,210 49, 64-!, 410 12,548,031 9,033.175 3, 013, 644 13, 359, 473 219,438 1,282,786 1, 417, 524 63,964,876 18,607,717 1, 709, 909 11,370,511 Russia in Poland Russia in N Caucasia . • . .. .... 1,259,001 134, 447 Servia 940, 609 Spain Switzerland Sweden 1, 927, 864 555, 261 810, 839 Norway United States 121,057 46, 922, 624 Uruguay 93, 923 From the above it will be seen, except in horses and sheep, the United States leads all the nations of the world in the number of the different kinds of domestic animals. Russia surpasses her in the number of horses, but it must be remembered that Russia is two and one half times as large as the United States. We have about twice as many cattle, a third more sheep and four times as many hogs as Russia with times as many cattle, seven times as many sheep and nearly three times as many hogs as Germany. It is not believed that Argentina has more sheep than the United States. Certainly the United states stand out among the nations of the earth as the greatest live stock country on the face of the globe. INFLUENCE OF HEIGHT OF WHEEL ON THE DRAFT OF FARM WAGONS. Successful Farming. The Missouri Experiment Station has been doing good work for the farmer in making tests of the relative draft of farm wagons and carts FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 411 under varying conditions as to height of wheels, width of tires, macadam, gravel and dirt roads, in all conditions, and on meadows, pastures, cul- tivated fields, stubble land, etc. The results of many of these details have just been published in bulletin form by the Station. The draft was determined by means of a Giddings self-recording dynomometer. The net load and in every case the same, viz., 2,000 pounds. Three sets of wheels of different heights, all with six-inch tires, were used as flolows: Stand- ard front wheels forty-four inches, rear wheels fifty-five inches. Medium, front wheels thirty-six inches, rear wheels 40 inches. Low, front wheels twenty-four inches, rear wheels twenty-eight inches. Without going into the details of the trials contained in the bulletin, for want of space, we quote the following summary given by the author, Mr. T. L Mairs, assist- ant in agriculture: First — For the same load, wagons with wheels of standard height drew lighter than those with lower wheels. Second — The difference in favor of the standard wheels was greater on road surface in bad condition than on good road surfaces. Third — Low wheels cut deeper ruts than those of standard height. Fourth — The vibration of the tongue is greater in wagons with low wheels. Fifth — For most purposes wagons with low wheels are more conven- ient than those of standard height. Sixth — Wagons with broad tires, and wheels of standard height, are cumbersome and require much room in turning. Seventh — Diminishing the height of wheels from thirty-six to thirty- five inches in front and forty-four to forty inches in the rear did not increase the draft in as great proportion as it increased the convenience of loading and unloading the ordinary farm freight. Eighth — Diminishing the height of wheels below thirty inches front and forty inches rear increased the draft in greater proportion than it gained in convenience. Ninth — On good roads, increasing the length of rear axle so that 1:he front and rear wheels will run in different tracks to avoid cutting nits, did not increase the draft. Tenth — On sod, cultivated ground and bad roads wagons with the rear axle longer than the front one drew heavier than one having both axles of the same length. Eleventh — Wagons with the rear axles longer . than the front ones require wider gateways and more careful drivers, and are on the whole very inconvenient and not to be recommended for farm use. Twelfth — The best form of farm wagon is one with axles of equal length, broad tires, and wheels thirty to thirty-six inches high in front and forty to forty-four inches behind. A knowledge of the above facts is important to farmers who are desirous of doing the best work with their wagons and at the same time conserving the energy of their teams. 412 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. VAI^UE OF IOWA LAND. Wallaces' Farmer. The Executive Council of Iowa last week completed the work of assess- ing the farm lands in the different e'ounties of the State. As the value placed on the land in each county is a matter of considerable interest, not only to our readers but to many outside of the State who contemplate moving here, we reproduce the figures "for each county herewith. The first column gives the final value per acre in 1901, the second the figures returned by the county assessors for 1903. and the third the revised figures as determined by the Executive Council acting as a State board of equalization: REPORTED AND EQUALIZED VALUATION. Counties. Il if 1^ ¥ Counties. li it 1^ 1! li Adair . . *28.84 31.26 21.40 25 34 35.83 45 00 43.20 38.00 38.42 38.03 36.51 38.00 32.58 38.62 37.21 49.33 34.71 36 20 32.06 27.58 30.91 28.62 44.78 33.87 43.08 26.59 27.95 38.95 41.58 26.65 39.12 28.44 34 71 37.41 37.59 88 29 37.95 43.50 30.07 37.15 25.24 41.95 28.91 40.38 83. 22 32.19 35.95 35. 45 29.43 43.82 .$33.66 40.49 22.52 29.96 46.70 56.00 48.60 46.67 41.56 40.63 46.21 48.05 50.30 64. V 5 42. 63 52.65 38.87 43.12 37.27 31.35 38 55 33.15 47.93 39.84 51.09 34.25 34.00 38.51 45.89 37. 19 39.20 34.55 35.11 43 94 44.33 40.46 48.26 51.86 37.76 50.57 31.97 49.03 28.09 44.57 41.57 40.05 37.56 37.56 30.66 51.83 $37.02 42.61 23.42 32.04 45.77 53.75 49.95 48.06 43.21 43.65 45.75 48.51 46.78 50.92 46.89 52.60 42 36 44.84 39.59 32 91 38.17 32.82 49.36 43.02 50.17 32.54 32.30 43.51 43.60 34.97 40.37 39.93 38.27 43. 51 46.10 42.48 47.30 50.34 38.89 47.03 34.84 48.05 87.33 42.35 42.35 40.05 40.66 40.56 33.06 48.21 Jefferson .$35. 15 45. 76 43.40 41.20 26.92 35 94 46 82 36.22 80.38 31.38 29.82 44.28 35.95 42.40 42.89 34.46 24.25 29.13 43.57 46.64 34.61 23.96 42.97 23.00 83.60 32.87 53 00 43.45 37.89 30.01 38.35 59.01 34.18 36.97 40.60 42.06 82.78 33.24 31.00 32.00 37.61 42.89 27.00 35.33 28.57 8 .03 30.83 29.77 30.98 $39.86 50.95 44.78 44.78 32.07 36.58 52.50 40.56 33 54 39.79 87.00 46.19 39.69 51.17 47.93 36.49 30.36 33.23 52.17 61.30 38.79 89.70 50.36 30.37 38.61 44.47 62.30 53.22 45 40 38.68 45.54 62.08 38.17 42.14 50.71 49.52 36.94 39.41 31.70 31.60 44.00 46.71 38.00 45.19 38.44 36.02 36.73 33.00 37.20 $39.86 Adams Johnson 49.93 45.62 Appanoose Keoknk 42.55 Kossuth . ... 34.95 Lee 36.58 Black Hawk 57.86 Boone Louisa 40.56 33.54 RnoHnnan Lyon 39.40 Bnena Vista Madison 38.81 Butler Mahaska 43.89 Calhoun Carroll . .... Marion Marshall 39.00 60.15 Cass Mills 45.58 Cedar Mitchell 39 77 Cerro Gordo . Monona Monroe Montgomery 29.76 Cherokee Chickasaw Clarke 33 23 46.96 50.28 Clay O'Brien 42.28 Clayton Osceola 34.62 Clinton ... Page 47 85 Palo Alto 34.62 Dallas Plymouth 40.15 44 03 Polk 67.94 Pottawattamie 47.90 Poweshiek 45.40 Dickinson Ringgold 34.81 DnVinnnp Sac 47.86 Scott 59.60 Fayette Floyd Shelby 41. 22 Sioux .... 43.82 Story 49.71 Tama 48.60 Greene Taylor 40.63 Grundy Union 37.44 33.28 Hamilton Wapello 33.18 T-r»Tmof«k Warren 41.80 Hardin . Washington Wayne 44.28 34.20 Henry Webster 44 29 34.22 Humboldt Winneshiek Woodbury. . 37.46 Ida 36.88 Worth 80.97 Wright 39. iS Jasper FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 413 The reported actual value of lands this< year was $1,455,524,027. and the adjusted actual value is $1,457,548,730. From this it appears, as given above, that the council added to the aggregate of the farm land assessment the sum of $2,024,700. The net increase in the actual ad- justed value of lands over 1902 was $207,624,900. One fourth of this, or $51,906,243. is the increase in the taxable value of farm lands in Iowa this year. Live Stock Pavilion, State Fair Grounds. FARM ANIMALS AND VALUES. Breeders' Gazette. In line with the totals presented last week by the statistical division of the United States Department of Agriculture Mr. Hyde has now issued by states and territories the totals of cattle, sheep and swine in the country on January 1, 1903, together with the average and total value of each. The comprehensive table which follows sets forth the figures in detail. 414 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ■ouiBA •jdciuinx nii«A .-^ lO Oi «D lO O <» CO 1- lO t- --l T O O'J »?5 lO uu L- ICra.-'./t^rjo— .»0 00_(MeOl-OOOCOOO">0-reQ-t •-<"iO iC OO O lO »C ^i O -^ 00 CO 1(5 Id — ■ CD dlrtco■■«l!lO•»•oooodoooixoixt-^ocodc; <0 JUCMOSIO '^Si CC O .X) 05 OJ •£ — 1 1- O CC Q CI t- "* •« O -Tt" X ^ (M CO CO O 00 CC 05 C^J t- CD -f 00 O >ra OS ■* CD— >-. 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CJ CJ ' M CJ t ?^ X CO X CJ >0 t- CO CO CC CD -*> O CO 'O »0 -^ — ' lO ; ' - -JCiCO^— 'CiOUi-t-OSCOXI.OXCpCJCDCOi cri-H^i-ict— iO-x-^iraxi«05cDXciXi— ■coco-t t- — ?T Ci C5 ) •— ?^ -^ QO — I > X o ^ »_- CO "-.^'cfcr^'cD' I CO CO Ci ■* -1 CO -ox xcjx OiOCD ciOxoo»ox35-tCC}0»»0-»1nOC5t-XeOCDCD— 't~Xt-05CD?:)«f3X:OXC5r~ S ,:4 cj ri, ii^ J n - o ."' ci ci r-i c* ci cj — i x ci ci .-< cit- lo lO c. o ».- co o Ci-fOS CO 00 CD CO 00 00 I lis -gS'S c8 C-S+a C 03 fl > 5 1^ FOU-RTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI. 415 06'^Q05-^rc--'^t-^orco-^ I or -^'-H00t-00'?i5POC0Oi-O--ci X 0005l-OOi-'SOro«OOOOOOQ05t- cc lisis rt r-, eo'co'o:: i i 10.17 10.84 10.56 8.49 6.93 7.53 9.15 7.00 7.54 8.30 6.79 7.63 7.50 6.18 2 1 to ^ in in — t~ «o -^ l> CJ --^ssEs^^i mmmmm ISIsisRigsiiie'- (M*w;^'icar:M'x(M'—'rfor5D 'Ooe tco-^cjotcc la: a -^ -T iM t- »c - C>i Ci ci ce^Tf*cco5 cc 00— 'OCOiO X 1^ ■M^XIOXIM -^ t~ l-CO— CO— — OXX>«t-»5CtO X X OS 00 cr; ?0 O >C c !0>0-*Xt-OOXl-X'ra £ >-*! 33 DO C35 05 >0 -"I" ^ 05 .^ l-iOiO"*?^ — C5 — XXt-CviOJCO . c ■i o -^ o> «6 0C50Q — X^OkO'S^Ol'^t.-OSS cc U3 «0 to O lr~ Cvj CM CO X _> M< CO CM 05 O asioo*«cooo— 00601-5CCO I cm oxcocccM'— TjiTi'C'joiO — oit- cr t--^oixc-iraiococoot- — — X »n mot-CMX»ct~CCXOCM— eOCMOi-* >>oxo — xo — xc>it- jco-^xoot-t-'"* — CO I — lO-^ CM CO 00 t-co» §52: Q CS H O ^ _ ^ a g «« g "S'e o - "- -' oo^• : 85 «S OJ TJ ©O P^ O OJ3 ^ 416 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. From the foregoing it will be observed that only four States have more than one million milch cows. These in order are New York, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It has generally been considered that the farther east one travels in this country the higher the value of stock becomes but it will be seen that such is not the case with milch cows, for California has an average value of $40.43 and Montana of $40.12. whereas none of the Atlantic States reaches so high. In the possession of cattle other than milkers Texas of course leads the procession", with Iowa again second, though this time much farther behind. Montana, which has fewer cattle to its credit than has been generally supposed, has the highest valuation in this lot, the figures being $27.24. Montana is the only State which calls its cattle other than milch cows worth $27 or more. In' the possession of sheep Montana is easily in the lead, its 8,932,311 placing it away ahead of Wyoming and New Mexico, which are second and third with over 5,000,000 head. Connecticut this time leads in value, its sheep being worth on the average $4.69. In the hog division it is Iowa first and the rest nowhere, its 4,438.655 head placing it in a class by itself. Illinois is second with just about half that number, and the surprise of the swine column is furnished by Texas, which this year shows more than two and one quarter millions of hogs, which is a large number for the Lone Star State, even if they are worth only $4.40 each. Connecticut again leads in value, its swine being worth on the average $14.64 per head. As previously stated, it should be remembered when comparing these figures with those of the government census of June 1, 1900, that these now presented are brought up to January 1st and naturally include the calf, lamb and pig crops of last year, while figures compiled in the begin- ning of summer can not be rounded out in the same way. It is stated that the figures just published by the Department of Agriculture are the most complete it has ever offered. CHICAGO'S LIVE STOCK TRADE. Breeders' Crazette. Greatest in point of the number of animals received in the Union Stock Yards, Chicago stands the year 1903 just past. The value of these animals does not stand as high by a few thousand dollars as the value for 1902, but the difference is very small when it is considered that almost every variety of live stock closed the year much lower in price than when the year opened. The grand total of all animals received in these yards during 1903 was 15,713,515 against 15.706,360 for 1905. The total shipments for 1903 were 3.628,130, and for 1902 the figures were 3,116,643. The total valuation of these millions of cattle, sheep, swine and horses was $288,152,707, to which there must be added the sum of $7,900,000 representing the value of swine slaughtered by packers doing business in Chicago but outside the yard's territory. This forms FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 417 a total of upwards of $296,000,000 to be compared with $812;884,386 for 1902. Cattle came to the number of 3,432,486 as against 2,935,495 in 1903. Swine numbering 7,325,923 were received as compared with 7,891,728 last year, sheep 4,582,760 against 4,515,072, horses 100,603 against 101,555, total cars 302,915 against 278,100. Average weight of all the cattle received for the year is 1,038 pounds as compared with 982 for 1902, for hogs 226 as compared with 220 and for sheep 82 as compared with 84 pounds. The average price declined $1.35 for beef steers averaging from 1,200 to 1,500 pounds, and for swine around 85 cents per hundred-weight, but the values of native sheep and native and Western lambs averaged a dime higher, though Western sheep show to be 25 cents lower than they were in 1902. It was not the banner year for cattle, swine or horses, but it was for calves and sheep. It was the banner year for shipmentst of cattle and sheep. One more railroad has been led into the yards during the year, that one being the Pere Marquette, which has only lately been able to establish terminal quarters in Chicago. Monthly average prices were highest in August for cattle, when the figures were $5, ana lowest in November, at $4.45. Hogs were highest in March, at $7.30, and lowest in December, at $4.45. Sheep .averaged highest in March, at $5.40, and lowest in November, at $3.05, while lambs were highest in March, at $6.60, and lowest in November, at $4.70. Taking the year altogether the average price for decent native steers is $4.80, for cows and heifers $3.95 and for Texas steers $3.95, for hogs, $6, sheep $4.05 and for lambs $5.45. Last year the averages were: for native beef steers $6.20, cows and heifers $4.70, Texas steers $4.80, hogs $6.85, sheep $4.20 and for lambs $5.50, so that it will be seen the losses on cattle and swine are large, while sheep and lambs have about main- tained their price-level. Largest receipts per day in the Chicago market are thus listed: cat- tle, September 28, 1903, 44,445; calves, April 15, 1902, 5,076; swine, February 11, 1895, 74,551; sheep, September 29, 1902, 59,362; horses, March 21, 190i, 1,697; cars, Decembei- 1, 1902, 2,811. It will thus be seen that though this has been a season of gigantic arrivals other years still hold the most of the records. Calves only broke the weekly and monthly and calves and sheep only the yearly records. Despite the great reduction bf values' there are yet some very hope- ful signs, which are admirably set forth by President J. H. Spoor of the Union Stock Yard & Transit Co. in a letter to the Chicago Record- Herald, published on the first day of the year and reviewing the condi- tions general in the agricultural W^est. It runs as follows: "In the great live stock industry of the United States and in gen- eral agriculture vast changes are taking place. The public is beginning to realize that the preservation of soil fertility, both West and South as well as the East, requires the raising of live stock on farms and a careful utilizing of manure, together with improved methods in the rota- tion and cultivation of crops, and that soil fertility must be preserved as the foundation of agricultural and national prosperity. 27 418 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. "The marked success of agricultural colleges in improving farm products and winning live stock premiums at State, national and inter- national expositions has attracted attention everywhere to their prac- tical and successful methods. The agricultural population of this coun- try is doing more reading and thinking toward improved production than was ever kriown in rural history, and the United States govern- ment, through its Department of Agriculture, Commerce and free rural mail delivery, is doing everything possible to encourage such progress. "A closer study of feeds and feeding on the part of farmers and feeders generally in this country has led to greater economy and more variety in the use of feedstuffs, with consequent better health of our domestic animals than ever before, while the eye of nearly every farmer and stock raiser is being trained to discriminate between the coarse, ill- proportioned and poorly growing 'scrub' and the fine, well-proportioned, thrifty and well-bred animal of quick maturity. •'The public preference for meats, both at home and 'abroad, is rap- idly changing from heavy, fat animals of mature age to plump, well- bred 'baby beef,' 'baby mutton' and young pork, and growers of meat animals must realize thaet if they would reap the greatest benefit from their industry they must get in line with public demand. Moreover, it is a well-known fact that the greatest gain from a given amount of feed is to be obtained from growing animals and not from fattening animals that have already reached the age of maturity. "The study of soils, the better breeding of plants and animals, the study of balanced rations for animals and men, the use of manure spread- ers, corn harvesters and other new inventions, better buildings, more shelter for stock and improved roads, the spread of cheap interurban transportation, the telephone, daily mail delivery, with market informa- tion, farming and stock journals, books and magazines, agricultural col- lege's, experiment stations and agriculture in the public schools for edu- cation of the young, local, State and national live stock and agricultural associations, for discussion, organized action and better education of farmers and stockmen in their business of supplying the country's needs; local, State and national fairs and expositions of live stock and agri- culture for demonstration of progress made, for offering inducements through competition and rewards towards higher excellence, and for practical education of the eye and mind in all that pertains to excellence in the form and quality of exhibits — these are some of the causes and incentives that are leading to more mental activity, more material pros- perity, more home comforts and more social life on the farm, and these changes are destined eventually to turn the mighty tide of population away from the cities back to the country, thereby contributing immeas- urably to the welfare and happiness of the whole nation. "All these changes are significant. They point inevitably to a fu ture surplus of superior meats and draft animals that, together with wise measures of reciprocity established by our government with foreign nations, will enable us to go abroad and market our more excellent sur- plus in successful competition with other producing nations, with mutual benefits to our patrons and ourselves. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 419 "This country, with its wonderful natural resources, its marvelous army of labor-saving agricultural machinery, the intelligence, freedom, thrift and enterprise of its agricultural population, and its splendid sys- tems of transportation, needs only to study the demands of consumers at home and abroad and direct those elements to the production and distribution of the best in abundance, in order to prosper as no nation has ever done. This applies with especial emphasis to meat and draft animals and meat products of all kinds. To those who study methods of the highest economy and efficiency and strive to reach the highest degree of excellence in live stock production will belong the greatest rewards, not only in direct pecuniary profits, but also in the growing fertility of their lands. Those sections lof the nation where this policy has been most persistently and consistently followed are today inhabited by the most wealthy, prosperous and intelligent people on earth, who wield the most powerful public influence." THE OUTLOOK CUT NO FIGURE. Exchange. A farmer was hoeing hard on his patch of land when one of the town loafers approached the fence. "Hullo, Farmer B. what do you think of the outlook?" "What outlook? Didn't know there was one." "We're all talking about it down at the store and they sent me up to hear what you had to say." "Oh, yes; I see. Well, you tell 'em if they will stop talking to go to hoeing that the country will prosper without any outlook. Do you hear me?" RULES FOR MEASURING HAY. It is generally reckoned that a ton of newly stbred hay measures five hundred cubic feet, which is practically a cube eight feet long, eight feet wide and eight feet deep. Hay that has been allowed to settle for some time is usually measured by allowing four hundred and twenty-two feet to the ton, or a cube seven and one half feet wide and seven and one half feet deep. After it has become thoroughly settled three hundred and forty-three feet will make a ton, or a cube having sides of seven feet. It must be remembered that the figures given above are only ap- proximate and that after all a good deal must be left to the judgment concerning the compactness of the hay. Sometimes fuzzy clover does not settle very compactly, even though it has been stored for some time, in which case some allowance would have to be made in the measuring. 420 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. MARKETING LIVE STOCK. Farmers' Bulletin No. 184, U. S. Department of AgricvUure. STOCK YARDS. Organization and location. Stock yards in different cities are or- ganized on the same general lines. The ownership and control is vested in an incorporated company, in many cases the name Union Stock Yards Company being adopted. This company usually owns the land ethe yards cover, or control its use. Frequently the shares of stock in such yards are owned more or less largely by the railway companies that have tracks in or alongside these yards. The yards are usually located in the suburbs of the cities, owing to the considerable space they oc- cupy. Those 'of Chicago are about four miles southwest of the heart of the business section; those of Omaha are in the southern suburbs; those of Buffalo some miles east of the city; and those of Boston at Brighton, five miles west from the city. The yards are located so as to be easilv penetrated by the various railways engaged in live stock transportation. Arrangement of stock yards. The space devoted to j^ards is divided into sections and blocks, after the manner of laying out a town site. There are main drives and alleys, with the space between filled with stock houses and pens. A live stock exchange usually occupies a promi- nent and convenient situation in the yards. Packing houses and other buildings associated with the trade may also be located in the yards, or on land adjoining. Each class of stock is usually grouped in build- ings or pens more or less restricted to its kind. The horse barns are always separate and not in the main inclosure. Cattle, sheep and hogs may be under the same roof, yet in different sections and pens. The pens used for handling stock are supplied with feed boxes and running water. Ldnes of railway switch alongside or into the yards, and one or more cars, or an entire trainload. may be quickly unloaded on a receiving platform alongside the pens. LIA^ STOCK EXCHA]N^GES. The methods employed in the yards in different cities will neces; sarily differ somewhat, yet. excepting in minor matters, the customs are much the same. The rules and regulations are provided by the live stock exchange, which is a branch of the National Live Stock Exchange. A local live stock exchange is really an oiganization of dealers in the yards who buy and sell a large part of the stock shipped in. Tn the exchange building are its headquarters, and here are the various offices of the live stock commission men. The exchange has a board of officers, consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and board of directors. There are also committees in charge of certain work of the exchange. Th^ purpose of this exchange, as set forth in the charter of the Chicago Live Stock Exchange, is "to establish and maintain a commercial exchange; to promote uniformity in the customs and usages FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK - PART VI. 421 of merchants; to provide for the speedy adjustment of all business dis putes between its members; to facilitate the receiving and distributing of live stock as well as to provide for and maintain a rigid inspection thereof, thereby guarding against the sale or use of unsound or un healthy meats; and generally to secure to its members the benefits of co-operation in the furtherance of their legitimate pursuits." All persons selling or buying stock in the yards must conform to the rules made by the exchange br by the stock yards company, paying such rates for yardage, feed or commission as it or they may establish. RULES OF STOCK YARDS. Those rules which especially interest shippers relate to the use Of the yards, the commission on animals bought or sold, cost of feed, switching expenses, and disposal of sick, injured or dead animals. Water Is furnished free to all stock in all yards, but the cost for feed varies. The stock yards company furnishes hay and grain at dif- ferent points in the yard. A person having charge of a consignment of stock in pen goes to the office of a feed superintendent and fills out a blank form for whatever feed is desired, receiving a duplicate copy of his order. TJiis feed is then delivered to the pens as requested. The charge for feed varies in the different yards of the country. The Omaha yards, for example, charge $1 per hundred for hay and $1 per bushel each for corn and oats. In Pittsburg the charges are $1.25 per bushel for com and $1.50 per hundred for hay; in Buffalo they are the same. In view of the fact that commission charges are Important, those adopted by the Chicago Live Stock Exchange on February 5, 1901, are given, as showing something of the character of the charges made to shippers: Section 1. The commission for selling live stock shall not be less than the following named rates: Section 2. Fifty cents per head for all cattle of all ages, up to $12 per carload; provided that veal calves in less than car lots shall be charged not less than 25 cents per head; double-deck cars of calves, $18. Section 3. Six dollars per carload for single-deck cars of hogs or sheep, or hogs and sheep, and $10 per carload for double-deck cars of the same. When part of a car is double-decked and loaded with hogs oi- sheep, or both, the commission for selling such fractional upper-deck shall be 15 cents per head up to $10 per carload. Section 4. Forty head or more of hogs or sheep, or hogs and sheep, arriving at these yards in a single-deck car, shall not be considered as a mixed car but shall constitute one carload to be charged $6. For stock arriving at these yards in less than carload lots, 50 cents per head for cattle, 25 cents per head for calves, and 15 per head foi . hogs or sheep, under forty head. Section 5. The charges for different species of live stock in a single oar are as follows: Cattle per head, up to $12 per carload, 50 cents. Calves per head, up to $12 per carload (single-deck). 25 cents. Hogs per head, up to $6 per carload (single-deck), 15 cents. 422 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Sheep per head, up to $6 per carload (single-deck), 15 cents. The commission on mixed live stock shall he governed by this sec- tion up to a charge of $12 per single-deck carload, and $18 per double- deck carload. When part of a car is double-decked and loaded with hogs, sheep or calves, the commission for selling such fractional upper-deck shall be at the rates herein established for selling single-deckers of mixed stocii. Section 6. The commission for purchasing live stock shall not be less than, the following named rates: Stocker and feeder cattle (including calves), per head (but not to exceed $10 per carload, unless the parties, in connection with a loan or advancement, agree to pay per head, without regard to the number constituting a carload lot) $ 0.5O Stock and feeding sheep and lambs, per single-deck carload 6.00 Stock and feeding sheep and lambs, per double-deck carload 10.00 Severe fines are provided for a violation of the above rules on the Chicago Live Stock Exchange. Stock yard companies care for the stock from the time of its ar- rival until it is disposed of. This usually includes handling, watering, feeding and weigning. No cliarge is made for the use of the yards. There is one charge for weighing, usually termed "yardage." which is collected when the stock is sold. The yardage charges in Buffalo and Pittsburg are 15 cents, per head for cattle, 6 cents for hogs, 4 for sheep and 8 for calves. The Omaha charges are 25 cents for cattle, 8 cents for hogs. 5 cents for sheep and 10 cents for calves. In Chicago there is a terminal charge of $2 each on cars coming in over western roads, and $1 on those coming in over eastern roads. The terminal charges, yardage and fee charges consti- tute the main source of revenue of the stock yards company. SEUJNG STOCK IN YARDS. Unloading the stock. The stk)ck is driven from the car onto the re- ceiving platform, and from this it is driven by chutes to the pens in various parts of the yards. One may unload a carload of stock, drive it into an alley adjoining the platform, and thence to any part of the yard desired. Cross gates are at frequent intervals, which will permit one to direct his stock at his pleasure with but little trouble. After the stock is placed in pens it is available for sale. The shipper usually turns it over to a commission firm to sell, although this is not a neces- sity. Yet one not regularly on the market can not sell to as good ad- vantage as can the regular dealers. This is because irregular sellers are not in touch with the buyers, so as to secure a wide range of custom. The animals received in stock yards usually reach the market very early in the morning, and by noon the active business of the day is about completed. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK -PART VI. 423 Buyers and sellers. There are two classes of men in the yards about the pens, the commission men selling and the buyers. The first thing each morning these men inform themselves .regarding the quotations on the various classes and grades of stock and the visible supply. If the supply is short and the demand for certain grades is active, then the buyers seek the salesmen; but if the market is dull and indifterent then the sellers seek the buyers. Where men buy for the packing houses, they receive a daily statement of the slaughter record of the animals pur- chased by them the day previous. The buyer looks over a consignment of stock in the pens after a price has been made by a salesman. He may accept at the price offered or there may be some sparring over the price, and finally a sale may be made by a nod of head or a wave of hand. Weighing in the yards. This takes place at various points, and the larger the yards the greater the number of scales. These stock scales, each in charge of a weighmaster, have large platforms capable of hold- ing fifty or sixty mature cattle, and have a weighing capacity up to 100,000 pounds. The animals are driven from the pen to the scales soon after the sale. The weighmaster. who is an employe of the yards, does the weigh- ing, and a representative of the commission firm also takes a reading from the beam. A scale ticket is then made out which gives the num- ber of animals and the weight, and the names of the buyer and com- mission firm making the sale. Four copies of the scale record of each draft of animals are made by the weighmaster at one writing by a dupli- cating process. One record is made in his peramnent record book; an- other consisting of a detachable copy for the use of buyers" helpers at the scales, which is placed on file for inspection, while third and fourth copies are issued, respectively, to buyer and seller. One of the latter serves as a certificate to adjust the buyer's accounts and the other the seller's. All animals should be counted on leaving the scales, and, if not taken in charge at once by the buyer or his representative, are placed in pens and locked in. Authorized commission men are usually at the scales to look after the weighed stock. After weighing, the stock may be de- livered to any point desired, as, for example, to a packing house, or to a stock car, or they may be driven out of the yards. Methods of settlement. Banking facilities are found in all promi- nent stock yards in one or more organized banks of well established credit. In view of the fact that the business of the yards is transacted on a cash basis, a bank is very helpful to the great business interests of the yards. Methods of settlement in stock yards may differ in minor details in different cities, but in general they are much the same. After the stock is weighed, the weighmaster's certificates, showing the number and weight of the animals sold in each case, are delivered to the seller, whether the owner of the stock in person or his commission agent. If to the latter, a bill is sent to the purchaser, comprising a duplicate of the scale record, with the selling price of the stock, and the amount of 424 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the bill. The buyer of the stock indorses the bill and returns the dupli- cate to the commission agent with an order — perhaps on the back of the bill or may be by check — on a bank to pay the commission firm this sum of money. With the payment of the order or check it returns to the buyer as an accepted check, serving as a complete receipt and voucher, showing the entire course of the transaction. This includes an exact duplicate of the weighmaster's certificate, the commission man's indorsement, and the bank's stamp, giving date of the settlement. It is customary for the commission agent, even before settling with the buyer, to send to the shipper, if nonresident and not otherwise represented, a statement of the gross proceeds of the sale, with deduc- tions for freight, commission, yardage, etc., and to forward him the balance due. The payment is of course usually made by means of a bank draft or check, according to local conditions. Such negotiable paper is equivalent to cash. INSPECTIOX OF STOCK. Government supervision. The Bureau of Animal Industry of the United States Department bf Agriculture, by authority of Congrest. takes charge of the enforcement of all national laws relative to dis- eased live stock and its control. The Secretary of Agriculture is em powered to issue from time to time regulations for live stock inspection, quarantine and slaughter. Live stock commissioners or State veter- inarians and boards of health supervising State live stock interests are also expected to co-operate with the Bureau of Animal Industry. In 1903 cattle, sheep, calves and hogs and their products were in- spected at 156 abattoirs and packing houses, located in fifty cities of the United States. Inspections were also made of the live stock and meat contents of vessels engaged in the export or import trade. In those markets subject to Government supervision a trained vet- erinarian has charge of the inspection, and associated with him is one or more inspectors, as the case may be. the number depending on the size of the market. Not only do United States inspectors officiate, but in some cities, like Chicago, representatives of both city and State also inspect. City inspectors are used only for the inspection of meat to be consumed in the city where the yards and abattoir are located. The inspectors of the State board of live stock commissioners (or similar office with some other name) are mainly interested in seeing that no animals suffering from disease shall enter the market and be allowed to contaminate the healthy stock of the State. The United States inspector deals with the subject in its broadest sense, as affecting interstate and international trade. The live stock exchange at the yards, including as it does the commission men, co-operates with the Government to promote as high a standard of health in herds and fiocks as it is possi- ble to obtain. Every person who does business in the yards is under strict obligation to obey all the rules and regulations issued by local. State and national governments. Cattle originating in' the section of country infested by the ticks of the species which causes Texas, or splenetic, fever, may be shipped FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 425 out Of that quarantine district only in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Agriculture; and, except for a short period dur- ing the winter, they may be shipped only for immediate slaughter. Importance of inspection. The importance of a strict enforcement of these laws can hardly be overestimated. The export trade in live stock and dressed meats amounts to many million dollars per year. Foreign governments will prohibit the entrance of American meats into their markets if it is found that they are diseased. In 1881 Germany, France and other European countries prohibited the entrance of our pork into their markets, claiming that it was affected with trichina*. We sold to France and Germany alone 113,000,000 pounds of pork in 1880. Later Great Britain refused admission' to our cattle and sheep on the ground that they were diseased. This resulted in the adoption by the United States Government of rigid measures to protect our live stock interests by aggressively combatting all known cases of contagious disease, and finally adopting systematic inspection at the leading cen- ters of live stock shipment and consumption. This inspection increased from twelve cities and twenty-eight abattoirs in 1892, to fifty-twb cities and 157 abattoirs in 1901. Today no government in the world exercises more careful supervision of the healthfulness of its meat supply than does the United States of America. Not only have the inspectors done their work in this country, but trained American veterinarians are sta- tioned abroad to take observations on the condition of American live stock and meats as received in the great ports of Europe. Inspection in the yards. Soon after the receipt of animals in the yards they are inspected by a veterinarian. Animals suffering from a disease or injury which makes them unfit for food are condemned to the rendering works. The same applies to animals which arrived at the yards dead, as occurs daily with hogs and sheep, and occasionally with cattle. Animals in poor condition and under suspicion as unfit for food are marked with metal tags in the ears, and are placed in special pens for further observation or slaughter. These animals are slaught- ered under the supervision of attendant veterinarians, and records are made of each case. In cases of animals which are out of form in some respect, yet not unfit for food, the meat is sold to local buyers. In the yard inspection it may happen that some animals fall under suspicion that will later be allowed to go with the passed animals as being salable on open market. Cows within a month of parturition, and for ten days after, will be subject to condemnation. In the slaughterhouses the meat of all cows that have calves inside with the hair on is condemned. So also are all pregnant cows near parturition, hogs with bunches, boils, cuts on hams and shoulders, etc. "Bob." or "deacon" calves are condemned, and also sheep emaciated and in bad condition. The live stock exchange holds itself responsible for the disposal of condemned animals, and after deducting cost of the service, pays to the owner of the condemned animal whatever balance may come to his credit. No animal is a complete loss, as the fertilizer and soap factories can use the lowest grade of flesh. 426 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Such animals as pass the inspectors must also be inspected during the operation of killing and dressing. Several inspectors are found in each of the largest packing houses, and they are constantly discovering cases that escaped detection on foot, xyhich show by diseased internal org-ans that they should not be used for food. Hogs suffering from cholera are a good example of this. In 1903 in postmortem inspection United States inspectors condemned 19,256 carcasses of hogs found to be suffering from cholera, while 8.598 cattle carcasses were condemned as being tuberculous. Every condemned carcass in the slaughterhouse is at once tagged with a special tag, showing it to be condemned. This may be subjected to further scientific examination or may at once be ordered to the rendering tanks. Microscopal examination. For some years the Bureau of Animal Industry has conducted extended microscopal examination of pork in many stock yards. Three pieces of flesh from different parts of the mus- cle of the hog are placed in numbered labeled tin boxes, the numbers corresponding with the number of the carcass inspected. Then each sample is crushed flat between two glass plates and placed under the microscope. In 1903 there were examined in the United States by the Bureau of Animal Industry 489.667 carcasses of hogs. The results of this examination may be expressed as follows: Carcasses. Class A. Free from all appearances of trichina 477,195 Class B. Containing trichina-like bodies or disintegrating tri- chinae 7,394 Class C. Containing living trichinje 5.078 In 1903 there were 5,136 trichinous carcasses disposed of, weighing in excess of 1,000,000 pounds. Government certificates are attached to all the pork for export, showing it to be healthy. All animals are inspected, including horses, since glanders and other contagious diseases are frequently discovered. In such yards as those at Chicago an inspector stands at each gate to pass on every animal going through. Even if an anmal in unfit condition passes free of sus- picion at first entrance, the chances are that subsequent inspections will result in its discovery. In the western stock yards '"brand inspectors"' are employed to inspect for ^tray branded cattle that have been lost or stolen from the range. Such animals may be sold and the money turned over to the owner whose brand in each instance is known. Docking. Docking is more or less practiced in all live stock buy- ing for animals of certain kinds, and especially so in the more exacting city trade. All pregnant sows and also sows that have once had pigs but are not pregnant at sale are docked. Stags are also docked. For example, in the Indianapolis yard pregnant sows are docked forty pounds and stags eighty pounds. In a small local yard the writer has had old breeding sows not pregnant docked thirty pounds. In some localities old sows are docked 50 to 75 cents per hundred and stags $1. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 427 THE ABATTOIR AND PACKING HOUSE. While the slaughter of animals and the disposal of the meat are not involved in the marketing- of live stock, they are closely connected therewith, and will, therefore, be given brief consideration here. Abattoirs or slaughterhouses vary in their equipment and capacity for work from the small local one to that of the great packing houses of the large cities. In the one case only a few animals are killed to supply a local consumption; in the other, thousands of animals are killed daily and their parts are distributed among the markets of the world. In this country men in small towns usually either buy their meat at wholesale from the agent of some nonresident packing house, or they slaughter in a small way in some sort of a barn-like structure on the outskirts of the town. Small combined slaughter and packing houses occur in small cities. In some cases the firm owning the building will, for a certain consideration, permit other butchers to slaughter their stock at so much per head or for a regular annual rental. Such an estab- lishment will have more paddocks than common for one butcher, and will also have greater floor space than would be necessary in a small city for one firm. Cattle, sheep and swine in America are usually slaughtered by cut- ting the throat. Cattle are first stunned by a blow on the frontal bone of the skull from a long handled heavy hammer, which fells them, after which the throat is cut. Sheep are seized by the hind legs and are sus- pended to hooks, which are stuck through the legs above the ankle be- tween bone and sinew, after which the throat is cut as the animal hangs. Hogs have the jugular vein cut by a quick movement of the knife. The general plan after killing is to remove the skins of cattle and sheep or hair of swine as soon as possible after death, after which the internal organs are removed by making an opening from throat to vent. laying the entire body cavity open for removing the parts. In the great packing houses of today, and in some cases even in small, local slaus^h- terhouses, everything is saved and sold for some special purpose. PACKING HOUSE METHODS. The largest packing houses m the world are situated in the Union Stock Yards at Chicago. Methods with cattle. The cattle enter the slaughterhouse from the yards through a narrow chute leading into the "knock-out" pens, which consist of a long narrow room, wide enough to hold two cattle abreast. When two steers reach the end of the room, a wooden partition is let down behind them, and in front of the pair back of them, and in this way throughout. From four to ten pens are thus used. Men known as "knockers" or "stunners" stand on planks overhead and strike the ani- mals deadly blows on the head, when they drop to the floor stunned. One side of the stall is then raised, the floor is tilted by means of a mechanical arrangement, and the animal rolls out onto a shackling floor. Here a man places a chain about the hind legs and hooks it onto 428 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. a chain suspended from a traveling pulley. By machinery the animal is then h'oisted until the head clears the floor and is carried along, suspended from an overhead track, until it reaches the '•sticker.'" Here a man cuts the throat, doing about four hundred and twenty five an hour. Then begins a journey of dismemberment for the carcass, which passes through a line of men each with a specific work to do on the carcass or entrails, until the cooler is reached. So systematically is the work of dressing the carcass done that miscuts or injuries to any animals or part can at once be traced to the employe doing the damage. This is the case with all the animals slaughtered, no matter whether cattle, sheep or swine. Methods with hogs. The hogs are driven into slaughter pens and run beneath hoisting wheels ten feet in diameter, operated by machinery. In the pen a shackler places a chain about the hind leg of a hog and hooks him to 'one of six chains hanging at equal distances apart from the rim of the hoisting wheel. The animal is hauled up by the slow revo- lution of the wheel and descends on the opposite side, when the chain about the leg catches on a "sticking bar," which liberates\ the hog from the wheel and slides him onto a rail, from which, by gravity, he grad- ually moves into the sticking pen. The hogs here come into the hands of a man who. with a knife, sticks about ten a minute. From the sticker they pass on to the scalding vat, into which they are dropped free of the shackles. T^he bristles on the hams, shoulders and back are removed by hand, after which :he carcass is carried up through an auto- matic hog-scraping machine. After scraping, the body is beheaded, fol- lowing which comes the cleaning of entrails, general dressing and plac- ing in the cooler. Methods with sheep. In the sheep pens boys fasten a chain to the hind legs of two sheep, which is attached to a triangular link and hooked into a hoisting chain, which is raised and lowered by electricity. The bolster transfers the sheep to a traveling pulley on a track slightly in- clined downward, along which they move to the sticker, who cuts the throats of from five hundred to six hundred per hour. The sheep pass beyond the sticker to others, who take off the skin and head, remove the entrails, and do the other work necessary to placing the carcass in the cooler. In the sheep house they have what is called an operating ring, which is a line of racks on which tne carcasses are hung while being dressed. Operators travel about the ring in regular order and com plete the work of dressing, after which the carcasses are placed in the All slaughtered animals are inspected during the process of kill- ing and dressing by a representative of the Bureau of Animal Industry. They are also inspected and officially tagged in the cooler. Cold storage. The large packing houses have immense cold storage plants, in which thousands of carcasses can be hung on overhead hooks. These cold rooms are arranged in sections, with varying degrees of temperature. The warm carcass is placed in a room only moderately cold, where it remains for some hours to chill, after which it is moved into a room having a lower temperature, and finally to one with a tem- perature of about 38 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the packing house companies of Chicago states in a circular letter that its coolers hold about 13.340 sides of beef. 17,000 hogs, and many thousand sheep. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 429 Use of waste products. Strictly speaking, there is no waste in the up-to-date packing house. The following are some of the uses made of those parts of the animal that can not be regarded as dressed carcass Horns are converted into combs, buttons and handles, and are used for making fertilizer and glue. The better grades of hoofs are useful in making knife handles, buttons and fancy articles, the inferior grades going into fertilizers. The foot also yields neat's foot oil. The first flow of the blood is used in making albumen, a substance used for hold- ing dyes, making paints and clarifying sugar. Blood not used in albu- men manufacture is converted into high-grade fertilizer. Intestine.s are largely used as sausage casings; they are also used for shipments of lard, for containing putty and by gold beaters. The hides are trimmed, salted and packed and later sold to tanners. The bristles of hogs are used for brushes, the hair from cattle for mattresses and cushions and the wool from the sheep pelts finds its way into the woolen trade. Even the wash water before being emptied into the sewer is surface- skimmed for the removal of all grease, which is used in the soap fac- tory. Last but not least, the fertilizer works, now connected with all large packing houses, consume a large amount of definite or indefinitp material w^hich is made into fertilizer or forms of animal foods. Superiority of American methods. No phase of our great live stock interests has been reduced to such a systematic basis as the modern metropolitan packing house. The conditions are on a high plane of sanitation, cleanliness and health. European methods of killing and dressing stock are fifty years behind those of the United States, viewfrl from the standpoint of humanity, economy or system. One only need? to view the old-fashioned and often cruel work in the slaughter pens across the river from Liverpool, England, and in the La Villete yards of Paris, to see a great difference in favor of the methods employed in this country. Visitors to the Union Stock Yards at Chicago will do well to visit one of the great packing houses in th?t place, and examine the methods employed. There are six great establishments there, and they make vis- itors welcome and furnish them free guides. Some of the houses also furnish printed circulars regarding the extent of their business, with other facts of interest concerning the killing department. The condi- tions are such that no person need fear the soiling of the dress in going in these places. THE MARKET CLASSIFICATION OF LIVE STOCEC. Live stock of all kinds is arranged in the market into classes and grades. These vary more or less according to the market, and even in the same market they are not always the same. BASIS AND OBJECTS OF CLASSIFICATIOX. A class comprises the animals suited to certain commercial pur- poses. Within each class are grades of the same, depending on differ- ences in size, quality and condition. At the present time the market classifications are not satisfactorily established. This is because those 430 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. who establish and use the more or less elastic classification make no systematic effort to adopt any fixed standards that shall be generally accepted. It is highly desirable that definite classes and grades be estab- lished for several reasons, among which are the following: First. That buyers and sellers on the market may transact business on a uniform basis. Second. That country customers may not have to familiarize them- selves with more than one set of standards to properly comprehend market quotations. Third. That the press may publish uniform and reasonably consist- ent live stock quotations. There may be but a slight degree of variation in the grades on oc- casions when they closely approximate and merge into one another, but even this should not work to the prejudice of such a classification. In general, all over the United States in the different markets, live stock is classed according to its special adaptation, and each class is graded largely on a basis of size, quality and flesh. A meat-producing animal of high grade, whether cattle, sheep or swine, must have these essential qualifications: Form blocky, the back broad and level; hind quarters square and full on top and thick through the thighs; the shoul- ders smooth and well set back into the body; the chest broad and full; the neck small and short, with a head of medium size, graceful in out- line, with prominent quiet eyes, broad forehead and large nostrils; the body deep and full in outline, supported by short legs with strong fine bone. A fattened animal of this class should have the framework of the body smoothly covered with meat, so that it will feel firm yet mel- low to the touch. The coat of hair should be fine and silky, with a glisten which shows qualit5^ and, in case of cattle, the skin should feel soft and elastic in the hands. A matured, well-fleshed animal meets the highest market demand when it most nearly approaches the character just outlined. The more deficient the animal is in conformation (as for example in spring of rib, heart girth, length of leg, etc.) and quality, the lower it will grade in its class. In a general way the grades in each class may be desig- nated as prime, choice, good, medium and common. Market quotations may not on all occasions make use of these terms, for the reason that animals of some grades may be lacking. For instance, the market for one day may offer no prime steers, choice being the best grade. Still, it is rather difficult to draw the line between these two grades. Each represents a superior product, and an animal might be prime on one market and choice on another. Usually with meat stock within a cer- tain class the highest grade animals weigh the heaviest, although this is not always the case when differences of age are considered. Horses, cattle, sheep and swine are differently classified and graded. The grades, however, of prime, choice, good, medium and common may readily have an application to any kind of stock. The market classifi- cations which follow fairly illustrate the practice in American markets. Those of Chicago have the greatest application, as they affect by far the largest trading community. Those of Indianapolis and Pittsburg are given to illustrate the practice in other markets of importance. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 431 HORSES AND MULES. All horses may be placed in four groups, in a general way, viz: (1) light, (2) coach or carriage, (3) draft, and (4) pony. The following is a typical Chicago daily classification, with grades and prices quoted, as given in the Drovers' Journal. Clashes and grades of horses on Chicago Market, with prices quoted. Class. Poor to Fair. Good to Best. Drafters . . Loggers and feeders ChnnUs Expressers — Farm m£jres and 8mall chunks. Light drivers Actors and coachers Carriage pairs Western (branded) Plugs and scrubs Mules $125 to $175 75 135 65 95 110 150 50 65 65 135 lot) 175 250 350 12 30 10 20 60 160 $180 to $250 1-JO 195 100 160 70 150 2U0 375 40 25 165 140 185 no 200 450 700 55 '2i6 In the above classifications, drafters, loggers and feeders, chunks, small chunks, and expressers, represent animals of a wide range in size, from heavy draft down to small chunks, hut in each instance a blocky, drafty form is desired. Farm mares represent a light type of draft, such as farmers often designate "general purpose" horses. Drivers in- clude various light horses, such as trotters, pacer, etc. The thorough- bred and saddle horse come in the light-horse class, but are not strictly drivers. Actors, carriage and coach horses belong to the one general group. T.here are other classes introduced, and the terms light, medium or heavy may be used in reference to each' different class of horses and mules. The latter, in fact, are usually graded on size and quality, the larger, taller mules bringing the higher prices. There are consignments of horses of inferior value, classed as southern, western, etc., which con- stantly find their way into the large markets; but they lack, quality, size and training, and those from the range are usually branded. Plugs and scrubs constitute the lowest class on the market. The relative value of the animals of the different classes are clearly brought out in the prices quoted. After an extended study of market cattle in the Chicago yards. Prof. H. W. Mumford, of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, published a classification of cattle, concerning which he gave detailed descriptive notes. The following are the general classes as given by him, each of which he subdivides into grades., The brief descriptions of these classes have been condensed from Professor Mumford's notes. General Classes. (1) Beef cattle. This class includes all grades of fat steers and heifers; also everything from common to prime and from light to heavy. It is finished condition that brings animals into this class. 432 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (2) Butcher stock. This class includes animals that have not fat- tened well; also, animals that have not been fed long enough to become properly fattened. It seldom includes steers of really good quality, as such will usually be sold as feeders. The bulk of butcher stock is made up of cows and heifers. (3) Cutters and canners. In this class are included old. thin cows and very thin bulls, steers and heifers. The cutters must carry suffi- cient flesh to permit of the loin or rib both being used for cutting on the block. The animals which are so thin that no part of the carcass can be used for block purposes constitute the canners. (4) Stockers and feeders. This class includes calves, yearlings, two- year-olds and older cattle. Cattle eighteen months old or older which are ready for immediate use in the feed lot are called feeders. Those which are younger are referred to as stockers. (5) Veal calves. This includes all calves which are sold for imme diate slaughter. Special Classes. The above general classes really comprise everything in the way of cattle sent to the markets. But there are a number of special classes generally recognized which require to be named and defined. (1) Texas and western range cattle. A few years ago the typical Texas steer had very long horns and long legs, was thin and narrow- bodied, and carried a large deep brand; and most of the cattle which came from Texas were of this description. But this type is rapidy dis- appearing. Animals of the best beef breeds have been imported into the State and used for breeding purposes, especially for crossing with the native stock, so that now many of the Texas cattle compare favor- ably with those from other sections of the country. There is, however. a very wide range between the best and the poorest. The western range cattle are classed with the Texas cattle, because formerly they were made up largely of southern cattle which were driven northward to winter on the ranges north of the quarantine line. Now, however, a large percentage of the animals in this class are bred on the ranges of the West and Northwest. All the cattle ir this class are branded. (2) Distillers. These are cattle that have been fattened on the by- products of distilleries. Formerly only inferior grades of cattle were purchased for feeding on distillery residues, but at present many feed- erg^ of better grades are used. When sent to market these cattle are preferred to others of the same grade, because they dress out a higher percentage of beef. (3) Baby beef. This term is applied to choice or prime fat steers between one and two years old, weighing from eight too ten hundred pounds. (4) Export cattle. The cattle exported are in the main good to choice steers, weighing from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred pounds. Comparatively few prime beef steers are bought for export, because of the high price they bring in the home market. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 433 (5) Shipping steers. T.his term applies to the animals purchased in the Western markets for shipment to the large Eastern markets of the United States. They are mainly of medium and good grades and range in weight from eleven hundred and fifty to sixteen hundred pounds. (6) Dressed beef cattle. This class includes such cattle as are purchased by the large packing concerns of the Middle West. The pack- ers prefer medium to choice steers, weighing from twelve hundred to fourteen hundred pounds, to make up the bulk of their purchases, but conditions of supply and demand cause them to purchase animals of a much wider range in grade and weight, the extreme range in weight being from eight hundred to seventeen hundred pounds. Stags. This class includes such animals as have reached or at least approaching maturity before castration, and hence have the general con- formation of bulls. Comparatively few of these come to the general markets, and they are of a wide range in quality, condition and weight. A few are good enough for export, while the poorest must be sold for canners. HOGS. The market does not provide so wide a classification of hogs as of cattle. They are largely classed on weight and quality, as is seen in the following classifications and quotations at Chicago, from the Live Stock Report: Classes and Grade of hops on Chicago market, toith quotations Assorted light $6.00 to $6.40 Good to choice medium weights 6.20 6.30 Good to choice heavy.. 5.75 6.00 Fair to good heavy. . . . 5.60 5.75 Good to choice mixed. . 6.10 6.25 Common to fair mixed. 5.85 6.00 Common packers $5.40 to $5.60 Pig?, 120 to 140 pounds 5.00 6.00 Pigs. 120 pounds and under 4.50 5.75 Skips and culls 3.00 4.50 Stags 4.00 4.50 East of Indianapolis quotations on hogs usually give a class known as Yorkers. These are light weights of three grades, such as are in demand for cutting up on the block in New York City. Heavy Yorkers range from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and eighty pounds; medium, from one hundred and forty to one "hundred and sixty pounds, and light from one hundred to one hundred and forty pounds. Pigs of this class grade under one hundred pounds. The grades based on weight will not hold the same in the same market, but will occasionally vary to meet the packers' demands. It may be noted also that on the same date the grades based on weight may differ in different markets. The price quotations on hogs vary more on weight than quality. The latter feature, of course, always materially assists in securing the highest price, but the demands for weights vary. Sometimes the market quotations are highest on light hogs, and then, perhaps in a relatively short time, heavy hogs command the highest price from the packer. A weight of two hundred and twenty-five to two hundred and fifty pounds for well fattened hogs will, under average conditions, probably be most in demand. 28 434 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SHEEP. The following classification and quotations from the Weekly Live Stock Report of Chicago, representing that market, is about as com- prehensive as is published: Classes and grades of sheep on the Chicago market, ivith quotations. Choice western weth- ers $3.75 to $4.00 Fair to good western wethers 3.50 Choice western year- lings 4.15 Fair to good western yearlings 3.85 Choice western ewes., 3.35 Fair to good western ewes Western cull ewes... Choice western lambs Fair to good western lambs 4.85 Choice heavy native wethers 4.00 Choice light native ewes 3.50 2.85 L50 5.25 3.65 4.25 4.00 3.50 3.15 2.25 5.50 5.10 4.10 3.60 Choice heavy native ewes $3.00 to $3.60 Fair to good native ewes 3.15 Cull native ew^es 2.00 Choice native spring lambs 5.65 Fair to good native spring lambs 5.15 Common and medium lambs 4.50 Cull spring lambs 3.25 Feeding sheep 3.35 Feeding yearlings .... 3.60 Choice feeding lambs.. 4.50 Fair to good feeding lambs 4.15 3.40 2.50 5.75 5.50 5.00 4.00 3.50 3.75 4.65 4.40 It will be noted that this classification embraces western wethers, yearlings, ewes and lambs, and natives wethers, ewes and lambs. West- ern sheep are from the ranges of Montana. Wyoming and other states beyond the Mississippi, and are strongly impregnated with Merino blood. They lack the middle wool or mutton element which is more character- istic of the sheep from states east of the Mississippi. Western sheep and lambs weigh lighter and dress out less fat than Eastern stock. MAKING A SHIPMENT. Making arrangements. Where one is to ship by freight it is cus- tomary tj make arrangement in advance with the railway agent and have one or more cars switched and placed ready for loading. Advance arrangements are necessary, because cars may have to be obtained from some other point on the railroad, and. in any event, special switching- orders will, as a rule, be necessary. In a smaller town or city two or three days' notice of shipment is usually expected from the consignor. Even in the largest markets one day's notice to the railroad is desirable. Feeding and care during shipment. Feed, water and care en route are always given live stock when an attendant does not accompany the shipment. It is, however, necessary that the shipper furnish feed and some utensils. For horses, cattle and sheep shipped in a stock car a supply of hay must be placed in the racks in the car. In case of a small shipment the hay may be placed in a rough rack or on the car floor. Fo-r a carload lot a supply of hay may be placed along the side of the car, being, in some cases, fed through trap-doors in the roof into the racks in front of the animals. On brief runs and on express freights feeding is not usually practiced. Hogs when shipped loose in the cat- are usually fed c'orn on the ear. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 435 Crated animals sent by express must have crates bedded and feed attached to crates on outside for long- journeys. Properly made crates will have a sack pocket fastened at the end within the crate in which hay may be stuffed, which sheep or calves may nibble at leisure. A small V-shaped trough may also be placed in the end of the crate, in which grain may be fed. If these additions to the crate are provided, the agents along the line will see that the stock is watered. Shipping crates should be neither too large nor too small, just giv- ing room for an animal to stand erect comfortably. The width should be only three inches greater than the width of the body at the hips and shoulders. Much room is objectionable. Animals firmly crated, with suitable feed acompanying, can be expressed from the Atlantic to the Pacific with no trouble or injury under ordinary shipping conditions. Crates should be light yet strong. Water is always supplied by railway and express agents along the line. If an ordinary car is used, and the journey is a long one, then a half barrel in which water can be placed should be put in a box stall convenient to the animals. A slab of wood on the water will help to keep it from slopping out. Regulation stock cars are provided with water troughs, which are usually filled at points along the line, where water from hydrants is convenient. These may be filled according to the season and demand for drink; in warm, dry weather much more water is required than at other times. Under such condifions hogs need special attention. At some points along railways in the West, water pipes with flattened iron nozzles are inserted between the slats of the car. Water is then turned on from reservoirs and the hogs are drenched. TJiis refreshes them and brings them to market in much better shape than they would be otherwise. Feeding steers preparatory to shipment. Feeding steers preparatory to shipment and en route is a matter of importance. John Clay, jr., a well known buyer of Chicago, suggests the following: a •'A day or two previous to shipping, feed the cattle in a pen, and feed hay only. The secret of shipping all classes of cattle is to place them on the cars full of food, but with as little moisture as possible A steer full of water is apt to have loose, bowels and show up badly in the yards. Properly handled cattle should arrive in the sale pens dry behind and ready for a good fill of water; not very thirsty, but in good condition to drink freely. Many shippers think that by salting their cattle or feeding them oats they can fool the buyers, but it always goes against them to use unnatural amounts." Mr. J. A. Funkhouser, writing for the the Breeders' Gazette (January 18, 1893), on feeding steers for least shrinkage in a four hundred mile journey, advises feeding all the hay they will eat and reducing the grain one half for two or three days prior to shipment. If fed during transit he would feed two hundred and fifty pounds of hay and one and one half bushels of com per car. Discussing this same subject, A. L. Ames writes :& a Livestock Report, d iciRO, September 28, 1894. /) Wallace's Farmer, .JuneJt), .Wi. 436 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. "What causes heavy shrinkage in cattle? In my judgment it can be traced directly to three causes — water, weariness and excitement. I have found that steers having to ride from two hundred and fifty to three hundred miles are in the worst kind of condition if started on all the water they can hold. On the day before shipping give your cattle about half their usual feed, at the same time and in the same way you have been in the habit of feeding. Give them at the same time all the good bright hay they will eat, and if you have anything extra in quality now is the time to use it. Get them just as full of hay as you can. Now, in the morning, if you have time before moving the cattle, give them all the grain they will eat, and start them of the feed yard." Attendants. An attendant usually, though not always, accompanies large shipments by rail. It is customary for railroads to allow one at tendant to a carload of stock, and usually he will be given accommoda- tions in the caboose. It will be necessary for him to see that the stock is at all times properly cared for, and at the end of the journey that the car containing it is placed at the right station, convenient for unloading. A competent attendant in shipments to metropolitan stock yards may often save unnecessary switching in the yards by insisting on a prompt placing lof the car or cars containing live stock. One of the most objec- tionable features of shipping by freight comes from injuries received by stock from the severe and sudden stops in switching, when heavy animals are thrown against the sides of the car or against one another, or are thrown to the floor. A watchful attendant, by properly placing his stock within the car. may prevent animals becoming bruised in this way. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 437 H PROCEEDINGS OF THE IOWA STATE DKAIJNAGE CONVENTION. Held at the Iowa State College,. Ames, January 15 AND 16, 1904. Pursuant to the order of the Iowa State Drainage Association, the proceedings of the State Drainage Convention held in Ames, January 15 and 16, 1904, are published in the following pages. Hundreds of earnest enthusiastic farmers, land owners, engineers and lawj^ers from all sections of the State attended the convention. They came because they had been face to face with serious drainage problems and realized the absolute necessity for united effort in' behalf of better things. The sentiment which dominated the convention was one strongly in favor of a new. adequate and constitutional drainage law. The mem- bers present earnestly advocated that every legitimate effort be put forth to secure the passage of such a law by the present legislature. A strong legislative committee, appointed by the chair, was instructed to prepare a drainage bill and to do all in their power to secure its pas- sage by the present legislature. The committee has been faithful to its trust and the full report of the recent convention is now published Ir. ihe hope that it may aid in crystallizing a widespread public sentiment in support of the "Committee Drainage Bill," known as House file 120 and Senate file 97. Without doubt if this bill becomes a law, a series of drainage improvements will be started and carried to completion, which in the near future will increase the agricultural wealth of the State al- most beyond computation. W. H. . Stex-enson. Ames. Iowa. February 10. 1904. Secretary-Treasurer. EVENING SESSION, JANUARY 15TH. The convention was called to order by Prof. C. F. Curtiss, who intro- duced the college president, Dr. A. B. Storms. Doctor Storms stated that the hour had arrived for the meeting, and. as the convention had a full program, he did not desire to take up time. "You are here to look at this question from the agricultural, social and political side. You are here for business. Professor Stevenson has been draining the State of Iowa and has a bucketful of results that I know you wish to receive, while Professor Marston has bounded the duties of the drainage engineer and defined his position quite clearly. 438 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. "Gentlemen, in the name of the college I bid j'Oii welcome, our latchstring is out, and I wish for you a prosperous convention tha' shall do a positive good for the State." Introductory to the program. Professor Curtiss said: "There is no question at the present time more vital than the drainage of our soil. A few years ago some would-be scientists said we were making a mi:; take in our drainage plans; that w^e would draw all the moisture out ot the soil with our tiling. The past two seasons have furnished sufl&cieni evidence to entirely dispel such doctrine. -'The matter of drainage lies at the very foundation of successful agriculture, there can be no satisfactory cropping until surplus water is disposed of. "Drainage systems and drainage laws need to be studied with the utmost care. Drainage is closely connected with the problem of good roads. The statistics gathered by the Department of Soils at this col- lege indicate the inadequate drainage and the great losses the State suf- fers from this source. '•Tile drainage has only been used for little more than half a cen tury in this country. The first tile used were imported from Scotland in 1833, and the first machine for tile drainage was made in New York in 1848. The pioneer farmer in tile drainage was ridiculed by his fellow farmers, who said he was 'putting crockery into the ground to bury his money.' The farmer of later years who carefully drained his wet farm and saw its effects upon his crops and realized increased profits in his harvests, exclaimed with earnestness. 'Verily, I believe the whole- earth should be drained!' ''The past two seasons have revealed to us, as never before, our faulty drainage, and I trust that they may yet prove a blessing to i? by giving us a better system of drainage. It is as necessary that we have well drained land in a dry season as in a wet season. "The drainage problem will help us to solve the good roads prob- lem. This convention has been called to give an expression of opinion on this worl^ and plan for definite action."' PEESENT DRAINAGE CONDITIONS OF IOWA. Prof. W. H. Stevenson, of the Department of Soils of Iowa Stat^ College, presented a large fund of exceedinly valuable data regarding drainage conditions of Iowa and spoke in" part as follows: "Soil problems are today receiving careful attention in almost every state and territory in the Union. They lie at the very foundation of our successful agriculture. It is true that these problems are widely different in different states, but all of them are important. Therefore it is right that they should receive the attention which they are now receiving at the hands of the farmers and others who are interested in the improvement of American agricultural conditions. In the far East we find the experiment stations and fa.-mers standing shoulder to shoul- der in their investigations, studying the use of commercial fertilizers and learning how they can bring back to their fields the fertility that has been wasted by careless handling. In the Southland of our country we FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 439 find the landowners face to face with the same problems. In Illinois, also, although we think of that commonwealth as one of the richest roil- ing states of the Central West, we find the thoughtful farmers earnestly studying soil conditions. In the West, alkali and irrigation are demand- ing the attention of land owners and Government experts. In this State we have our peculiar soil problems. It is not strange, and the fact that we have these problems is our reason for investigating and studying them in' their relation to Iowa's agricultural progress. When I first came into this State I was impressed by the fertility of the land as indi- cated by the wonderful growth of the grains and grasses. On every hand the fields gave evidence of an abounding fruitfulness. But there was one blot upon the landscape. As far as the eye could see, in many sec- tions of the State, could be seen innumerable low. wet spots, wholly or partially unproductive. These areas, some large and some quite limited, were thus unproductive because of inadequate drainage. There is no question about it. You know that it is true. In fact, as you traveled here to this convention, you found here an acre and there an acre unproduc- tive or partially unproductive all owing to the fact that it was not ade- quately drained. A few^ years ago the fact that drainage conditions ought to be improved in this State grew stronger and stronger. In the full- ness of time it became evident that something ought to be done, all with the intent of bringing this problem nearer to the people and land own- ers of the State. Therefore it seemed wise that the department of soils of this college should institute investigations which would furnish some valuable data that could be tabulated and later sent to the people of the State for the purpose of crystalizing sentiment in favor of more ade- quate laws, something that would not only make men believe in these important drainage problems, but also lead them to act. We have sent out not less than four thousand letters to almost every township in your State, and about two thousand replies have been received in reply to the questions which were asked. It was our purpose to find out just what the drainage conditions of this State are. We did not go to any particular section or township or county, but we went to the farmers of the State; to men many of whom were personally known to us, and asked them to give us answers as fair and comprehensive as they pos- sibly could. These two thousand letters have brought us data which ought to be of real value, for they come from men who have land to drain and who are interested in better drainage and better tiling of the land. Tbnight I do not want to weary you with a great number of fig- ures, nor with a mass of statistical matter, but we have some data which I believe will be of interest to you. (At this point Professor Stevenson explained clearly and rapidly the charts which were hung upon a screen upon the platform, giving the following data) : 440 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. PllESENT CONDITION OF FARM LANDS. County or District. o 1 % 1'^ II 11 III u. III 1^- Humboldt Boone 249.0 167.4 182.2 379.6 272.8 197.2 26.0 14.1 73.3 69.4 25.7 14.5 17.9 3 7 3 6 43.4 10.1 6.7 97.5 60.0 16 7 77.7 69.5 53.2 87.5 38.1 16.7 88.8 55.6 23.3 29.5 19.4 27.5 36.3 District No. 2 .... 18.9 District No. 5 12.1 State 249.1 16.4 6.7 40.1 25.9 12.4 STATEMENT OF PROFIT AND LOSS. ^6 .■S£ s ^•^ 80 03 Counties. berof -produ 1 S^ n 1 ■ o a c tpj a, .»:> l§ 5 g'S s !zj° ixG sESSiox, JAXTAEY 16. 1904, 8:30 o'clock. The committee on permanent organization reported Professor W. PI. Stevenson for president and Mr. John Hammill for secretary. The re- port was adopted. The president-elect made a few remarks in acknowledgment of the honor conferred upon him. and then announced the first number upon the program would be an address upon "Road Drainage." by Senator John T. Brooks, of Hedrick. A summary of the address follows: I do not stand before you, gentlemen, claiming any special technical knowledge. That I do not profess, as I am more interested as a learner than as an instructor. I am vsuro that there will be a number of gentle- men present who will disagree with my views on the drainage question. There may be some who will agree. I wish to warn both classes not to take my views too seriously. Whatever they may be they have come to me through my own experience and observation. I am announced on the program to talk to you on road drainage. I will not treat this questi-on or consider it in itself. I fully agree with Professor Curtiss In his re- marks when he joined field drainage and road drainage in one problem. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 465 The problem before us is to get the excess water out of the grounds You can not properly drain the field without benefit to the roads, nor can you properly drain the roads without benefit to the fields nearby. We now confront more cltosely the problems of field drainage, in view of the fact that the legislature now sitting will beyond question pass a new drain- age law. Because of our inability to produce paying crops in many por- tions of the State without drainage forces, the vital importance of this question is before us, whether we will or not. I know that many mem- bers of the legislature are looking to the results of this drainage con- vention as a very much needed guide for what shall be done in the legislature this winter. A large number, at the time of the passage of the Townsend bill, were seeking not very accurately for information, but when the question was brought before them they sought to know just what was needed. Perhaps any drainage bill is necessarily some- what voluminous. It seemed to us; at least, those of us located in the more rolling sections, that the Townsend bill wa& very voluminous. A bill that would adequately meet our Vv^ants might possibly fail wholly to meet your wants. I spent considerable time for thirty days two years ago on the drainage problem, but I was handicapped at the time as to what you. folks required in other parts of the State. We are' looking to you to indicate and demonstrate to us what is required in your section. As to this road problem, proper, for I must talk to you a little on' that question, it divides itself into two divisions. First, the surface drainage; second, under drainage. Under the old road law. you remember that we worked the roads not because the roads needed it, that is. not lohen they needed it. We did not go out at any particular time because the roads at that time needed our attention, but because the time had arrived when we usually worked out our road tax. When a class of men engaged in any particular line or avocation, have any side task that is imposed upon them, that side task has to abide its time. We worked the roads not when the roads were in best condi- tion to be improved. Consequently, when the roads were seamed and gashed with the wheel tracks, when it -needed leveling up, we were often in our fields and the roads waited. When the rain came these seams held the water in the road and forced it into the roadbed. Under the present system one of the fortunate features, as contemplated, is that the roads would receive attention when they needed it. not when it suited the convenience of road laws to work them. In the rolling, districts in the southeastern part of the State our roads receive incal- culable damage by reason of the water on the hillsides going down the center of the road instead of down the side ditches. There is a little rivulet down the wheel track and on down over the expensive grade. It was left to continue for weeks and months. To my mind a very much more important side of this drainage question is not the surface, however important that may be, but it is the under-drain. the tile drain that takes the water out of the sub-soil. It is simply mar- velous to me that there is such wonderful benefit from the underground drainage of highways. You get that surplus water out of the roadbed 456 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. and it is compact. When the rains cease and the sun and atmosphere dries the surface you have a smooth track to use. Because you have the smooth track, it is leveled up hy the next rain. That is to say, you have a very much less part of the water going into the roadbed bed. I have in mind several stretches of road in my neighborhood that were so bad as to be absolutely impassable in every wet season. For weeks and weeks we would have stretches of road that would be practically impassable. There would be parts of wagons and other vehicles strewn by the side of the road where effort had been made to get heavy loads through. We got our road commissioner to put a stretch of four-inch tile along that road, and it has improved to what is now one of the best roads in that section of the country. It is an elegant roadway. Below the surface a little way in many places we have an impervious clay, that is, so nearly impervious that the water percolates down to that and flows along on it until it comes out on a side hill. It so softens the soil that it will be cut into by the wheels and become miry. In several instances we have put in surface tile, and in every instance they have absolutely wiped the muddy place out of existence and transformed that miry place into one of the best of- roads. A rural mail carrier was unable to get through with the mail on the highway, and had to pass through the fields at the side 'of the road. A few of us appealed to the trustees, and finally we got a line of tile down that road. In two days after that tile was laid the carrier was back on the road. It was one of the finest pieces of road in that section after the tile was placed. What does it do for the fields? I have in mind a field that was situated between my home and one of my own lands. Conse- quently I passed it almost daily. Two years ago one half of that wet field was tiled. Two lines of four-inch tile were put through one eighty. The east half of the eighty was in corn. The man farming this land started to plow, and when he got out about the center of the eighty he was stopped by the mud. He then planted the east half while waiting for the west half to dry. The corn was eighteen inches high in this part of the field while water would be showing in every furrow and every depression on the west half. Now if it will do that for the field, you will see what it will do for the highway. It will do more for the highway than for ihe field, because it makes the surface suitable for drainage. The tile not only takes care of what water goes into the sub-soil, but it keeps the surface in shape to shed the water off into the side ditches. One of the favorable features of this tiling question is this. In the road question in Iowa, of course we are necessarily cutting and trying. We are yet using the natural surface with but very little change, — simply putting in our culverts and bridges where they are needed. We are facing this road question. You can not mak€?> a mistake in tile draining. If you put in your tile right it is money well spent, no matter what you put on after that. No matter what kind of surface you put on if you use macadam, your tile drain is not thrown away. I am firm in the conviction that there is no kind of surface improvement that ought to go on until you have first thor- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 457 oughly prepared the roadbed by drainage. (Applause.) It is safe, it is necessary and I cherish the suspicion, I may be wrong, but I cherish the suspicion that when you have once thoroughly under-drained your roadbed and kept the roadbed smooth on the surface, possibly you have got pretty near what you want. (Applause.) I do not want to be misunderstood, I do not want to be taking the position that you must stop there or that you want to stop there. I do not want to stand in the way of those who are asking for something farther. The point I made is. this is necessary, this is proper, and. if we find that we can' stop there, weir and good. There are many other features of this drain- age problem that I am interested in. I read not long ago an interesting article from a member of the legislature on the danger that the towns and cities were in, if this problem of drainage were carried 'Out. I find myself differing on one material point in that article. That is in regard to the danger to the cities below. Now at first thought, it would seem to be true that to hurry this water off would increase the danger "below, but my investigations have led me to believe that this is not the case. I find by my own experience, in my part of the State, that when' the surface soil is thoroughly dried out we can take about four inches of rainfall without even starting our local streams. An inconceivable volume of water, yet we can take it without even starting a local stream. Why? Because we have the .capacity to take care of a vast amount of water in our sub-soil. There are ponds, which, of course, hold vast quantities of water, but it is not the first rains that raise the water in our streams. The first rains have doubtless filled up our ponds. I doubt if we are troubled by overflows on the Des Moines and Skunk rivers until after these ponds are filled up. When these surface ponds are all filled and the natural reservoir in the soil itself has all been filled, there is no place left and the waters pile up in the streams and curse us below by destroying 'Our crops and buildings. Your ditches are like a safety valve on a steam boiler. As soon as the pressure gets up to a certain point it blows off. You will find, gentlemen, in these parts of the State. I am sure, that you not only need these surface ditches but you need the tile ditch. Unless you have a very dry season I do not apprehend that you will raise very great crops in those lake beds by doing this. Now. when you have tiled that lanc^ you have not only carried this surface water out into the channel of the stream, but you "have created a reservoir that will hold any rainy season. We will have more beautiful streams, we will have a clear sparkling stream all through the season where now we only have a stagnant poiol part of the time. I have lived the past two seasons on the Skunk. You have held the water up here to destroy your own crops, and sent it all down lield the water up here to destroy your own crops, and sent it all down in one lump to destroy mine after it was half produced. I am afraid, gentlemen, that without pretending any special knowledge I suspect that you are putting too much stress on the open ditch. Now an open ditch is tolerable only when you can not get along without it. I suspect that there are many places where you think an open ditch requisite, 458 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. where a closed ditch would be sufficient. If you will inform yourself by what others have done, you will be astonished at what a tile ditch can do. Your underground ditch works all the time, getting your water out of the sub-soil below, preparing a natural reservoir for the rain. It is only in exceptional cases that a long ditch is needed for au outlet. We have on the divide between the Skunk and the Des Moines fiat stretches, with here and there a pond. You would be jperfectly aston- ished at what a little tile drain will do for those ponds. I know of plenty of cases where a little four-inch tile run back through the prairie and under that pond made it one of the finest corn fields in the world. I am sure that you men will find this drainage problem easier when you get into it, when you understand what this tile drain will do. While it costs considerable money, yet it is the most profitable money a farmer can spend. I believe that you will be surprised and that you will be pleased with the results this underground tiling will do. If you are not doing this, I urge on you the very great importance of investigating what this underground drainage will do, and you can put it in, n almost every* case. I would simply cut these open ditches to make an outlet. Of course, the outlet becomes important where you bring many of these together and you are back from the stream. Gentlemen, I thank you. ATTORXEY SAWYER'S ADDRESS. The convention calling for an opinion from Mr. P. A. Sawyer before opening the business session, he spoke as follows: "I did not expect to be called upon the carpet, but now that -I am here. I will say a few words to you in regard to the workings of the law. The law provides that after things are brought forward like this point, they must be brought before a commission of three, one of which must be an engineer, and they shall classify the lands. The supervisors shall then assess the lands according to the benefit they will receive. Under this provision a ditch may be established upon a petition signed by a majority of the abutting land owners. The Twenty- first General Assembly passed another act providing for the inauguration of proceedings by a vote of one hundred of the voters of the county. The abutting owners must specify just the ditch they want and pray for, the route and the termjnus. The engineer in this case is not appointed to go on and lay out the ditch, saying where it shall go and where it will do the most good, but his latitude is taken away from him and he simply looks after the hygiene 'of the ditch after it is planned. Many people are taxed but have no notice, that is, any positive notice that the ditch was goins, through their lands, and I believe they are entitled to positive notice. ''Now if you draw up a new law and go down to Des Moines and offer it to the legislature, it will have to go through committees, and it will be taken up section by section and discussed; committee work is very slow, and before that act is reported to the legislature you have a large calendar. A new law would mean that we would get no help this year. Amend this law, just as briefiy as you can, for the purpose FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 459 of bringing remedies that the law now needs. Our laws in regard to drainage are just as good as the majority of States, and they are all right as far a they go. I think the best plan would be to amend the law, first, require that the engineer when he makes his report be more specific and return a report of the land that, in his opinion, would be affected, and describe accurately each tract of land and give the name of the owners. Before this is established, the supervisors should be notified. Then, when the petition comes for the hearing, the supervisors should notify those people to come forward and show just cause why their land should not be included in the drainage. Then let the super- visors go ahead and classify the land such as lov/, wet, dry, swampy, etc., and also return specifically, along with the description of the land, the names of the owners. I would make the ditch tax a first lien on the land, and then, if several persons want to go ahead and make an improvement of this kind, they can. do it. You know it is universal in this world that if there is work to be done the large crowd are will- ing to sit back and let those few go ahead that are willing to do it. "In regard to the amendment of the lav/. I would get at it just as quickly as you can, so that the improvements now under the process of being carried forward will not necessarily be delayed, because very soon it will be time for your drainage boats to go to work." It was now moved, seconded and carried, tha-t Mr. P. A. Sawyer, Mr. C. G. Elliott. Prof. C. F. Curtiss, and two other gentlemen that the chair shall name, be appointed as a committee to draft an' amendment to the I'owa drainage laws, and use their influence to secure legislative action at the present session of the general assembly. The committee on resolutions gave the convention the following report : EESOLUTIOXS. Whereas, the excessive rainfall of the last two years has caused untold damage to the agricultural interest of Iowa, and brought about a general realization of our imperfect drainage system, and a full realiza- tion of the needs of our own State in this regard, and. Whereas, the recent decision of the supreme court has demonstrated the necessity of an immediate amendment of our drainage laws, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the disasters from the rains and floods of the past two years will not be entirely without advantage if we profit by the experience and at once take vigorous and intelligent action in relation to our drainage interests. Resolved, That we are more than gratified at the success of this convention, and the thanks of the farmers are due the authorities of the Agricultural College who conceived the idea and who have so suc- cessfully carried it out; Resolved, That we earnestly favor the taking of immediate action in the way of presenting to the legislature such amendments of our present drainage laws as shall remedy any defects therein and make them at the same time practical, efficient and constitutional; 460 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Resolved, That we endorse and commend the work of the office of experiment stations of the Department of Agriculture, in promoting the drainage of farm lands by furnishing advice upon intricate prob- lems which often confront us. and by preparing and disseminating the results of drainage investigations, and ask that this work be enlarged and extended; Resolved, That we appreciate and heartily endorse the work now being done by the Iowa State College and the State Experiment Station for the advancement of agricultural knowledge along practical lines. W. S. Kelley, Harrison county, Iowa, H. HiNMAx, Wright county, Iowa. C. G. Elliott, Washington. D. C, Committee. The report of the committee was unanimously adopted and a vote of thanks extended to the faculty of the Iowa State College and the people of Ames for courtesies extended during the convention. Chairman Stevenson was empowered by the convention to appoint an executive committee. He appointed the following named persons on this committee: Mr. Clarence Baker, Appanoose county; Mr. J. T. Brooks. Hedrick, Iowa; Mr. G. D. McNabb, Garner, Iowa. ORGANIZATION OF THE IOWA STATE DRAINAGE ASSOCIATION. A motion was now made, seconded and carried, that this conven- tion form a permanent organization that shall be known as the Iowa State Drainage Association. Prof. D. A. Kent of Jewel Junction was elected president of the new drainage association; Prof. W. H. Stevenson, department of soils, Iowa State College, was made secretary and treasurer and the officers were empowered to appoint one vice president from each county in the State. By motion the membership fee was fixed at one dollar. The convention adjourned to meet at 1:30 p.m. in the College Chapel. AFTERNOON SESSION, JANUARY 16tH, 1:30 P..M. At the opening of the afternoon session Mr. E. B. Howard of Ames. Iowa, addressed the convention upon the subject, "Where Will the Drainage Water Go? What Damage Will it Do?" He spoke as follows: "The water discharged from ten or one hundred tile lines, or one or ten large drainage ditches, you all agree will drain the surface water many times faster than Nature would do it. Nature held it in mossy sloughs and ponds until a large portion of it was absorbed by the heated atmosphere of dry summers. '"Only a few days ago Representative Chassell was reported in the Des Moines press as saying, we would now have more frequent overflows be- cause of the tile lines already laid. Then how much more if all the new ones you predict? FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 461 "It is obvious tliat villages, towns and cities partly built on overflow- lands will partially be inundated by spring freshets or heavy or con- tinued summer rains. "Des Moines and other cities and towns are now discussing heavy taxes and long and high levees to withstand the sudden and mighty rush of waters. '■The farmers owning bottom land in Iowa will send up a voice as of thunder, when they see the damage to their grain fields and meadov lands. •'I write thig paper because I have had many years of experience in partially or wholly getting this great rush of water off the bottom lands in the quickest and cheapest manner. The quicker and more economical because I cut a very narrow, though very deep ditch on my survey line and give it from one to three years to cut itself into a deep and broad enough channel to carry a much greater quantity of water, while the velocity of the new and straight stream is many times that of the old and crooked ones, which are not only retarded by tree roots, brush and log impediments, but many times more by undermining the banks of the old and crooked stream bed and thereby forming eddies or whirl pools, which so greatly retard the velocity of the stream as to seemingly bring it almost to a standstill. "The straightening of crooked stream beds, noticing the gain of water discharged per second, is not a theory. I have practical knowl- edge of what I write. I own a large farm in Marshall county, Iowa, or more properly speaking several small farms of two hundred to three hundred acres each, extending from the steep to gently sloping creek and river hills into the higher and lower bottom lands of two creeks and Iowa rivers. "The smaller creek, named Mud creek, coursed its very crooked bed for over three quarters of a mile through one farm, and discharged itself into the higher H.oney creek. I surveyed a straight line, from the point where Mud creek entered my farm, on through its low lands to the shortest and best point of discharge into Honey creek; by simply cutting a ditch on this surveyed line, only the size of the smallest tile ditch and from one to six feet deep; in a single year the water cut this little narrow ditch larger than its original stream bed, although this new creek channel discharged itself forty rods up stream on Honey creek from the p-oint of its old or natural discharge, by cutting its new chan- nel straight. It was but one fourth of a mile in length, as compared with the old and crooked channel of three fourths of a mile. Being so much shorter it had over double the fall. When the new and straight channel was filled full of water, its increased fall made its velocity so fearful, that no drift could obstruct its current. Thus when its stream bed was bark full its discharge per second was several times that of the old crooked stream bed at its full capacity. "So successful and cheap was this experiment with Mud cresk bed which was three or four feet at bottom and ten to twelve feet at top and three to four feet deep that I set to work to make big and crooked Honey creek straight, the stream bed of which was ten to twenty feet 462 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. at bottom and thirty to fifty feet at top and five to ten feet deep. Of course botli natural stream beds are nearly double the width named, at sharp curvatures, and double the depth named, at their narrowest banks. '"In carting the dirt from the newly surveyed channel of Honey creek and depositing it in the old creek channel for a dam. I made my first failure by making the dam too near the head of the new narrow ditoh. When this narrow ditch washed itself into a channel, fifteen or thirty feet wide, which it did in about two years' time, it washed away the end of the dam next to the new channel. "I should remark that the head of the new channel as well as the dam should, if possible, be made on the lowest bottom lands so that a common overflow will pass around in place of over the new dam. It is needless to say that the discharge of Honey creek waters being many times the quantity of Mud creek, the straight and narrow ditch was faster cut in Honey creek by the greater flow of water, save that the new channel for Honey creek was not cut on an entirely straight line. It was made somewhat crooked so as to go through the low lands and thereby save labor, and the more, to save cutting deep into the middle of a fine large second bottom cornfield. Now the new, deep and comparatively straight channel of Honey creek passes but a mile through two of my farms from the head of its new channel to its point of discharge into Iowa river as compared to over three miles of its old and crooked channel. This comparatively inexpensive cutting of new and straight channels has made my long, high and very expensive levee, which was made many years ago, useless, save in times of very high water marks. Iowa river borders my land for a distance of two or three miles. Two enterprising and adjoining land-owning farmers are now ready to co- operate witli me in the like making of a channel of Iowa river straight for a distance of five to six miles. We most respectfully ask this drainage convention to co-operate with owners of bottom lands in Iowa, that by either State or county aid. we may be enabled to make our crooked and very sluggish streams straight, that such streams may be made so much shorter with so much greater fall, and straight, thus giving them such tremendous velocity that your sudden and mighty rush of waters from your thousand new lines of tile and artificial drainage waters may be quickly sped to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers without damage to villages, towns and cities on Iowa bottom lands and without damage to owners of bottom farm lands in Iowa. After some discussion Mr. E. B. Howaid presented the following reso- lution, asking that it might be referred to the executive committee. Resolved, by the delegates of the State Drainage Convention, assem- bled at Ames, Iowa. January 16, 1904, that courts and juries at a distance can not understand the situation of the drainage area, or tax levies under dispute like competent engineers who can personally investigate the mat- ters in dispute. Therefore, be it FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 463 Resolved, That a board of three engineers for each District Court dis- trict be appointed by the State drainage engineer commission to hear complaints and render decisions, or make awards, in case of appeal from the county commission. Awards from this district commission may be appealed to the State drainage engineer commission. Action before all courts to be barred until it passes through these two engineer arbitration boards. Upon motion, Mr. Howard's resolution was referred to the committee appointed to secure the passage of a drainage bill. The chair was now authorized to appoint a committee of three to draft constitution and by-laws for the Drainage Association. Chairman Stevenson appointed on this committee: John Drug. Strat- ford; J. F. Ford. Fort Dodge; G. D. McNabb, Garner. On motion, the vice presidents of the Drainage Association were em- powered to secure members, collect from each member a fee of one dollar, and forward the same to the treasurer. Prof. C. J. Zintheo. of Iowa State College, said: "It seems to me that we have a great deal of valuable information in these three sessions. I think that the matter ought to be in such shape that anyone who reads may see what we have done. "I move that the proceedings of this convention be put in published form.-' The motion was carried. Mr. J. Z. Adams remarked: "We must not adjourn and leave here until we make some provision, until we have a fund to have these pro- ceedings published." A committee was appointed by the chairman to pass through the audience and collect a membership fee of each one who desired to become a member of the association. After a general discussion of much interest reviewing the work of the three sessions of the convention and emphasizing the necessity of drain- age legislation at the present session of the general assembly of Iowa, the convention adjourned to meet at such time and place as the newly elected president and secretary of the Iowa State Drainage Association shall name. 464 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. I. PIG FEEDING. PROFITABLE PIG FEEDING. Col. G. W. Walters, Canton, Mo. In Bulletin No. 12, Missouri State Board of Agriculture. The pig makes by far the greatest amount of gain for the food con- sumed of all of our meat producing animals. Doctor Warrington in "Chemistry of the Farm" states that for each one hundred pounds of feed consumed the gains are: "Cattle nine pounds, sheep eleven pounds^ pigs twenty-three pounds." or pigs make nearly two and a half times as much gain from a given amount of feed as do cattle. But to state the matter more concisely, analyses show upon the average that for every one hundi'ed pounds of the digested nutrients consumed cattle gain twelve and seven tenths pounds, sheep fourteen and three tenths pounds, and pigs twenty-nine and two tenths pounds. It may be mg- gested here that when; prices are anything like the same it is a vastly more profitable use of feed to produce pork than beef. But of course there is a place for cattle as there are many varieties of feeds suited for cattle that pigs cannot use. It is worthy of thought,, however, to try to broaden the uses of our feeds for pigs, for they will use profitably many of our feeds that we do not think of, as we shall see as we proceed. By properly preparing them there are many of our coarser feeds that may be fed to pigs, and in this way not only secure an increased amount of grain but at the same time the pigs will have a greater variety of feeds, thus securing better health and thrift. Lest some of you should doubt the accuracy of Dr. Warrington's statements as to the comparative gains made by cattle and hogs from a given amount of feed. I call your attention to die following tables: COST OF GAIN IN HOGS AND CATTLE COMPARED. TABLE 1-FIGS-C03T OF GAIN-RATE OF GAIN-NUMEROUS STATIONS. % o fed «M . >> '"•S ^ u 2 -S3 T '3 S I" Niimber of Stations Reporting. ^•i ga- "d . pj cc ?r^ .^'d I'd cu o ©tJ Sic &a ^B 11 (n "—I •il \r- < fe 0 fe 0 TTnrt.v-nTiP 174 417 38 78 2.23 3.35 .76 .88 293 400 19.0 One hundred 14.0 495 489 200 128 174 226 4.79 5.91 6.57 1.10 1.24 1.33 437 482 498 13.0 One hundred seven . 11.6 Seventy-two 11.4 Forty-six Nineteen 223 271 7.40 1.46 511 10.1 105 320 7.50 1.40 537 10.0 FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 465 TABLE 2-CATTLE-OOSr Ob^ GAIN COMPARED WITH PIGS. Kind of Cattle. Average age at beginning. < i Feed for 100 lbs. Gain. Station. 4 it A Kansas Kansas 126 heifer calves .... 4 steers 7 months 26 months 26 months 26 months 20 months 20 months 31 months 31 months 408 900 900 900 813 900 1,150 1,177 210 56 140 182 80 80 119 119 508, alf afa Alfalfa daily .... Alfalfa daily .... Alfalfa daily .... 1,420, timothy . .. 909, clover 470, timothy 220, cow pea hay. 503 730 Kansas Kansas Missouri Missouri 4 steers, same lot 4 steers, same lot 4 steers, yearlings . .. 4 steers, yearlings . .. 4 two-year-old steer.- 4 two-year-old steers 910 1,000 (05 300 VI issonri 1 140 Missouri 837 In Table I the fact that gains are uniformly made for less expendi- ture on young animals than on older and larger ones is clearly showc. A great many experiment stations have tested this matter, and in the table is shown that pigs weighing twenty-five to fifty pounds make a gain of one hundred pounds for a little over one half the amount of grain required toi make the same gains on' pigs weighing three hundred pounds and over. The same principle holds good in cattle feeding. Re- ferring to Table II, you notice the cheapest gains are on calves and the most expensive on the large steers. But the purpose of introducing the table on cattle feeding is to make the comparison of cost of putting on gain as between cattle and pigs. The cheapest gain made on pigs, average of 41 trials of different stations, averages two hundred and ninety-three pounds of grain, not necessarily corn in every case, but as a rule a balanced ration was fed. Compare this with some of the cheapest gains made by cattle. In the case of the calves reported by the Kansas station it is claimed to be the cheapest production of baby beef on record, yet it took five hundred and three pounds of corn plus five hundred and eight pounds of alfalfa hay to produce one hundred pounds of gain, amounting to at least the equivalent of seven hundred and fifty pounds of grain such as was fed to the pigs. Look througj the tables and you will find the general testimony verifies the statemenl as to the productive uses the pig makes of his feed. Take the highest requirement for the pig at the weight of three hundred and twenty pounds, viz, five hundred and thirty-seven pounds; compare with the requirement of the large beef steer, viz, one thousand one hundred and forty pounds of grain; plus four hundred and seventy pounds of timothy hay, equal to a total of at least one thousand three hundred pounds of grain, such as was given to the pig to produce one hundred pounds of gain. CHEAPENING PORK PRODUCTION. But the main problem that confronts us now is how may we cheapen production of pork? Or in other words, and more directly stated, how may we make the feeds we give our pigs more efficient? More produc- tive? As between some methods of feeding and management and other methods there is a difference of ten. twenty or even fifty per cent in the 30 466 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. yield. If by judicious feeding we could increase the efficiency of our feeds by ten per cent, it would mean a vastly increased output from a given crop. Secretary Ellis, from reliable sources, estimates the yield of our corn, hay. fodders and all feed crops in the State in 1902 at the vast sum of $200,000,000. Two thirds of this ought to go into live stock. A ten per cent increase in the efficiency of this feed would mean $13,000,000 more to the farmers. It is our purpose to discuss some of the conditions under which our feeds may be more efficiently used in the production of pork. (JIVE -V VARIETY OF FEEDS. Pigs do better on a variety of feeds than on any single feed. This is a principle of universal application in all classes of stock feeding. This proposition is well understood by the farmers, but still it is ignored so completely that we think it well to give it some emphasis. Just how much better the pig will do if fed a variety, we will let the pig himself testify, for whatever other mean thing a pig may do, he will not tell a lie. The following are some of the results. Many other tests have been made, all pointing to results much the same. TABLE 3-SINQLE FOOD VS. VARIETY— WISCONSIN STATION— FIVE LOTS, FOUR IN EACH LOT. Lot. Kind of Feed. Amount Required for 100 Pounds Gain. I Corn arIou6 reauired for lOU pounds sain . . .. 537 pounds 522 pounds 439 pour ds 429 round'^ II in IV Middlin gs alone, required for 100 pounds gain One-half corn and one half middlings One-half corn and one half oats . . .... V It will be observed that by combining shorts and corn half and half there was a saving of nearly one hundred pounds of the mixture in pro- ducing one hundred pounds of gain. By the use of one half oats and one half corn more than one hundred pounds was saved. . By the use of a little clover hay, over two bushels of corn w^as saved in producing one hundred pounds of gain. iVt that rate clover hay would take the place of five bushels of corn in bringing a hog up to two hundred and fifty pounds, marketable size. How is the clover hay fed? Better prob- ably to chaff it in cutting box, dampen it or steam it. but it may be fed dry in racks. The Montana Experiment Station found that alfalfa fed in racks, and corn, gave better results than alfalfa cut and wetted and meal added. The Nevada Station found results in feeding three lots of pigs, carefully selected for uniformity, four in each lot on alfalfa hay and other combinations as follows: Lot. Pigs. Weight, Pounds. Day? Fed. Kind of Feed. "^'^^^ L^o^ss^^'"" '''' I 4 4 4 131 to 150 130 to 149 132 to 147 21 21 21 Alfalfa har Loss, 4.5 pounds II III Alfalfa and turnips Alfalfa, cowpea'^. turnips Gain, 1.7 pounds Gain, 22 pounds FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 467 While hay alone was fed at a loss of four and a half pounds in twenty-one days, turnip:; and alfalfa made a slight gain, but when the ration was made richer and of great variety the gain was over one pound per day for each pig. Every experiment and all the experiences of farmers attest th'3 value of a variety of feeds, still a large per cent of farmers make no sort of effort to provide such variety. When it is remembered that in many cases the variety may be supplied by utilizing feed stuffs that hogs do not ordinarily eat and which are of comparatively little value, the importance of the proposition becom-es doubly valuable. For instance, corn stalks cut at proper stage made into ensilage may be used by pigs with wonderful benefit. VALUE OJF PASTURE FOR PIGS. We will now state two propositions bearing on economy of produc- tion, first, while the pig is not considered primarily a grazier animal, from the fact that he can not be expected to make gains and grow fat if turned onto common pasture grass like cattle, sheep or mules, yet as a matter of fact the pig will make better returns for the amount of grass eaten than any other farm animal. Moreover, the pasture will increase the efficiency and value of the grain fed in connection with it. The second proposition is this: the pig is a gross feeder and will eat too much of rich feeds, as grain, more than he can use economically, more than he can digest well, consequently greater gains from a given amiount of corn are obtained if the pig is fed less than he can or will eat. This statement applies with special force in cases of a long feeding period. The two propositions just announced are brought out in the following table. TABLE 4-VALUS OP PASTURE-FULL FEED VS. PARTIAL FEED— WISCONSIN EXPERIMENT. s How Fed. 1. II Bo Sp. a ia si T Pull feed, dry lot 1.15 1.30 1.20 .87 .64 .36 537 pounds IT 417 pounds III IV V Three foarths full, clover pasture One half full, clover pasture One fourth full clover pasture .. 377 pounds 352 pounds 243 pounds VI No grain, clover pasture In the case of lot I fed full in dry lot, five hundred and thirty-seven pounds of corn was required for one hundred pounds of gain. In lot II full fed and having run of clover field there is a sudden drop in the amount required. But when we take advantage of the second proposition also and reduce the corn to three fourths full feed, as in lot three, we have a still larger drop, or stated more directly, the increased efficiency of the corn given is marked. Nearly three bushels less of corn to produce one 468 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. hundred pounds of gain as compared with dry lot feeding. For growing hogs a still greater reduction of ciorn is advisable. The rate of gain is slower but it is vastly cheaper. I have gathered a score or more of in- stances of farmers testing this. I myself have had quite a number of experiences proving the double value of pasture and limited feeding in the economic production of pork. I may say, however, that it is prob- ably wise farm practice to feed full for the last thirty days before mar- keting. Pigs may be brought on to weigh one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty pounds at the rate of eighteen to tweinty pounds of gain from a bushel of corn. But we do not always have clover or alfalfa pasture for hogs. It is of ihterest to inquire in how far other pastures will take the place. [ call your attention to the Illinois experiment as follows: ,. , TABLE 5-BLUE GRASS PASTURE— TWELVE WEEKS IX TWO PERIODS-FOUR TRIALS-FOUR HOG^S IN EACH LOT-LLlINOIS EXPERIMENT. . TS Ti ^ m ■2 .• i First Eight Weeks. Next Four Weeks. 11 > J O ^ < T One half full fed 443 4(35 Full fed Fu.ll fed 448 549 440 IT Full fed . . 507 III Dry lot, full fed 532 Dry lot, full fed 725 629 TABLE 6— RAPE AS PASTURE, TWO SEPARATE TRIALS. Lots I and III fed on a ration of two parts corn and one part shorts and had run of rape- patches. Lots 11 and IV fed on same rations without rape. m to J pL. I 10 II 10 nr 19 IV 19 Rape. On Full Feed. .r3 ft - . 36 acre Dry lot . . 6 acre . Dry lot. 76 One part shorts, two parts corn One part shorts, two parts corn One part shorts, two parts corn One part shorts two part's corn 243 376 433 The value of rape as a summer feed is unquestioned. Old feed lots, instead of being allowed to produce luxuriant crops of jimson and bur- dock can be planted to rape. I have seen many such instances verifying the foregoing table. Make the calculation and you will discover that the actual productive value of the rape in this case was equivalent to 46,4 bushels of corn to the acre. Just as good) results are had from rye pasture for fall and early spring. Then might come early sown oats, then sorghum, then rape, then cow peas, making a continuous succulent pasture practically the year round. AVliile farm animals do better when they have the run of a pasture than if the same growth of the pasture is cut off and fed to them is insoiling, yet the same yield will go four FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 469 times as far when soiled. The time comes on when land will be so high that it will not be economy to turn stock onto the crops to trample them down and get only one fourth of their actual value. The pigs will do quite well on soiled crops. But the best plan, probably, would be to put the crops into the silo. Mr. E. N. Cobb of Monmouth, Illinois, feeds his hogs for fattening a combined ration of silage and ear corn to great advantage. He feeds his brood sows on a ration of ten pounds corn sil- age and two pounds of oats daily. They do splendidly on it, and it makes a cheap ration. Clover in season, sweet corn. rai:>€. etc.. may be cut and fed to the pigs with profit. There are a number of other problems that come up for solution. One would be the benefit of grinding. 1 discuss grinding feed more fully later on. Soaking and wetting feed has a value sometimes. But cooking feed has not shown good results. In fact with some twenty ex- periment station tests it has turned out that cooked feed does not produce as great gains as raw. It seems natural for a pig to eat his food raw. It will take a long time to educate him up to such a degree of refine- ment as for him to require cooked feed. A daily ration of slops, how- ever, is of great value, but it should not be given as an exclusive diet. BALANCE THE CORX. As we are in the center of the great American corn belt and as corn is much the cheapest feed we can raise, much the most convenient feed, the endeavor should be to so use the corn as to get the greatest possible value out of it. But corn will not do its best if fed alone, aua as a single feed. It is exceedingly rich in oil and carbohydrates, the great fat-producing properties. If it has a weak place it is in the muscle- producing property — the protein. The thing to do is to strengthen the weak element in the corn by combining some feed strong at the point where corn is weak. This may be done by combining with it clover cow peas, alfalfa, bran, oats or ship stuff. Bran, however, is an expen- sive feed for hogs and is better suited for ruminants — -cattle— sheep. There is so much crude fibre in bran ihst pigs do not get all the nutrient out of it like cows do. It is scarcely necessary to call your attention to the necessity for an abundance of ash or mineral matter in our feeds for pigs. Corn is weak in mineral matter that goes to make up the bone. It is so easily sup- plied, however, in the form of wood ashes that is no disparagement to the corn. The prudent farmer will supply his hogs with plenty of wood ashes and salt. As to condimental food, so-called "stock food." it is far better to feed your pigs on diversified feeds, give them healthful environment so that through healthy nutrition nature may produce thrift which is better than to feed improi>erly and depend on condiments. Balancing the ration will be of infinitely more value than dosing with medicine. 470 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. LONG FEEDS MAKE SLOW (JAINS. It is a common observation that pigs full fed for a considerable length of time make smaller gains. This is true with nearly all classes of stock. The following table bears on that point: TABLE 7— LENGTH OF FEEDING PERIODS ON FULL FEED, TWELVE WEEKS. Months. ii ^0) Corn r e - quired for 100 pounds gain. First month 222 pounds. 270 pounds.. 313 pounds.. 270 pounds.. 313 pounds.. 340 pounds . . 418 pounds Second month Third month 461 pounds- 559 pounds GRINDLNG GRAIN. Considerable work has ben done on this subject by the Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin Stations. While the result shows that on the average, grain when ground will produce a somewhat larger gain than when fed whole, yet the difference is so small that unless the grain is high priced it will not under ordinary circumstances defray the expense of grinding. For example, averaging all of these results on corn, it has been found that a hundred pounds of gain required: Whole corn 521 pounds Ground corn 495 pounds Difference in favor of grinding, twenty-six pounds or 5 per cent. This means that with corn at forty cents a bushel, a saving of 5 per cent would amount to about two cents a bushel, which would scarcely bear the expense of grinding under ordinary circumstances. These experiments were conducted chiefly with hogs that were old enough to do their own grinding. The results, therefore, do not apply with the same force to pigs that are just being weaned. This is a critical time in the life of a pig, and it will pay to grind the feed if even for a short time, or until they get well started. At this time it is especially important also to supply them with something besides corn. If oats are cheap, or wheat that will not grade on account of having been wet or for some similar reason can be procured at about the price of corn, it will pay to mix equal parts wheat and corn, or two thirds corn and one third oats, and grind the whole together and feed it in a stiff dough but perfectly sweet. Under no circumstances should the grain be allowed to sour, nor should it be fed in a thin slop so as to tempt the pig to gulp it down without masticating it and mixing with it the proper amount of saliva. Scours, indigestion and improper assimilation follow in the wake of feeding the foods in a sloppy condition. Again, it sometimes happens in the case of older hogs that have been fed for a long time on an exclusive com ration, that they cease to FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 471 thrive, and this difficulty may sometimes be partly remedied by grinding or soaking the feed, and oftentimes by cooking, but a much more effective remedy will be to give them a limited amount of ship stuff with the corn in winter; and in summer, by allowing them the run of a good clover, cowpea or Soy bean pasture. When hogs with plenty of corn are free from any specific disease, and yet cease to thrive, it is certain that they need a greater variety of feed. A limited quantity of artichokes or cull potatoes boiled will be very helpful at this poini. Nothing is as good at this time as skim milk fed sweet. THE VALUE OE DIEEEKEXT KINDS Oh' PASTUKE. The Missouri Experiment Station has just completed a very inter- esting experiment, in which bluegrass, red clover, alfalfa and rape pas- tures were compared. It is to be borne in mind that clover and alfalfa supplied more protein than either bluegrass or rape, and that they there- fore balanced the corn which the hogs had in addition to the green feed. more effectively than either rape or bluegrass. These results are better shown by the half-tones made from photographs of each lot of hogs with the feed consumed and cost of gains shown under each lot. LOT 5. CORX AND BLUE(!KASS — SIX PIGS. Weight at beginning of experiment 271 pounds. Weight at close of experiment 656 pounds. Total gain in ninety days 385 pounds. Average daily gain per pig .71 pounds. Grain required per pound of gain. 5.2 pounds. Cost Per Hundred Pounds of Gain— Corn 40 cents per bushel, green blue- grass $3 per ton — $3.92. 472 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. LOT 4. CORX AXD GREEN CLO\'ER SIX PIGS. Weight at beginning of experiment 295 pounds. Weight at close of experiment 767 pounds. Total gain in ninety days 472 pounds. Average daily gain per pig .87 pounds. Grain required per hundred pounds of gain 4.29 pounds. Cost Per Hundred Pounds of Gain — Corn 40 cents per bushel, green clover at $3 per ton — $3.20. LOT 3. CORN AND GREEN ALFALFA SIX PIGS. Weight at beginning of experiment 283 pounds. Weight at close of experiment 793 pounds. Total gain in ninety days 510 pounds. Average daily gain per pig .95 pounds. Grain required per pound of gain 3.97 pounds. Cost Per Hundred Pounds of Gain — Corn at 40 cents p^r bushel, green alfalfa at $3 per ton — $2.96. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 473 -MKAL AM) II A I -SIX I'K.S. Weight at beginning of experiment 284 pounds. Weight at close of experiment 705 pounds. Total gain 421 pounds. Average daily gain per pig .78 pounds. Gain required per hundred pounds of gain 4.82 pounds. Cost Per Hundred Pounds of Gain — Corn at 40 cents per bushel, green rape at $3 per ton — $3.49. Lot G. Corn and Skim Milk — six pigs. Weight at beginning of experiment 287 pounds. Weight at close of experiment 1,269 pounds. Total gain 981 pounds. Average daily gain per pig 1.81 pounds. Grain required per pound of gain 2.44 pounds. Cost Per Hundred Pounds of Gain — Corn at 40 cents per bushel, skim milk at 15 cents per hundred — $2.84. 474 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. It will be noted that the cost per hundred pounds of gain of the lo:s fed in different ways was as follows: Corn and bluegrass $3.92 Corn and rape 3.49 Corn and clover 3.20 Corn and alfalfa 2.96 Corn and skim milk 2.84 These results therefore emphasize strongly what has already been said with reference to the value of balancing the corn ration. The three balancing foods used in this experiment were clover, alfalfa and skim milk, and it will be noted that in every case not only cheaper gains were made with these materials combined with corn, but that the hogs made more rapid gains. In this experiment by using clover instead of bluegrass, a difference of almost seventy-five cents a hundred in the cost of gain was effected. When alfalfa was used instead of bluegrass, a saving in the cost of pork was almost a dollar a hundred or was made almost one third cheaper. When skim milk was used, more than a dollar a hundred in the cost of production was saved. When we consider that clover will yield more than bluegrass, it is perfectly obvious that we can make much more pork per acre by providing them with clover pasture instead of requiring them to run on bluegrass. Unfortunately some of our farmers require their pigs to graze on timothy, which is not as good as bluegrass even. I do not take the position that bluegrass is not a good pasture, even for hogs — on the contrary it is the best grass for this purpose we have — but the clovers are far superior to any grass for this purpose, both in poijit of yield and in feeding value. The high feeding value of rape as compared with bluegrass is of in- terest to every hog grower. It will be noted that the cost of gain where rape was used was about forty-five cents per hundred less than where bluegrass was used. As has already been pointed out, rape is one of the most productive green forage crops we have and may be grown at comparatively little expense and is practically a certain crop and must in the light of these experiments prove highly profitable to the hog raiser. Abundant experience shows that rape has even a higher value for sheep than for hogs. A SUCCESSIOX OF PASTURE FOR IKKiS. It is not safe or even desirable to rely upon a single crop to furnish pasture for our hogs throughout the entire season. It is better to arrange for a succession of pastures from the beginning of the season until the hogs are ready for market, making the feed richer and more concentrated toward the close of the season and as we approach the finishing of fat- tening period. For this purpose the following crops are recommended: Red clover or alfalfa. Rape. Cowpeas. Soy beans. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 475 HED CLOVKK OH ALFALFA. On lands arlapted to alfalfa it will undoubtedly prove to be better for hogs than red clover, inasmuch as it will produce a larger quantity of feed of a somewhat higher value. Inasmuch as we have not yet learned to grow alfalfa sucessfully on the majority of our upland clay soils, we shall be forced to rely chiefly upon clover. It starts earlier in the spring than any hog pasture we have excepting alfalfa, and would therefore be used first, and should be used as long as it is succulent and palatable. Usually not later than the middle of June the crop will have become so mature that the hogs will relish a change for the time being, and the surplus clover should be cut and removed so as to allow the second or fall crop to start promptly. This crop should be sown as early in the spring as the ground will work. The richer the land the better. An old feed lot, or land that has been heavily manured should be selected and broken in the fall if pos- sible, so that only the surface will need to be worked in the spring. Sow in rows about thirty to thirty-six inches apart, using about three pounds of seed per acre, and cultivate level and shallow once or twice, or as often as is necessary to keep the weeds down. Each time the rape is eaten down it should be given a cultivation to facilitate its starting into growth again. By sowing broadcast the rape will not produce anything like as much as when grown in rows but will be somewhat more pala- table. At the Experiment Station almost twice as large a yield has been uniformly obtained from growing it in rows than from broadcasting. If sown broadcast, about five pounds of seed are required per acre, cov- ered with a smoothing harrow. One of the secrets of success in growing rape in this climate is to get the seed in early. A frost or even a light freeze when the young plants are coming up will not hurt them. By the middle of May the rape is large enough to turn on, and it may be pastured at any time after that. If the green lice or cabbage worms attack the rape in any considerable quantities, it is essential to pasture it hard at once to prevent their destroying the crop. Severe pasturing is a complete remedy for these insects. By the time the clover has been pastured down the rape will be ready for the hogs. It should be borne in mind that in changing from clover to rape we are changing to a less nutritious food, as shown by the experiments al- ready referred to and it will be necessary to increase somewhat at this point the amount of corn the hogs are getting. It is well to emphasize the fact in passing that it will pay to give the hogs some corn throughout the season no matter what sort of pasture is provided as nothing has been more clearly demonstrated than that the great profit in hog production lies in keeping them growing rapidly and in finishing them off young. In the ordinary season a large area of rape will not be required. Two acres will carry thirty one hundred pound hogs for a month or six weeks in the first crop and will in seasonable weather recuperate in less 476 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. than a month so that they may be turned on again. Usually in this climate we eat rape down three or four times during the season. COWPEAS. To provide a crop of cowpeas in the best condition for hogs by the time the rape ought to be eaten down it will be necessary to select some very early maturing sort and sow rather earlier than is advised for a gen- eral crop. For this purpose I would recommend the New Era, Sherman's Northern Prolific or Warren's Extra Early to be sown about the middle of corn planting time in rows about thirty inches apart and cultivated shallow and level as often as is necessary to hold the weeds in check. For the best results the hogs should not be turned on the peas until the first pods are turning yellow. They will, however, make good pasture before this time, and if the hogs are needing pasture I would not advise waiting until they reach that stage of maturity. A larger area of cow- peas for hog pasture should be sown about the end of corn planting time and for this purpose I would recommend the whippoorwill or black variety. These may be sown broadcast and covered with a spring toothed harrow or what is better, sown with a grain drill letting all hoes run, usin?^ from a bushel to a bushel and a half of seed per acre. They will require no subsequent cultivation and will come on about the time the earlier varieties mentioned have been eaten down. Soy Beans. As a grain crop to use in connection with corn for fitting the spring crop of pigs for the market, the Soy bean is a very valuable crop. It is essentially a grain plant, very rich in protein and while the hogs are running on Soy beans they should have access to corn to balance the ration. While the corn does not contain enough protein for the best results. Soy beans contain more protein than is profitable to feed, and the combination of the two grains is therefore much better. The Soy bean matures about the same time as a medium early corn, like the Leaming. and the two crops could be grown in the same field so that the hogs could have access to both without further labor. If this is not feasible, the corn should be thrown to the hogs every day. I would ad- vise the use of the early yellow variety sown in drills about thirty to forty inches apart, using about three pecks to the acre and cultivate shallow until the plants completely shadow the ground. The hogs should be turned in when the first pods begin to ripen. While I consider the Soy beans somewhat better for finishing a bunch of hogs than the cowpeas, at the same time if one does not care to bother with so many different crops, the cowpea may be used instead with satisfactory results. For brood sows in winter and very early spring, it is always advis- able to give them access to a piece of early sown wheat or rye, and to let them have a limited amount of nicely cured clover, alfalfa or cowpea hay by way of variety of feed. Sorghum stalks grown as is customary for the production of syrup, in limited quantity, m^ke an excellent addi- tion to the ration. The main thing to be avoided in carrying hogs of this sort through the winter, is a straight corn diet. The greater the variety of cheap materials like these, the better the sows will do. PART ViL POULTRY TOPICS. STANDARD VARIETIES OF CHICKENS. Farmers Bulletin No. 51, U. S. Department of Agriculture. There are eighty-seven standard and a large number or promiscuous varieties of chickens raised in this country. The standard varieties are divided as follows: (1) American class. Marred Buff, Pea-comb, Barred and White Ply- mouth Rocks; Silver, Golden, White, Buff, and Black Wyandotts; Black, Mottled, and White Javas; American Dominiques, and Jersey Blues. (2) Asiatic class.* Light and Dark Brahmas; Buff, Partridge, White, and Black Cochins; Black and White Langshans. (3) Mediterranean class. Brown, Rose-comb Brown, White, Rose- comb White. Black, Dominique, Buff, and Silver Duckwing Leghorns; Black and White Minorcas; Andalusians and Black Spanish. (4) Polish class. White-crested Black, Golden, Silver, White, Bearded Golden, Bearded Silver, Bearded White, and Buff-laced. (5) Hamburg class. Golden-spangled, Silver-spangled, Golden-pen- ciled, Silver-penciled, White and Black Hamburgs; Redcaps; Silver and Golden Campines. (6) French class. Houdans, Crevecoeurs, and La Fleche. (7) English class. White, Silver Gray, and Colored Dorkings. (S) Game and Game Bantam class. Black-breasted Red, Brown Red, Golden Duckwing, Silver Duckwing, Red Pyle, White, Black, and Birchen Games; the same varieties for Game Bantams. Cornish and White Indian Games; Malays and Black Sumatra Games. (9) Bantam class other than Game. Golden and Silver Sebrights; White and Black Rose-comb; Booted White; Buff, Partridge, White, and Black Cochins; Black-tailed, White, and Black Japanese, and White crested White Polish. (10) Miscellaneous class. Russians Silkies, Sultans, Frizzles, and Rurapless. For practical purposes the above ten classes may be grouped into four general classes, as follows: (1) The general-purpose breeds: The American class. (2) The meat or table breeds: The Asiatic class. (477) 478 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (3) The egg breeds: The Mediterranean class. (4) The ornamental breeds: The Polish, Exhibition Games, Miscel- laneous, and Bantam classes. Following is description and illustrations of the American, Asiatic and Mediterranean classes: The Plymouth Rock is the most popular of all varieties of poultry as a general-purpose fowl. Its medium size, hardy growth, and good laying qualities make it a practical fowl for the farm. The Barred variety is the most generally known of the Plymouth Rocks, and its history dates back a little over a quarter of a century. Various bloods were used in its making, the belief being general that it originally came from a cross between the American Dominique and the Black Java. It has also been shown that the Light Brahmas, Eark Brahmas, and Pit Game have been used in its making. The Barred Plymouth Rock (fig. 1) is of a grayish-white color, regu Fig. 1— Pair of Barred Plymouth Rocks. larly crossed with parallel bars of blue-black running in straight dis tinct lines throughout the entire length of the feather, and showing on the down or undercolor of the feathers. The barring is somewhat smaller on the hackle and saddle feathers than on other portions of the body. The bird is of medium size, with broad neck, flat at the shoulders, the breast is full, and the body broad and compact, medium-sized wings that fold gracefully, the points being well covered with breast and saddle feathers; a medium-sized head, ornamented with upright, bright red comb and wattles; a large, bright eye; and yellow beak, leg and toes places FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 479 the picture before us in ita entirety. The difference between the Barred and the Pea-comb Barred is that the latter has a small, firm and even pea-comb, instead of single comb. For the farmer or market poultryman they are favorites, being of medium size, well proportioned, with a deep, full breast making a most admirable bird for market purposes. They are hardy, mature early, and make excellent broilers from eight to twelve weeks old. They are good layers the year round, and in winter they lay exceptionally well. Their eggs are brown in color and average eight to a pound. They are good sitters and excellent mothers. The Barred Plymouth Rock, besides being a practical fowl, is also one of the most sought after by fanciers. No class is better filled at the average poultry show of the country than this. The graceful figure, up- right carriage, and active nature endear it to all as a fancier's fowl. There is a fascination in breeding it for plumage, the more regular and Feathers of Barred Plymouth Rocks. even the barring the better (fig. 2). It requires much skill to breed for color, and two matings are generally used. An established rule for mat- ing for cokerels is to use a standard-color male with medium-dark fe- males, and for pullets use light male and dark females. The double mat- ing is resorted to by many, yet the writer has seen rare specimens pro- duced from single matings. 480 jOXVA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUUE. .V. Rook are noticeable in The butf should extend to deeper the better. '^t-^^-^-^ Wyandotte cockerel. one half pounds. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 481 WYAXDOTTES. The Wyandotte (fig. 3) is another of the general purpose fowls and is rated next to the Plymouth Rock. From the first it sprang into pop- ular favor and has continued so to the present time. Its origin is com- paratively recent, dating back less than twenty-five years. It came originally from the Dark Brahma, Silver Spangled Hamburg and the Breda, a French fowl. Not a few authorities say that Wyandottes have Fig. J. — 'leathers of Silver-laced Wyandotte. Cochin blood in them, from the fact that their ancestors produced single combs and feathered legs. 31 482 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. For general purposes the Wyandottes have proven a success, being of medium size, weighing on an average a pound less than the Plymouth Rocks, hardy of constitution and prolific layers. They are easily cared for and bear confinement well. For table purposes they are of superior worth: their flesh is sweet, juicy and tender, making excellent broilers Fig. 5. —Silver-laced Wyandotte pullet. and roasters. As layers they are among the best, averaging from twelve to fourteen dozens a year, and as winter layers they do well under ordi- nary circumstances. There are five varieties of the Wyandotte breed, and it is only a mat- ter of opinion as regards a choice of the best. The general character- istics are the same in all, the difference in color of plumage being the only distinguishing mark. The Silver-laced Wyandotte is of a silvery- white plumage, with regularly marked white lacing on breast and a gen- erous distribution of white and black throughout the entire body. The cock has a silver-white head, rose comb, silver hackle, with a black stripe down the center of each feather, as shown in fig. 4; silvery white back; saddle same as hackle; breast black, with white center (see fig. 4); tail black; wings half black and half white, or rather, black edged with white; when wing is folded there should be a well defined bar across the wing; shanks and toes rich yellow, free from feathering. The hen of the Silver-laced variety (fig. 5) is marked similarly to the male, excepting the back and wing, which are whiter in male than in female. The breast of the female is of much importance in breeding good birds; the lacing should be large and distinct, and the white centers of each feather free from black or brown penciling. The Golden Wyandotte is marked like the Silver, excepting that the color is golden-bay and black instead of white and black. The White FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 483 variety is, perhaps, the favorite from the fact that it is not so difficult to breed to feather, the plumage being pure white throughout. It is for this reason the more practical fowl for the farmer or those who keep poultry for market. The Buff Wyandotte is in color a rich, deep, clear .—Pair of White Wyandottes. buff, uniform in shade throughout, except the tail, which is of a deeper buff or copperish-bronze color. The Blacks are of a rich, glossy black, with greenish sheen, excepting breast primaries, secondaries, tail and fluff, which are pure black. The standard weight of cocks is eight and one half pounds; hens, six and one half pounds; cockerels, seven and one half pounds; and pul- lets, five and one half ix)unds. JAVAS. This variety is the oldest of the American class, and at one time was considered the most profitable of all breeds. At present Javas are not raised extensively; the more modern or newer breeds have seemingly supplanted them in popularity. There is no reason why this should be so, as they are practical and good general-purpose fowls. In size they are about like the Plymouth Rocks, but differ in general symmetry and appearance. They are good layers and do well in winter, and for table purposes they are nice eating. They mature early, are good sitters and mothers, and are easily kept in confirenient. 484 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. There are three varieties of Javas: Black, Mottled and White. The Black (fig. 7) is more generally seen than the others, though the Mot- FiG. 7. —Pair of Black Javas. tied has of late years been very numerously represented at the shows. The plumage of the Blacks is glossy black throughout; the Mottled (fig. 8) is of broken black and white in wings, tail and sickles, and the bal- ance of the plumage is evenly intermixed with white and black; the, White Java is, as the name implies, pure white throughout. It has a small single comb, standing upright on the head in both male and female. The shanks and toes are free from feathers, yellow in color, with the bottom of feet yellow. The standard weight of cocks is nine and one half pounds; hens, seven and one half pounds; cockerels, eight pounds; and pullets, six and one half pounds. DOMINIQUES. Similarity in plumage of the Amer- ican Dominique and Barred Plymouth Rock has been the price of the former's popularity. The color is grayish-white, each feather regularly crossed with parallel bars of blue-black, producing the effect of a bluish-tinged plumage, the color being the same throughout. The illustration of Barred Plymouth Rock feathers shown in fig. 2 will do equally as well for the markings of the feathers of the Dominiques. They have rose Fig. 8.— Mottled Java hen. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII. 485 combs, in both male and female, and bright yellow legs. Those who are partial to their color of plumage will find the Dominiques good birds to keep. They are good layers, hardy, mature early, and dress well for the table. The standard weight of cocks is eight and one half pounds; hens, six and one half pounds; cockerels, seven and one half pounds; and pul- lets five and one half pounds. JERSEY BLUES. The least known variety ot the American class is the Jersey Blue. It is one of the largest breeds of poultry, being in size between the Plymouth Rock and the Light Brahma. Their plumage resembles that of the Andalusian, being blue throughout. Their breast and fluff are light blue; hackles and sickles, very dark blue, approaching black; shanks and toes, dark blue, the lower surface of toes lighter in shade, and the nails white. They are not as good layers as are the others of their class, and are hardy and easily kept in confinement. They are not popular for table purposes, preference being given to yellow-skinned and yellow-legged birds. The standard weight of cocks is ten pounds; hens eight pounds; cockerels seven pounds; and pullets five pounds. BRAHMAS. Tlie leading variety of the Asiatic class is the Light Brahma (fig. 9). This fowl has a history that would fill pages were it recorded. These are thd. fowls which caused the "hen fever" of the fifties, about which so much has been written in later years. Their early history is a matter of controversy, the best authorities differing as to their origin. They were first known as the "Brahma Pootras," "Gray Shanghais," "Chittagongs," "Cochin Chinas," and what not. The early breeder named them acording to his fancy for liigh sounding and sensational names to sell his stock. Fabulous prices were paid for them when the craze for fine poultry was at its height in the early days of the last half of the present century. The standard of the present Brahmas was fixed in 1869, and no deviation from the type then adopted has been made. They have stood high in popular favor since then without abatement; the vast number of breeders who are raising them fully attest their worth as a practical bird to the industry. The Brahma is a characteristic fowl; it is unlike other varieties, and it should not be confounded in shape with the Cochin. The average Light Brahma male is in height twenty-six inches; back from the ground, sixteen inches: keel from the ground, eight inches; length of body, front of breast to rear of fluff, fourteen inches; height of tail, a trifle over twenty-one inches; saddle hangers to rear of fluff, two and one fourth inches; eye, from tip of beak, two and one sixth inches; length of head and beak, three and one half inches; breasts to rear of a drop line from point of beak, three-fourth to one and one 486 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. fourth inches. As specimens depart from this proportion they become awkward and valueless as exhibition stocl^, and often also as egg pro- ducers. In shape, oblong, with full, broad and round breast, carried well forward. The fullness and oblong shape is typical of the Brahma and is characteristic of prolific birds. The curves of neck and back are similar to those of the outlines of an egg. In plumage the male is pure white, excepting hackle, tail and flights, which are black, and white striped with black. Any other color but white and black is against the standard-bred bird. The hackle is white with a black stripe extending down the center of each feather and taper- ing to a point near the extremity (see fig. 10). The tail feathers are black, and sickles are glossy greenish black. The shanks are well F(G. 9.— Pair of Light Brahmas. feathered, with the feathering extending down the middle toe; the toe feathering may be white or white sprinkled with black, pure white pre- ferred. A small pea comb (see fig. 9), broad crown, projects over the eyes; bright red face, wattles and ear lobes are essential to a good head. The shanks and toes are bright yellow. The Brahma female is much like the male in head qualities, having broad comb, projecting well over the eyes, and small pea comb. The head of female should be masculine in appearance. The head is white; FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 487 hackle, white striped with black, as in male; cape, white and black, but is completely covered by hackle when the bird stands erect; tail black, excepting the two highest main tail feathers, which may be edged with white; tail coverts, one or more rows, distinctly covering a part of both sides of the main tail, two rows being preferable, are black edged with white. The Light Brahmas are valuable birds for the farm. They have al- ways been made to pay for their keep and have seldom been set aside by any who have bred them. They are the largest of domestic poultry, and do as well in confinement in small runs as on free range. As layers they will average from twelve to thirteen dozen eggs a year, and lay exceptionally well in winter. Their eggs are large, about seven to a pound, of a rich brown color and excellent flavor. For table purposes the birds are good; they do not mature as early are do the varieties of the American class, yet they are hardy, and can be raised with as much ease as any of the early-maturing varieties. As sitters and mothers they are fair. The Dark Brahmas are not so popular as the Light — the difficulty being in breed- ing them true to feather. Their delicately marked plumage is extremely pretty when bred to standard requirement, but if not so bred it becomes most disagreeable and un- satisfactory to the breeder. The head and neck of a Dark Brahma male are similar to those of the Light, the head being white and the hackle rather more striped. The back is nearly white, a little black appearing here and there. The black should predominate between the shoulders, but is nearly hidden by the hackle flowing over it. The saddle feathers are, like the hackle, silvery white, striped with black, which should be distinct. As the feathers approach the tail the stripes become broader till they merge into the tail coverts, which are rich, glossy, green-black, with a margin or lacing of white. The tail is pure black with green gloss. The wing coverts are black, forming a distinct black bar across the middle of the wings, while the ends of the secondar- ies have a large black spot on the end. mak- ing the top edges of the wings appear almost black. T.he remainder of the secondaries are white on the lower half and black on the upper. The flights Fig. 10. -Hackle feather of Light Brahma cock. 488 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. are all black, except a narrow fringe of white on the lower edge. The breast is black; the thighs and fluff either black, or black very slightly- mottled with white. The shank feathering should correspond with the breast, being black if the latter be black, and slightly mottled with white if not. The shanks are deep yellow, inclining to orange. The color of females is a white ground, closely penciled with dark steel gray, producing a beautiful effect, frosted or silver gray in appear- ance. There should be no show of pure white in the plumage except In the margins of the hackles. Unless extreme care be taken in mating, the hens are likely to have a dingy color, and the pullets are apt to have necks almost white for some distance down. These light-necked birds generally breed to worse, but the evil may be remedied by choosing birds for breeding whose heads are distinctly marked. The shape -and character of the markings of the Dark Brahma pullets also vary. Fig. 11, -Pair of Buff Cochins. They should be medium-sized, so that the pencilings can be clearly dis- cerned at a short distance. A great point in regard to color and marking in Brahma pullets is that it should be uniform over the body, and the hackles should be silvery white, heavily striped with rich black, and the shank feathering penciled same as body. For practical purposes the Dark Brahmas are not to be commended as highly as the Light. The close breeding for points in feathers is likely to interfere with their productiveness, yet with proper attention and care they can be bred profitably as well as for beauuty. The standard weight of Light Brahma cocks is twelve pounds; hens, nine and one half pounds; cockerels, ten pounds: and pullets, eight FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 489 pounds. The standard weight of Dark Brahma cocks is eleven pounds; hens, eight and one half pounds; cockerels, nine pounds; and pullets, seven pounds. COCHINS. The four varieties of Cochins are very popular with breeders. They are second to the Brahmas in the meat breeds, weighing but a pound lighter than the Light Brahmas. Old and experienced breeders of Ck>chins are pronounced in praise of their qualities as profitable fowls. They are hardy, good winter layers of rich, brown, medium-sized eggs, and fairly good table fowls. The chicks grow well and develop rapidlv under proper care. The Buff variety (fig. 11) is the most generally bred; their color tone offers an attraction to fanciers that is hard to resist. Both male and fe- Fio. 12.— Baek view of Buff Cochin c-ock, showing fall feathering. male are of a rich, deep, clear buff, uniform in shape throughout ex- cept the tail, which should be a deeper buff or copperish bronze, under- color same as surface color, but of lighter shade and should extend to the skin. In breeding select females as near as possible to the desired shade of buff,, as free from dark or white in wing and tail, and of as even a color as can be. To such females mate a cock of deeper shade, with some little black in wing, and tail of deep buff of a coppery luster. 490 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. This mating will produce good results in cockerels and pullets The FiG. 1:1 -Partridge Cochin hen. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIL 491 side web and rich bay on the outside web; terminating with gteeni.shblack at the end of each feather; wing coverts, greenish-black, forming a well defined bar of that color across- the wing when folded; tail, black; sickles, coverts, and lessen coverts, glossy greenish-black; the latter may be edged with red; thighs, black; shanks, yellow, and well covered with black or brownish feathers, the middle toes being also well feathered. The female is the prettier of the two. Her head is small and of a rich brown plumage, with a stout, well-curved beak, yellow in color. Her eyes are bay and mild in expression. The head is ornamented with a small single comb, set perfectly straight upon the head and bright red In color. The wattles are small, well rounded, and fine in texture; the ear lobes are well developed and are also fine in texture. The neck is neatly curved, with abundant hackle flowing w^ell over the shoulders. The plumage is bright red or orange red, with a broad black stripe down the middle of each feather. The black stripe in a good feather should run to a point near the end of the feather. This stripe should be free from penciling, but the standard permits a slight penciling of the black. (See fig. 14.) A good back and cushion help to make the bird. Her back should be broad and flat, the broader the better, and the cushion should rise Fig. 14.— Feathers of Partridge Cochin hen. with a gentle convex curve and partially cover the tail. The plumage of back and cushion isi a reddish-brow^n in color. Each feather is pen- ciled with a darker brown; the outlines of the penciling conform to the shape of the feather. The breast is one of the most important points of a good hen. and should be broad and mass'ive. The plumage is of the same reddish-brown color as the back. The penciling on the breast is perhaps a little more distinct and open than on the back; the out- lines of the penciling should be sharp' and conform to the shape of the feather. The body is broad and deep behind and of the same plumage as the breast. The fluff is very abundant, covering the posterior portion of the 492 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. bird and standing out about the thighs. Wings are small and the primaries fold closely under the secondaries; the bows are covered by the breast feathers and the fluff conceals the points. The primaries are very dark brown or blackish-brown in color; the inner web of the second- aries is a blackish-brown and the outer web is a blackish-brown penciled with a lighter brown. TJie coverts are similar in color and penciling to the plumage of the breast. The tail is small and short, is carried almost horizontally, and is partly concealed by the cushion. In color it is black, except the two main tail feathers, which are penciled. The tail coverts are penciled same as breast and body. Thighs are large and well covered with soft feathers; the feathers on the lower part curve inward around the hock and hide the joint on the outside. The feathering of the thighs is of the same shade and color as that of the body. Shanks are short and yellow, and heavily covered with feathers of same color as thighs. The toes are well spread and yellow, the outer and middle toes being feath- ered throughout their entire length. Black Cochins (fig. 15) are much more easily raised than are either of the varieties thus far described. Being of one color, the care- bestowed Fig. 15. —Trio of Black Cochins. in breeding particolored or penciled birds is not necessary, and the time may be spent in furthering their general utility in egg production. A one-colored bird is the more practical bird for the farmer and market poulterer. The Black Cochin is of a rich glossy black plumage through- out. The White Cochin is pure white in plumage. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 493 The standard weight of Buff, Partridge, and White Cochin C(jcl<:s is 11 pounds; hens, Sy.> pounds; cockerels, 9 pounds; and pullets, 7 pounds. Black Cochins are of the same weight, excepting cocks, which should weigh lOVo pounds. LANGSHANS. Langshans are the smallest and most active of the Asiatic class. They are practical in more senses than one, and their prolific laying and other excellent qualities make them profitable for the farmer, and market poultryman. They constitute one the oldest breeds of poul- try and have always been held in popular esteem. The shape of the Langshan is distinct from that of the Brahma or Cochin, and should not be confused with either of the last-named breeds. Fig. 16 shows I he accepted contour of the Langshans, and a comparison with the Fig. 16. —Pair of Black Langshans. birds in figs. 9 and 11 shows at a glance the characteristics of the Lang- shan as compared with the other Asiatics. Langshans have white flesh and dark legs, while the others are yellow-skinned and yeilow-legged. The quality of the flesh of the Langshans is excellent, being fine grained, tender and nicely flavored. As layers they rank among the best, aver- aging from twelve to thirteen dozen a year, and as winter layers they are to be recommended. The chicks are hardy and mature early. Lang- shans are good sitters and mothers, being of gentle disposition; they are 494 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. easily kept, either in confinement or on free range. Being excellent for- agers, they are ideal fowls for the farm, and will gather during the year a considerable proportion of their food. The Langshan is a stylish, medium-sized bird, not overgrown or gawky in appearance, of active nature, and lively disposition. Many confound the Black Langshan with the Black Cochin. This need not be, as the following comparison between the two varieties shows: The Black Cochin is square in shape, with heavy-looking neck and legs, plenty of fluff and leg feathering, cushion rising from middle of back to tail, tail short, small, and almost concealed by cushion; neck, breast, cushion, and tail all represented by convex lines. Langshan head, small for siee of body, comb medium-sized, well up in front, and arch shaped; Cochin head, larger than that of the Langshan and not so arched over the eye; comb smaller, low in front, and almost straight on top of serrations. Langshan back, short and concave; that of the* Cochin, medium length, slightly convex, and large convex cushion Langshan fluff, moderate and close; that of the Cochin extremely full and loose. Langshan wings soine- what large and inclined downward, quite prominent at shoulders; the Cochin wings smaller and almost hidden by the fluffy plumage of cushion and fluff. Langshan breast full, deep, and carried well forward; Cochin breast not so full and deep, but broader. Langshan legs medium in length, small bone, long tapering toes, color of shank, bluish black showing pink between scales, which are nearly black; Cochin legs shorter, stouter, larger bone, toes shorter and stouter, color of shanks black or yellowish black. There are two varieties of Langshans — ^the Black and the White. The Black in plumage of neck, back, saddle, sickles, a glossy metallia black, with greenish sheen; breast, primaries, secondaries, tail, fluff, shank, and toe feathers, black. The undercolor is black or dark slate. The White Langshan is pure white throughout. The standard weight of cocks for both varieties is ten pounds; hens, seven pounds; cockerels, eight pounds; and pullets, six pounds. LEGHORNS. Leghorns are the best known of the egg-producing varieties or Med- iterranean class. They are the premiers in laying and the standard by which the prolificacy of other breeds is judged. As to the origin of the Leghorns there are differences of opinion, and there is but little information to be found anywhere concerning their early history. It is generally conceded that a race of fowls bearing a close resemblance in many respects to the Leghorn has existed in Italy and other parts of the Continent of Europe for a long period. That this race has been widely disseminated admits also of little doubt, inasmuch as at the present day it is known in Denmark and other countries as the Italian. There seems to be good ground for the statement that Leghorns were first introduced into America from Italy. The story goes that as early as 1834 a vessel from Leghorn brought to this country as a part of its cargo a small shipment of fowls, which were at once named "Leghomsj." FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK- ART VII. 495 Ibey immediately became popular their prolific laying and nonsitting qualities being recognized at this early date. White and Brown Leghorns were the first varieties known. Modern breeders are responsible for some of the subvarieties of the breed; and, in point of color at least, exhibition birds of today, even of the older varieties, vary considerably from those seen at the present time in Italy. The Leghorn fowl holds the same place among poultry that the Jersey holds among cattle. The question of profit in poultry has been decided in favor of egg-producing breeds. Leghorns are lively, active, and of a restless disposition, the best of foragers, and will pick up a good part of their living during the year. They are light eaters and the cost of raising them to maturity is about one half that of the Asiatic varieties. They mature early, feather quickly, the pullets often begin laying when Single-coml) White Leghorn cock. four months old, and cockerels crow at the same age. They are the best layers, averaging between one hundred and fifty and two hundred eggs per year. Their eggs are pure white in color, and weigh about ten to 496 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the pound. As table fowls they are fairly good. By many they are con- sidered excellent. The only thing that can be said against them is that they are small in size. Altogether, they are one of the most profitable breeds of poultry that can be kept upon the farm, and the cheapness of their keeping will allow the raising of two Leghorns for the cost of one Asiatic. They must be warmly housed in winter to lay well and to pro- tect their pendulous wattles from frostbite. In shape a Leghorn cock (fig. 17) should be graceful; body, round and plump, broad at the shoulders, and tapering toward the tail. The tail should be well balanced on a fair length of shank and thick, the length of leg giving the bird its sprightly and proud carriage. Closeness of feathering adds to the general shape and secures a freedom from angles which always proclaims the pure bred, typical specimen. The breast should be full, beautifully curved, rather prominent, and carried well forward. Neck, long, well arched, and carried erect; back, of medium length, with saddle rising in a sharp, concave sweep to the tail; tail, large, full, carried upright; the full flowing tail, and long, well-curved sickles are characteristics of the bird that are much thought of. The wing is long, well folded, and tightly carried. Hackle and saddle feathers, long and abundant and flowing well over the shoulder and saddle. The legs are bright yellow and free from feathers; toes also yellow, but a dark shade is allowable. The head is the prettiest por- tion of the bird, being short and deep; yellow beak, full, bright red eyes, and bright red face. The comb is single, of medium size, perfectly straight and upright upon the head, free from side sprigs, deeply serrated with five or six points, and bright red. The comb should extend well back over the head, with no tendency to fol- low the shape of the neck. Ear lobes, white or creamy white. The Leghorn hen in many re- spects resembles the cock, except- ing carriage of comb and sexual differences. In shape and carriage the hen is even more graceful and sprightly than the cock, very close, in feather, and rather small in body, though somewhat long in back. Her breast is full, very round, and carried high; legs fairly long, and shanks thin; tail carried closely and well up. The general carriage should be upright. Her comb is the marvel of her beauty; it is single and falls gracefully to one side, but not in a limp manner, or so as to Fjg. 18. -Head of Single-comb Brown Leghorn Cock. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 497 Fig. 19.— Head of Si.igle-comb Brown Leghorn hen. nearly black shanks and toes, rich glossy black throughout. obscure the sight. Fig. 19 shows an idea] comb of Leghorn female. Legs, comb, and face are the same color as in the male, but the ear lobe is much smaller. There are six standard varieties of Leg- horns: Black, Brown, Buff, Dominique, Silver Duckwing, and White. The Black Leghorn is a popular bird, and a favorite with those who are partial to its color of plumage. The Black Leghorn is mistaken by many for the Black Min- orca, but is quite different in type. The Minorca is larger in size, has a longer body, larger comb, and dark slate or The plumage of the Black Leghorn is a Comb, face, and wattles, bright red; ear lobes white; and shanks yellow, or yellowish black 32 Fig. 20. —Single-comb Brown Leghorn cock. 498 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The Brown Leghorns (fig. 20) are one of the prettiest, as well as the most commonly bred of the Leghorn varieties. They are the most diffi- cult of all to breed to feather. They have merited the confidence of poul- try lovers for a long time and their hardy constitutions have thwarted rough usage and promiscuous interbreeding to efface their character- istics. They are a fixed breed and their merits are noticeable from the newly hatched chick to the oldest specimen; they are stamped with the indelible marks of royalty only to be found in a thoroughbred. In mating Brown Leghorns opposites must be considered. Should the male be fine in all points except comb or leg, select; females strong in this point to mate with him. The most successful breeders use a double mating, one pen to produce exhibition birds of each sex. Fine birds, both cokerels and pullets, can be bred from the same pen by using Fig. 21.— Feathers of Brown Leghorns; a, back and hackle of female; 6, hackle and wing feather of male. slightly different types of females. The same male often will breed the finest of both exhibition cockerels and pullets, but it is a rare case to FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 499 have a female breed both sexes of a remarkable quality. When two pens are used, at the head of the pen mated to produce the cockrels place a fully developed cock with no serious fault, standard color, especially strong in comb, lobe, hackle, and saddle, a dark undercolor preferred. To him mate hens of a shade darker than standard, with small, evenly serrated, standing combs; a trifle brick color on wings is no objection, as it will give a brighter color on wing bows of the cockerels. Shafting on the back will also help the black stripe in the saddles. The pullets raised from this pen will be too dark for exhibition, but they will be a great help in breeding cockerels the next season. The male at the head of the pen mated to produce the pullets should be from a pullet strain, and bred directly from an exhibition hen. His color is a trifle light; comb large, bnt evenly serrated, if thin near the top, all the better; hackle, well striped (see fig. 21), but none in saddle; undercolor of hackle and saddle may be light gray or white; wing bows should show more purple than red, as too much red shows signs of being bred from a "bricky" hen. To him mate exhibition females having light brown penciled with darker brown on back and wings, all one shade, free from shafting on back and brick color on wings. These hens should have the large comb, lying over but firm and strong on the head, so it does not lie close to the eye and face. The cockerels raised from this mating are the birds to use for breeding females the next year. By breeding Brown Leghorns in this manner we have two distinct lines of blood, and they should never be crossed. Fig. -Buff Leghorn cockerel. 600 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The Buff Leghorn (fig. 22) is the most recent acquisition to the Med- iterranean class. It is a beautiful bird, and one that will win its way wherever bred. Buff-colored birds have many admirers, and those who have bred them are pronounced in praise of their qualities. Besides having the general characteristics of the Leghorn type, the Buff Leg- horn cock has rich buff colored hackle and saddle, in shade from lemon to cinnamon, but of even, solid color in keeping with the rest of the plumage; the back and the wing bow exactly match the plumage; tail, of the same general tint, but richer, deeper buff is preferable, the standard giving for tail a rich, deep buff or copperish-bronze. The remainder of the plumage is of a slightly lighter shade, but even in color throughout, with no semblance of a patchy or mottled plumage. White and black feathers in plumage are objectionable; solid white or solid black feathers will disqualify the bird. The hen is of the same color as the cock. Dominique Leghorns are not so generally known. Their color is much like that of the American Dominique and Barred Plymouth Rock, and is what is known as "Cuckoo" by English breeders. The body color is grayish white, each feather regularly crossed with parallel bars of blue-black, producing the effect of a bluish-tinged plumage. This color is the same throughout. The ground color of each feather is a clear, -light bluish gray. The shanks and toes are bright yellow and eyes bright red. Silver Duckwing Leghorns are not generally bred in this country, though they are frequently seen in the showrooms. They are considered as profitable as any of the other Leghorn varieties, and in point of beauty they are very interesting and fascinating. They take the name "Duckwing" from the similarity of the steel-blue wing bar to that of the Mallard or wild duck, the name being first given to a variety of games — the Silver Duckwing Game. The hackle and saddle feathers of a Silver Duckwing Leghorn cock are pure silvery white, without the slightest straw or creamy tinge, with a narrow black stripe along the center of the lower hackle feathers. Back, saddle, wing bow and wing bay, pure white; breast, under parts, wing bar, and tail, dense lustrous black. The Silver Duckwing Leghorn hen has a silvery gray hackle, with a narrow black stripe through the center of each feather. The breast is light salmon, shading off to gray toward the sides; the body color when viewed at a short distance should appear gray, with a faint bluish tint all over. A tendency to ruddy gray, either in ground color or penciling, is objec- tionable. The tail is black or dark brown, except the two upper feathers, which are light gray. The penciling or markings are irregular or wavy. The White Leghorn, like the Brown, is one of the most generally bred of the Leghorn varieties. It is, no doubt, the most advantageous to breed for profit, and the easiest to raise on the farm. Being of one color in plumage these birds are more successfully raised and cared for than the parti-colored varieties. Their plumage is pure white through- out, and feathers other than white will disqualify them. It has been a matter of much speculation as to which variety of Leghorns is most FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 501 prolific in egg production. This is a difficult question to properly adjust to the satisfaction of the specialty breeders, but from a conservative standpoint it is generally considered that the Whites have slightly the advantage over the others. Phenomenal individual egg records have been made by almost all varieties, but the above opinion is advanced from the general results obtained from various sources. There are subvarieties both in Brown and White Leghorns — the Rose- comb Brown and the Rose-comb White. The only distinguishing differ- ence between the last named and the other varieties is in the comb. The Rose-comb White and Rose-comb Brown Leghorns have a small rose comb (see fig. 23), square in front, firm and even upon the head, taper- FiG. i 3 —Rose-comb White Leghorn cockerel. ing evenly from front to rear, without inclining to one side, the top com- paratively flat and covered with small points, or corrugations, terminat- ing in a well-developed spike in the rear. There is no standard weight given for Leghorns. MIXORCAS. The Minorcas belong to the Mediterranean class, and they are placed next to the Leghorns in laying qualities. They are in appearance very similar to the Leghorns. Their general outline is, in fact, that of the latter, but of more length of body and heavier in mold. Indeed, they are the only variety of the Mediterranean class that has a given weight which approaches that of the Wyandotte, being only one-half pound lighter. The origin of the Minorcas, like that of so many others of our profitable poultry, is much in doubt. Some are of the opinion that they originally came from Minorca, one of the Balearic Isles, in the Mediter- ranean Sea, while others contend they are a variety of the Black Span- ish. Be that as it may, they are one of the most profitable breeds of poultry for the farm. 502 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The Minorcas are good for table purposes, the flesh being white or light-colored, and fine-grained. Their chief advantage is their egg pro- duction. They are nonsitters, and year-around layers. As winter layers they are exceptionally good when kept under fairly favorable cir- cumstances. While the Leghorn surpasses them in the number of eggs Fig. 24.— Black Minorca cockerel. laid, the Minorca's eggs are larger, and equal the output in bulk. Their eggs are white, and average eight to the pound. They lay from twelve to fifteen dozen a year. Being of an active, restless disposition they keep in splendid condition and make good foragers. For suburban poultry keeping they are very practical birds, and net good results to the keeper. They are hardy, easily raised, and mature quickly. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 503 The Minorca fowl is large in outline, well bodied; stands well up on its legs; has a broad chest, and a long, flat back, with tail carried upright. Many breeders dispute as to the carriage of the tail. The standard says "upright," while the preference is almost universally expressed by breeders that it should be carried "well back." The upright position gives the tail the Leghorn type (see fig. 17), while the typical Minorca differs somewhat from it by being more horizontal, as shown in fig. 24, The body of the Minorca male is long, square in front, tapering from front to rear. When standing erect, the body of male is at an angle of nearly forty-five degrees. Thighs are stout; shanks, medium in length, stout in bone, and in color dark slate or nearly black; comb, single, large, perfectly straight and upright, evenly serrated, and extending well over back of head. The comb of the Minorca is larger and more bulky than that of the Leghorn. Wattles are thin and pendulous, corresponding with size of comb; car lobes, pure white. The female is in body of the same general appearance as the male, rather long, broad, and deep. Her comb is single, large, and drooping to one side; like comb of male, her comb is perceptibly larger than that of the Leghorn female. Black Minor- cas are in plumage a rich, glossy black throughout, and gray tips are considered serious defects. The W^hite Minorca is as popular as the Black, and takes the same position as does the White Leghorn in its class. The standard qualifications are equal for the two except in color, and that must be pure white throughout, feathers other than white dis- qualifying; the other qualities are equal, as to profitableness, between the two varieties. The comb, face and wattles are bright red, free from white in face; eyes are dark hazel or red. Before concluding in regard to Minorcas, it is worthy of note that the latest acquisition to the breed is the Rose-comb Black Minorca. The only objection that has ever been raised against the varieties of the Mediterranean class is their susceptibility to frostbite of the comb. Their combs are so large that continued cold or exposure is sure to result in this injury. To obviate this one defect, if it may be so termed, in this valuable class of birds has been the purpose of breeders in producing a bird that possesses the other qualifications, but with low rose comb. There are two standard varieties of Minorcas^ — the Black and the White. The Rose-comb Black Minorca is not recognized as a standard variety as yet, but indications point to its admission as such in the near future. Many good specimens have been bred and exhibited at the recent shows, and success in making this variety seems assured. The head of the Rose-comb Black Minorca male should be medium in length; beak, stout and black; eyes, dark red; face, smooth and red; comb, rose, straighf, and set close and even on the head. In size the comb should be between that of the Wyandotte and the Leghorn; wattles, medium in length and not so large as in single-comb variety; ear lobes, pure white, large, smooth and almond shaped. The head of female is similar to that of the male — medium in size; face, red; comb, small and even on the head; wattles, medium in size, thin, and bright red; ear lobes, pure white, large and even. 504 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The standard weight of a Minorca cock is eight pounds; hen, six and one half pounds; coclverel, six and one half pounds; and pullet, five and one half pounds. ANDALUSIANS. The Andalusian (fig. 25) is one of the prettiest of the feathered race, being of a beautiful light and dark blue plumage. It is called the Blue Fig. 25. — BUie Andalusian hen. Andalusian, and is the only variety of its breed. It is not as popular in this country as it should be, owing to the sentiment against white skin and blue shanks. English and French poultrymen prefer these qualities in a bird, and with them it is very popular. The hens are nonsitters and splendid layers of large white eggs, equaling in size those of the Minor- cas. Specimens of their eggs have been seen in competition and have won the award of merit for size and weight. The chicks are hardy, mature early, and the pullets begin laying when five or six months old. For farm purposes they rank with the Leghorn and the Minorca, the preference being only in the color of their plumage. For fancy purposes they are an ideal bird on account of their beauty. Their general charac- teristics are those of the Leghorn. The hackle and saddle feathers are dark blue, approaching black; breast a lighter shade of blue, each feather having a well-defined lacing of a darker shade; body and fluff, similar in color to breast, but somewhat darker; primaries, light blue; secondaries and wing coverts, dark blue; wing bows, darker blue, approaching black; tail and sickle feathers, dark blue, approaching black; shanks and toes, slaty blue. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII. 505 No standard weight is given for Andalusians; their average size is that of the Leghorn. BLACK SPANISH. The Blaclv Spanish fowls (fig. 26) constitute one of the oldest varie- ties of domestic poultry. Their name has been identified with the Indus. Fig. 26.— Pair of White-faced Black Spanish. try for hundreds of years, and their practical worth on the farm has long been recognized. Their haughty bearing, large red comb and wattles, and the white face and lobes peculiar too the breed, contrasting with their glossy black plumage, render them most striking birds. White-faced Black Spanish have long been favorably known for their exceptionally fine laying qualities. The oldest of the nonsitting varieties, they still maintain an unsurpassed record. The pullets are early layers, averaging one hundred and fifty to one hundred and eighty eggs per year; the hens begin somewhat later, after molting, but com- pensate for any loss in number by the increased size of the eggs. Hens and pullets are large and white and of good flavor. The white face is a distinguishing feature, and should be long, smooth, free from wrinkles, rising well over the eyes in an arched form, extending toward the back of the head and to the base of the beak, covering the cheeks and joining the wattles and ear lobes; the greater the depth of surface the better. It should be pure white in color. The color of plumage throughout is rich, glossy black, and any gray is considered a serious defect. Shanks and toes are blue, or dark leaden blue. Comb is single and bright red in color; wattles, bright red, except the inside of the upper part, which is white; ear lobes, pure white. No standard weight is given for Black Spanish; they equal in size the Leghorns and Andalusians. 506 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. "16 TO 1," "6 TO 1" AND THE EGG PRODUCING HEN. ' 16 to 1 "-She eats 16 Times her Weight in the Year. " 6 to 1"-Her Eggs in the Year are 6 Times her own "Weight. " 16 to 1 "—Her Eggs bring 16 Cents per Pound ; her Food Costs 1 Cent per Pound. " 6 to 1 "—Her Yearly Egg Product is Worth 6 Times the Cost of her Food. Bulletin Missouri State Board of Agriculture. T. E. ORR, Secretary of the American Poaltry Association, Beaver, Pennsylvania. With my topic thus outlined no one will accuse me of talking poli- tics or of discussing the relation of gold to silver; hut the above is my text and I'm going to preach the '"Gospel of Hen" and discuss the rela- tion of feed to eggs, and how to turn our farm products into cash at a good profit. In doing this I shall try to give you an outline of the food supply necessary for carrying a flock of forty-five pullets one year and give the average cost of these foods and tell something of the relation they should bear to each other. WHERE A]N'D HOW OBTAINED. A glance at the table found in this article shows that of the ten foods outlined six are found on nearly every farm. On most farms the other four must be purchased. But even if you are a villager and must purchase them all; you are simply carrying your merchandizing a little further than does the farmer, and the farmer and egg producer must both remember that if they are to .succeed in this twentieth century they must be both merchants and manufacturers. As a merchant the farmer must buy his necessities for business at the lowest possible cost and then sell them in a somewhat different form at the highest obtainable price. As a manufacturer he is constantly converting the raw material into the finished product. THREE COMMEXTS OX OUR FOOD TABLE. First. The foods are very largely cereal. I am a firm believer in the theory that the hen can subsist and yield a fine profit in eggs on a ration of grains alone. I have no objection to soft feed, cooked feed, steamed feed, etc., but it has been shown that these are not necessary to profitable egg production. You can probably increase the egg out- put for a short time by these expedients, but your yearly product will, we believe, not greatly exceed that from a grain and meat ration. By FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 507 cooked or steamed feed you can surely increase the egg product at the time of year that eggs sell for the most money. Second. I give this table of foods, not as the best one for all, but as a good one for most people, especially the amateur. If your market, location and surroundings enable you to substitute potatoes, turnips, beets, cabbage, etc., for some of the items, well and good; I have no quar- rel with you and shall be glad to hear of your success. Or if you can ob- tain fresh bones from the butcher and will grind them, you can dispense with much of the cut-bone and beef-scrap I have prescribed and rediffce materially the cost. Third. You may not be able to purchase in small quantities the feeds I have prescribed at the prices named. Feed promises to be cheap this year and eggs will surely be high. This article is written in western Missouri, and a prominent stock feeder in looking over the table said: "You have those grain prices 50 per cent higher than is necessary for this section this year." Now, you may need to pay higher prices than those specified, but if so you are in a locality where you can sell you" eggs higher than "16 cents per pound." At our Beaver Hill farm we believe that our feeds cost us perhaps 25 per cent higher than our esti- mate, but we will realize more than 25 per cent advance on the price of eggs, for at no time this summer did we sell eggs lower than 20 cent3 per dozen, and in September people were coaxing for our eggs at 24 cents per dozen, or "16 cents per pound." Right here in the country districts of western Missouri eggs are selling now for 18 cents per dozen. THE PRACTICAL APPLICATIOX. The problem I am asking you to demonstrate is the possibility of starting November 1st with forty-five pure-bred pullets of an "eggs- early-and-often" strain and on the rations I prescribe, or one of equal cost and merit, make them produce in 360 days 240 eggs each, "two, eggs each three days." CAN IT BE DONE? There are many to rise and cry: ''That's all theory; it can't be done." Well, such people are the ones who will also say "A hen can't possibly consume sixteen times her own weight in one year, no more than she can lay six times her weight of eggs in a year." Well. I'm not afraid of a calamity howler nor of the man who continually decries the theories of others but has no good practices of his own to present. Nearly twenty years ago the writer of this article experimented for a full year with one pen each of Brown Leghorns, Silver Wyandottes and Barred Plymouth Rocks. Our surroundings were very unfavorable, but those hens gave us then a product of 184 eggs, 172 eggs and 160 eggs per hen, in the order named, and convinced us that the hen to lay "two eggs every three days" was a coming reality. In 1890-91 we con- ducted an experiment with several different breeds, and the variety that stood second in our first test stood first this time, with 202 eggs to the credit of each hen. 508 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. MAN^Y HAVE DONE IT, In 1893 the writer of this article conducted an experiment partici- pated in by 230 people. There were a few pens of grade and cross bred pullets, but most of them were pure bred and of the standard varieties. Twenty different breeds were entered and ten different states were represented. One hundred and forty-three of these pens continued in. the contest for the entire year and sent in their weekly and monthly re- ports on blanks furnished them. Many of these reports were verified by credible witnesses and attested by affidavits. Of these 143 full-year pen the twenty leading pens produced each an average of more than 200 eggs per hen, and the average of the total of these twenty pens was 240 eggs per hen. • When the above contest was started there were some poultry pa- pers that predicted failure and disaster but after it was completed in all its details their comment was favorable and several of the leading poul- try journals devoted pages to publishing its particulars. Its results have been accepted as accurate and it has demonstrated clearly the ability of hens of several varieties to do just what we are urging you in this arti- cle to allow and help them to accomplish, namely: to produce 240 eggB per year of an average weight of two ounces, a total of thirty pounds, or six times the weight of the pullet at starting. A UNIFORM EGG PRICE. In the experiment above referred to the number and weight of the eggs were reported to us and we fixed the price by the average retail prices cf eggs in Pittsburg for that month. The average price that year was 1.8 cents per egg, but prices were lower then than they have ever been since, so in our calculation in this article we are fixing the price at 2 cents per egg, or 16 cents per pound for two-ounce eggs, and as prices are sure to average considerably higher this year, we feel that we have taken a conservative position, both on the price of feed and on the price of eggs. A product of 240 eggs at 2 cents each gives an annual income of $4.80 per hen. In the above named experiment one pen reached an income of $5.02 per head at 1.8 cents per egg. So we are quite below the leading -pen in our estimate for you, even at the advanced price. LOW COST OF PRODUCTIOX. We are now down to the question: Can we feed the hen on 80 cents per year, so as to come within the requirements of the fourth item of our text, namely: that her yearly cost for food is only one-sixth of the value of her yearly egg product? Again referring to that large ex- periment we must admit that the reports of those who kept account of food-cost ranged from 83 cents to $1.60 per hen per year, the average being about $1.20; but it must also be remembered that those people were competing for prizes for highest production, and but little attention was given to cheapness. Under those circumstances one would not hesi- tate to feed food costing 5 cents per pound, or even more, in order to make his favorites win. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART Vll. 509 SOME OTHER EXPERIMENTS. Some two or three years ago one of our leading agricultural papers secured statistics showing that the farm hen costs for feed from 47 to 83 cents per year, an average of about 65 cents. But two objections arise here: First, these hens ran at large quite a i>ortion of the time and picked up much of their food; second, these hens were not kept up to the high-pressure standard necessary to secure "two eggs every three days," so did not consume nearly as much feed as must your forty-five pullets in this experiment. Two ounces of grain per day is the highest estimate we have seen given, but we are sure from our own experience and that of others, that this alone is not enough. We have, therefore, allotted to each one of your forty-five pullets, each weighing five pounds at the start, sixteen times her own weight of food, or a daily ration of three and five ninths ounces. A RICH RATION. Even the critic will admit that this is a pretty rich diet — much better in both quantity and quality than he feeds — and we are ready to admit that it requires a hen with a good digestive apparatus to do the work. She must have the assimilating powers of the dairy-bred Jersey or Hol- stein cow to reach the mark. No dung-hills need apply. No drones need undertake the management. But it has been done; it is being done; you can do it if you will supply the comforts and conveniences that Madam Hen calls for. To consume ten and two thirds ounces of food in three days and give you in return four ounces of egg is no small undertaking on her part, nor is it a small business on your part to se- cure it. Remember one point just here: two thirds of the egg is water. The remaining one third you must give her in the proper solid foods, not forgetting the water, and also provide liberally at the same time for her animal heat, the wear and tear of her system and for the ashes of her animal fires. In other words, you must expect lots of your feed to find its way to the dropping-board, but even there it is a valuable product which we have not figured in. COMMENTS ON THE FOODS. A few words about these foods in the order named in our table: Corn. We use it in smaller proportion than here specified, partly because with us in western Pennsylvania it is very expensive, but more because it is too fattening. Our hens are kept for breeding as well as for egg production-. The fat hen may be kept so and be made to lay eggs up to our requirements of "two eggs in three days," but the eggs from a fat hen do not hatch well. Oats. We consider oats our very best feed. Oats cost us 2 1-3 cents per pound the past season, but they are cheaper now. With an abundance of grit there is no danger in' feeding whole oats. We bought hulled oats the past year for the same price as the whole oats. Fed alone, they are not satisfying to the hens. They do not furnish bulk enough. 610 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Hulled oats must be accompanied with plenty of clover and other coarse food. Wheat. At 80 cents per bushel the past season wheat was our cheap- est feed. Don't think to economize by buying poor wheat or screenings. If you buy, buy the best quality obtainable. Kaffir Corn and Sorghum. These are two of the very best of grains, as nearly a balanced ration for the fowls as you can get; but don't depend on these or any other one grain. You must keep up the hen's appetite with variety. Skip from one grain to another freqeuntly. Keep her happy and busy. It pays. Bran. We esteem branjas the one essential ground food. We use it dry, in large flat boxes about the yards, where the girds run and can jump in and pick a lot of it. We also use it as a basis of all our soft feeds, a carrier for our meat-meal. etc. We always use salt on our soft feeds. Bran is rich in protein; it is a good regulator; it seems to neutralize poisons. Clover. .1 take great care in harvesting my clover for poultry, both the first and second crop. It should be cut in good time, cured nicely without dew or rain on it, and may be stored in gunny sacks or other- wise until it is needed. We run it through the cutter and then wet or steam it over night, then add bran, meat, bone, salt, etc. Do not skimp the clover. Better waste some rather than that the hens should not have enough. Alfalfa is the only forage plant that approaches clover as "hen hay." Meat. The egg is rich in albumen. You must feed it into your hens or the eggs will be few in number and the whites will be thin and watery. Granulated beef-scrap and the meat meal and dried blood are obtainable on the market. If you have an abundance of butcher-shop bones, and can obtain cheap meat to boil, thickening the soup with bran and vege- tables, you are to be congratulated, provided you do this work regularly. Grit. This is the most essential grain feed. Without it your own is of little good and your hens soon die of disease. Use mica grit, pearl grit, gravel grit, cinder grit, any old grit, and, still better, all of them. Waste some grit to be sure you get enough grit. Shell. One tenth of the shell is lime. Your egg shells must be heavy if you M^ould hold a choice market. You can well afford to buy oyster shell at 75 cents per hundred pounds if you sell it at sixteen cents per pound, and that is what you do in the egg business. Bone. Every one admits that the growing animal requires bone-build- ing material to give him strength of limb. Many, however, imagine that the hen old enough to lay eggs no longer needs this kind of supply. The hen, however, is the best judge, and the eagerness with which the lay- ing hen will turn even from grain to pick up fresh cut bone or even dry bones, is the best evidence that she needs it in her business. Do not deny her this. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 511 COXCLUSIOXS AXD SU(.(iEST10X8. Now, here is the table of rations we suggest for feeding forty-five pullets 360 days. It fills the first condition of our text in that it gives €ach pullet sixteen times her own weight in feed. It fills the third con- dition of our text in that it can be obtained in most sections of the country at a cost of one cent per pound. It also fills the fourth condi- tion of our text in that the cost of her feed is only one sixth the value of her egg product. Do not condemn it until you have made an honest effort to realize the third condition of our text, namely: to make your pulets produce in eggs five times their own weight. oxE year's food supply for forty-five pullets. Three hundred pounds corn at % c. per pound $1,871/: Six hundred pounds oats at 1 c. per pound 6.00 Four hundred pounds wheat at 1 c. per pound 4.00 Three hundred pounds kaffir corn or sorghum at % c. per pound.. 1.87V2 Four hundred pounds bran at % c. per pound 3.00 Four hundred pounds clover at % c. per pound 3.00 Three hundred pounds beef-scrap, meat-meal, dried blood, etc., at 2 2-3 c. per pound 8.00 Four hundred pounds grit and fine gravel at V2 c. per pound 2.00 Three hundred pounds oyster-shell at % c. per pound 2.25 Two hundred pounds cut bone at 2 c. per pound 4.00 Total, three thousand six hundred pounds, at a total cost of $36.00, an average of eighty pounds of feed per hen, at a cost of eighty cents. SOME POULTRY' EXPERIMENTS. The following summary of the results of experiments at the Utah Experiment Station contains some interesting information. (Bulletin No. 67, Experiment Station. Logan, Utah. James Dryden, Poul- try Manager.) SUMMARY. 1. What is the most profitable age of the hen? Two pens of Leg-" horns averaged 175 eggs per fowl during the first year. During the second year the same fowls averaged 132i/^. and during the third, IIG""/: eggs per fowl. The per cent profit on food was 188 the first year, 118 the second year, and 97 1/^ the third. A test with two other pens of Leghorns gave the following results: First year, number of eggs laid, 159; second year, 119^^; per cent profit on food, first year, 184; second year, 99. 2. What is the effect of exercise on egg production The results for three years are in favor of feeding grain in a box against feeding it in straw and making the hens scratch it out. One pen with all grain fed in a box averaged 147 1/^ eggs per fowl per year for three years. A like pen having the grain fed in a litter of straw averaged 132 eggs. During the first year as pullets the results were in favor of the exercise, the pen led in a box averaging 158 eggs per fowl, against 182 for the pen fed 512 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. in the straw. TJiese results were secured with Leghorns. With two other pens of Leghorns, during the first year as pullets the pen with "exercise" laid 160 eggs, and the pen with "no exercise," 157 eggs. Dur- ing the second year the "exercised" pen laid 119 and the "no exercise" 120, the results for the two years being practically the same for thos'^ two pens. 3. As to the effect of exercise on food consumption, the average of pens 3 and 4 for three years shows that the pen with "exercise" con- sumed 62.4 cents worth of food, and the pen "without exercise" 60.8. In the case of two other pens the average was 63.5 cents and 62 cents^ respectively, per fowl, in favor of "no exercise." 4. During the year the Leghorns consumed an average of 62 cents worth of food per fowl. The Wyandottes consumed 81.6 cents per fowl, and two pens of Plymouth Rocks averaged 87.7 cents per fowl. 5. The Leghorns consumed during the year an average of about 75 pounds of total food or about 55 pounds of dry matter per fowl; the Wyandottes 100 pounds total food, 73 pounds dry matter, and the Plymouth Rocks about 110 pounds total food and about 80 pounds dry matter. 6. The three years' results from Leghorn pullets show an average of 162 eggs per fowl per year at a food cost of 4.6 cents per dozen. These results are not from selected or "pedigree" layers. 7. The record of weights of fowls shows that Leghorns weigh about ten per cent more during their second year than during the first year as pullets. During the third year there is practically no incease in weight. 8. The largest egg production was during the period of greatest food consumption. The smallest egg yield was when the food con- sumption was least. The hens attained their greatest weight immediately preceding the periods of greatest egg production. After the periods of heavy laying they showed a loss in weight. 9. Five pens of Leghorns two and three years old laid eggs averag- ing 1.56 pounds per dozen. Five pens of Leghorn pullets laid eggs aver- aging 1.37 pounds per dozen. The eggs from the pen of Wyandotte pullets averaged 1.56 pounds per dozen, and those laid by four pens of Plymouth Rock pullets averaged 1.52 pounds per dozen. 10. Eggs from different hens of the same breed varied in weight. One pen of Leghorns two years old laid eggs averaging 1.45 pounds per dozen. T,wo other pens of the same age, but of different strain, laid eggs averaging 1.63 pounds per dozen. The eggs from the latter two pens weighed more than those of the Plymouth Rock or Wyandotte pullets. 11. The eggs from five pens of Leghorn pullets averaged 1.44 pounds per dozen. The eggs from the same pens during the second year averaged 1.54 pounds per dozen. In other words, the size of the eggs was eight per cent greater the second year than the first. 12. A test of wheat versus corn gave results in favor of wheat for egg production. 13. In the case of Leghorn pullets the addition of dried blood to the ration considerably increases the egg yield. With Plymouth Rock FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII. 513 pullets no effect was noticed on the yearly record. With both, the pens having dried blood began laying earlier than the others. 14. The discarding of corn (except the little used in rcash) and sub- stituting a small quantity of sunflower seed, did not materially affect the egg yield, there being but a slight increase. Owing to the greater cost of the sunflower seed the financial results were in favor of the corn. 15. The results of a test with Leghorn pullets showed that a nutri- tive ratio of 1:4.95 was very much superior to one of 1:6.66. With Ply- mouth Rocks the results were inconclusive. 16. An initial test with one cockerel and one capon gave no indica- tion of increased growth from the operation of eaponizing; but the appearance of the dressed bird and the quality of the meat showed a decided advantage from the operation. PURE BLOODED FOWLS VS. .MONGRELS. Mattie WehUer in Twentieth Century Farmer. Not long since I was asked, "What superior qualities do pure-blooded fowls possess that make them preferable to common poultry?" This question was asked by a farmer, and, judging from his conversation, he has made a success of his calling. Not only has the sowing, reaping and marketing of his grain been the source of his large income, but his fine stock — cattle, swine and sheep — have very considerably swelled his bank account. He does not doubt the greatest profitableness of pure-blooded cattle, hogs or sheep, or ask wherein are their points of excellence, but the farm poultry is of so little importance that the thought of an im- proved breed has never been entertained. There are many reasons why pure-blooded fowls are to be preferred to mongrel or scrub stock, and as "the best is none too good," it is to the farm breeder's interest to acquaint himself, or herself, with the com- parative qualities of the more desirable breeds, and when convinced of the greater excellence of pure-blooded poultry, dispose of the present flock of scrub stock and replace them with some particular breed or variety of fowls that is thought to be the most suitable for the farm. In farming, as in every other business, the greatest possible profit is the object that stimulates to untiring effort, and as the farm poultry, with proper care and management, are more profitable than any other adjunct of the farm, with same amount invested, they should receive their share of consideration and attention. The best breed for the farmer is some general purpose breed, and a good strain of pure-blooded fowls will be far more profitable as layers than the usual farm stock of deteri- orated mongrels or scrubs; are incomparably more desirable for market purposes than the small, thin-bodied mixed birds; are more tame and docile to handle and manage, and last, but not least, favorable quality. is their beauty. 33 514 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. One could hardly believe that persons who appear intelligent in mo.^": matters pertaining to the farm and farming, would have such erroneous and oftentimes absurd impressions and ideas of pure-blooded poultry and their usefulness, or rather worthlessness, on the farm, unless con- vinced of it by personal conversation. I have had parties argue with me that scrub or "common" hens were very much better layers than thoroughbred hens. Then I have been told that the pure-blooded birds were not so vigorous, more subject to disease, and a greater per cent of them died during the year than the' poultry that boasted no "blue blood" or aristocratic breeding. I have heard it asserted that thoroughbred fowls required more care and attention than common stock and were much more difficult to raise to maturity. Such statements as those cited are made through lack of experience with a pure-blooded breed and therefore through absolute ignorance cf their qualities and characteristics. I have had experience with the scrub stock and also with the much-to-be-preferred thoroughbred, and the latter are so much more profitable and desirable than the former that they should not be spoken of as belonging to the same family witi- them. The greater profit realized from the more prolific thoroughbreds, the eggs so much larger in size and the large, pliynp carcass when dresseii ready for market, should, all combined, I think persuade any breeder to choose them in preference to a flock of mongrels. As to the vigor and healthfulness of pure-bloods I have never had any cause to complain, having found them less subject to disease than common fowls. As to requiring more care and attention than mongrels, this is an- other mistaken idea. I will admit, though, that if as sadly neglected and left to "scratch for a living" and allowed to remain homeless and houseless through sun and storm alike, as so many farm flocks are, very little profit would be realized from a flock of thoroughbreds, even if of the most noted egg-producir.g strain. Neither would pure-bloods under such conditions remain in health and vigor. Scrub or mongrel stock, if cared for aright, will be found to be far more profitable than is the average farm flock. Then, how much more to be admired is a flock every specimen of which is of the same form and color— as much alike as "peas in the pod ' — than one where the birds are of every color and more like quails than chickens in size. If a flock of such pure-blooded fowls is to be coveted, why not. my farmer friend, have them? It is possible for every farm breeder to have a flock that will in their beauty and profitableness be the admiration and envy of all beholders. So why be satisfied with inferior, unprofitable poultry when the best is easily attainable? Belmont, "Wisconsin. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 515 FARM POULTRY IN WINTER. Galliis Bankiva, in Breeders' Gazette. There is no good reason' why the average farmer should be com- pelled to go without fresh eggs from his own flock of fowls during the winter months, although undoubtedly he does so. No man is in a better position to so keep his hens that they will lay in winter than the farmer, but it is to be feared the average farmer looks upon his fowls as more of a necessary nuisance than as a source of revenue. TJiis being his view, he does not give them the care they should have if they are to produce eggs during the months when they are highest in price, because scarcesi in number. Without going into the question of breeds it may safely be said that proper housing and proper feeding will induce any flock of hens to pro- duce eggs enough to pay much more than their way during the months when they do not as a rule pay anything to their owner. Most farmers produce on their own farms everything necessary to promote the pro- duction of eggs. The very best single grain we have for laying hens is corn, but if this is made the exclusive feed the number of eggs produced will be small. Wheat and oats are both good feeds to promote egg-pro- duction and a ration composed of one fourth corn, one half wheat and one fourth oats makes a very satisfactory feed for the whole grain part of the ration. If to this is added a feed of bran or shorts, mixed with hot water so as to make a crumbly mass for the morning feed the grain part of the feed will be complete. To the grain should be added cooked vegetables of some kind. It does not matter what vegetables are used. Potatoes, turnips, beets, cabbage, apples or any other vegetable feeds that may be at hand are greedily eaten by fowls and help to promote egg- production. These vegetables may be cooked and mixed with the bran mash, the whole being salted about as it would be for our own consump- tion, for laying hens, and in fact all fowls, need salt as much as does other farm stock. To these feeds should be added milk or meat. Milk, while not a perfect substitute for meat, is a good egg-food, and it does not matter in what form it is fed. It may ue sweet or sour, and butter- milk is fully as valuable for this purpose as skimmilk. Meat is the best egg-food that can be given hens during the winter when insects and worms are not to be found, and this is sold in the shape of beef-scrap or beef-meal at a price that makes it a very cheap feed for the flock of laying hens. Given the above feedstuff s and sharp grit or gravel and water in plentiful supply, hens will lay at any time in the year if they are kept comfortably housed. It is easy to tind formulas for mixing feeds for hens, but after an experience of years I believe results will bear me out in saying that the greater the variety of feeds given to laying hens the better they will produce. Sorghum seed, millet, broom com seed, Kaffir corn and the seeds from the litter taken from the barn floor are all good poultry feeds. 516 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. So much has been said in the past about over-feeding laying hens that a good many people actually starve their flocks until their powers of production are destroyed. It is entirely possible to over-feed hens that are deprived of their liberty and kept where all they have to do is to eat and then sit around waiting for the next feeding time. It should be remembered that the hen is naturally an active being and delights in working for her living, and in this she should be indulged. All grain feed should be scattered in straw or other similar material and the hens allowed to dig it out. The busy hen never gets too fat to become non- productive. This is one of the secrets of successful egg-production. The exercise -obtained when a hen is permitted to indulge her natural desire to scratch for her living keeps her in the vigorous condition that is most conducive to the highest production of eggs. A warm house is necessary to the winter production of eggs. It should be remembered that a house that would seem quite cold to a man is warm enough for a hen to live in with perfect comfort. The blood of a man has a temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while that of a hen is 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Here is a difference of more than four degrees to begin with, in the hen's favor, and her feathers are the warm- est material she could have for clothing. These advantages give her a capacity to endure temperature without inconvenience that would make a man suffer. The poultry-house need not be elaborate in material or construction, but it should be tight enough to exclude the free circulation of air — tight enough to prevent draughts, for these are the source from which colds, catarrh, croup and similar diseases arise. There are but few farms in the country where there is not waste lumber enough to build a com- fortable poultry-house for fifty hens. In New York State the other day I saw some poultry-houses built of old fence boards in which were kept last winter a very nice flock of fowls, and their owner assured me his hens laid all winter. Given a tight poultry-house filled with fowls, and it will require a very cold night to lower the inside temperature below the point of comfort, for the animal heat from the bodies of the fowls will maintain the temperature at a point where the room will be per- fectly comfortable. Fowls should be allowed to run out of doors all the time except dur- ing stormy or extremely cold weather. I have found it perfectly safe to allow laying hens to run out at any time when the temperature was not below 18 or 20 degrees. At the same time, if the house is roomy, it i.> perfectly safe to keep the flock confined for a week at a time if tlt*^ weather is severe. All that is necessary is to cover the floor with straw and throw the grain feed into it and let the fowls dig it out. The poultry-house should be well lighted, for light is almost as necessary as warmth to the laying hen. I have in mind a poultry-house which is lighted from a large window in which common sheeting is used in the place of glass, and the owner tells me that he believes the sheeting the better of the two materials, because the cloth allows the air to filter in without making a draught, and both light and ventila- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 517 tion are furnished by the same window. Good farmers do not hesitate to furnish their farm stock with perfectly comfortable quarters, and there is as much profit in furnishing the hens with a warm house as there is in caring for cattle, hogs or sheep in this way. Poultry is assuming an important place in the list of farm indus- tries, and the farmer who does not make his poultry pay him a large percentage of profit is not living up to his opportunities. In this respect our British cousins are ahead of us, for the English farmer sees to it that his poultry has as regular and as good care as any other stock on the farm. American farmers will do well to take pattern after farmers over the water in this respect. RAISING TURKEYS. M7-S. Emma Qua. in Farmers' Trlhune. Turkeys are not so very hard to raise after one has found out the "know how," experience being the best teacher. The first three weeks being the most critical time of their lives, one should use great care in handling them, but after that age they are usually hardy enough to get along with but little extra care. The eggs of old turkeys are by far the best to set. because turkeys that are raised from them are stronger and have more vitality. Young turkeys make the best mothers, being more domestic in their habits. Turkey eggs require 28 days for hatching, and should be seen to promptly. Remove the shells from the nest several times during the day; also see that the little turkeys are not smothered in nest. Should there be too many for comfort, remove a few of them, keeping them nicely covered and warm. Always leave them in the nest until one day old, at least, as they are very weak for some time after hatching and should not be handled. The first day give each a grain of black pepper, putting it in their mouths. This will warm and strengthen them. Do not let them out on the ground, but keep them on a board 'till about three weeks old. A large dry goods box could be used that w^ould make a good coop to keep them in. Have a shallow dish outside for water to drink. Keep an old pan with ashes in it for them to dust themselves. Accustom them to come to their box each night after they have had their freedom. This is easily done by feeding them there. When three weeks old they will be able to follow their mother, but house them each night and during storms. Do not let them out too early in the morning. It is not necessary during a shower to get drip- ping wet yourself to get them in. Their mother will, under ordinary circumstances, do that better than you can. Turkeys begin to lay eggs about the middle of March, or first of April, laying twenty or more aggb for a setting. Then set the Turkey. Seventeen eggs are about the right number for an ordinary turkey (a hen will cover eleven eggs). Put the remainder under hens, having them all hatch at the same time, so that the young turkey chicks can be taken from hens and given to the turkey 518 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. to raise. After a few days your other turkeys will lay another setting of eggs. In feeding, give at first hard boiled eggs with bread moistened with milk, not too wet, and freshly prepared at each feeding. It is quite a scheme to begin saving bread for them during the long winter, when so little is eaten. You may have a friend or so in town who is in- terested in your turkeys, who will be glad to save you pieces of bread, and in return invite the party to come and help eat a turkey on Thanksgiving. Have each piece of bread thoroughly dried by placing in oven; then drop it in a cotton bag, as paper gathers moisture, which will cause it to mold. Should you have a baking which did not quite come up to the mark, slice this up and dry. This will keep a long time, and one can with but little trouble have enough to start quite a flock. Have a place for them to roost, and g-^t them on it as young as you can; even should they fall off, put them up again. Do not feed too often — five times a day when young. Put their feed on board, or clean plate, and keep clean. Look out for lice when about four weeks old. These will be found on top of wings in large feathers. Take a little kerosene in a dish, and with a feather slightly brush each one. Care should be taken to use but very little oil. Never put kerosene on eggs. Should they become lousy before hatching, re- move eggs carefully to clean nest, putting insect powder on the turkey. Sulphur is also good. Turkeys are great foragers, and will pick up their living. To fatten, boil pumpkin and stir thick with corn meal; feed this very hot, as turkeys do not like it cold. They are as dainty as some hired men. Do not feed too much corn, or begin to fatten 'till four weeks before killing. It is said turkeys and turnips never begin to grow until frost comes. Should they steal their nests, or lay where you do not want them to set, you can easily move them to a better place. Ger. their new nest where you want it, and after dark move the turkey, after which keep her shut up for a few days, and she will set every time just where you put her. Always be kind to them when setting, strok- ing them with your hand, and when hatching time comes, they can be easily handled without any trouble. Once I saw a lady who was pound- ing a turkey, that was hatching a brood, with a board. Of course the turkey resented such treatment, and the lady thought she was cross. TOULOUSE GEESE. Mrs. J. H. Shurtleft. in Farmers' Tribune. Having read with interest a few articles in The Farmer about Tou- louse geese, I wish to give a little of my experience with them. A few years ago I bought my first pair. During the first season the goose laid thirty-two eggs; twenty-five before wanting to sit. I did no', let her sit. After a short rest, she laid seven more. I think this a re- markable record for a young goose, as eighteen is considered a good average. A large per cent of the eggs were fertile. From this pair I FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 519 have raised a nice flock every summer. Did not raise so many thp rirst season, for I did not understand very much, about hatching and caring for goslings. I made a large pair of pillows the first season. Have had geese for five years, and during that time have made several pairs of pil- lows, two large feather beds, and am about ready to make the third, be- sides selling every season several full feathered birds. If spring opens early I pick the old ones three times during the summer, the young ones twice. . The cost of feeding the young flock through the summer is com- paratively nothing, as they are such good foragers. If they have plenty of pasture they will get their own living after they are three weeks old. I begin feeding sweet milk with a little corn meal added for the fir^t few days. After that corn meal moistened with water until they are three weeks old. I set the eggs under hens, as they are less care, a goose being more apt to break eggs and trample the little ones. Have set geese with good success. For hens I take an orange box, lay it on the side, with a three- inch strip at the bottom so the hen can step in and out without jumping down on the eggs, fill the box with damp dirt to within an inch of the top of the strip, with just enough chaff to cover the dirt, hollowing out a little to shape the nest. For geese I take an apple or salt barrel, nail all the staves but four or five to the hoops, saw the hoops and remove the loose staves, lay the barrel on the open side, pressing it into the dirt so it will not roll. Hollow the earth a little and put in a dry litter to make a nest; not too much for the eggs will get covered up. Seven eggs for a hen; fifteen for a goose. By using hens I can keep the geese lay- ing. When a goose wants to sit I put her in a yard where she can not get to the nest for three or four days. Then she is out of the notion of sitting and will soon lay again. A hen will take better care of the gos- lings Than a goose. Do not let them run in the wet grass or be out in the rain, for they can not stand much wet until full feathered. Give plenty of fresh drinking water. The eggs from my flock have averaged 90 per cent fertile every season. Care should be taken not to get tue breeding stock too fat during the winter as the eggs are much more fer- tile if the stock is thin in flesh at the beginning of the breeding season. Having one gander for two geese, my geese begin laying in March. I be- lieve if farmers knew the value of a goose for a table fowl they would be more extensively raised. There is some objection to the goose on ac- count of its being too fat. I remove the surplus fat before roasting, which being fried out is excellent for cooking purposes. To dress a goose, put a wash boiler containing one inch of boiling water on the stove, with a common steamer turned bottom side up, to keep the goose out of the water. Cover and let boil three or four minutes. If properly steamed, the feathers are easily removed. I keep old geese for breeding, as they do much better than the young.. PART VIIL PAPERS READ BEFORE FARMERS' INSTITUTES. HOW TO IMPROVE THE INSTITUTES. E. J. McQuatters, before Worth County Farmers' Institute. As improvement seems to be the watchword of these times, in all lines of education, it is not impossible for us to improve our institutes. Let each succeeding one be better than the preceding one. So let us endeavor to make this session the best session we have ever seen. We must either improve or retrograde; there is no such thing as standing still, on an exact balance, neither moving one way or the other. Ten years ago last December the Farmers' Institute of Worth county was organized. It has had a steady growth, never at any time receiving a "boom"; after a "boom" there most invariably follows a depressed condi- tion, if not a motality. The institute system in Iowa is recognized as good. It serves as an educational factor. It is supplanting the old haphazard way of farming with a systematic, scientific method that is proving of untold value to the agricultural class of people. It was supposed at one time that the great prairies of the west were inexhaustibly fertile. As the land became old and worn it shows evidence of mistakes that the tillers have made. The farmers, knowing this, began to look about for something that would replace it. The rotation of crop has found to be of great advan- tage. Then as the years passed there was a growing demand for farm products, and to meet the demand the farmers' institute was introduced as a ways and means committee to see if it could devise any way to meet this increasing demand. T,he State of Illinois at first held con- gressional farmers' institutes in each congressional district for a few years. This gradually gave place to the ' county institute. At present there are thirty-four State and Territorial farmers' institutes, holding local county institutes. How these can be improved remains to be seen. The methods of conducting local institutes are not the same in all -tates. An instructive farmers' institute should be a body of (521) 522 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. iarmers by the farmers and for the farmers. The farmers as a rule do not come prepared to discuss the subject^s upon the program, but expect to hear some one else talk. This is a mistake; it serves to make the work of the session drag and many get that "tired feeling" that is sure to follow. I think it is well to place upon the program some one to open the dis- cussion after each paper. I believe it is a mistake in preparing a paper to make it too long; let there be more time for discussion. In discussion lies the spirit of the meeting. The institutes should be made a source from which knowledge can be drawn, a stimulant to pride and respect for farming. They make known the latest discoveries in agriculture. They give the farmers of the State an opportunity to met men who have made their business a science as well as an art. They energize and fertilize local thought. It is said: "The farmers' institutes in Iowa cost less than a single cigar to each farmer in one year." To make a success of any business is to do it well; usually, that is all that is necessary. The program of our institute has not varied a great deal in the last few years, therefore, in order to make any improvements it might be necessary to do a little experimenting. We have been holding a two days' session, with an evening session, conducted by the county superintendent of schools,. This has been a drawing factor, for we usually have a crowed house and an instructive program. I think this plan a good one, and have no suggestions to give as to its improvement. I am sure it would be an improvement to have the farmers' wives at our meetings. We usually succeed in getting one or two ladies' names upon our pro- gram. I presume the reason they do not attend is because the subjects oftentimes are not interesting to them, and such that they do not care to take part in the discussion. Now I think it would be well to have a three days' session, and give one day to the ladies; let it be called the "Women's Session." Let these days be Thursday. Friday and Saturday. Let the ladies have Saturday for their session, as that will perhaps give them a better chance to leave home. The older children of the family would be at home from school that day to take care of the little folks, who do not care to attend the institute. Let the ladies conduct their own session, choose their own president and their own secretary. If pos- sible, have a professor of domestic economy to be with us that afternoon. Have a committee of ladies prepare their program, and have it published with the regular program; this would give them a chance to choose such questions as would be of interest to them. There are many questions in domestic economy that interest the "sterner half" as well as the "fairer half" upon the farm. For instance, he likes good bread, and he wants his wife or the hired girl to know how to make it with the least possible waste. There are many household duties that are perplexing at times to the average housewife, many of which might be overcome or made light by having a woman's session at our institute. This has been tried in other counties of our State and has proven a great success. Shall we try it? FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK -PART VIII. 523 In setting the dates of our institute it is a good plan, il' possible, to set them at about full moon, or, as our ancestors would say, "set them in the moon." For our evening session this would be more pleasant, for the young people find it more convenient to drive by moonlight, and the older ones surely would not object to this privilege. Perhaps it would be an improvement to place a young lady or two from certain townships on our program, giving them the subject of "Neat Housekeeping." All the boys from the township would be sure to come to hear that paper. It certainly would be an improvement if some of our progressive farmers would write an article occasionally for our local pa- pers, expressing their views upon certain subjects in which they are in- terested, thereby interesting others upon the same line of work, or upon different lines of institute work. To prepare a program that is satisfactory to a majority of our farm- ers is no easy task. It would be a great aid and perhaps an improve- ment upon the present plan, if many who are interested in institute work would send to the secretary before the time of preparing the program any questions they would like to discuss or hear discussed. As it is the make-up of the program is usually left to the officers and is looked upon as an official duty. But this is your institute, farmers, and we want your hearty co-operation along all lines of the work. SHOULD FARMERS ORGANIZE? Hon. Chris Marti before Scott County Farmers' Institute. The question allotted to me, "Should the Farmers Organize?'" has been discussed time and time again. The voice of the organizer has been heard in almost every schoolhouse and public hall in our rural districts. Organizations have been called into existence here and there, such as "ti e grange" and "farmers' alliance." Both have done some good work ia their time, but their life, generally speaking, was short, and great results could not be exepected. But today new conditions confront the farmers of the country, because as civilization comes creeping down through the ages new forces are being discovered almost daily, and within the last few years the industrial world has been revolutionized through the force of combination, both in capital and labor. The new forces have been well exemplified, and have yoti noticed how quickly one follows the other? Not from choice, but necessity. And while the invading army of organized capital and labor confronts the farmers of the country with problems and possibilities which in the end may prove very unfair for us, because I believe that unfairness has already been clearly demon- strated during the past year in our live stock market. In fact, we have reason to believe that competition, the very essence and life of trade, is a thing of the past, and that prices are agreed upon and fixed by that combination known as the packers. 524 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. And the chasm between the producer and consumer is widening day by day. This organized power fixes the price of everything it sells and arbitrarily fixes the price of everything it buys; and like the elder Napo- leon, whose ambition was to control the whole world, this organized power already controls this far-famed country of ours and is in a fair way to control the whole world in meats. FARMERS IX)SE ON BEEF. And I venture to say that one half of the consumers of our pork and beef are entirely ignorant of the fact that the high priced meat they consume is prepared by the farmers at an actual loss at the present price of live stock. Then, Mr. President, the price of every implement which we have to buy to use on the farm from the garden hoe to the self-binder is fixed by organized power. The wages we pay is fixed indirectly by organized labor, so everything we sell and everything we buy is ruled by a com- bined price which is tightening its grip day by day. And the farmers are like the rudderless ship on the troubled sea, not knowing where we shall drift. And still I have no war to wage against these organizations: it means better wages, shorter hours, more comfort, more schooling for the chil- dren, which will or ought to lead to better citizenship for the laboring man. And with organized capital it means larger dividends, greater econ- omy in management, and last, but not least, a better system of meeting any unjust demands of other combinations. And both organized capital and labor have come, to stay. It is the natural evolution of things. Politicians may cry out against organized capital. Political parties in their declaration of principles may denounce trusts and combines and declare in favor of laws to control them. Laws may be passed aiming in that direction, and notwithstanding all this, combination in both capital and labor has come to stay. One without the other would become its own worst enemy, and would end in decay and disruption, and while these forces are cutting a wide swath in the industrial and commercial world the greatest force and power is still undeveloped in so far as organization is concerned. The milions and mil- lions €f farm homes in this free land is an index of that power. The farmer has looked upon this industrial upheaval complacently, believing it was only a question of time when everything would be back to its old channels again and that supply and demand would rule both commerce and labor, but that thing has been exploded and in order to meet these new conditions we have but one course to follow, and that is the course the capitalist and the laboring man has pursued — ix)wer by organization. If any man fifty years ago had ventured the assertion that before the close of the nineteenth century the voice of organized labor would de- mand and be granted shorter hours and higher wages, society would have cast him out as a lunatic. And the same is true of organized capi- tal. Think for a moment of the possibilities of the farmers from a finan- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — FART V:il. OZO cial standpoint. Take Secretary Wilson's figures oi cxpoi's .:' jn-.ports for the year 1902, leaving out farm products, and we have u.i :!; verse balance of sixty-two millions, but when we include farm products there is a balance in our favor of two hundred and seventy-five millions — and in 1903 the adverse balance is sixty-five millions and including farm prod- ucts three hundred and seventy-six millions in our favor. CO-OPERATION. Lewis Richards, before Winnebago County Farmers' Institute. To co-operate is to work together. Co-operation is found only where all who may be connected with or interested in a certain work or purpose labor together for the general advancement of that work or the accom- plishment of that purpose, not where the members of each consider the welfare of its members without any thought of the general good. Such efforts on the part of classes or departments, though sometimes called co-operation, is combination, and results only in class or race prejudice. Co-operation in the creamery business or dairy industry is where all concerned work together for the advancement of the creamery and dairy business of that community; not where the creamery owners co- operate for the good of creamery men, the butter-makers for the benefit of their profession, nor where the producers combine for themselves as against all others. There is a vast different between co-operation and combination. Combination suggests an agreement, prompted by selfishness to advance the interest of the individual. Co-operation suggests an agreement prompted by a spirit of fraternity and good will to advance the interests of all. As I look at the two words, combination should be prohibited or restricted by law, but co-operation should at all times be encouraged. There should be co-operation between capital and labor, between em- ployer and employe. A railroad should be managed in the interests of its stockholders, its employes and its patrons, and not for any one of these classes against the others. The creamery business should be managed in the interest of the owners, the employes and patrons. The butter-makers, haulers and pa- trons should all be interested with the manager in building up and main- taining the business and improving the quality of the product. Let me refer you to articles sometimes written in papers and to men living in your own cummunity who have adopted the unamerican policy of condemning the character and questioning the integrity of all capitalists and business men. They condemn even the Supreme Court of our land, the President of this great commonwealth, and the Congress of the United States, they would have us believe, is made of boodlers and enemies of the common people. 526 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. These influences have led some people to believe that the business men, and especially creamery managers, are making all the money, and that to protect themselves they must buy hand separators and ship their cream from fifty to two hundred miles away from home, where they do not know the manager and have no means of finding out the financial standing of the company to which they consign their product, and then send their cash to Chicago or Minneapolis to some mail order house in order to protect themselves from being swindled by some local estab- lishment that has come into the community to help them pay taxes. Now I have had thirteen years' experience in operating creameries, and during this time I have not been altogether ignorant of the success or failure of my neighbors in my own and adjoining counties. Believing 1 know the facts, I will say that very few individual creameries make money. I will venture the opinion that the majority of managers of farmers' creameries are not sorry when they are not re-elected. The individual creamery is not an enemy to the dairy industry. It was the individual creamery that put the idea into the heads of farmers that they could build and operate creameries. Then where there are individual creameries, well and good, let the farmers co-operate with them as fully as possible. But where there are farmers' creameries, let the farmers co-operate and work for the ad- vancement of their own industry and not ship their product past the doors of their own establishment to build up for someone else that which you need at home. To illustrate, we will suppose that the patrons of a co-operative creamery are not fully satisfied. Perhaps strong competition has cut up the territory and increased the expense of operating and lowered the quality of the product. That is what too much competition does. Now, if the partons of such a creamery wish to improve conditions and in- crease their profits, do not look for a new creamery or some place to ship your cream, but come together, and get all who are naturally tribu- tary to that creamery to meet with the manager. If they will then agree with the manager and each other that they will stick together and to that creamery, and that they will do all in their power to improve the quality of the product and in all just ways will promote the good of that particu- lar creamery, I think the chances are sixteen to one that the manager will be willing to give to them every benefit that they can secure to a creamery through such co-operation. However, some men may be the one and not the sixteen, and may not wish to co-operate with his patrons. Then I think the sooner he gets out of the business the better, and the next best plan is to give your support to one who will. But co-operate on the principals of co-opera- tion. That man is said to be a public, benefactor who causes two blades of grass to grow where there was but one. It is equally true in creamery economics and co-operation that a man is a curse to any dairy commun- ity who causes a second creamery to be built where there is but terri- tory to support one. True economy consists in using to the best ad- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VITT. 527 vantage that which we already have, and where the spirit of cooperation c.mes in a community, let it be co-operation and not combination. And, after all, what are the benefits of co-operation? In the fable the old man wanted to impress on his sons the value of ihoir co-opera- tion, and demonstrated it by tying sticks together in a bundle and bid- ding them to break it, which they could not do. Then he untied it and I hey easily broke each stick by itself. This is the theory. of the benefits of co-operation in everything; this is the theory on which our glorious cation is based. The benents of co-operation, then, are strength, ability to resist im- positions of other interests, to carry out enterprises on a larger and more pro'uabh' scale. Do you ever think of the practical value of co-operation as exem- plified when Uncle Sam with his 70,000,000 people carries a letter from New York to San Francisco for two cents, or when co-operation among the nations carries a letter to the other side of the world for five cents? The benefits of co-operation seem to me so plain and so often proved by practical application that there should be no more need of wasting our time. BEE CULTURE. G. M. Saylor hefore Pocahontas County Farmers' Institute. The subject, "Bee Culture," which has been assigned me, is so large and broad a subject that we scarcely Imow where to begin, and when I conclude there will be only a very small part of the subject exhausted. Being in the bee business only six or seven years and not directly for profit. I say not directly for profit, I began with but one swarm, to fer- tilize my orchard and garden, there being apple, plum and cherry trees, also strawberry plants, that will not bear unless fertilized from other blossoms. In this my bees were eminently successful. Trees had blos- somed from year to year without bearing, began bearing. What I shall say- will be from the standpoint of an amateur, and not from an old, scientific beekeeper. I sympathize with you being obliged to listen to an amateur, but after listening to the big guns for some time some of the plain, practical ideas of beekeeping will be a change at least. I do not think anyone should engage in the bee business that is not a lover of honey, for this reason, without that object in view, working among bees is very likely to become distasteful. As is well known to most of you, the bee is an animal that objects to being trifled with; the bee carrying a sword or dagger with him all the time, like a Russian soldier, and never asking permission to use it. In this connection will say that much suffering can be avoided by not taking hold cf the lance or sting with thumb and finger to draw it out, but instead use a blunt knife, scraping over the part stung, which will remove the lance and with it the poison. Try it and seo. 528 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. As stated before, I began with one swarm and at the end of the first season I had five heavy stands of bees and about eighty pounds of surplus honey. I made this remark: That if bees would always do as well I would sow the entire farm to bees. But in proportion they have never done so well since, but are doing well enough from year to year to continue keeping them. I think the amateur ought to begin with only a few swarms to learn the ways of the animal and ascertain if the busi- ness will be agreeable, because discouragements are sure to come, as some seasons they will scarcely make enough to winter them. The greatest enemy of the bee is the moth, which destroys them if not re- moved, and the only remedy I know to assist the bees in keeping the moth fly or miller out of the hives is to keep the entrance of the hives nearly closed, except in the best of honey season, which is from May 20th to September 1st, and to have hives tight so as to exclude all ver- min. In the spring, just before the soft maple blossoms, every hive should be examined and cleaned, and if found weak in numbers or with a small supply of honey they should be fed at once, which will stimulate brood rearing and getting ready for the honey harvest; whereas, if left without feeding, if they do not survive it will take them half of the sea- son to become worth having. Feeding must never be done outside the hives, as that has a tendency to start them robbing each other, which is always fatal in the apiary. Good bee feed is made of equal parts white sugar and water spread on an empty comb and placed on top of frames, leaving the honey board off while the feeding is done. A better feed is sections that are not entirely filled and unsalable, placed on top of frames. Never be afraid of feeding too much, but quit as soon as the blossoms appear. Cleanliness is one of the essentials in the apiary. House cleaning is appreciated by the bees as well as by the white folks and should be attended to the second or third warm day the bees are out flying. The best time to work at bees is from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on a very warm day, when most of the bees are out. Bees object to be- ing disturbed in cool weather or at night. A bee veil and good smoker are good adjuncts in saving the bees and saving yourself from becoming nervous when the work is always improperly done. Bees will resent all quick motions or boisterous handling. In this connection will say that many swarms will be saved by having the hives sweet and clean, which is evidenced by bees very seldom leaving a clean, new hive. A' few more words in regard to wintering bees and I am through. Bees, like other animals, do better when protected in winter, at least that has been my dear bought experience. For instance, one fall I had fourteen swarms, eleven good heavy ones and three late light ones. I put the eleven into a bee house tight enough to exclude the snow, and for want of room I put the three light ones in the storm cave. In the spring matters had changed. Those in the cave were the best. Since then I have always wintered my bees in the cellar, in a room that is compara- tively dry and away from vegetables. I see that the room must be en- tirely dark and not opened often. Every time a bee room is entered with a light or othewise the bees are disturbed and fill themselves with honey, which if persisted in, is very detrimental to their health in confinement. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 529 FARM EXPERIMENTS. J. G. Preston, before Ida County Farmers' Institute. The subject assigned me is a little out of the regular order of insti- tute topics. The idea of experimental work has generally been looked upon as simply a fad, or, at best, for some professor at our experiment station to get his name before the public, or make a demonstration for the benefit of the agricultural students. There never was such a fallacy as this. The experimental work at the State College is of value to every farmer in Iowa, even though he directly has no use for the college ex- periments. In fact, nearly every improvement in our method of farming and feeding can be traced, directly or indirectly, to the experimental work of the station at Ames. But our subject is not experiment station work. You can get that in detail in the Station Bulletin. What we want to say is in regard to "Experimental Work on the Farm." Such a demonstration as was made at the Monona County Farmers' Institute last November, by Mr. Easton, of Onawa, was of more value to the farmers of Monona county than many experiments made at the State station, because of soil and climatic conditions. We have for years believed that to make the work of our experi- mental station of real, practical value to the farmers of Iowa the experi- ments must be made on the farms by the farmer himself, or under his supervision. This is why the recent cattle feeding experiments at the "Cook Ranch" were watched with so much interest by the cattle feed- ers of the State. In like manner Professor Holden and his corn lectures at the farm- ers' institutes have awakened such an interest in corn growing as never was known before in the history of agriculture in Iowa. Another step in advance is the movement recently inaugurated by the Department of Agronomy in sending out their men to procure samples of soils from the different sections of the State and analyze the same. This you see is practical experimental work and will enable the farmers to apply such fertilizers as will be of benefit to both soil and crops. Again, the idea of getting farmers to keep tab on certain fields of corn, noting the difference in yield between spring plowing and fall plow- ing in the same field, this continued through a series of years will be of great value, not only to the farmers who are doing the experimenting but also to the cause of agriculture at large. As our topic, however, is "Farm Experiments" we shall have to bring our discussion "nearer home," if we may use the expression. To what extent shall the ordinary farmer experiment with the dif- fent crops, or along horticultural and forestry lines? We shall give three reasons why the ordinary farmer should conduct "farm experiments to at least a limited extent. First: To know the proper treatment his soil re- 34 530 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. quires. Second: To know the kind of crops to raise. Third: To test the new kinds of seeds and plants, to know whether they are adapted to his soil and conditions. Only by such tests can the farmer intelligently plant or sow any new crop. On our own farm we have done a little ex- perimenting. The results may be of interest to some, not because they were always successful, but because of the lessons they teach. Our first experiment was in subsoiling a piece of prairie sod. We got the idea somehow that all that was needed to grow a crop on our virgin soil was to get a mellow seed bed. Our experiment of subsoiling prairie sod failed to produce a crop even though we gave it the best of care. Later we learned the reason why. That lesson was worth more to us in after years than many "I told you so's" would have been. In order to find out the relative cost of production between a crop of wheat and a crop of corn careful account was kept of the two crops, only to prove that there was very little difference in the cost of produc- ing an acre of corn and an acre of wheat, the profit being in the yield per acre and the price of the product. Running through a series of years we find that corn has stood up better and yielded more per acre on land that had been in small grain the previous year as against land that had been in corn. In growing oats we find that in four years out of five the early oats have produced the best yield; two of the years the yield being fifteen bushels per acre more than the late or side oats produced. For the past tw-o years we have been experimenting with a new kind of spring wheat, claimed by the seedsmen to be "pure bred." The first year we sowed two pecks of seed, the second year four bushels. The wheat has produced a very fair berry of good color and shape, but it is not a heavy yielder. We shall try it again, however, before giving it up. On the light soils of Ida county we have found that a better stand of clover can be secured where it is given the same covering as the small grain, and the best stand has been secured where early oats or spring wheat has been used as a nurse crop. Alfalfa has been tried on our farm only in a very limited degree. A small piece, about three fourths of an acre, was seeded in the spring of 1902 at the rate of twenty pounds to the acre. The ground was plowed in the fall and then disked twice in the spring. The seed was sown about April 20th and harrowed in. A good stand was secured. Part of the plat was sowed on fall rye. part with oats, and part to alfalfa, with- out a nurse crop. The oats were mowed for hay August 1st, the rye was harvested July Sth. and the plot without the nurse crop was mowed when the oats were. The whole plot was mowed again in September. The best stand and the best growth was where the oats were sowed as a nurse crop. We sowed one half bushel of oats per acre. During the past summer we mowed three crops of alfalfa hay, but owing to the ex- cessive rainfall we lost the first and last cuttings in curing. This ex- periment, however, has satisfied us that alfalfa will do well in Ida county. (We might mention here that the seed was furnished by W. S. Kelly. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 531 of Mondamin, to be tested by the farmers' institute, free of charge.) The season of 1903 was not a favorable one for experimental work, owing to the superabundance of moisture. We bought one half bushel of "Reid's Yellow Dent Corn" from James Reid. Our aim was to test this corn on our own soil. A plot of ground was selected on creek bottom; the previous crop was rye. The ground was manured with a manure spreader, twelve four-horse loads to the acre, then plowed with a riding plow about five inches deep. On ac- count of the heavy showers it was found necessary to disk this ground five times before planting. The corn was drilled in but the stand was not what it should have been, though the corn tested well in the house. The corn was bought in the ear and the ears averaged one pound each. After planting, the plot was harrowed frequently, until the corn was up two or three inches, but during this period the heavy rains made the ground so w^et that water stood on it part of the time. The plot was cultivated four times and run over with the weeder once and was kept fairly clean. The stalks made a fine growth and promised to ear well, but a local hailstorm on the sixth of August cut off nearly all the leaves and injured the stalks and silks and probably cut down the yield one half. We only got about thirty bushels per acre and only secured a limited amount of seed corn, but enough excellent seed was secured to give it a fair test next year. As it appears to us. here is a large field of operation open for the farmers' institute. "One swallow does not make a summer," neither does one or two experiments prove this, or that. It is only by a suc- cessive series of tests on different soils and under different conditions that anything like a positive result can be obtained. This can be done through the medium of the county farmers' institute working with the individual farmer on one hand and with the Department of Agronomy on the other. A good beginning has been made by getting Professor Holden and his assistants at our institutes to show the farmers the possibilities of the corn crop of Iowa. This good work should be kept up' until not only corn but every other field crop has been tested, improved and made to produce to the fullest extent of their possibilities. To this end every farmer can afford to experiment with some particular crop every year. This will not only be of value to the cause of agriculture, but the one who makes the experiments will have gained a vast amount of knowl- edge which to. him will be valuable. It will be impossible in this short paper to enumerate all the different crops the ordinary farmer should experiment with. Horticulture, forestry and feeding should also be included in the list, but each one of them will give material enough for another paper. There iH one experiment we would speak of before closing and that is the "weeder" in the com field. We have given this implement a fair test for two years and have no hesitation in pronouncing it a very valu- able tool in the corn field when handled right. In a dry season we would recommend the use of the "weeder" until the corn is knee high. We have found it a good plan when the ground is dry to use the "weeder" 532 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. twice, then cross with a cultivator, then use the "weeder" to level down the ridges. In a wet season like last j^ear we would reverse the proceed- ing— use the cultivator first and the weeder second. In closing we would say that every farmer should test for himself his seeds, his methods, his machinery, and. in fact, all of his farming operations. THE FARMER'S EDUCATION. T. J. Eating, before the Jasper County Farmers' Institute. We are more apt to place a higher value upon that which we have not, rather than that which we already possess. This trait of human na- ture must be my excuse today if I seem to overestimate the value of a farm education, for there is nothing I feel the need of more than a thor- ough knowledge of this great primary industry. I believe there is no bet- ter opportunity in any line of business than is offered in this to the in- telligent, industrious young man or young woman who is willing to prop- erly prepare himself by scientific training. The object of education is to develop the individual, to fit him for life; to make his condition more agreeable, not only to himself but also to those with whom he comes in contact. Education is the pathway to progress. It is the crowning glory of civilization. Now, what or whom is the farmer that he needs or does not need these accomplishments? He is the man whose intellect and industry provides food for the world. His products renew the brain cell of the philosopher and gives bloom to the maiden's cheek. Without him, armies would be useless, and the wheels of industry stand stilL He forms a large part of the populatiou of an extensive community. Ought not such an important elemeuL of ociety be invested with all that tends to direct his energies and make his efforts more effectual? When we review the progress which farming has made in the na^t century, we are gratified, but when we compare it with the wonderful achievements in other branches of industry, we must acknowledge that the farmer has not kept pace with his brethren. The productive capacity of a farmer in this country is higher than the average of Europe. It is a long way ahead of that of his grandfather, but while he has been in- creasing his capacity three or four fold, the miner, the manufacturer and the printer have increased their productiveness from ten to one hundred fold. Now, why is this? Simply because those other industries have received more intelligent application than has farming. The farmer has been too passive. He has taken things too easy, — not physically, perhaps, but mentally. He has lived in a country whose broad acres were to be had for the asking. If conditions became too in- tense for him at any time, he had but to hitch to his "Prairie Schooner" and go to a home unmolested in the great prairies of the West. These conditions have changed, and already population has pushed to FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 533 the fartherest extremity of productive land. He can "trek" no more. Nearly everywhere in the West, land measured by its commercial value has reached a common level. If new fields are opened, it must be by immense expenditure for irrigation. With the increase in land values comes a demand for an increase in its productiveness. The great question is "how this may be accom- plished?" The answer is simple. By more intelligent direction, a broader knowledge of stock, of breeds, of grains and of soil, and closer attention to details. To accomplish this we must educate. Our manufacturing interests, especially the packing houses, where nothing goes to waste, are splendid examples of management and econ- omy. Here the work is directed by an intelligent head and executed by competent subordinates. But. in our country, for a long time to come (we hope the time will be very long) the farming industry will be in the hands of small independent farmers, and in order to get best results he must combine knowledge with executive ability. In fact, he must possess qualifications that would fit him for success in almost any other field of human endeavor. He must know what crops are best suited to his soil, and this is better learned by chemical analysis than by long years of disappointing experiments. He must mature his products in the shortest possible time conducive to profit. It is a well established law in the physical world that matter cannot be destroyed, but a scrub animal or an inferior plant has the capacity of storing it up so long that the returns from the investment are not profitable. The average farmer doesn't encourage education enough. It is true he sends his children to the public schools, and most of them receive a fair knowledge of English. If the child is ambitious and wishes to at- tend college, he is often sent, but nearly always with the fond hope that some day he will be able to engage in a field of action other than that of his early surroundings. Graduates of agricultural institutions would have a difficult time to engage their services to the average farmer. They would be asked how much corn they were able to husk, and whether or iiv^t they intended to spend half their time in reading. The farmer does not stop to con- sider that his hired man, unlike the laborer in public works, becomes for the time a member of the family and to a certain extent exerts an influence for good or bad upon it, especially the younger members. This fact alone should appeal to him in favor of the man who with his knowl- edge and graces of education would bring into the family an air of refine- ment and culture that would be a revelation to the too often discontented boy or girl who is looking impatiently forward to the time when he will be able to leave the home nest and venture into the outer world. But the chances are that the man who can pitch the most hay is preferred to the man of accomplishments. There seems still to be a prejudice against so-called "book learning." In Missouri, where one half of the people are engaged in agriculture, and where the industry is considered so im- portant that a law has been passed requiring the elements of the science 534 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. to be taught in the public schools, in this great State, whose university has more than seventeen hundred students, there are only thirty-four in the School of Agriculture, and of the forty-six graduates last year, there were but two students in this branch, while law, medicine and mining were well represented. This is not as it should be, and indicates that farming is far in the rear ofi other industries. The boys and girls on the farm are generally discontented as a result of improper training and treatment. The work is trying and the tools are poor. There is too little sunshine and too much gloom. John's hog is too often con- verted into father's money. All this discourages and tends to drive them from the farm. Our literature drives them away from their prosaic life into what they believe to be the active and ideal. They read of the office boy who advances to the head of the firm, and of the servant girl who becomes a princess. They compare this with their own monotonous routine, and dream of great things beyond the farm. Our books and magazines are filled with achievements of "Captains of Industry" but not one word is said of the privates of honest toil. We hear too much of "Money Kings" and "Social Queens," and too ' little of honest men and virtuous women. Sentiment is against the farmer. His name has been the synonym for the uncouth, the uncultured, the great unwashed. He has been the subject for the comic illustrator. Tradition always pictures him among the gullible; fakirs reckon him among their sure victims, and that he is always on the outlook for a gold brick. All this exaggeration by press and public has its effect upon the sensitive boy and girl. Most of us remember when we would prefer to pull weeds at home rather than un- dergo the fire of the critical, mocking eyes on the village street, all too conscious of our awkward appearance. To overcome all this the farmer must assert his individuality. He must make his infiuence felt. By bringing into his calling a degree of culture he can command his right- ful place in the social and political world. He requires a broad scientific knowledge. He deals with plants, and ^must know botany. His range embraces animals; he must study natural history; he must have a knowledge of chemistry and understand the principles of business. The birds are his friends and he must perfect them. In fact, he comes in direct touch with nature, and is himself a child of nature. With all his technical knowledge he must not forget his civic duties. In our country he wields a political influence that can not be ignored. This should be directed by intelligence, for it is the only guarantee of liberty. Having endeavored to show why the farmer should be educated, let us briefly consider the means by which this may be secured. Missouri has made an effort to teach the elements of agriculture in the common schools. This is not enough. The public school course is already too crowded and we must not expect more than a foundation of an education to be furnished in it. No one expects law or medicine to be taught in the common school, and why should we expect a science as complex as either of these to • receive the attention it requires. The FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 585 agricultural press is a spleudid medium for the exchange of ideas and is not to be ignored by either novice or expert. It keeps the important points fresh in the minds of the reader, and although not all it contains will be of practical benefit to every reader he can easily find what is suited to his condition. Closely related to the press are the bulletins issued by the Depart- ment of Agriculture and by the various experiment stations. They may be had free of charge and cover a great variety of subjects pertaining to agriculture. They are prepared by experts and no more reliable in- formation is to be found than is given in them. Farmers' institutes are grand things. Here the farmer sees and talks with those who have had experience in their lines and are competent to impart information. This is sometimes better than learning from a book and it also cultivates a fellow-feeling. Usually the men who ought to attend are not there, but if his neighbor is present the influence will spread and many will be indirectly benefited. Best of all is a thorough course in an agricultural institution of rep- utable standing. In this a broad foundation is laid and a more thor- ough knowledge of the principles may be gained. Besides, the student comes in contact with men whose influence will tend to cultivate a love for the farm and for farm work. In the past few years the college or Middle West have inaugurated "Short Courses" which have been at- tended by many farmers with profit. They go home filled with enthusi- asm for better methods, and, their indifferent neighbor is unconsciousl;? and often drawn into the current of progress. No young man needs to hesitate about preparing for a life of farming. His occupation will be permanent. Railroads and steamships may give way to aerial naviga- tions; the ingenuity of the inventor may reduce manufacturing to a very simple matter, but in spite of the chemist's fondest dreams the tiller of the soil will find ready market for his products as long as the human race hungers and man is chilled by Arctic frosts or scorched by torrid suns. Many farmers say, "Give me the practical man," and by this he usu- ally means one who has succeeded without apparent training other than that furnished by natural judgment. Now, what is there about education that tends to make one impractical? There are educated failures on every hand. How much greater failures would they have been without educa- tion? And who knows how much the world has lost because so-called practical men were not able to combine intelligent direction with good judgment? In contests at our grain and stock exhibitions the trained mind in- variably wins. At the last International Stock Show the Agricultural College of Nebraska took the prize on the champion steer. This animal was very much of a grade, but the exhibitors had confidence in their training and won on what the ordinary breeder would have passed by and taken a pure type instead. This fact will also answer the arguments of those who claim that these institutions have more money to spend 536 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. in experiments than the average breeder. It is evident that there is more than mere dollars involved. Our government is doing much for agriculture, but it could do more. A great stress is laid upon our gigantic totals of production. Govern ment oflEicials confer with the leading bankers and manufacturers in re- gard to proposed legislation, but the mass of farmers has no recognized standing. They do not support a lobby. When the Roman citizen was a farmer in time of peace and a soldier in time of war that nation was prosperous and triumphant, but when captive slaves became tillers of the soil farming lost its dignity and that great nation began to decline. It is from the half mythical history of this ancient republic that we get the story of Cincinnatus. The. story seems almost too good to be true, but in these days of political ambition it is refreshing to hear any- thing that rebukes the spirit of the times. The barbarians from the North had attempted an invasion and had entrapped the Roman army in a narrow mountain pass. A courier made his way back to Rome and informed the senate that help must be sent at once or the army would be lost. Terror reigned in the city. In the crisis the Fathers appealed to Cincinnatus, who hastily gathered the old men and boys together and, marching at their head, defeated the enemy. When he returned triumphant to Rome the grateful people wished to make him director, but the noble Cincinnatus declined all honors and went quietly back to his plow. Whether true or not, the story has placed the mantle of immortality upon the Roman farmer. Against the dark background of perverted political ambition the ideal Cincinnatus will stand out as a shiniog contrast for all time. Where and when will appear the modern Cincinnatus? A new ideal of farm life is needed. One that will draw the farmer away from the past and set new standards for the future. An idea that will tend to cultivate the brain as well as to increase the bank account. The farmer must learn to measure life, not only by its length but also by its breadth. He must make a pleasant home and surround himself with intelligent companions. His ambitions must not be as the witty and eloquent Ingersoll said, "to raise more corn to feed more hogs, to get more money, to buy more land to raise more corn to feed more hogs," and so on adinfinittim. Instead, he should conduct his affairs of life and business so that when his days of activity are over he could look back over a life of usefulness with the satisfaction not of owning broad acres of land and possessing great riches, but with that serene satisfaction that comes of a knowledge of having spent an honest useful life, conscious of leaving the world better than he found it. Such a man, when summoned by death, can, as the poet says, "Wrap the draperies of his couch about him. And lie down to pleasant dreams." Such we hope will be the farmer of the future." FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. £37 VALUE OF EDUCATION TO THE FARMER. E. J. McQiiiston. Before the Worth County Farmers^ Institute. All civilized men have more or less appreciation of education and •are in some degree educated, as the term is understood. The more a man knows the more he wants to know, and the more he wants his chil- dren to know. There seems to be hardly a possibility of a doubt of th? value of education to any class of people. Observation of the relative condition of races, nations and communi- ties that have long enjoyed educational advantages, as compared with communities and people not so favored, abundantly attest the value of education the very first work of the American pioneer farmer, after pro- viding shelter and sustenance for his family, has been to establish com- mon schools, and even higher institutions of learning, and every year he voluntarily taxes himself to support them. Hence I say that men instinctively believe in the value of education, and I do not enter into a discussion of the subject to establish the fact of its value. That is ad- mitted. But we may be and are led to value anything more that is of real value by thinking about it, and we may derive some benefit by con- sidering this subject in a meeting where farmers convene to discuss matters of mutual interest. Education may be considered, primarily, as the growth or development of the inherent germs of physical, intellec- tual, moral and spiritual powers of the individual, and secondly, as a special training in certain lines, as a preparation for some occupation or profession. Education, primarily, I have said, is simply a growing of the indi- vidual in all his faculties. It proceeds from within, not from without. It is not an external something that can be added to the person or per- sons like a coat, or poured in like water into a jug, or laid on in suc- cessive courses, as a mason places the brick upon a wall. Education is the result of self-exertion in living bodies or mind. The tree, indeed, grows by successive rings of wood, formed yearly, each upon the surface of the preceding, but the particles of substance out of which these rings are formed have been drawn from soil and air by its own mysterious, invisible life principles, and transformed into wood, and that, too, of its own peculiar kind. Why does the oak, the pine and the maple that per- chance stand side by side, grow wood of such distinct peculiarities and products, all from the same elements of earth and air — the oak with its tannin, the pine with its pitch, and the maple its sugar? Why does the corn, wheat and the barley, growing out of the same kind of soil, beneath the same sunshine and watered by the same genial showers, produce from these similar sources of supply such distinct and characteristic results? Surely the life principle within each moulds the same elements into new forms different from each other and different from the elements out of which they are made. Here is a mysterious power in plant life which we can see only by its results. Man is a com- 538 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. plete being. He possesses a physical nature that is as truly of earth and air as that of any of the lower order of beings, and it grows in the same way by assimilating the elements that surround him. He inhales the air, even though it be at zero temperature, and by it his blood is purified and sent coursing through his body, laden with new cells of liv- ing substance to replace everywhere the cells that have served their pur- pose and parted with life. But man is more than a body. He is, indeed, an animal, but he is more than an animal. He has an intellect, by the exercise of which he has the power to apprehend or receive a knowledge of external facts through the senses. He has a consciousness of good and evil, and is,- therefore, a being endowed with moral faculties. He has an intuitive perception of the spiritual and apprehends something of the first great cause of all things, which calls forth his veneration, and he worships, hence he is a religious being. Education has to do with the harmonious development of all the powers of this wonderful complexity. The body grows strong from nour- ishment and proper exercise, and in the manner of growth of the mental powers there is a very marked similarity to that of the body. That is. by self action and assimilation, by grasping and using the means neces- sary to intellectual, moral and spiritual growth. The whole subject may be comprehended in a single sentence, viz: Man is educated, or rather educates or grows to a ftill measure of his powers by a proper vohmtary exercise of all his faculties. I want to say to an> and every young person, if you are to be edu- cated, you must do the work yourself-. Some other person might eat your dinner, but you wotild go himgry. If some other person does your thinking, you will remain weak in mind and ignorant. No one can give yoti an education. You must reach forth with all the powers you possess, even though that be as the putting forth of the feeblest tendrils of the vine, grasping something to raise it nearer to the sweet light upon which it feeds. And I want to say to those who have sons, daughters or pupils to educate, if you would succeed wnth them you must inspire them with the idea of self-effort. There are too many young people who are dawdling along through their school days, depending upon teacher or others to drive, drag or carry them through a course of study, expecting to come out at last with all the knowledge and accomplishments necessary in life's struggle, who are doomed to bitter disappointment. They will find themselves but weaklings, overgrown infants, fit only to be jostled aside by those who have grown strong through self-exertion.. Now, while it is true that the education of any person must depend, first, upon his own exertion, it is also true that the conditions which surround him have a very great influence in aiding or hindering his prog- ress, and it is within the range of human power to make or improve some of these conditions and to furnish many needed helps. In this possibility to furnish helps lies the field of our labor in providing schools and furnishing them with the best educational appliances, the first fac- tor of which is a good and competent teacher, and the second a neat and comfortable room with cheerful surroundings. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. - 539 The farmers of this county have proven their faith in the value of education to themselves and their children by supporting and having in operation nearly one hundred rural schools, besides contributing more or less to the\ support of the town schools. We believe the home, the common school, the church and the col- lege are the soul gardens in which are grown immortal beings. They are the chief educational forces. But the farm is pre-eminetly a home, and the home is at the head of the educational institutions. The farmer is a home builder, an educator. He is the producer of food and material for clothing for the millions on earth. Surely education is not more necessary to any class of earth's toil- ers than to the farmer. He has moral responsibilities equal to those of any other class of men. When the moral standing of the rural popula- tion of a nation is corrupt that nation's doom is near at hand; hence, as a citizen and a patriot, he needs the intellectual and moral power that comes thi-ough proper education. The farmer as a citizen is at present the conservator of the nation's stability, and upon his action largely de- pends the perpetuity of our free institutions. It is the tendency of the worst element of society to congregate in the large cities, so much so that they outvote the better elements and thus control the political ac- tion of these large communities, the power of which drifts into hands of men who, having received it at the hands of the enemies of good society, are not overzealous in using it for the suppression of evil and the pro- tection and support of the right. There is a floating class in the large cities that have but little per- manent interest, and yet they handle the ballot like a two-edged sword, and that, too, under the influence of prejudice, passion and ignorance. The farmer is permanent. He votes for his home, and when war wages its wide desolation he fights for his home. How necessary that he should have that breadth of culture and intelligence that he can clearly understand the great questions of national importance and cast his ballot knowing the trend it will give to the nation's destiny. Education is not only valuable to the farmer in every line of effort, but the farm itself is a great educator. The farm is the best manual training school in the world if the training is wisely conducted. From the very nature of things each member of the family has something to do. The children delight to do little errands and will take many a step to relieve tired father or mother, if he is made to feel that he is helping. The chief good in their doing is the training it gives. "He learns to do by doing." He learns to observe, to see and to hear with a purpose, and this is the beginning of all learning. This doing and increasing ability to do, can be carried on through all the stages of the child's growth, un- til a character for industry, stability and acuteness in correct and prac- tical thinking is established. The grandest and most valuable products of our farms should ])?.. and must be, now and in the years to come, the best type of manhood and womanhood. Then we shall know that education is valuable to the farmer, and that the farm has been one of his most valuable educators. 540 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Then, brother farmers, let us in all our toiling and getting, get for ourselves, and help our children to get, training and knowledge, whereby comes wisdom and understanding and virtue, for these are the principal things, and these alone make even immortality worth possessing. WHAT CONSTITUTES SUCCESS IN FARMING. ./. H. Sherman, before Sioux County Farmers' Institute. It has been said that "nothing succeeds like success.'" To discuss a question' is to admit there is a negative to that question. Perhaps no two persons present at this meeting would entirely agree as to what constitutes success in farming. To many people, the successful farmer is the one who accumulates the most wealth. While the acquiring of property is one of the essentials of the successful farmer, it is by no means the only one. There are other attributes to success fully as necessary. Integrity of character is of more importance than a bank account. One farmer may be gathering doi lars, while his neighbor is accumulating honor, truth, wisdom and right- eousness. "Goodness of heart is better than fine raiment.'" The successful farmer breeds and keeps good horses, cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry, but while doing this he does not forget that he is a citizen, that he has religious, social and political duties which he can not neglect and be considered successful in the community in which he resides. By keeping good stock we do not mean that he should buy fancy- bred animals at enormous prices out of ail proportion to their value, nor should he be a crank on religious subjects, or a dude in society. Neither should he think that the pinnacle of success can only be reached by de- voting the greater part of his time to politics and being elected to some petty office and having the word "honorable" written before his nanie. He should be moderate in all things. To be successful the farmer must know how to grow good crops, and at the same time retain the fertility of the soil. He must know when to plant the seed and when to harvest the crop. He should make his home as pleasant and beautiful as his means will permit. We believe that a man's surroundings has much to do with the for- mation of his character and the character of his children, therefore, he should strive to keep his farm, his buildings and his fences in a neat and tidy condition. Nothing contributes more to the neat appearance of farm buildings than paint judiciously applied. The successful farmer should live a just and upright life, honoring God and keeping his commandments. He should teach his children to become good and upright citizens. To do these things successfully he must be a thinker. He should have what all must have who would suc- ceed in any business undertaking, and that is comprehension. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 541 What is comprehension? It is the ability to see, to Icnow. to under- stand, to comprehend. What makes the difference between the man at the head of large affairs and the day laborer? It is comprehension. Let me say to the young man who is about to engage in the business of farming that if he would be successful in his calling he must have com- prehension. He must learn to reason and think for himself, and use his head as well as his hands. Farming is now an occupation worthy of the best thought of the greatest minds. There is a vast field now open for the scientists in this direction. The word farmer now no longer suggests the uncouth, ill- dressed figure depicted by the comic papers. He is today the most vital force of this great Nation. Much is expected of him, and he is proving himself capable of the demands made upon him. The successful farmer is today laying the foundation of the future greatness of generations yet unborn. We have outlined some of the essentials of the successful farmer oi' the present day. W^e have "also endeavored to point out some of the things he should avoid. To sum up the requirements of the successful farmer, he should have first of all "comprehension;" that is, the ability to see and understand what is necessary to secure the desired end. Nexr he should have the energy and ambition to apply this knowledge and understand it. To be a successful farmer in the broadest sense of the word not only means a farm well tilled, but a farm well filled. FARM BUILDINGS. A. T. Zimmerman, before the Cherokee County Farmers' Institute. Since the condition of this country is so rapidly changing from that of a largely grain producing to a very mixed grain and stock producing country, and also the stock being partly for meat production and partly for dairy products, and the sheep industry beginning to make its ap- pearance, all requiring some difference in construction and interior ar- rangement of buildings for their protection, we shall not confine our thoughts to a particular set of buildings, but endeavor to mention some things in regard to farm buildings of a general character. Our domestic animals are so far removed from their primitive cor dition that they may almost be said to be artificial in their development, and nature has made no provision to adapt herself to these conditions without the help of man. No more than mankind can these animals withstand natural surroundings without protection, by the use of soni'B of nature's products. Since man is possessed of a being and powers beyond that of mere animal creation, it would entitle him to the first place in the use of these productions. It is for this reason that we give the family dwelling the 542 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. first place in the matter of importance of farm buildings. It is the home, the house and its occupants, which come up first before the mind when "home"' is mentioned. We can hardly go into detail of arrangement of the house, for what would be very satisfactory to one person might be very unsatisfactory to another, owing to difference in taste and opinion. Plan the location and arrangement of the house for the satisfaction and pleasure of those who are to occupy it. Consider the comfort of both the men and women of the household. While the men may not spend much time in the house, but to eat and sleep, it is well to give some thought to pleasure and comfort in these things, for sitting down to your meals in harvest time with your back close to a hot stove, and then go to bed close up under the roof of the house with poor ventilation, does not fit one for the best use of his physical strength, or his best mental effort in planning the management of the farm operations, nor does i,t aid in anywise to the development of his highest ideals of moral character. If so little comfort can be taken while supplying the physical requirement, what will be the condition of the mother and smaller children who must spend a greater part of their time within the house? Surely, it will not aid the mother and daughter in the development of that cheerful, sunny disposition and affectionate character which goes far to make the home the best place on earth; where the father loves to remain, and to whi^h the children, after becoming separated by taking up life's work, often return with greatest of joy and satisfaction, and where their affection for all that is good and true is strengthened. Locate the house near the well, unless for some reason it may be impracticable, and in that case plan to use some mechanical means to put the water in or near the house. It will be very convenient in case of fire, as well as a great relief to the weary bones and aching muscles. Let the rooms be ample, with an abundance of light, with an ar- rangement that will be convenient and comfortable. A good cellar under the house is convenient in bad weather. Many object to the cellar be- cause of its unhealthfulness, but with proper management it need not be open to such criticism if it has proper ventilation. If possible, plan an arrangement that will afford a cool retreat from the heat of mid-summer and a snug defense against the frigid blasts of winter. There does not seem to be any necessity at present to plan anything about the farm to induce the family, or any member of the family, to get away from the farm to find employment or pleasure, but rather, if possible, plan means whereby some pleasure may be gotten out of farm life that will appeal to the people in their rush for excitement and enter- tainment. Plan the location of barns and lots so that the slope or natural drain- age will be away from the house, and a much shorter distance will be necessary, which will be a conisderable advantage in choring, and espe- cially in caring for young stock in' rough weather. If all barns and buildings for the protection of animals are built with ample room for the number of animals to be accommodated, it will FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 543 obviate the loss which sometimes results from overcrowding in severe weather by trampling or smothering the weaker animals. In calculating room for horses, allow a stall nine by fourteen feet for each team and one or more extra stalls that can easily be turned into box stalls for the accommodation of young colts and sick animals; or it would be better if large roomy box stalls could be provided for this pur- pose. Let the apartments for hay and grain be planned on a generous scale, so that an abundant supply of feed may always be kept near at hand. Ir will aid in giving the animals that beautiful color (fat) that has so much influence in making a sale. For beef cattle, not much room per animal will be necessary. Floor space of about thirty square feet for each animal will generally be found satisfactory. Dairy cattle, to make the best returns for the amount of feed con- sumed and labor bestowed upon them, seem to require warmer quarters than beef animals, for the food consumed goes largely into the produc- tion of milk and butter, while the beef animal makes himself comfort- able with a thick coat of fat. Also, comparatively more floor space will be required for the milking herd, so as to accommodate the milkers. It would seem from the appearance of many barns that more atten- tion is given to summer ventilation than to winter comfort, the construc- tion being such as to permit wind and snow entering in abundance. Ventilation is a good thing, but should be by some controllable method. The buildings should be light, dry and comfortables especially where young animals are to be cared for in the cold and damp weather of win- ter and spring. Many young animals suffer irreparable damage by rea- son of cold, damp, dark quarters. This applies with special signiflcance to young pigs. The hog house many times does not receive the attention which conditions would warrant. The hog being liable to so many diseases and ailments, and yet withal is an economic source of revenue when he can be induced to live un- til he fulfills his mission on the market, it behooves the farmer to use his best effort in providing a place as comfortable and healthful as pes sible. The main feature of the hog house should be good ventilation and dry, with plenty of light and warmth, especially if young pigs are to i)e cared for in winter or early spring. An interior arrangement that will admit of frequent changing of bedding in the easiest manner and short- est time will possibly be of greater advantage in performing a disagree- able job. A cement floor would have the ad'vantage of being smooth, and if properly built, practically indestructible. We have had more experience with cement floors and would be glad if that feature might be taken up in discussion and applied to all farm buildings. The most essential feature of cribs and granaries is that they keep the grain dry and in good condition for feed or market. Be sure the buildings are strong enough, so there will be no sagging or bulging that will permit leaking of grain or allow rain or snow to enter. 544 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The location of cribs or granaries for grain that is to be fed out on the farm should be selected with an eye to convenience in placing the feed before the animals. The necessary capacity of these buildings will depend upon the gen- eral mangement and arrangement of the farm, as to quantity of grain produced and number of animals to be fed. The women folks of the farm are as proud of successful achievement in their undertakings as the men, so give them a chance with poultry by providing substantial and adequate poultry house in keeping with the oft-repeated suggestions in the contributions to the farm and poultry journals. Fences may be taken into consideration with farm buildings. We would say, build as few fences as the best use of the land and the proper caring for stock will permit. Fences that are effective and substantial are expensive, and if weak and ineffective, may be even more expensive, in allowing the trespassing of stock. No fence adds anything to the beauty of a landscape, field or lawn, and neither do they aid in the cul- tivation of a field, but there is generally a poorly cultivated strip of land along the fence. There is probably no one to whom the task of cleaning out the weeds from a line of fence has fallen but who has wished the fence was not necessary. However, fences we must have, and the posts are the backbone of them all. No complaint was ever heard from anyone having set the posts too close together, too solidly, or of their being too strong or lasting too long. Owing to the extremely high price of lumber, hoard fences can hardly enter into consideration for the average farm, except in limited quantities for some special purpose. Barbed wire will continue to hold its place on most farms for a considerable time to come on account of cheapness and effectiveness in controlling cattle, although it destroys the value of many excellent horses. Woven wire fences seem to be rapidly winning their way into favor and the manufacturers of the many different kinds of patent fences are vying with each other for superiority of their product in point of economy, strength and durability. The woven wire has the advantage over other fences in point of strength if protected at some points by barbed wire or other method if possible. By this we mean at top and bottom. If stock are allowed to get their heads over the woven wire and bear down, as cattle and horses will do in reaching for feed on the other side, the fence will soon loosen, and drawing through the staples and bending back and forth, will soon cause it to give way and break some strands, and we anticipate no merry time in mending or repairing a woven wire fence. Where the fence is used to confine cattle in small yards it also needs some protection to prevent them from rubbing againsc it, as the weight of the cattle thrown against the fence will soon stretch the wires and loosen the posts so the fence soon begins to get rickety. Protection may be provided for this by stretching barbed wire at the right height to catch the weight of the animals, and it will cause then? to hunt another place to scratch. It would seem that a combination ot barbed and smooth wire in the construction of woven wire fences, by plac- \ Mm ■ ^ M X*^?' ""'' ' ' #' S:ude:its at work in machine operating room, setting up binders and mower3 down stairs and cultivating corn planters up stairs. I. S. C. ■^ ;, L ^ % |;>« jfe-^w^^^ if::-'/ .ould be provided with gutters that have a ver tical drop on the south or east side, and water carried off either under- ground by sewer or by surface drainage, away from the cattle yard. A sheet of water dropping from the roof of a high building is a cause of much rot to sills and an endless source of annoyance. Water should by all means be made to avoid cattle yards, and buildings located accord- ingly. These directions in the main, followed as far as practical, with good substantial fences added, a perfect arrangement will be approximated, if not entirely realized. However, every man must be the designer or ar- chitect of his own place, and in proportion as he surmounts the obstacles and triumphs over the many difficulties which present themselves, to that extent will he appreciate his success as a farmer and enjoy his calling. THE FARMER'S ORCHARD AND FRUIT GARDEN. • Wesley Greene, before the Madison County Farmers' Institute. I believe you will concede without argument that every farmer should have an orchard and fruit garden wherein he could raise all the fruit needed by his family. To talk of fruit growing as a business or 550 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. commercial enterprise is an entirely different proposition. Yet. if we 'should look at it from that viewpoint the orchard offers greater induce- ments than the fields of waving grain or golden corn. The average farmer is satisfied when he realizes twenty-five dollars an acre as gross receipts for a crop of corn, and when he raises one hundred bushels an acre and receives fifty cents a bushel for it, he thinks he is on the road to fortune. Yet three thousand quarts of strawberries, at ten cents a quart, are as easily obtained as the one hundred bushels of corn at fifty cents a bushel. While this statement may be verified, you and I know that fortunes are not figured out on paper or picked off bushes, but are only made through years of toil and frugality. Having followed the plow for nearly fifty years. I am somewhat fa- miliar with the conditions which surround farm life and with some of the difficulties with w^hich one must contend in that vocation. I know how pressing are the demands of field work and one's time at certain seasons, and how the orchard and garden may be forgotten, or onlj^ re- ceive attention semi-occasionally. on rainy days, when it is too wet for other work. Unfortunately, however, this is a time when it is unsuitable for garden work. When properly attended to, the orchard and garden pays a larger dividend than any other acre on the farm. Fruit growing, like stock farming, is a business of itself, and requires thought and experience to make a success of it. How to succeed best is the question at issue this afternoon. We can only hope to give you a general outline of the work and then leave it with you to apply to your local conditions. What I have to saj' will apply to the home orchard. No one should venture into commercial fruit growing until he knows what he can do. That also applies to any other business or calling in life. Let your liking for the business determine the extent to which you will engage in it, for that will in a great meas- ure determine your success. A high elevation, with dry soil, is the best location for an orchard. It need not be the highest land, but should be higher than the adjoining land, so as to afford good air drainage to protect the blooming plants from late frosts. A northeast or north sloiDe is preferred in selecting a site for an apple orchard, but as these conditions can not always be had on the farm, you must select a place frequently that is not so well adapted to the varities you wish to raise. We would prefer to have the orchard and garden near the house so that the fruit could be gathered every day while in season, without going a great distance. The good housewife will make daily excursions to the fruit garden to see what it contains that will be appetizing to the household. After ha\ing selected the location, prepare the soil as thoroughly as you would for a crop of corn. When' the soil is a stiff clay I would use a subsoil plow. Plant as early in the spring as the soil is fit to work. If the trees have been recently dug from the nursery, cut off the end of the roots with a sharp knife; they will callus more quickly and ix)ots start to grow from them. When trees are stored in cellars over winter, the roots will not need trimming, as they usually callus in the storage FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 551 cellar when properly attended to. The trees should be planted about twenty-four feet apart in the row north and south, and the rows thirty- two feet asunder east and west. Twenty-five apple trees, ten years old, when properly cared for, will bear several hundred bushels of apples. That would be more than an ordinary family would use, so one does not need a great number of trees. "What varieties shall I plant?" is a question often asked, though not easily answered, except in a general way. People differ widely in their likes and dislikes of flavor in fruits, so the selection must be largely a personal matter for each planter to determine for himself. However, I will name those which usually do the best in this State, and for that reason are regarded as standard sorts, and will generally prove to be the most satisfactory. The list I would recommend is as follows: Yellow Transparent. Duchess of Oldenburg. Benoni, Wealthy, Fameuse, Grimes Golden. Jon- athan. Genet, Roman Stem and Ben Davis. Probably you would not care for all these varieties, but they are all good standard sorts, though there are other varieties you may prefer and that will thrive and do well in this country. Buy two or three year old trees from a reliable nurseryman, and the nearer your home the better, for he will probably have the varieties best suited to your locality. The depth to plant will depend somewhat on the nature of the soil, the more looser the soil the deeper you can set the trees, usually three to six inches deeper than they stood in the nursery will be deep enough Set the tree as firmly as you would a fence post and you will not have occasion to complain of dead trees, if you give them proper care after- wards. Cultivate the ground as well as you would for a crop of corn until the trees come into bearing, and I prefer to do so even when in bearing. However, if the orchard is on a steep hillside, so that the soil would wash, then sow to clover and cut the first crop every season and remove it and allow the second one to remain for a mulch and to reseed the ground. By cultivating the orchard you stimulate growth in the trees. Y^oi; can raise an early crop of corn or potatoes that will pay you for the cul- tivation and not rob the trees if you understand farming, and I take i^ for granted that you do. After the early crop is removed you can sow buckwheat, oats or barley in midsummer for a cover crop to protect the roots from freezing and thawing in winter, or if you do not sow a cover crop, spread manure over the ground about the trees and it will serve the same purpose. It is well the first few years to give some protection to the trees against mice and rabbits and to keep a watch that borers do not get into the trees. Head the trees thirty to thirty-six inches from the ground and give such pruning as will keep them in proper shape. No well regulated fruit plantation is considered complete without a spraying outfit. The home orchard will only require a small, inexpf-n- sive apparatus. Spraying to be effective, must be done intelligently; haphazard work is of little value, if it does not do more injury than good. Spraying is a preventive measure rather than a curative one. 552 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. For the plum orchard the native sorts are the best. Plant Wild Goose and Forest Garden for early, De Soto and Wyant for midsummer, and Miner for late. There are other sorts which do well, but these are popular varieties. The Lombard and Blue Damson are European plums, which do fairly well here, and Burbank and Abundance are the best of the Japanese sorts for this locality. Pears are rather uncertain unless you have clay soil. They usually die from blight on the dark prairie loam before fruiting. Kieffer is the most reliable sort, though not of the highest quality. Among the cherries, Early Richmond and Montmorency are the best. English Morello or Wraggs are late sorts. The Bailey and Mitchell peaches seem to be the hardiest strain of seedling peach trees; while the fruit is small, it is good in quality. The budded varieties are larger in fruit, though not quite so hardy. Alex- ander, Crosby, Crawford, Champion and Triumph are among those usu- ally recommended for the southern half of the State. Gooseberries are easily raised; give them rich ground and a cool place. Houghton and Downing are the best varieties for general plant- ing. Pearl is also a good sort. Currants need a location similar to that for gooseberries. Cultivate tbem well or mulch heavily in dry weather. The currant and goose- berry bear on wood two years old and over; cut out the old wood after it has borne several crops, so as to keep the bushes in a good healthy condition. Raspberries should be planted two to three feet apart in the row, and the rows five to eight feet asunder. Give good cultivation, cut off the tops of the black varieties when two to three feet high, so they will send out branches to make them self-supporting, otherwise they will grow a long cane that will sprawl on the ground. The side branches are cut back to a foot or eighteen inches in the spring. The red varieties are not usually pinched back, though they may be treated the same way. They grow upright and it is not the usual practice to cut them back. The most popular red varieties are Loudon, Cuthbert and Turner. The black sorts are Palmer, Kansas, Older and Gregg. Shaffer and Colum- bia are purple sorts. The yellow raspberries are not much grown, though they add variety in color. Bebee's Golden and Golden Queen are the best of this class. Grapes are so easily grown that there is no good excuse for not having an abundant supply of this luscious fruit during its season There are a number of varieties that will do well in this country. The most popular market varieties are Concord. Worden and Moore's Early, and are hardy enough to stand the winters without covering. Delaware". Brighton and Woodruff are good red sorts, but not so rugged in consti- tution as the black varieties. It is best to give these some protection in winter. We now come to the last fruit we will mention, though it is the first in season, if not the most delicious in the whole list of fruits, the strawberry. For field culture plant the rows about four feet apart, set- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 553 ting the plants two feet apart in the row; cultivate through the growing season; cover with straw, leaves or corn stalks when, the ground freezes to protect the plants from alternate freezing and thawing, and you can have all the strawberries you can eat for two or three weeks. GOOD ROADS. F. G. Hanks, President of Scott County Rural Mail Carriers' Association, before Scott County Farmers' Institute. With the establishment of the rural telephone system and the rural free delivery mail service, the people living in the country, and especi- ally those in the isolated districts, have been placed in" daily •communication with the outside world and in close touch with the nearby towns and constant intercoursa with their neighbors, placing within their reach the means whereby they are, in some respects, in advance of those living in towns where there is no telephone and no free delivery service. They are reaping the benefits of a progressive country, and its e^"- fects have given an impetus to the advancement and education of the younger class, in placing before them the best literature and the greatest inducements of securing better advancements and success in life by aiming for a higher sphere. The farmer has become better educated in his work and better posted in the markets of the country, and even the world, and by glean- ing an idea here and a suggestion there from some one that has had a chance to improve on a point he has virtually became an expert in his line. Progression is a vital factor to success. While other enterprises and projects of the country and departments of the government are making such strides towards the betterment of their condition, let us take a look at the backward tendency of the coun- try along the line of public highway improvement. With the exception of the bridges and some cutting and grading here and there, the average roadway has not been improved to any extent for years. The work that has been put on them with plow and scraper and road grader has had no effect or part towards making them any better. With the present system of farming, a large per cent of the farmer's hauling on the public roads is done during the winter months, and thaL too, at a time when the roads are frozen and rough, or are more or less muddy, and that means '"hub dup" in the spring. Then, too, during the winter season there is more light traffic on the roads than in the summer. The people have more time to travel and seek pastime and pleasure with neighbors and friends and visiting the cities. Who feels the need of good roads more than the progressive farmer? There have been many plans for good roads brought before the notice of the public, some good and some poor ones. From among them all let 554 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. us consider one that seems to be the most practicable, and the one adapted in most parts of the country where good road improvements prevail. SAMPLE ROADS. Let us look for a moment at v^hat may be considered a sampl-e piece of road on a main thoroughfare where traffic is heavy. But the plan followed here must be governed according to the lay of the country and modified by the amount of traffic over the road. Start by grading to the center to the proper height according to the location and circumstances, and about eighteen feet in width on top, with an easy crown, but look carefully to the drainage facilities, cover the top of the grade with small or crushed stone, the depth to be governed according to the nature of the soil. On top of the stone put a covering of coarse gravel to a depth of six or ten inches, according to the amount of stone to cover. If gravel or stone either are not convenient, use more of the other. and for rough sections of the country more care must be exercised in the drainage facilities than in the level sections. We now have a first class road that will accommodate the traffic into the large towns and cities, and as proven by the tests of years will prove a permanent and lasting road. But for the country districts a single track road will suffice for most all parts, and a track eight or nine feet in width would be all tha: is needed, and to build any wider would be a useless expense unless yon make a double track. Now the question of material comes to the front. As far as I have observed and been informed, stone can be obtained in a great many locali- ties that is easy of access, and at no great distance from any part of the country. Gravel can also be obtained in great quantities in most all the townships. While our county possesses a stone crusher, a large amount of stone used would not need to be crushed. Next comes the tax. AS TO TAX. Those living in the more isolated districts will say we do not need improved roads as bad as our neighbors do, and we do not want the ex- pense. Let us consider that point one moment. They live farther away from the markets and have to travel out of their locality into their neigh- bors', thereby passing over their roads to get to market, many more times than their neighbors travel over their roads. Let there be a uni- form tax for all townships in the county, and paid into a general fund, thereby giving each one an equal amount of work to be done each year and paid out of this fund, thereby giving each one an equal amount of work according to the tax paid. Let us estimate the time it would take to improve all the main roads. An average township, we will say, has sixty-five miles of road and thirty of these are the. main traveled roads. Let each township build two miles of road each year, and in fifteen years all the main roads will be in a condition to last for years to come. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. OOO We have a piece of road a little way over the line in Clinton county, made on this plan, that has stood for almost thirty years, and is in good condition today and has had but little repairs. Wisconsin has many such roads and they are satisfactory in every respect, and once we get such roads the expense of repairs will be but a trifle. Touching again on rural delivery, our association has for its aim: Better men morally and intellectually, better system and facilities for the advancement of the service, enabling the carriers to give better results to their patrons. Better pay for the work done by the carriers, and last. but a very important aim, "We want better roads." We, as an organization, stand ready and willing to assist in all ways possible to help improve the condition of the roads, and we beg of you to take this subject under consideration and do all in your power to pu' some plan into action. Owing to the fact that I have been advised to condense my subjeci as much as possible, I have omitted several minor points, that otherwise I would have mentioned, and some of those I have mentioned I would have enlarged upon. But hoping that you will understand the aim and feelings of our association towards the good roads movement, I will leave the subject with you. RAPE AS A FORAGE AND SOILING CROP. H. B. Strever, before the Cherokee Counfy Farmers' Institute. Rape is a comparatively new plant in this country. It is fast grow- ing in favor, how^ever, and promises in time to become one of our most useful forage crops. Rape belongs to the same variety of plants as the turnip, cabbage, kale, mustard, etc. There are several varieties of it, the Dwarf Essex being the only one recommended for this country. It is a biennial, using the first season for growth and the second for production of seed. No seed can be grown here, as the plant cannot live through our severe win- ters, The rape plant grows to a height of from one and one half to three feet. In foliage it resembles the rutabaga or Swedish turnip, but unlike the latter has no bulb or turnip at base of stem. It delights in a rich, moist soil, where it will produce an enormous amount of foliage. It does well on any prairie soil of ordinary fertility in seasons of average rainfall. It makes but little growth during the dry. hot weather of midsummer, but with the advent of cooler weather and rain it springs into luxuriant growth, which continues until late in the fall. An average crop will yield from ten to twelve tons per acre. On rich soil and under favorable conditions fully twice that amount can be grow^n. Owing to its watery nature rape is used only as a forage or soiling crop, and as such is suitable for cattle, sheep and hogs. 556 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. My experiments with rape cover a period of five years only. In the spring of 1898 I sowed about an acre, using five pounds of seed. About half of it was cut in the fall during a period of scant pasturage, and fed to cattle and hogs. Both ate it with avidity and apparently did well on it. That remaining uncut was pastured off with cattle. In 1899 I sowed three acres of rape for soiling purposes, sowing it June 16th and using five pounds of seed per acre. On the higher and drier portion of the field it made a growth of about eighteen or twenty inches, while on the low, moist ground it grew to a height of about three feet, and contained such a mass of foliage that it required a man of mus- cle to lay it in a swath with a scythe. This crop was all cut and fed to cattle and hogs during the fall when there was practically no feed in the pasture. It filled a gap that so often occurs on western farms between grass and stalk feed. In 1900 I sowed ten acres of corn to rape, sowing it July 3d, just be- fore last cultivating, using two and one hall pounds of seed to the acre. Timely rains gave it a good start, but it made only a moderate growth during the heat of the summer, but later it grew vigorously. When husk- ing time came the entire field contained a dense mass of green foliage from two to two and one half feet in height. Literally a sea of green surmounted by the dead corn. Scarcely a weed was to be seen, the rape having smothered nearly all. So thick was the rape that it was with some difficulty that one could wade through it to husk the corn. Before husking it seemed as if much of this mass of vegetation would have to be destroyed in gathering the com, but there was so much of it that the damage was hardly noticeable when the husking was completed. After the corn was out the cattle were turned into the field and en- joyed what few cattle have been able to get in a stalk field, i. e., a bal- anced ration. The freezing and thawing of late fall killed much of the rape before the stock could consume it. In 1901 rape was sown in corn as before but did not germinate, owing to the drought of that year. In 1902 I sowed rape, clover and timothy seed on tnree acres of old pasture, disking it in. Before I should have done so I turned cattle and hogs into the pasture. Both cattle and hogs seemed to prefer the rape to the timothy and clover and soon not a stem of rape could be found. I sowed rape also in twenty acres of corn on July 17th, using about forty pounds of seed. It came vip well but the cold, wet weather seemed to retard its growth as much as it did the corn, and for weeks it was small, spindling and unpromising. It changed little until the September frosts cut the corn, after which it changed into a darker color and started into vigorous growth, which was not checked until about the 25th of Novem- ber, when it stood from fifteen to thirty inches in height. Ten acres of the corn was cut with a corn binder without much damage to the rape. The field was cleared of corn and fodder on November 25th and cattle turned in. The heavy snow fall of December 2d covered up the rape entirely. During December cattle were yarded and fed. With the warm weather early in January the green rape began to appear above the melt- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII. 557 ing snow. The cattle were again turned into the field and for about a month enjoyed the best winter forage I have ever been able to produce. On February 1st I found plants of rape in the field as green as they ever were. Do not think that rape can often be put in cold storage for mid- winter use. It is only when an early snowfall covers it before seriously damaged by frosts that it can be thus preserved. Rape is quite hardy and does not seem to be damaged much by or- dinary frosts, but after the ground begins to freeze it is soon destroyed if not protected by snow. I wish now to call your attention to some of the experiments that have been made to determine the value of rape to the stockgrower. Rape for Cattle. I have no data of experiments made to determine the value of rape for cattle in comparison with other forage plants. Pro- fessor-Henry in "Feeds and Feeding" says: "For cattle rape is highly prized by some feeders as furnishing a succulent feed during the fall months and preparing them for winter." For Milk Coios. At the Ontario Agricultural College rape increased the yield of milk with no perceptible taint, although fed before and after milking. Dairy authorities agree, however, that it should be fed with extreme caution. For Sheep. At the Ontario Agricultural College rape proved as good for lambs as rape and one half pound of oats daily, but not as good as rape and other pasture. At the Wisconsin station lambs gained fifty pounds more on rape than on bluegrass pasture, and made better gains later on grain. Prof. Thomas Shaw, of the Minnesota Agricultural College, says: "An acre of rape should furnish forage for from ten to fifteen sheep f«r two months. At the end of that time the sheep should be fat enough for ordinary marketing." He further says of rape: "Its fattening proper- ties are probably twice as good as clover." Rape for Hogs. The Wisconsin Experiment Station has made many experiments to determine the valuel of rape as a food for growing pigs. Professor Carlyle, of that station, says: "Rape is better green feed for growing pigs than good clover pasture. Pigs are more thrifty, have a better appetite, and make correspondingly better gains when supplied with rape in connection with grain feed, than when' fed with grain alone. Rape is the most satisfactory and cheapest green food for swine that we have fed." In conclusion let me urge you to sow a few acres of rape. Sow it in a small field of corn before the last cultivation; husk the corn early and turn in the cattle, using the same precautions to prevent bloat that you would in pasturing clover. I believe it will partly, and perhaps wholly, eliminate cornstalk disease as g, factor of loss in the West. Sow a pound of seed per acre in small grain that you do not intend to seed to grass, and you will have excellent fall feed in stubble. I would not sow it with grain on very rich land where the grain is liable to lodge, as it may then cause trouble. On very rich land scatter seed on field after grain begins to come up. 558 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. If you need a hog pasture, sow rape either alone or with grain. Sow a little of it next spring, and later you will sow more. Like clover, it is strongly nitrogenous in its nature and is needed to balance up our car- bonaceous feeds. For these reasons, and because it can be so easily and cheaply grown it should be found on all our farms. To guard against disappointment I would advise sowing only English seed, as both German and French varieties are inferior as forage plants. THE HOG AS A MORTGAGE LIFTER. F. L. Cooper, Washta, Iowa. The first question that comes to me in starting this subject is, why would select a hog to lift a mortgage? To answer I would say: First. I must produce something that other people want and are willing to pay the cash for. The hog is always a ready sale when fit for market. Second. The income is usually avail- able in from nine to eleven months. I believe no other farm animal can be turned in so short a time. Third. The proceeds from a crop of hogs is, or can be, a sum obtained at one time, and for that reason can be used to better advantage. Fourth. Because they will do well "any old way," but the better his treatment the greater the profit. Now, what kind or breed will serve our purpose best? I would say, just the common hog. Let him be red, white or black. Some succeed bpst with a pure bred hog, while others do equally well with a cross bred. "Don't monkey with pedigrees." This part of the swine industry must be handled different, and I believe if the common hog is given the same care and attention, they are just as good for farm purposes as any registered herd in Iowa. A good swill barrel, if used liberally, will make a better hog than any recorded pedigree ever did. It may be I am court- ing trouble from the registered breeder, but it is my opinion that any one trying to lift the mortgage off his farm should not "monkey" with hogs on paper. The profits are more uncertain than with the hogs on the pasture. Next, at what weight should the hog be marketed to secure the best results? Experience and observation has convinced me that from two hundred to two hundred and forty pounds is a good size to sell at, if fat and smooth. Circumstances sometimes alter cases; for instance, if my neighbor's herd have an attack of cholera it is a pretty good time to market mine, or as many as will go, after saving a few for seed. Figuring on the certainty or uncertainty of the hog as compared with other farm animals I would say that we can count on about three crops marketed in four grown. Some lose more. In my experience I have lost two crops in twenty years. At the rate of one crop lost in four or five I believe the hog to be a good thing as a mortgage lifter. There is one point I wish to bring out in connection with this subject. It may be a little on the side, but I consider it of vital importance as to FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 559 the life or death of a mortgage. With reasonable care and diligence the hog will have done his part. Now, if the mortgagor fails it will be be- cause he has used the proceeds of the hog for other purposes. We must hold these proceeds as a sort of reserve fund, using them only in such a way that there will be certainty of their being available at the time the mortgage shall become due. Strike with an avalanche of hogs and the mortgage will be buried deep, never to be resurrected. In closing, I can only say I have tried to bring out a few points. Those who are to follow in this discussion are perhaps more able to handle the subject than I, therefore I will leave the matter in their hands. WHAT IS THE MATTER WHTH THE CORN CROP? t W. H. Lewis, before the Madison County Farmers' Institute. This is an important question. We pride ourselves on our favorable location in the corn belt, and on our possession of a soil of inexhaustible fertility. We market vast numbers of hogs and cattle and train loads of corn, and seem to think we are doing the proper thing. The yield per acre is a variable quantity and we have been in the habit of accounting for all variations l)y a reference to the weather. A season with a proper amount of rainfall was represented by a large yield, and an unfavorable season by a light crop. Besides these variations there seems to be an- other variation that is constant, a diminution of the yield per acre. In the early part of the season, if conditions are favorable, the corn grows well, and the field seems to promise larger yields, but for some reason, -on the farms that have been long in cultivation, the old time crops are no longer produced. We are told to rotate our crops, and that the clover crop in its proper course will restore the soil and the former yields will result. Now I am well aware that I am going in the face of the current theories of our day, but I do not think clover is the "cure-all.'/ Looking over our com, there seems to be not enough ears, many stalks being barren, not carrying any ears, and the ears that are pro- duced are too short; few, if any, are full to the tip, but on the contrary most of them have a point of naked cob. one, two or more inches long, the side of the stalk is less, and a ten hill shock is little if any more than half as large as in the good old days. When our farms were new, they produced large crops of wheat of good quality. Repeated crops brought less, both in quantity and quality. After wheat failed to produce paying crops all planted corn, and it was for years almost the only grain produced. The wider range of the root system of the corn and its greater ability to reach and appropriate what is needed to maintain growth enabled it to make good crops for a time. After a few successive crops, the diminished yields, the shortened ears and the unfilled tips indicated a lack of some of the essential elements of fertility. Well, say our advisers, clover will remedy all of this. But does it? I say not. When corn follows clover it looks very promising. 560 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, it has good color, the stalks are strong, but the ears do not fulfill the promise of the early part of its history. The result seems to indicate that clover restores only a part of the material necessary to produce corn. What can we do now? How can we discover the source of our trouble? Chemical analysis shows that corn is composed mostly of potash, phosphorous and nitrogen, hence it is a fair supposition that to produce corn the soil must contain these elements in sufficient quantity and in relative quantities or proportion. A crop of any grain to give best re- sults needs a balanced ration just as much as a steer does to make a good growth and gain in weight. So we assume that we must have a sufficient amount in our soil of these necessary elements of fertility, viz, potash, phosphorous and nitrogen. Of these elements the ultimate source of sup- ply of nitrogen is the air, it being in large part composed of nitrogen. The other elements, the potash and phosphorous, are of a mineral nature and exist only in the earth. Hence, if we use a crop of clover to restore fertility, the only possibility of making an increase of the quantity of the elements of fertility in the soil must lie in what it can derive from the air. If it has any other effect it can only be that of making more available what is already in the soil, unless it possesses creative power, which no one will assume. The effect of clover on a corn crop seems to be a stronger growth, darker color, larger stalks, larger ears with unfilled tips, and later ripen- ing, but not a return to the desired yield of grain. We can fairly and safely assert this change in the crop to be the result of an increased supply of nitrogen but it does not meet our wishes. We want more ker- nels. We have now exhausted the possibilities as to a gain from the air, and it begins to look as if the deficient factor in the problem must be one of the mineral elements of fertility, and the thing to do seems to be to learn which one is needed if happily both are not in scant supply. If we turn our attention directly to our soil and interrogate it as to its wants, we shall find that an application of potash gives it but little help, so the answer from the soil would seem to be — I have enough of that. At this stage of the inquiry the conditions strongly suggest that the wanted factor in the problem is phosphorous. How shall we verify this hypothesis? What do we know about it? Not very much, I fear. So far as I know, no thorough and reliable analysis has ever been made of our prairie soil, and we do not know what elements it contains, or the relative quantity of either element. It must contain some of each ele- ment or it would not produce a crop, but the diminishing yields under cultivation indicate that some element is not present in sufficient quan- tity, and that the deficient element may be phosphorous. The only ap- parent source of information seems to lie in the geological history of this region. We are told that in the remote past a sheet of glacial drift covered all this part of Iowa. Later on another glacial deposit of great depth entirely covered the first one, and this last sheet makes our sur- face soil. Now if we can find where this later drift came from, or of what it was made, we can formulate a plausible conjecture of the com- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 661 position of the deposit. If we could have been at the starting point of the glacier, and seen with what the great ice ship was being loaded be- fore it began its voyage, we would know what would be the product of that cargo when ground to impalpable powder and deposited to form our soil. That not being possible, we try to follow its trail from here to its start, it seems to have come from the narthwest, or from the Klondike region, but probably not so far. We can find some of what seems to be fragments and remnants of unmanufactured parts of the cargo that have been dropped along the way, and they seem to be mostly granite, some quartzite or similar material. The quartzite would yield sand and possibly some potash in combination with silex, but no other element of fertility. As the soil of this part of Iowa is all the product of this drift, it seems probable that potash would be an abundant element in the soil and that the other mineral element, phosphorous, is in very scant supply, and, if the hypothesis of formation is correct, it is difficult to account for the presence of any phosphorous. It is possible that some of the synthetic methods in Nature's laboratory may be such as to produce it by some process of combination or interchange, but in the present state of human knowledge it seems to be impossible. The conclusion seems to be forced upon us that our soil in its virgin condition was very deficient in the phosphoric element. The course of husbandry in the past has been such as to rapidly diminish the already small supply and exhaust the avail- able portions of it. The countless trains of cars on every railroad were loaded down with the products of our farms, sold at such prices as to give away their fertility for the opportunity to get partly paid for the labor of taking it out of the soil and putting it aboard. The old story of the woman who killed her goose that laid the golden eggs has been considered an extreme exemplification of improvident greed, but it has remained for the western farmer on this fair prairie land to equal if not outdo her. Repeated cropping with no return of any of the ele- ments of fertility is rapidly reducing our yield per acre. What shall be done? Growing clover seems to act as a stimulant, but it seems to me a fatal mistake to use stimulus unless it is accompanied by an addition of such other elements as are in scant supply. A whip maj' stimulate a strong but lazy horse, but it will not strengthen a weak beast or restore an exhausted one. The stimulating effect of clover will probably enable us to more rapidly and completely exhaust the store of fertility than we can without it, but is it desirable to do so? If the mineral elements are in sufficient supply, clover will probably give great help in making a large crop, but only in this case. Observation by others may disprove the fact of diminished yield, but I think it will confirm instead of disprov- ing it. If it be true, the course of husbandry ought to be modified to suit the conditions, or means taken to modify the conditions. Some farmers may find the first the better course, for others the second may be best; it depends both upon the farm and the farmer. If you ask how this is to be done I can at present only reply, I do not know. Some of the most difficult questions start off with a how. 36 562 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. GROWING AND SELECTING SEED CORN. Victor Felter, WasJita, loica. When we remember that three fourths of the value of Iowa's entire agricultural products is in her corn crop we readily see the importance of good seed corn. With the steadily increasing price of farm lands we must grow greater crops of better quality each year, that a reasonable rate of interest may be realized. Ten years ago an exclusive corn show was unheard of, while within the past year we have read of big corn ex- hibits in nearly every agricultural newspaper. The biggest corn show ever held in this State was the one lately held at the Iowa State College at Ames, where so large an exhibit of high quality corn was never seen under one roof. We all know that this magnificent exhibi- tion followed the poorest corn year ever seen in Iowa. This, with several other great corn demonstrations within a few months, is only a criterion of what is to be accomplished within the next decade. The actual cost of seed corn per acre is so slight that any farmer can well afford to plant only the very best seed obtainable. If practical each farmer should be his own seed producer, but if his neighbor or any one within reach has anything better, he can well afford, and is generally perfectly willing to pay a reasonable price for it. The time is coming and will soon be here, when every farmer can buy corn with a pedigree, the same as he does live stock. Every farmer should plant a piece of corn, say five acres, along the side of his main field and take special care of it with the purpose of selecting his seed for the succeeding year. The best location would prob- ably be on the south or west side of the field, on good rich soil; plant- ing rather thin, so that a large per cent, of seed will be obtained. To procure the greatest yield, as large and late a variety as will mature with safety in this locality should be planted. Mixed varieties are to be discarded for various reasons, such as variety of color, irregularity of ripening and non-fertilization. Where each farmer saves his own seed there is no better way of selecting it than to have a small box attached to the side of his wagon and as he finds suitable ears put them in this box. If the crop is thor- oughly matured the corn is ready to be placed in the attic, or other con- venient dry places where it will not have to endure any extremes in temperature. Unsound or immatured ears should be thoroughly dried out in some well ventilated place before being stored for the winter. These are some of the practical methods of securing seed corn. Such methods have been practiced ever since the landing of Columbus. But with the ever-advancing civilization and steadily increasing values of lov/a farms we predict some wonderful advances during the next decade in corn culture and corn breeding. To yield a moderate income from one hundred dollar land it is very apparent that greater crops and higher qualitj^ are necessary. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 663 The marked improvements in corn as in the past will in the future be acomplished by specialists. The average farmer is well able, and is far- sighted enough, to pay a good price for seed that will' increase his yield even a bushel or two per acre. The fundamental principles of animal husbandry are just as fixed and important in the corn breeding business. The old motto that "Like produces like" should govern all selections of breeding animals and farm grains. Many farmers give the selection of corn too little attention, selecting their seed from some imaginable or fancied whim, not knowing whether their ideas are founded on correct principles or not. Some, for instance, want a smooth ear, because it is easy on the hands in husking. Others want a long ear, because they seem to fill the wagon faster, and will se- lect this type regardless of the fact that the grain is shallow and the butts and tips poorly filled. Some will get seed from too far south, thus getting a larger variety than will mature well. Others will mix two varieties, expecting to increase the yield and combine in the cross tho good qualities of both, while more often they will have produced a mon- grel which has the undesirable qualities of both and is utterly worthless. There is nothing that is more yielding to the hand of man in the way of selection and environment than the corn plant. The common plan in trying to improve corn is either to cross two varieties or by a series of selections from one sort. The latter is much the safest plan and is generally done through a series of breeding blocks, always keeping in mind the type you are selecting for. Breeding blocks are small plots of ground selected where the most complete isolation may be received. The rows should be forty or fifty rods long and each one of the rows planted from a single ear. The ears and rows are numbered and the row number kept as the record of each ear. Weak or barren stalks are cut out so that each kernel will be pol- lenated by a strong, vigorous stalk. Every other row is detasseled the latter part of July or the forepart of August and seed corn selected from the highest yielding rows of this breeding block. A few of the very choicest ears from the few best rows are again chosen for use in the lenated by a strong, vigorous stalk. Every other row is de tasseled used in the larger fields. It will be noticed that some of these rows will make extraordinary large yields while others will make only a very or- dinary yield. The corn can be husked and weighed each row separately. By counting the exact number of hills and figuring three thousand five hundred and fifty-six hills to the acre the yield per acre may easily be computed. The results of years of such selection should be the "survival of the fittest." 564 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. DAIRY FARMING. Jolin Belirends, before Calhoun County Farmers' Institute. Mt. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen and Members of the Insti- tute: Your secretary, Mr. Parsons, has placed my name on the program,, to read a paper on "Dairy Interests." Much could be said in regard to this, but while the time on our pro- gram is limited, and while the audience represents our Calhoun county farmers, and their respective families, I think it practical to start in at the beginning, that is, at the farm. While every farmer in our county has one or more cows, we all know what milk is, and also know what a hardship it is for the whole famHy when '"bossy" happens to go dry in the winter time. While we all agree that enough milk and butter should be produced on every farm to supply the family with the cow's valuable product, and perhaps to have some to be sold at the store or exchange for other family necessities, this will not settle the question whether or not it is profita- ble to keep many milch cows, or. to speak in other words, become a dairy farmer. I have frequently heard the question asked. Docs it pay to milk cows, or to sell milk or cream to a creamery? Sometimes the question is answered by no, and again it is answered by yes. This may lead us to think somebody is wrong. While I am some- what connected with our home creamery, I find that either one is rights in his own view. Farmer A, who is first asked, says. No. In trying to find out the reasons why it does not pay to sell milk or cream to a creamery he tells you "I have no time to stop and explain these things to you cream- ery fellows, and you think you know this much better than I do, any- way"; and, "Get up," he says to his team and goes on. The creamery- man is anxious to find out why Parmer A is not making money with his cows. He goes to his farm and finds about a dozen cows there. Parmer A has a good farm, nearly all dry land, except about fifteen or twenty acres of it is very wet. This of course is a pasture, and while the cattle in this pasture apparently have plenty to drink, there is not much for them to eat. The pasture has a few acres of dry land, but this happens to be in the further corner, away from the cow shed. Farmer A and his family are all very industrious and busy from early in the morning until late in the evening, and when the time comes for milking everyone is nearly tired out, and the cows are on this dry spot, away from the yard. The good-natured shepherd dog helps the boys, and goes and drives the cows home in great hurrah. One or two get stuck in the mud, but Chappy goes a second time, and finally gets them all. Now the cows have to be milked. Not a pleasant job; besides it is late. In order to save time next morning, the yard gate is closed in the evening, and it only takes a little while to milk the cows the next morning. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII. 565 The creamery man is now conyinced why it does not pay Farmer A to milk cows, and also knows the reason why his milk contains more m.ud than butterfat. In the fall of the year Farmer A finds his cows did not make him much money, and therefore has no mercy with them in the winter. The next season this very pasture has an abundance of grass. Farmer A had to bore a well and put up a windmill, and to his great surprise his cows did not give very much milk this seasou. He did not stop to think that it took nearly all summer for his cov/s to gain what they had lost last year, but is now convinced it does not pay to milk cows. While Farmer B is certain that his cows are making him good money, it is also much easier for the creamery man to get the desired information from him in regard to this. On his way home from Farmer A, he finds Farmer B cultivating corn. Both stop and have a little talk. Of course they talki about the (cows, and farming in general, and Farmer B tells his good friend butter-maker, as he calls him. about the following: He first looks at his watch, and says it is 5 o'clock; I have just one hour yet, and I will tell you all about my little farm and the cows. I only have eighty acres. Over there (point- ing toward the pasture) you see the cows; I have fourteen. The pasture is about twenty-eight acres. Joining the pasture on either end is about fifteen acres of meadow; always put on lots of good manure. I have about twenty-five acres in corn, nearly all new ground, you see. and the oldest plow land — about ten acres — is in oats. Have seeded it this spring. Will break up a part of the pasture this fall. I always have good land for corn this way, and it does not take as many acres to fill my cribs as it does for my neighbor. Near the house I have a couple of acres for truck and garden stuff. When fall comes I cut up about ten acres of my corn and the cows have plnty to eat in winter. Of course I have a nice warm place for them, also. I tell you, Mr. Butter-maker, I think just as much about my cows as I do about the rest of my family. My girls does the milking, but I do the feeding in the winter myself; cows and pigs, horses and chickens and everything. I tell you it pays to feed them good and to fix up good warm places for all of them. But I think, Mr. Butter-maker, you would like to know how much money we can make on our farm in one year. For the last eight or nine years, I find that each one of my cows has netted me at the creamery thirty dollars. In the fall my calves bring from eighty to one hundred dollars. I most generally keep about three or four of the heifer calves and always have young cows. This puts me in shape to sell off the older ones, so I can figure on selling one hundred and sixty dollars worth of cattle each year. My pigs get fat in a hurry, for I feed them lots of good swill and grind their corn, mixed with a little oats. They mostly bring about two hundred and fifty dollars. Have not told you how much money the chickens bring each year. It is hard to tell exactly, but I am sure we sell over two hundred dollars worth of eggs each year, say nothing about the old chickens and the roosters we sell every fall. 566 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Farmer B now looks at his watch again and says, Mr. Butter-maker, it is now nearly 6 o'clock; I have to unhitch and take rhe cows along with me; it is milking time. "VVe have now found that while Farmer A finds it dees not pay him to keep cows for profit, our Farmer B, on his eighty-acre farm, is able to sell one thousand dollars worth of product every year. Die Moral von der Geshichte. zu erkennen ist nicht schwer. Noi every farmer can make dairying a success. The reasons for this are many. As a rule we find the man on a small farm is more successful in dairying than the one who is farming on a large scale. To make dairying a success, even for the good dairy farmer, the following conditions must exist. He must have a good market for his product at all seasons of the year. The road to his local creamery must be kept in shape, so that his product can get there. A good feeling betw^een the creamery manage- ment and all his patrons must exist, and harmony. For the latter the creamery operator is responsible to a great extent. He has to be a good butter-maker, has to know how to keep his machin ery and everything in and about his creamery in first-class condition. But besides this, he has to have many other good qualities. He shouid be strictly honest, and do justice to all. Wherever he finds room for im- provement, he should not hesitate to tell his patrons in a quiet way and not let his temper run away with him. He should urge his patrons to assist in testing milk and cream, and in this w^ay learn his patrons and make them familiar with all the details connected with creamery business. This. I think, would do away with much suspicion. The more the dairy farmer gets familiar with all these parts, the easier it is for all to co-operate. While our State Dairy Commissioner. Mr. H. R. Wright, and his as- sistant. Mr. P. H. Kieffer. aro doing all that is within their power to improve and work for the interest of the dairy inlustry of our State, there is still lots of work that has to be left undone. It takes more help to do it. I therefore ask the audience, and especially the officers of ^he Calhoun county institute: Would it not be good policy to urge our Representative. Mr. J. H. Lowrey, to help to work with us along this line. If the legislature of Iowa would follow the good example of Min- nesota in regard to dairy interests. I think it would be a great improve- m,ent for our dairy industry. DAIRYING ON THE FARM. H. F. Hoffman, before Cherokee County Farmers' Institute. The subject of dairying on the farm is one that perhaps has received less attention at institutes held in this State than any branch of farm- ing. Surely much lesp than any of equal importance, if indeed there 15 such. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII. 567 As a class we have been slow to observe, and more so to grasp the opportunities along our line. Necessity has decreed that we should make use of the milk pail, from which there is no appeal. I do not mean that we all have to engage exclusively in the dairy business, but that it is bound to be one of the leading features of our farms. Why. some may ask, do we embark in the dairy business? First, it does not take the ordinary person long, when he sees his neighbor or neighboring localities making money from some particular branch of agriculture, to fall in line. Although claiming we do not like to milk cows. -Mid confronting ourselves with the argument that a person must be in iove with his occupation to succeed, which, to a certain extent, is true; but when we can see good money in it, an attachment springs up and the love is forthcoming. On the other hand, no matter how deeply we may be in love with a certain business, once take the profit from il and a good share cf the love will likely go with it. We will admit there are some disagreeable features about dairying, but we believe it has as few as any branch of farming. The cattle feeder has his ins and outs, with a good sprinkling of the latter. The swine man smiles when corn is low and hogs high, and frowns when the cholera strikes his herds; while those engaged in raising grain for the general market need more sympathy than comment. The rar.cern dairy cow declares a cash dividend twice each month for her cream or butter, with an extra one a year for her calf, raised principally on her own milk, minus the butterfat. The calf can bo turned off at a fair price by the time the pigs begin to need the milk. While we are talking about profit, there is another point we should not overlook. People decline to milk cows but will buy tankage and blood meal at from forty to fifty dollars per ton, and stock foods at any- where from one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars per ton, lo balance their corn, where the skimmed milk would do the work as well and much cheaper. In support of the value of good separator milk for growing pigs we have as an {lUthority the repeated and thorough tests of Professor Heni-y published in his hand-book entitled, "Feeds and Feeding", where with- ouT any guessv/ork he finds that with corn at twenty-five cents per bushel good separator milk is worth fifteen cents per hundred-weight. As in the pas:c few years corn has sold for about twice the twenty-five cents, we v/ill also have to double the price on skimmed milk. Nor doe^:3 the profit stop here, for when we take into consideration the question of retainng or increasing thei fertility of our soil, which we must do, as this is just as much an asset as the soil itself, the dairy cow cuts an Important figure. In support of this we will quote from an addres-3 made before the State Dairy Association at Cedar Rapids in 1902 by no less an authority than Professor Curtiss of the State College, when he said: "'In selling one thousand dollars worth of wheat from an Iowa farm at present prices we sell with it about three hundred and fifty dollars worth of fertility; in selling one thousand dollars worth of corn we sell about two hundred and fifty dollars worth of fertility, or con 568 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. stitiients that would list the farmer these amounts if he were obliged to buy commercial fertilizers to maintain the fertility of his soil. Buf we can convert one thousand dollars worth of corn into beef, pork or mutton and sell it in that form and we reserve our two hundred and fifty dollars worth of fertility, or we can convert one thousand dollars worth of feed into butter and will not remove a single dollar's worth of fertility with it." This is something that we must not ignore, as we are not only robbing our farm of its fertility but ourselves as well. I suppose tile intention of the committee on the program was that the writer of this paper should tell you how to properly conduct a dairy, and we would cheerfully do so if we knew, but, to confess, we do not, as we are not dairymen, and our operations in that line are only secondary or perhaps v>oise than that, and even that is not conducted with the system it hhoiild be. Yet, there are a few things about it that we do know\ and first i;- the importance of securing good cows, that is, ones that will give a fair quantity of milk, that will test well up to the standard. This is quite a diffiicult matter in a country where the tend- ency has teen to produce a beef animal, as all we can do is to start in with the best we can get and breed up and weed out. As the cow is only a machine and can not make milk, but simply has the power to convert the raw material which she eats and drinks into a finished product, it is apparent that to get the best results we must supply her with a ration containing the materials for the best pro- duct. For this purpose, outside of the grass season, by using clover hay and sorghum fodder, with a grain ration consisting of corn and oil meal, with half as much by measure of wheat bran added, and fed dry tv/ic-e a day, has given good results. While this may not be as valuable as silo feed, or some of the commercial food stuffs, they are among the cheapest, and in our limited experience are most satisfactory. And if you will add to them good comfortable quarters, plenty of pure water and humane treatment, with a goodly amount of system in milking arid caring for them, they will respond generously. After we get the milk, what then? It has been often demonstrate-! that one person centrally located can care for fifty or one hundred dairie* cheaper, and as a rule better, than can the fifty or one hundred people owning them. In solving this question nothing has played so important a part as the hand-power separator. In sending the whole milk to the creamery to be separated, no matter how close you live to the creamery, I believe it safe to say that the skim milk loses at least fifty per cent of its feeding value, and when it has far to be hauled in hot weather it will be much more. By this method of doing your own separating your cream is taken at your door, and paid for in cash twice each month, at so much per pound for the butterfat it contains, dete^-- niined by test. We do not believe, however, that there are many farmers who are capable of making a success of farming by confining themselves ex- clusively to any one branch, and so in dairying it becomes necessary to diversify to a certain extent. You are obliged to keep either pigs or calves, or both, to use up the skimmed milk and other by-products. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 569 There is some team work, but not more than what a span of draft mares can easily do and raise colts, which usually brings in about the easiesr money a farmer gets. Taking everything into consideration, we are compelled to believe that the person who has a fairly good herd of dairy cows, even if he does not understand the business, but is anxious to learn, is in as good or better shape to withstand a siege of hard times and defy the red flag of the sheriff than those engaged in any other branch of agriculture. I was somewhat surprised when our secretary asked me to write a paper on dairying, as I fully realized my incompetency, but have writ- ten my paper with the hope that it might provoke discussion and put some to thinking along this line, and also bring out the many details unmentioned. and thus fortify ourselves for the inestimable profit of dairying on the farm. THOROUGHBRED CATTLE OF IOWA. Carey M. Jones, before Scott County Farmers' Institute. So many American farmers think because their grandfathers were •opposed to pure bred cattle and their fathers talked against pure bred cattle that they are compelled to think that they are better off without them. To some this is true, so far as the cow is concerned. Some men would be better off without any; and the cow would be better off without that kind of a farmer. But these individuals are far in the minoritj . Our grandfathers got along very nicely with the cradle and the flaii. they got along because their tools were as good as their neighbors, and competitors. But when the old McCormick reaper came along, they had to put aside the cradle as being too slow, just as the trusted steed was un- hitched from the rattling stage coach to make much specific steam cars. When grass land was free, and the principal expense was brand- ing and one bell for the family cow, then to have worried over the kind of steer that would have produced the greatest number of pounds oi be^f on the least num-ber of pounds of grass consumed might have been useless. But with the many advancements in machinery and science, equally rapid has been the development and settlement of our country, taking not Iowa, our own State, alone, for a basis, but the entire United States. Figures show the population as follows: 1800, 5,308,483; in 1850, 23.- 191,876; and in 1903 the population was 80,372,000, or practically sixteen persons to the square mile living in the United States. When ther-3 was but only one one hundred years ago, and possibly right here is where Bryan got his 16 to 1 idea. (Loud applause.) You may say that is a good while. Yes, but there are a few people alive today that wer^ then, so that after all it is but a little more than the life of man. Again. 570 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ^ve have today, in round numbers, $1,000,000,000,000 when hut fifty years- ago we had but $7,000,000, the per capita wealth today being $1,235, when in 1850 it was only $307, and the total miles of good roads in 1902 was 202,132. against 9,021 in 1850. Now it is to be understood that with all of these changes that there would be a change in the condition of the cattle of our country. Where once there was a free range, today there are one hundred and sixty, eighty and even forty-acre farms, and towns; instead of seven, you have seventy dollars, and even more valuable land, and you must keep cattle or move off from your land. PLEAS FOR GOOD STOCK. Now. what kind of cattle will you have? Now, not to be blunt, stop the first school boy or girl that you meet and say. Johnnie, Mr. A. has five cows, and their calves will bring twenty dollars apiece at one year old, or $100. Mr. B. has one cow, and its calf br'ings $100 when it is one year old. Now A.'s five cows eat just five times as much as B.'s one can, and A.'s five calves as much as B."s one calf. Which is the best cow to keep? You say that B.'s calf won"t always bring $100? Probably not, but it will sell for $100 or over oftener than less. But say $60. then. You are saving the food of four head, and when B.'s pure bred calf is selling low% A.'s grade are bound to be selling very low. You may say that is well for fancy breeders but not for a farmer. What is a fancy breeder? A man that breeds pure bred stock — and the most successful is the farmer who personally has the oversight of his own farm. It is a well known fact that no scrub cattle pay and yet, like re- ligion, not every man will accept it and breed pure bred cattle, but all must use bulls, and good ones, too. Someone will have to produce them, and the market is certainly established for them. They require better care than some can give them? They do require good care, and they must have it, but was ever a dollar made by neglect, either from a dairy cow or a beef cow? If there was, how easy it could have been doubled by a litte good care. Then there is another point that is not a minor one. Have you thought that you would like to keep your boy on the farm? Can you blame him for not being interested in the scrubs? This is no more an age for scrub boys than it is for scrub cattle. Get a few thoroughbred cows, give the boys something better than their neighbors, let the neighbors get equally as good as yours, and then the results will be both perfect and friendly rivalry and you won"t he satisfied until you have some good mares and a few sows. And some fancy poultry. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 571 A SONS DUTY TO HIS FATHER. H. J. Van (le Waa. before the Sioux County Farmers' Institute. Upon first thought we would be apt to say that the first duty of a son to his father is obedience. The only one of the Commnadments to which a promise is joined is the one which says: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." But of course obedience in what is just must naturally be the re- sult of honoring a father. The subject naturally divides itself into three heads: First, to honor; second, to obey; and third, to serve. In all three respects sons of the present time seem to be greatly lacking, and still it is hard to say that the present time is worse than any former age has been. Certain it is that when the good old doctrine of '"spare the rod and spoil the child" was more in force, the son found that he feared his father more than our present son does. This fear gave obedience, but this smacked more of the obedience of the lion trainer over his wild animals. It is hard for me to conceive how a son can honor a father who enforces obedience through brute force. One can fear a tyrant, but not honor him. And yet. believing that the Biblical command is binding, we believe that a father should so act towards his son that the son can honor his father. We are sorry that so many sons show that they have very little honor for their fathers. The very term father is not often used. The endearing name of father, and "pa," are forgotten, and the son, among his companions, takes pride in speaking about his "dad," the "old man," or "the governor." "The child is father of the man." and such a son certainly shows by such expressions that he will not make much of a man. Also that he does not strive very hard to keep that Biblical command. Based upon the very highest authority. — being in fact the basis of aU existing law, — the law of God is certainly worthy of being heeded, and for this reason every son is in duty bound to honor his father. This honor must not. of course, go to the extreme of being ancestry worship, as it is among the Chinese, but one would sometimes think this prefer- able to the actions of many of our young men. Now, how can a son best honor his father? How, indeed, better than by stich actions as the very best people in the community will approve. To honor his father a son must be manly, upright, just, truth- ful and a lover of his fellow men. These traits we admire in a man, and in a boy as well. You need not be a "milksop," nor a "goody goody" boy; in fact, such efleminateness no one admires. You must not be brutal, sneakish. dishonest, nor one whose mouth is defiled by low. loud language, obscene utterances and billingsgate. When you meet an honest manly boy you at once think that boy has good home training. By his very acts he is honoring his father. Actions go much farther than words. A boy may not be naturally 572 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. bright, so as to make a high mark in the world, he may not be able tc become a great scholar, he may only be a plodding, steady-working boy, and yet his honest and manly actions may, and often do, honor his father much more than the actions of your smart youth who smokes cigarettes, chews tobacco and plays "seven up" in the hay left. I often feel sorry for many boys on our streets. They want to be manly; what boy doos not? They observe men around them, and imitate them. In so many and many cases they imitate not the best men in the community, but the bully, the strong, swaggering bluffer, the braggart and the prize fighter. Whom he thinks he honors by so doing I do not know; cer- tainly not himself, nor his parents. The duty of obedience is one that a son must carefully consider. In childhood obdience is certainly required, and it is to be supposed that the father will only demand obedience in what is right. But say that as the boy grows, up his father asks him to do something that is wrong. When the son is of an age when he can judge between right and wrong, a duty devolves upon him to refuse to do wrong. This refusal may not be, however, in a haughty manner, as if the father is the inferior. With due regard for the position of a parent, a son may refuse in such a way that a father can not take offense, and that his action may even prevent his father from doing wrong. If the action is doubtful, it should be debated in the intimate and confiden- tial way that should always mark the relation of a father and son. The question of obedience is a very hard one to settle. No rules can. be laid down except the rule that one is never justified in obeying when ordered to do a wrong, or commit a crime. "I was told to do so. ' is no excuse whatever, in such a case, and does not take the punishment from you and put in onto another. "The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge" is not true in such cases. '•The soul that sinneth, it shall die," is true, and we must never forget this. Each case depends upon itself, and must be judged alone. A sound judgment is very often resuired, and the son may not always be con- vinced that his duty requires approval or disapproval. The sensible father, in such a case, will aid his son to form a just opinion, and the son must strive to form it, for "the children of today are the men of tomorrow." and when they are men they will often be compelled to stand or fall on their own' judgment. But the duty to which I last call your attention is, it seems to me. the greatest of all. It is the duty of a son to serve his father. Not that this is not included in honoring, for it certainly is. Our laws fix a period when a son is free and entitled to his own wages. We do not object to this. To us service means much more than the giving of one's labor. One can be working for himself, and still in the highest sense of the word be serving his father. The service we refer to never ends until death severs all earthly ties. We heard a few weeks ago that an old man of ninety-four years of age came to Sioux City to have cataracts removed from his eyes. He was accompanied by his two sons, one seventy years old and the other sixty-four, who very carefully tended FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 573 him. Here was a case of serving a father which deserves to be immor- talized. When' sickness and bodily infirmity comes, how beautiful ta hear of filial services performed by a son who has grown to manhood. How terrible to hear in such a case the mournful tune of "over the hills to the poor-house." We could write page after page on this subject. This duty of service is one of the highest pinnacles of high Christian living. It makes life beautiful. It makes life worth living. It is the ripe fruit of the beautiful flower of Christian charity. We believe that it is to one who is negligent in such service that the words of Solomon apply most forcibly: "T.he eye that mocketh at his. father. And despiseth to obey hi-s mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out. And the young eagles shall eat it " We believe that the hopes of the future of our nation depend upon the maintenance of the home circle, and we must add that the greatest stay in the home circle, the strong bond to perpetuate it, lies in the- son observing his duties to his father. CHILD CULTURE. Mrs. J. L. Van Horn, before Humboldt County Farmers' Institute. The subject of child culture has always attracted much attention, and is one to which much earnest thought has been given. During the past few years public opinion has been undergoing radi- cal changes as to methods. When our grandparents were children they were trained on the principle that a "child should be seen, but not heard." The child's rights and privileges in the household were regulated in harmony with that idea. Possibly the pendulum of time has swung a little too far in the- opposite direction, for today no one will question but that the children are not only seen, but very much heard. It promises well for the future that our public school system is claiming the attention of the wisest and most thoughtful throughout the world. It is difficult to realize that less than a hundred years ago England had no free public schools. The masses were then purposely kept illit- erate. The principle was reverenced as indisputable, "that the ignorance of the people was necessary to their obedience of law," During the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign public-spirited men saw the pernicious results of this "reign of ignorance," and became im- pressed with the necessity for popular enlightenment. Educators are still studying the problem — how to make the work of our schools more effective. 574 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The child should not be subjected to the discipline of the school previous to the age of six or seven years. A too early forcing of the brain power is detrimental to both body and mind. Before this age is reached, very simple modes of instruction, by means of pictures or toys, may be used. But the attention of the young mind should never be held to weariness. Very gradually and gently indeed should the expanding intellect be led into the mysteries of learning. The precocious child often reaches a dead level of reaction, where he pauses, while those who lagged behind him at the outset pass onward. Fowler, the phrenologist, in one of his lectures made an examination of two heads. ''This brain." he said, speaking of the first, "will soon give out, it ripens early, it is like the fall apple. While this brain." speaking of the second, "develops slowly, gathering energy for future ripeness and solidity. It is like the winter apple it will afford fruit long after the fall apple is gone." A happy equilibrium is the most beautiful law of development. Cultivate symmetry by strengthening the weaker traits and using a gentle repression toward those that would otherwise shadow the beauty of character. Further on in school life the pupil should not be burdened with too many studies at one time. We must not regard the child's brain as simply a receptacle into which a knowledge of facts is to be poured. This view of education is happily illustrated by Goldsmith — "And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew." Were it possible for one small head to contain the whole realm cf the known, no great benefit would result to the individual or to th3 race. He would be like the man who memorized verhatwi one half of Webster's Dictionary, and so far as being of use to himself or to others, it was of no more value than the dictionary itself. Facts and principles are to the mind what food is to the body. Thej^ are just as necessary to the growth of the mental structure as food for the physical body. This instruction should be given just as judiciously and regularly as food is given. Lack of judgment in this matter accounts for many of the abnormal mental and moral developments all around us. Mental stagnation is often caused by the ■■cramming"' process, but I believe there are more who become mentally and morally stunted as the result of actual starvation — starvation of the mind. From a lack of proper nourishment the mind becomes like a sickly, barren tree, a prey for insects and noxious weeds, instead of bearing beautiful blos- soms and delicious fruit, a joy and blessing to mankind, it becomes simply the dwelling place of disease, shedding its evil influence on all around. It is fit only to be cut down and cast out. About four years ago the board of education in the city of Chicago established a permanent department of child study. The desire being to determine what was the average symmetrical development. — physical, FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VITI. 575 mental and moral, — during the years from six to sixteen. Many inter- esting tests were made, comparing weight, height, strength, vital capa- city and endurance, also the rate of physical growth as compared with mental. These tests show a direct relationship between physical condition and intellectual capacity. They show that one is likely to attain ^o his highest mental development only as he reaches the physical growth that nature has marked out for him. Also that the vital capacity in- creases and decreases with the amount of one's activity; that vital capacity and endurance usually develop together. In order to secure a broader basis for conclusions, tests were also taken' on the boys of school age in the city prison and in the house of correction. The result was that those boys were • found to be inferior in all the principal physical measurements taken, and that this inferi- ority increases with age. This suggests to the parent that he should keep wide open the path of growth for the child by securing for him the best possible conditions of food, shelter and protection from disease. Everywhere it should bo borne in mind that childhood should be sacred to growth. As years crowd upon the child, as boyhood and girlhood succeed childhood, and the mind and body strengthen in happy unison, a stronger mind diet should be substituted for the simpler food of earlier years. Seek to strengthen the entire group of mental faculties not the men-- •ory alone, but the reasoning, judging, discovering and inventive capaci- ties. The inclination to original thought is oft-times discouraged. "What are you doing," asks the teacher of the young philosopher. "Thinking," says the boy who promises to become a Franklin or an Edison. "Stop it." says the teacher; "stop it and get your lesson." Our schools should teach not only literature, science and art, bi't also how governm.ents are made, and why they are made, and how they may be kept pure, and how the laws which hold them together can be regulated and controlled. That the youth of our land may develop the intelligence necessary for advancing civilization. Thoughtful men and women realize that our present educational system is inadequate; that we are not accomplishing what we should for the money expended. They are discussing various methods for im- provement. While the public mind is agitated on the subject of re- form there will of necessity be some confusion of ideas. Sooner or later the chaff will be blown away, the dust will settle and our State will devise a system more in harmony with our present needs. You who have read the Des Moines papers of recent dates have probably noticed the demand made by the Mother's Club of that city for the sanitary improvement of one of their public schools. The life and health of their little ones was being endangered. The mothers rose in their might, several hundred strong, and insisted that the building be put in proper condition. This is but an illustration of what can be accomplished when the people demand reform. There is too much indifference in regard to 576 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. these questions. Many have not yet outgrown the idea that what was good enough for the parent is good enough for the child. The Chinese nation has been following that policy for many cen- turies, with the result that they have been left behind in the march of progress. Much, I repeat, can be. and is being, done in our schools for the physical and mental development of. our children, but the foundations of moral training, whether for good or ill. are laid in' the home life. I once heard a mother speak to her child, who was reaching for some forbidden article. She did not say, "Stop that," or anything possi- bly more severe, but she quietly asked, "Mary, is it right?" That child was not more than "half-past two" yet the mother was already teaching her to choose between right and wrong. Into the hands of woman, first as mother, then as teacher, has been given the work of molding the child-life. If her own mind and heart are filled with high aspirations and noble purposes, if she understands the true aims of life, she can not fail to bequeath the same spirit to her children. Schools of all sorts are springing into existence cooking schools, kindergartens, training schools of various sorts, schools for the study of all kinds of literature and art. but the school having the highest mission — that of instructing mothers in the science of creating the moral and intellectual character of their children — this school has yet to be inaugu- rated. If those who stand on the political rostrum today, preaching an ideal republic, would sound the keynote of the future, it is that the mothers of today are the true builders of that future. HOW TO KEEP OUR BOYS ON THE FARM. Mrs. John Carson, before Winnebago County Farmers' Institute. During the past year there has been a number of articles on this subject published in the various farm papers, so one would naturallj'" conclude it is a subject of interest to a goodly number of people. It is a natural sequence for a son to desire to follow in his father's footsteps, and perfectly natural for a father who respects hia particular avocation to desire to have one son at least follow out and further de- velop his line of thought and life. If the father has achieved any degree of success, if he is able to make a living and somewhat of a competence, the son is quick to discern it and naturally from mere boyhood plans to be a doctor if papa is one, to drive even faster horses than papa does, and have them even blacker and shinier. The merchant's son turns his thoughts naturally to trade and merchandise and plans for a larger store and more business than papa has. Thus we have families of ministers, as the Ballon, the Emer- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 677 sons, the Beechers; families of merchants as the Stewarts, the Wana- makers; families of physicians, and likewise families of farmers. The sucessful farmer's son, as a rule (of course there are exceptions to all rules), naturally turns to farming as a vocation; plans to be a bet- ter farmer than his father and sees visions of larger and better hogs, finer steers and more of them, improved machinery of all kinds and everything else in proportion. But if a son sees his father slaving on from early morning till late at night, if he realizes that he is denying himself all privileges of reading, of society and recreation; if he sees no positive improvement for the better from year to year; if he himself is dragged into the mill and made to hurry, hurry from dawn till dark, is it strange if he thinks "I'll get out of this," "I'll never be a farmer." So the man with his nose to the grindstone finds himself left in the cold, deserted by his sons and daughters and finally compelled to sell the farm or run it alone. It requires brains as well as muscle and energy to run a farm. The wise farmer lays his plans shrewdly and carefully; maps out the details of his work -masterfully; studies the arrangement of his barns and sheds with an eye to the greatest ease in doing the morning and evening chores. His little boys never realize that father has a hard time. They think it all fun. Then, as they grow older, and father takes them more and more into his confidence they realize that father does a good deal of planning to keep the old farm in shape, to turn out that fine lot of steers and the prize porkers, besides keeping garden, orchard and yard things of beauty and thus "joys forever." But still they never doubt but what they can do the planning too, when it becomes necessary, and with proper education I think they can. A farmer's life is an ideal one where the work is well planned, where plenty of help is kept and where some pleasure is part of each day's pro- gram. One helpful and entertaining feature would be a farmers' club, limited to twelve families; the program to be arranged for a year in advance, meeting once a month at the home of a member and taking the whole family to hear the discussion, and incidentally having a good time. Topics of general interest could be discussed, such as "Women and the Pocketbook," "Shall a Young Man With Small Capital Buy or Rent a Farm?" Then, of course, add music and refreshments. It can't be all play on a farm any more than all work. There must be days and weeks of constant application during the busy season of the year. But know- ing that it will not always last the sturdy boy takes delight in his ability to put forth extra effort in haying for instance, and eagerly watches to see which is putting in more loads a day, his father or Mr. Smith. Boys also enjoy being taken into father's confidence and being al- lowed to help plan a little. Suppose a boy says in the evening, "What are you going to do tomorrow, father?" Well, sir, if nothing happens I am going to cut the grass on the south lot the first thing in the morn- ing, and maybe we can get some of it in before night. You get up bright and early and have the team ready before breakfast." The answer is a cheery one. "All right." Another father in reply to the same question 37 578 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. est delight in feeding and petting them. For are they not his very own? He has implicit confidence and the greatest pride in his farmer father. He has never heard of that man. possibly some of us have, who gave his son six pigs to raise because they were puny and sickly, but on market day. after these same pigs had been made saleable only by the strenuous efforts of a certain little fellow, pocketed all the money, giving the boy another sick pig. Boys like to have pocket money of their own. They enjoy it much better when they have earned it for themselves. They will be sure to spend it wisely, as. having earned it, they laiow and realize its value. But, on the other hand, we don't want to keep all our boys on the farm. The wheels of the business morld would be locked in time, should we accomplish this, for the most diflftcult places are being taken every- where by the sons of the farmer, and the rank and file of the world's most famous men are constantly being reinforced from our country homes. WHY THE BOY LEAVES THE FARM. Miss Mary Stockwell, before the Green County Farmers' Institute. That many boys do leave their country homes to engage in other business is a fact which we can not deny. Adn perhaps this prevents stagnation of the current in t|ie great sea of humanity. There' never was an effect without a cause, and there must be some reason for this continual stream of coimtry life flowing toward the towns and great cities. The various reasons that come to my mind seem to resolve them- selves under three heads, viz: First, on account of the work; second, on account of the social advantages and attractions of the towns and cities; third, on account of better business openings. Some boys make up their minds to leave the farm on account of the work. Now and then a boy may object to the work because he is lazy, but these are exceptional cases. The average boy is active, full of life, and he loves to be doing something, but he must not be kept at his task all the time. We should remember the old saying about "all work and no play." No doubt it would be better for the whole family of the aver- age farmer if the hours of labor could be shortened. In many homes by not planning out quite so much to be done during the season and using a little forethought each day perhaps the work could be made less; but it will be some time in the future, and still more labor-saving machinery will have to be invented, before we can reduce the hours of work to ten, nine or eight hours, as is the case in some employments. But, really, are not these long hours a blessing in disguise? Where will you find more perfect specimens of healthy, hearty boyhood and manhood than you see on the farm? For this very reason the country boy, accustomed to long hours of hard w^ork, strong in body and brain, is often able to far outstrip his city cousin in the race for success in almost any line FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK - PART VIII. 579 of work. We can all cite instances of armer boys who, beginning at the bott'om, climbed gradually, but steadily, and by means of their own energy, perseverance and stick-to-it-iveness stood at last high on the ladder of fame. Some object to the work because they are not interested in it. Now, we Imow that all men are not cast in the same mould. Tastes differ. All men would not do equally well at farming, and our civilization is far too advanced to demand that the sou shall follow the same calling as his father before him. We leave room for the development of individu- ality, and if a farmer's boy shows more interest in the use of tools It may really be the best thing to let him be a carpenter or a mechanic; or he may have some other bent of mind which it will be wise to let him follow. But. often the boy oould be interested in the work of the farm if his father would take a little pains. Wouldn't he take more interest in stork if the father would give him a calf and allow him to care for and feed it, and even allow him to experiment with different feeds? Or, suppose the father gives the boy a colt and he cares for it and trains it as he pleases. Will he not take more interest in the field work if he now and then carries a load of grain or corn to market and is required to figure up the amount it comes to? Let him take the course in stock judging. Send in his name for Bulletins from the experiment station at Ames. As the boy grows older and more capable and begins to have ideas of his own about larming, why not let, hi mexperiment, or at least use his own ideas instead of being obliged to do just as his father has always done? I knew a boy who, after he became of age, wanted to try his own way of doing things, but the father said, "No. I'm running this farm, and although I am no longer able to work in the fields, I want things done my way — the same as they have always been done." "But, father/' urged the boy, "let us try. Just rent the farm to us two boys for one j'-ear and let us see what we can do." But, no, the father wouldn't yield or give up his authority in farm matters, and the result was the boy left home. If the farmer intends to buy a new corn plow, a new binder or hay- loader, why not let the boy help select it? There are cases where his judgment might be just as good as his father's. Will not such a course arouse in the boy a more active interest in affairs and give him a sense of responsibility and of self confidence? Sometimes boys get the idea that other callings are nobler or fur- nish greater exercise for brains. To rid them of these false ideas, farmers' clubs and farmers' institutes are a step in the right direction. Almost every class of workers nowadays have their conventions or gatherings of that sort. A teacher working alone and never attending institutes or conventions would not be half so interested in her work or so valuable to the school as one who, by attending such gatherings, has come to consider lierself as not toiling alone, but one of a great army of workers in one of the noblest callings one can follow. Farming is a noble employment, too. It is said that "he who causes two blades of grass to grow where only one grew before has been by so much a blessing to humanity." 580 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Another reason why boys leave the farm is the lack of social life. Farmers' sons should not be allowed to groAv up mere "clod-hoppers." Some years ago I was told of a Greene county farmer who owned more than one thousand acres of land, but whose great, tall sons could scarcely read and never had been in Jefferson in their lives. They were bright boys, too. and when their father was reasoned with about the matter, he finally concluded to let some of the work go and give the boys a little chance. There is not much excitement about farm life we must acknowledge, and it seems to many country boys as if life must be more enjoyable in' town. In fact, it seems to him as if town life would be like one grand continual holiday, for many times his ideas of town life are made up chiefly from impressions gained on Fourth of July, Decoration Day or Saturday afternoon when the streets are full, or a trip to Des Moines at State Fair time. Plenty of life there and so many attractions. He does not realize how cruel that same city can be to a country boy trying to find a footing among the hundreds of others working for their daily bread. Some young men think that town homes look nicer, more attractive. Sometimes they do, but why should they come to think of it. Many farm- ers can buy out their city cousins and have plenty left. And if these same farmers would make use of a little time and taste and thought, their homes might be just as attractive as any. A boy likes a pleasant home where he can invite his friends to spend the evening in games or conversation. Then would it not be a good way to make him contented during these long winter evenings to furnish him plenty of good papers and books? Some good agricultural papers will give him ideas and pointers that will be of value to him. Then there are so many good books and magazines. It is a grand thing for the boys and girls that our schools are paying so much attention to nature study. It will open the eyes of our young folks to see what wonderful things are going on around us every day. Even a little knowledge of botany and geology would open the boys' eyes to see many things he did not see before. A reading circle such as is maintained in at least one country neigh- borhood in Greene county, would provide some social life and be a help- ful influence for both boys and girls. Some neighborhoods hold suc- cessful farmers' clubs. In some neighborhoods a course of lectures migh. be successfully carried out. All these things will help elevate the tone of the social life. Our newly introduced system of rural free delivery is a wonderful help to the farmer, also the good roads which this system demands. When the trolly car comes, as it surely will in time, it will bring the farmer in still closer touch with the town. While the horses rest he can speed along to the town to an entertainment or to spend the evening with a neighbor. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VITI. 581 MUSIC IN THE HOME. Mr.'i. L. B. Kinsey, before G-reetie County Farmers' Institute. When the all-wise Creator formed this earth and set it in motion, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy, the earth was filled with music. Thus it has been ever since. If we fail to hear it, it is because of our dull ears and minds absorbed with other things. Ruskin says, "All one's life is music if one touches the notes rightly and in time." Alas! I am afraid some of us are but making discords, with voice and hearts out of tune. Surely no one can deny the matchless music of nature. The rustling leaves, the sighing wind, the laughing water and the deep tones of the mighty ocean. If God has so bountifully supplied us with harmony in nature, should we not try to have harmony in our lives and music in our homes? A home without music is incomplete. Music is the natural language of the human race, understood and appreciated by all. Music reaches the hearts and sways the masses as no other art. Music is ennobling, elevating and inspiring. Ask the minister how he could preach without the inspiration of the sacred hymns. Ask the teacher what is the effect of music in the schools. Then how much more we need music in the home, for cheer and com- fort, for leading our thoughts from care and trouble to those things that will influence us for good and awaken within us the highest quali- ties of our nature. I sincerely believe the time will come when a knowledge of music will be as essential as reading and writing. When it will be as much of a disgrace to say, "I can not play or sing," as it is now to say, "I can not read and write." It is the ambition of the average parent of today that the daughter in the family should study music, and the boy can get along very well without any such culture. I think if there is anything ennobling in a musical education, let the boy have it. Surely he needs it as much as the girl, and I wager that he will do better work on the farm, in the shop, in the school, yea, even in the church, for knowing something of this di- vine art. I wish I might persuade you to look upon music as something more than an accomplishment. Music is an education in itself. Then let lis have more and better music in the home and it will be better in our churches and schools. It is the greatest folly to suppose that our school teachers, who are doing for us such a grand work, should also teach music as a study. U is but the beginning of a movement for a thorough teaching in the home. Keep the music in the schools by all means, but the teaching to but a supplement to that taught in the home. 582 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. I wish I might persuade every farmer in the house to get his boys to work at a musical education. Don't tell them they may study music, but they must. Then allow them the time to study and practice. They will not all make musicians, but the time and money thus employed will be amply repaid you. If you have no piano or organ in your home, then let me urge you to get one. Or, if you can not afford either, get something else, a violiu, cornet, 'cello, or one of the many instruments suitable for the home and in the years to come you will see less demand for saloon and other demoral- izing amusements. Every town and community should have a good band, orchestra and choral society. If we as parents do our duty in encouraging our children along these lines, there will be less need for such questions as these: "How to keep the boy in Sunday school?" or "How to keep the boy on the farm?" I feel that I can not close this paper without an earnest plea for the sacred music in our homes as well as in the church. If you say you have ho talent for music, don't consider that it is a little thing to be able to play and sing those sacred songs that have been a help to humanity for ages past and will be for ages to come. What more beautiful sight than to see a mother gathering her little children around her and singing with them, "Rock of Ages" or "My Faith Looks Up to Thee." Who can tell how many times the memory of the sacred songs learned in the home have in a moment of peril kept our children from evil. So, if there is but one thing you can do. sing the songs of Zion in your home, and keep your soul in harmony with God. And now I will close by quoting from an unknown author, but I think you will heartily agree with the quotation: "Music is at home a friend, abroad an introduction, in solitude a solace, and society an orna- ment. Music is Gk)d's best gift to man. The only art of heaven given to earth, and the only art of earth we can take to heaven."" SHARE OF THE! FAR.MER"S WIFE. Mrs. T. K. Black, before Greene Coiinty Farmers' Institute. When your worthy secretary requested me to write a paper for the institute and sent me the subject, I read it. repeated it. and pondered. Could he mean a share of the husband's broad acres, or a share of the work to be done on a farm. Well, as I love both, the share of the acres and a share of the work, and also know we can not expect a share of the former unless we, as farmers' wives, are willing to perform the duties allotted to every good helpmate, I concluded he meant both. I can hear some of the men sav- ing, "Now for a sermon on women's rights."" Not so. I believe in women's rights in one way and in another I do not. I would not care to vote if the laws were such as to grant me the liberty to do so. I believe FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 583 11 girl should marry right, then one vote counts as well as two. What is the use of a girl marrying a tippler, then turn around and want to vole to do away with liquor. She made her choice, let her abide by it. I heard a good mother, when counseling with her daughters, make this assertion: "Remember, girls, as you sow, so shall you reap." One of the wittiest and most careless ones spoke up and said, "Yes. ma. as ye sew, so shall ye rip. and as I grow older I think the latter maxim is most true to life. I am straying away from my subject, but as this paper applies to farmers' daughters as well as to their wives, I thought it well to drop a little wholesome advice which may hel pthem in the future. I believe in a share of the property dollar for dollar. Why not? Can any man give good reson why it should not be so? A farmer's wife per- forms the labor he can not hire; she loves to do it. Why do farmc".^ leave the farm? They can hire the farming done, but who can he hire to wash and cook for his men? A woman can easily, with the modern . household appliances, perform the labor required on a good sized farm. Say, for example, the good man of the house hires two or three men, more or less, as he needs them, and "'all pull on the same rope," as the saying goes. A man grows well-to-do. and I'll add here, what is there to hinder with these good republican prices? Now here is where my women'o rights would come in. If she lives and he lives she has the name of hav- ing one dollar to his two. but let her die first, and what has she to will to her children? Nothing. She can call them around her and give them her blessing, and there it ends. All is her huisband's. I say "less name and more game." Now you have all the share I would have, namely, the power to claim one half and the right to will it to her children. I hope there are some ladies here, because I know the men will not want to listen. Now as to the share of work for the farmer's wife. I do not think the work on a farm is done by shares. Sometimes a man needs his wife s help and she should help him if possible, for she, too. may need a favor, and then the men are ready and glad to help. When a man marries and commences farming, and I'll say here no man can farm and make a success of it without a wife, he expects her to share his adversity as well as prosperity, and to do this and be a true wife to him. he should not keep his business affairs from her. When ho has a payment to make she will be just as anxious as he to save and plan for it. How many times would women do entirely different had they known just how things were? There is no life more independent than the life of a farmer's wii'o. She can plan for herself and family with her own money made from poul- try and cows. S'ome will say a farmer's wife is a drudge. Not so. What IS more healthful and life-giving than to rise early, attend to your du- ties, have your work done before noon and have a horse and buggy ai your disposal in the afternoon? Very few are the farmer's wives who do not have a horse and buggy to go when or where she wants. A farmer's wife whose husband rents has more money, and more privileges than the wife of a salaried man 584 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. who works at fifty dollars a month. She can, if she is well and indus- trious, make more money with her cows and poultry than the salaried man can save in a whole year. Some will say, '"I do not like to see wo- men milk cows; no place for them." I don't think it is their calliiig either, but one should remember it was the "sharing of one another's burdens" when you were married. A farmer himself can milk three cows, let the hired men do the same (they will stay just as long) and if you have sons of your own let them learn. They marry sooner or later and who will milk then if they do not. I think every boy and man; and I'll say girl and woman, is better off in the end to have employment at home. Better your children at home choring than loafing about the streets and discussing every evil of the ^ay. Who but a farmer's wife knows where her girls and boys are when bed-time comes You can not keep your children in a few square feet of ground, and in consequence they will get out and as they grow older they are more daring and bolder, until a woman in the town scarcely knows where her family is when night comes. What a worry, what a fret, if she be a true parent. The farmer's wife can send her children out to play without any worry about their company. "Work has less victims than worry" and "love lightens labor." We have to either worry in town about the where- abouts of our family or be perfectly indifferent to their welfare. The latter I don't think a true good woman can feel. If our children are a failure in life what are we working for? I would say in conclusion, had I my choice (and surely I had once) I would choose the happy, free, life of the farmer's wife. The wise man has truly said, "'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." SUNSHINE AND SHADOW ON THE FARM. Mrs. H. S. Greene, hefore Greene County Farmers' Institute. Pondering as to the meaning of my subject and its application I turned to Webster and found the definition of sunshine to be "light of the sun" or "the place where it falls," the embodiment of light and warmth. Shadow "the absence of that light," to obscure from. In ap- plying this to human life while we need the shine from that fiery orb swinging in space and without which we and this earth as it is could not exist. I take it my subject means more — something that shines from the heart, its abiding place. Roll back the curtain of the past and let us read the record on the scroll of the centuries. Light — sun — ''Son of Righteousness" here we have it. We see the star of hope shining over the birthplace of the Holy Child who, so the message said, would bring joy. peace and good will among men. By the brightness we can trace the boy Jesus to manhood when with all the splendor of that holy lignt a voice from the heavens spoke and formally acknowledged Him as the light of the world. Easily can we trace him now by the throngs of people that are re- joicing because they have found the Great Healer whose busy life filled FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 585 with intensity of that divine purpose, tried by temptation passed through the Gethsemane to the ocean on glowing Calvary's heights. Then that which means so much to us — the resurrection morn. Here was a life all of love given for others. We can trace the influence of this life and teachings through tho mighty march of the years that have passed since then down to our time. It has grown brighter and brighter until its light has almost man- tled the earth and we see God working through human instrumentalities not only m thought but deeds. Among the throngs of men gathered in groups, as it were, drawn by their mutual interests on the great business thoroughfare of life — ours to- night to treat only of the tillers of the soil — the very first occupation we have record of. If it seemeth to you that I find too much sunshine bear in mind the passing Christmastide when all hearts should be joyful and full of sunshine, again, because ours is the privilege to live in Iowa in this auspicious twentieth century. Not long since I heard one say, ''Oh! yours is such a busy humdrum life'" — busy it is, I acknowledge, the most of the time. We think this business a blessing, for it gives earnestness of purpose toward the useful. But not "humdrum" for in no other line of work is there so much chance for variety and wide-awakeness as on the farm. The rounded day of toil, in summer's heat or winter's cold is that which gives to the farmer such keen enjoyment of rest. 'Tis theirs the satisfaction of seeing as each day passes by some piece of work accom- plished, some plan put in operation, as hand in hand with nature drinking in the sunshine and pure air, reading from her open book he learns the secret of her economy, of nothing wasted. We, with our agricultural col- lege at Ames, whose fame has swept across the states, with its experi- mental farm for teaching our farmers the chemistry of the soil, success- ful feeding and breeding of stock, supplemented by our many agricul- tural papers, farming and stock raising need not be a mere matter of guess-work and failure is hardly possible. A shortage in the crops brings up the prices, and thus evens up things. There should be many sources of revenue on the farm. If there be a partial failure of crops it is only removing our goal — a home to be paid for or a certain amount of prop- erty gained a little farther away, that we may longer enjoy the anticipa- tion. Even at this time are we not comfortably supplied, even though we may have to draw the reins of economy a little tighter. 'Tis meant for us to take a lesson from nature right here where she with rested and renewed soil, the next season brings forth a double yield. Should there be suffering from a lack of food or clothing on the farm? No, with forethought and a little labor there ought to be an abundance of the necessities; and what more do we want? It is the sim- ple, frugal mode of livng together with a real purpose in life that pays in sound bodies and rested nerves. There is a healthy atmosphere around the "early to bed and early to rise" of a farmer's life that gives energy to a farmer's body and clear thoughts to the brain — to many, the independence of farm life holds a fascination. But about the heart of farm life there is comfort, happiness 586 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. and rest. At the eventide hour when the hushed note of the bird is heard and all nature prepares for rest where goes the weary farmer? That divinely sweet thing called love hath entered his heart and from there hath flown until it found a resting place in another heart and they — two young men and maid— builded for themselves a home, a haven from the cares and strivings of the world. It is to be a center of happi- ness, of sunshine, no matter how humble its environments. There, man wearied with the labors of the day, comes for rest. Within such a home one becomes fortified against disappointments and troubles in their many forms and they are like the passing clouds that make the light seem all the brighter. The home is the anchor that steadies the dear ones on life's tempestuous sea. The housewife's part, as Mrs. Black is prepared to show you, is no fcinecure. Hers is the hand that turns the search light of love upon the gobblins of selfishness and strife that creep within the home, and to arouse and direct the latent powers of the child life. Mayhap some trifling vexations have left their trace upon her face and nerves but wit ha wo- man's will they are to be hidden behind a smile and a good meal when the men folks come in. Just here let the writer speak from experience, that nowhere will culinary skill be more appreciated and greater inroads made upon the supply on hand than on the farm. For. is not the best of everything to be found right here? Then, when the day's work is done and the family gather around the fireside or evening's lamp, with new books, papers and magazines, of which there should be asi an abundant supply as the means permit, and at the reasonable prices nowadays almost every one can have some; and with our much appreciated rural delivery to bring the mail to our very doors — who would live elsewhere than on the farm. Added to this, the good education which tomorrow's speaker will em- phasize, opening up our mental vision and enlarging the capacity for en- joyment, time need never hang heavy upon one's hands. Nto Tong since I heard one of our most practical farmers say that in his opinion the farm was the ideal place to bring up romping, have-a-good-time-as-you- go-along boys and girls, for there is a chance for the active brains and bodies of youth to find healthful exercise. Another thing I must not forget to mention is the telephone, which Scranton and vicinity at the present time is greatly enjoying. It is such an excellent place to learn news items and keep in touch with your neighbors and markets that it is really a labor and time saving inven- tion, requiring only a few moments to do a matter of business that with- out it would take as many hours. How we women enjoy it, for bits of social chat and greetings that are quite necessary to a healthy woman's existence. Now, Mr. Chairman and members of the program committee, the only real shadows I can, see are those that are made by sickness and death, and they come to the high, the lowly, the rich and the poor, in the busi- ness hous€ or on the farm. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 58' HOW TO MAKE HOME PLEASANT AND ATTRACTIVE. Mrs. C. 0. Ford, before Green County Farmers' Institute. A single bitter word may disquiet an entire family for a whole day. One surly glance casts a gloom over the household, while a smile, like a gleam of sunshine, may light up the darkest and weariest hours. Like unexpected flowers which spring up along our path, full of freshness, fragrance and beauty, do kind words, gentle acts and sweet disposi- tions, make glad the home where peace and blessing dwell. No matter how humble the abode, if it be garnished with grace and sweetened with kindness and smiles, the heart will turn lovingly toward it from all the tumult of the world, and it will be the dearest spot be- neath the circuit of the sun. The influences of home perpetuate themselves. The gentle grace of the mother lives in the daughter long after her head is pillowed in the dust of death; and the fatherly kindness feels its echo in the nobility and courtesy of sons, who come to wear his mantle and to fill his place. While on the other hand from an unhappy, misgoverned and dis- ordered home go forth persons who shall make other homes miserable and perpetuate the sourness and sadness, the contentions and strife which made their own early lives so wretched and distorted. To sum this all up in a few words, make your homes pleasant and attractive by kind words, gentle acts, sweet dispositions and cleanliness. Towards this kind of a home children gather "as clouds, and as doves to their windows," while from the home, which is the abode of discon- tent, strife and trouble, they fly forth as vultures to rend their prey. To make a home pleasant and attractive it must first have a govern- ment, but love must be the dictator. All the members should unite to make home happy. We should have light in our homes. Heaven's own pure transparent light. It matters not whether home is clothed in blue and purple, if it is only brimful of love, smiles and gladness, and in order to have our homes such we must have our Sabbaths and family altars. Around these observances cling many of the sweetest and most sacred memories of our lives. Our boards should be spread with everything geod ana enjoyable. We should have birds, flowers, pets and everything suggestive of sociability. Flowers are as indispensable to the perfec- tion of a home as to the perfection of a plant. But do not give them all the sunniest windows and pleasantest corners, crowding out the children. Then, again, in our homes we must have industry and sympathy. In choosing amusements for the children the latter element must be brought in. To fully understand, the little ones you must sympathize wth them. Wlhen a child asks questions don't meet it with. "Oh. don't bother me." Tell it all it wants to know. Never let your angry passions rise, no matter how hired you may be. Always answer the little ones with kind and gentle wovds. For full and intelligent happiness in the home circle, a library of the best works is necessary. Do not introduce the milk and water fiction of the present day, but books of character. 588 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. In speaking of home amusements we all know in late years a great change has come to the home life of the country, in the form of a great many games of skill and chance whicn are being played n our homes today, which were not known, or if known were forbidden by parents years ago. We know that chess of late years has captured for itself a high regard in popular regard. It speaks well for a people when an intellectual game can become popular. It takes brains to play chess even moderately well, and none but thoughtful and clever people would ever like it. Checkers have fought their way into high life and whereas they once found their friends in the village tavern and in the farmer's kitchen they are now admitted into the parlors of the wealthy and re- fined. The games played with historical cards are also numerous, and many of them pleasantly exciting, and you find them in almost every household. Now, all this is very pleasant and hopeful. It reveals to the thinker the fact that home life is more vivacious and happy than it used to be; that the long, dull evenings are being enlivened with stimulating amuse- ments, and that the home circle now has attractions which at one time it sadly lacked. Xhese games are helping to make the homes of the country happier; helping to make the children more contented with their homes, and in doing this they are helping to make the country- more intelligent and more virtuous. By wise parents games are looked upon as Godsends. They help solve the problem of home amusements and recreation; and this, as all parents know, is one of the greatest problems they have tb solve. Parents, make your homes as happy as you possibly can for your children and their mates. Fill them wit hfun and frolic, and the cheer- fulness of spirited social life. Play the games with your children and share their joys with them. A great many homes are like the frame of a harp that stands with- out strings. In form and outline they suggest music, but no melody rises from the empty spaces, and thus it happens that home is unat- tractive, dreary and dull. Let us hope that the pleasant games which try the wit and patience of the children and of the older ones as well, may become the fashion of the times until every home in the land shall be perfectly furnished with these accessories of profit and pleasure. For the children's sake let the reformation go on until every child shall have in his father's house, be it humble or costly, such appliances for his entertainment that he shall find joy and amusement under his father's roof and in his father's presence. '"Home, home, sweet, sweet home. Be it ever so hum- ble, there is no place like home." Speaking of home amusements, the best is the good old habit of conversation. Talking over the events of the day, in bright and quick play of wit and fancy, the story which brings the laugh, and speaking of the good and kind and true things which all have in their hearts. It is not so much by dwelling upon what members of the family have in common, as bringing each to the other something interesting and amus- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. £89 ing. that home hfe is to be made cheerful and joyous. Each one must do his or her part to make conversation genial and happy. We are too ready to converse with our newspapers and books, to seek some com- panion at the store, hotel, saloon, clubroom or bowling alley, etc.. and to forget that home is anything more than a place to eat and sleep In. The revival of conversation, the entertainment of one another, as a roomful of i>eople will entertain themselves, is one secret of a happy home. Remember this conversation should not simply occupy husband and wife and other older members of the family but extend itself to the children. Parents should be careful to talk with them, to enter Into their life, to share their trifles, to assist in their studies, to meet them in the thoughts and feelings of their childhood. It is a great step in education when around the evening lamp are gathered the different members of the family, the older assisting the younger, each one con- tributing to the entertainment of the other, and all feeling that the evening has passed only too rapidly away. The time spent thus by par- ents in the higher entertainment of their children bears a harvest of eternal blessings, and the long evenings furnish just the time. Another thing to make home happy is to cultivate singing in your family. Begin by teaching the songs you sang in your childhood. Mix them all together to meet the varying moods as in after life they come over us mysteriously at times. Many a time, in the very whirl of busi- ness, amid the splendor of the drive in the park or in the sunshine and gayety of the avenue, some little thing wakes up the memory of early 3^outh. At other times, amid the rushing, mishaps of btisiness, a merry ditty of the olden times breaks in upon the ugly train of thought, and throws the mind in another channel; light breaks from behind the cloud in the sky and new courage is given us. The honest man goes gladly to his work, and when the day's work is done, his tools are laid aside and he is on his way home, where wife and children, the tidy table, and cheery fireside await him. How can he but have music in his heart to break forth so often into the merry whistle or lively song? Mothers and wives do all you can to make your homes pleasant and attractive, by keeping them neat and clean; by having amusements for the evening; by having flowers, birds and all things that will add to the amusement of the father and children, and last but not least, make glad the home by kind words, gentle acts and sweet dispositions. Fathers and husbands do your part by spending your evenings at home wita your families, help to entertain them, in place of loafing up town or going to the neighbor's to enjoy yourself while wife and chil- dren are home. Or worse still, spending your evenings till midnight or later, at some place of amusement where you have to pay five, ten, fifteen or twenty cents, or perhaps more for a single game, while your little ones are in need of food and clothing. You will spend this money for a little amusement and then walk into the store and buy your tobacco and groceries on time, and if one of the little ones ask for something they are really in need of you will put them off by saying, "O, you will have to wait a while, I haven't the money now.' Why don't you be 590 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. honest and tell them you want to save what little you have in your pocket for your own amusement? Now, fathers, is that the way to make home pleasant and attractive? No. Are you setting a good example for your sons? No. Well, then why will you do so? Now, parents, do you think your chidlren are yours to have and to hold for your own pleasure and profit? That you have a right to do what you will with them? If so, you are mistaken, they are but lent to you. Every child is but a sacred trust, a responsibility, than which there is none more mighty or sacred in life. Train up this child for me. I will require him at thy hands, says our Maker to every parent who receives a child. Judging by the declaration of inspiration. "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." If we do our duty and bring up our children in a Christian home, and teach them the way of life eternal, our homes will always be full of pleasure and happiness, and we will be permitted to reach a higher des- tiny than that of earth. There is a realm where the rainbow never fades, where the stars will be spread out before us like the islands that slumber in the ocean and where the beautiful beings that here pass before us like visions will stay in our presence forever. WOMEN AS HOME-MAKERS. Mrs. Mattie Stiitzman, before Sioux Comity Farmers' Institute. Your program committee greatly overestimated my ability when they put me on this program for a paper and failed to notify me of it until it was much too late for me to prepare anything of my own. If I were a preacher or a lawyer it would have been easy enough in the time I had, but I am neither, being only a home-maker, the best I could do was to put together in' this paper the thoughts of others. First of all I will give my ideas of a home. At a meeting of the Woman's Club in a city not long ago, the sub- jects discussed were "the three things most essential to a home." An elderly unmarried woman said, that she considered a husband was the most essential of them' all. So important did she consider this that she failed to mention the other two essentials. The rest of the women (all married) didn't pay much attention to her, thinking no doubt that the terms husband and home could not well be separated. A man's defini- tion of home is, a wife, child, dog, book, pipe, gun and an ingienook. The homes we are thinking of today are not up five flights of stairs in an apartment house in which no children are allowed but homes in Iowa, Sioux county, if you please. Those in which there is a husband, a wife and children; the pipe, dog and gun not being a necessity from my point of view. It makes little, if any, difference whether the home is on a farm five or ten miles from town, or in a village or city, the responsibility is FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 591 the same. The need of constant watchfulness and improvement in all directions is as great in one place as the other. The town home-maker has the advantage of the reading circle, and the country home-maker has the advantage in the cheapness of good literature, and the rural mail route. She is a wise woman who knows how to choose what will be conducive to her own mental growth, and not endanger the comfort of her home. Perhaps some of you are thinking that reading circles and literature have nothing at all t'o do with home-making, but before I am through you will see that it has a great deal to do with it. A home, to be truly a home, need not be an elegant one with many servants, or filled with costly furniture. It should reflect the personality of those who inhabit it. It should be so permeated with their personality, that all who enter should feel it at once. We all know of homes in which a serene and cheerful spirit pervades the very atmosphere, and everything speaks of the ready hand, the artistic eye, and the thoughtful brain that has had the planning and arranging of it all. There is the gracious welcome, the true hospitality, the spirit of refinement and cultivation that have a lasting influence on all that come within its reach. When the young wife steps across the threshold of her home she enter?; upon an experience through which she is to prove either her weak- ness or her womanly power, to win victory or suffer defeat. Human beings, male and female, can not exercise the full power of their minds in the exclusive contemplation of their own affairs. So in order that the home-maker may not be dwarfed and narrowed by con- tinually contemplating her home affairs, and that she may bring into her home a new brightness and cheer, a deeper sympathy and a broader un- derstanding of the world and its conditions; that world in which her children after a few short years at home and under her immediate care, must go out into the world alone as men and women, she must know^ of other things than cooking and washing, and cleaning. If she does not know the good things, the bad, the wholesome, and the unwh'olesome things the children must meet when away from home, how can she teach them what to avoid and what to seek, or in what direction to use their influence to do the most good. The time will never come when right-minded women will be drawn from their homes by wealth, power or politics. Queen Victoria, in her exalted and powerful position, w^as a model home-maker, a true wife, and a devoted mother. Mrs. Cyrus W. Field, v/ife of the great financier, supervised everything in her own home from the cleaning to the mar- keting, as do the women of the Vanderbilt, Gould and many other fami- lies. The nations which lead the world have the freest women. The wo- men of England and America have not lost their htomes, and nowhere is the home better loved, or family life cleaner and higher. In proportion to the freedom of the women is the nation's growth. It is claimed that higher education has the effect of diminishing the number of marriages, by raising the standard of v/omen. and through the fact that their outlook on life is enlarged. If fewer girls regarded 592 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. marriage as the one object of life, and find that making; and receiving love is not the whole business of life before the age of twenty is reached, it surely is a gain in one directi'on. But if, through educative process, the intellect asserts its superiority to the heart qualities, and pure emo- tion s frowned down, all that the most finisned education has given can not make up for the loss. The girl who never dreams of having a home of her own and some one at the head of it whom she can delight to honor and love, is lacking in her feminine make up. To some the home woman seems as one who might have fitted cer- tain narrow conditions of the past, or certain prosaic ones of the present, but never the needs of progress. But the fact is, the needs of a home and the qualifications of a home-maker stand first in importance, for the toome is the indispensable base and background of human life. We come out of it to do our human work, to act togteher for the service of society. We go back to it for that rest and comfort that is so essential to our health and happiness. Human life needs large social contact and expression, but it cannot keep it up continually; it must go back for rest and refreshment to its base — the home. So few women realize the possibilities for exercising the most thoughtful energies in learning to be a home-maker. Opportunities for developing scientific, intellectual and executive endowments to their full- est scope is as present here as anywhere. Her home can and should be the expression of her taste, and must prove the fact of her economy in time, strength and money. She must not feel herself superior to the most careful planning, n'or reject the most trifling maens toward accom- plishing success in her home management. She should be proud of her ability to make a ''nickle" go as far as possible — but ought not b« obliged to make one nickle do the work of two — and so oil the machinery of ser- vice that it seems to run itself. When the head of home affairs can ar- rive at this point of experience she has reason to be proud of her man- agement. It is possible for one who at the start did not possess the faculty or running things smoothly to become through training sure and swift of action that she can stand serene and happy, a very queen either in her kitchen or her parlor. The wife and mother who thus conquers does not reach the position without much discipline, many drawbacks and frequent discouragements. But if she keeps always that great and blessed end in view that, of holding the love and respect of husband, friends and chil- dren, and of making her home the best place on earth for them, she will win in the end; and the struggle to gain this end does not necessarily mean the sacrifice of any worthy ambition. It rests with the woman herself whether she shall stagnate or rust out intellectually and spiritu- ally, or whether she shall extend the four walls of her home year by year into statelier mansions for soul and mind. The home is the source not only of physical life but of all life. There the intellect is born as well as the body, and there its first training is received. In how many homes are the conditions that meet the tinv growing intellect favorable to its development? The stupidity and dull- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 593 ness of many girls and boys is directly due to their early home life. had the conditions there been such as is possible to secure by training and development by the father and mother, the dull mind would have been bright, the slow brain active and the stupid scholar intelligent. The mother — the home-maker — is the chief element in the home life. I do not ignore the father, as much can be said of his influence in the home for good or evil, but the mother is nearest the child. Hers is the dom- inating influence during the most plastic period of the child's life. Chil- dren take with them to whatever place they may be called in their ma- jority the results of the influence (conscious or unconscious) of their mother. When we stop to think, we find that the home talk is one of the most potent influences in the world. It is powerful because it is the audible expression of the principles by which father and mother are guided. The father who swears, the mother who uses slang (not one of you men would tolerate a swearing wife) and whose voice is always pitched to the scolding key, will not occupy quite the same place in their children's hearts, will not be on quite so high a pedestal, as if their words were always pure and gentle. The parents should give much thought to this home talk. When they are truly wise and good they will. If one could control the language of every home in the land, they would be the world's master. All forms of expression, all human manifestation in every department of human activity, owe their character, tone and their texture to the homes from which they came. So the most thor- ough education, the most brilliant gifts, the most fascinating personality, are not too much to bring to a home, and the investment of wealth of heart and mind will insure rich returns to the sacred spot where love and service go hand in hand. The home woman may be the happiest, the proudest and wisest woman in the world if she flrst tries to understand the nature and importance of her position, and will bring her faculties and powers to the grand purpose of making all that is possible of the one sacred spot from which influences radiate, that will multiply widely and forever. WOMAN AS A MONEY SAVER. Mrs. H. H. McKee, 'before the 8i. For keeping any other animals, ten cents a d.iv from the time the same is taken up ; (>. For posting notices and selling male animals, the s.une fees as are allowed constables for like services upon execution ; 7. For taking up as an estray one head of stock, fifty cents, and twenty-five cents for each additional head at one time : s. For taking up any other kind of estray animals, fifteen cents each ; 9. To the justice of the peace, for all services in each case of taking up estrays, fifty cents ; 10. To the county auditor, for all services in each case of estrays, includ- ing posting and publishing notice, hut not including the fee of the printer, fifty cents : n. To the township trustees, for posting notices, twenty-five cents, and services not otherwise provided for, the same fees as are allowed in assessing dam- ages done by trespassing animals, with five cent mileage each way. (631) 632 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 12. To the township clerk, ten cents per each hundred words entered of record, the same fees for a copy thereof, and in addition tv/»^nty-five cents for bis certificate thereto, and fifty cents for filing and approving an appeal bond. MALE AJNIMALS lUJNA'ING AT LARGE. Sec. 2312. The owner of any stallion, jack, bull, boar or buck shall restrain the same, and any person may take possession of any such animal running at large in the county in which such person resides, or in which he occupies or uses real estate, and give notice thereof to any constable in the county where taken, who shall sell the animal so taken at public auction to the higest bidder for cash, having given ten days' notice of the time and place of sale, describing the property, by posting the same in three public places in the township wherein such animal was found at large. Out of the proceeds of sale he shall pay all costs and any damage done by said animal, to be investigated and determined by him, and pay the re- mainder into the county treasury for the use of the county. If legal proof be made to the county auditor by the owner of said animal of his right thereto at any time within twelve months from the sale, he shall order the proper amount to be paid to tile owner out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. If the owner, or any person for him, shall, on or before the day of sale, pay the costs thus far made, and all dasnages, to be determined by the constable if the parties cannot agree, and make satisfactory proof of his ownership, the constable shall release the animal to him. DISTRAINT DAMAGE FEASANT— RECOVERY. Sec. 2olo. Any animal trespassing upon land fenced as provided by law may be distrained by the owner of such land, and held for all damages done thereon by it, unless it escaped from adjoining land in consequence of the neglect of such land owner to maintain his part of a lawful partition fence. The owner of the land from which such animal escaped shall also be liable for such damages if it escaped therefrom in consequence of his neglect to maintain his part of a lawful partition fence, or if the trespassing animal was not lawfully upon his land, and he had knowledge thereof. If there be no lawful partition fence, and the line thereof has not been assigned either by the fence viewers or by agreement of the parties, any animal trespassing across such partition line shall not be restrained, nor shall there be any liability therefor. WHAT ANIMALS NOT PERMITTED TO RUN AT LARGE. Sec. 2314. Swine, sheep and goats at all times, and during the time and as required by a police regulation adopted according to law, stock shall be re- strained from running at large. Animals thus prohibited from running at large, when trespassing on land, or a road adjoining thereto, may be distrained by the owner of such land, and held for damages done by them, and for the costs provided in this chapter ; but stock shall not be considered as running at large so long as it is upon unimproved lands and under the immediate care and efficient con- trol of the owner, or upon the public roads for travel or driving thereon under like care and control. But where a partition fence is required by law to be erected or maintained, stock escaping across such partition line shall be dealt with as provided in the preceding section. RECOVERY OF DAMAGES. Sec. 2315. Instead of distraining trespassing stock or animals, the in- jured person may recover all damages caused thereby in an action against the owner thereof, and may join therein the owner of the land from which it es- caped, if he is liable therefor. If distrained stock or animals escape or are re- leased without the consent of the distraining party, he may recover his damages a'^ above provided, with costs, and the costs of destraint made prior to such escape or rt-lease. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 633 AFl'OKTlOJNMEiNT OF DAMAGES. Sec. 2o]0*. If tlierei is more than one owner of distrained stock or iinimals, each may pay liis ratable sliare of the damages and costs, and release his animals. It the injured party elects to sue therefor, he may join in one action all or any of such owners who have not paid their proportion of the damages and costs. ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES — SALE. Sec. 2317. Within twenty-four hours after au animal has been distrained, Sunday not included, the person distraining or his agent, shall notify the owner of the animal thereof, and, if he fails to satisfy the damages and costs, such person shall within twenty-four hours after such notice to the owner, verbally or in writing, request the township trustees to appear upon the premises to view and assess the damages. When two or more trustees have met, one of them having previously informed the owner of the animal of the time and place of meeting, they shall assess the damages and costs. If the owner of the dis- trained animal refuses or neglects for two days thereafter the pay the amount thus assessed, one of said trustees shall put up in three conspicuous places in the town-ship notices, describing the property, and naming a time and place of sale, which place shall be where the property is distrained, and time not less than five nor more than ten days thereafter, that said property will be sold between the hours of one and three o'clock in the afternoon. At the time and place of sale, one of the said trustees shall offer for sale and sell the property at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, but no sale shall be made after having realized a suf- ficient sum with which to pay the damages and costs, any remaining animals un- sold to be at once returned to the owner, and also the surplus remaining, if any, out of any sold. If lor any reason a trustee can not sit, the remaining trustees may appoint any disinterested citizen having tlie qualifications of a juror to act in his place. ASSESSMENT MADE— APPEAL. Sec. 2318. The trustees shall make their assessment in writing, and file the same with the township clerk, which shall be recorded by him. Any person aggrieved by the action of the trustees may appeal to the district court of the county. The appeal bond, conditioned to pay all costs and damages, shall be filed with and the sureties approved by the township clerk, in a penalty doiible the value of the property distrained, or, if the value of the property exceeds the amount of damages claimed, then double the amount of the damages and costs. Notice of such appeal shall be given within five days, and In the same manner as in appeals from a judgment of a justice of tne peace. The appellant, shall file an appeal bond within three days, Sunday not included, from the filing of the find- ing of the trustees, and, when an appeal is thus taken by the claimant, the dis- trained stock or animals shall be held for the satisfaction of such judgment as may be rendered on appeal, but the owner of said stock or animals may release the same at any time, before judgment, by filing with the township clerk before the appeal is certified, or with the clerk of the district court thereafter, a bond with suflScient sureties to be approved by the clerk with whom filed, conditioned to pay all damages and costs recovered in said cause on appeal. The clerk re- •ceiving such bond shall file the same, and forthwith certify the fact to the per- son having charge of the distrained stock or animals, who shall thereupon re- lease the same to the owner. Where the owner appeals and files a bond, as here- in provided, it ."-hall ope7atea=i » pupercfdea,'", and the distrained, stock or animals shall be released to him. Within five days after the taking of the appeal, the township clerk shall make out a certified transcript of the record of the finding of the trustees, and file the same, together with the notice of appeal, if in •writing, and the bond with the clerk of the district court. 634 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ESCAPE OK RELEASE— KECAPTURE. Sec. 2319. If any distrained animal escape oi- is unlawfully released, the injured person may recapture the same and proceedings under tliis cliapter sliaU continue until the assessment of damages is made, wliich shall be conclusive, unless appealed from. IS'otice of the sale of such animal shall be given by the trustees as toon as possession thereof is regained by the distrainer, and the prop- erty sold accordingly, unless he regains such possession before the day of sale originally fixed, in which event the property shall be sold under the first notice. PUMSUMENT FOR UNLA\YFUL RELEASE. Sec. 2320. If any one, without leave of the person having any animal under distraint, release the same, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. E SIR A VS. Sec. 2321. Any animal of an unknown owner running at large or tres passing within a lawful enclosure is an estray. and may be taken up by any householder in the county, except an unbroken animal between the first day ol May and the first day of November, where such unbroken animal is not re- quired to be restrained by a police regulation. TAKING IP. Sec. 2322. If any animal, liable to be taken up as an estray, comes upon any householder's premises, any person may notify him of the fact. and. if he fail to take up such estray for more than five days thereafter, any other householder in the same township may take it up and proceed with it as if taken upon his own premise?, if he shall produce proof to a justice r.f the peace of the service of such notice. All persons taking up stray animals shall state under oath before salfl justice where the same were taken up. NOTICES I'OSTEI). Sec. 2323. Any person taking up an estray shall within five days there- after post up a written notice in three of the most public places in the town- ship, w^hich notice shall contain a full description of said animal, and a state- ment as to where the same was taken up. Cnlesss such estray shall have been previously claimd by the owner, the person taking it up shall within ten days go before a justice of the peace in the township in which the estray was taken np, or, in case there is no justice in the township, then before the next nearest justice in the county, and make oath to the correctness of said notice, together with a statement attached thereto as to whether the marks or brands of said animal have been altered to his knowledge, eitlier before or after the same was taken iip, which notice shall be recorded by the justice in his esti-ay book and within five days forwarded by him to the county auditor, wlio shall enter the same in the estray book in his office, and shall cause a copy of said notice to be posted at the court house door. PUBLICATION. Sec. 2324. If the estray is stock, the auditor shall cause the notice to be published once each week for three weeks in some newspaper in the county. FEES AND ENPENSES. Sec. 232.5. The person taking up an estray shall pay the fee of the justice for administering the oath, recording the notice in his estray book, and forward- ing the notice to the auditor, and shall also pay the justice, to be transmitted to the auditor, the fee of the auditor for entering the notice in his estray book. and for posting a copy of the notice, and also, if the estray is stock, the sum of FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 635 one dollar aiul lifty cents to cover the expense of publishing the notice, which amount so paid in advance tor fee and expenses, together with the compensation allowed by law, shall be refunded to the person taking up such estray by the owner of it, in case restitution is made to him. If two or more estrays are taken up at the same time by the same person, they shall be included in one notice and but one fee shall be paid therefor, and if only a part of the stock thus included is restored to the owner, a proportionate amount of such fees and ex- penses shall be refunded. I'iiOI'EKTY VP:STS WHEN. Sec. 23l.'6. If the estray be stock, and be not claimed by the owner within one year, or, being any other domestic animal, be not claimed by the owner within six months from the time it is taken up, the property therein shall vest in the taker- up, if he ha^; complied with the provisions of this chapter. HECOVEKY BY OWNEK. Sec. 2o27. At any time before the property in the estray vests in the person who has taken it up. the owner shall be entitled to recover possession of it on paying to the person who has taken it up the compensation to which he is entitled by law. and the fees and expenses which he has paid out in advance, to- gether with any leward which has been offered by the owner, and a reasonale allowance for the expenses of keeping such estray, taking into account the use which such person taking up has had of it. which allowance shall be made by the justice of the peace before whom a proceeding to recover the animal shall be brought in the event the owner and the taker-up can not agree with reference thereto. VALUE KECOVEKED. Sec. 2328. At any time within six months after the property in an estray has vested in the taker-up, the owner shall be entitled on demand to be paid by the said taker-up the value of the estray, not including any increased value which has accrued since it was taken up, after deducting therefrom the compensation, reward, fees and expenses referred to in the preceding section : or the taker-up may. at his option, elect to surrender the estray. if still in his possession, in which case the owner must pay such compensation, reward, fees and expenses. USE OK Al'l^ROPRIATION. Sec. 2329. Any person legally taking up an estray may use or work it. if he does so with care or modei-ation, and does not abuse or injure it. But if any pei-son unlawfully take up any estray. or take up an estray and fail to com- ply with any of the provisions of this chapter, or use or work it in any manner con- trary to this chapter, or work it before having it appraised, or keep it out of the county for more than live days at any one time before he acquires a title to it, he shall forfeit to the county twenty dollars, to be sued for by any person in the county : and the owner of the estray may also recover of such offender double the amount of the injury sustained, with costs. Estrays adapted thereto may be bred and milked by the taker-up. l^'LXDEK NOT LIAIILE. Sec. 2030. If any estray. legally taken up. escape from the finder or die- without any fault on his part, he shall not be liable for the loss. PENALTY A(L\INST FINI3EK. Sec. 2331. If any person shall sell, trade or take out of the State any estray befor<- the l^snl title shall have vested in him. he shall forfeit to the owner 636 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. double its value, and shall also be guilty of a misdemeauor. But the auditor may authorize the taker-up to transfer the estray to another, who shall take the place of his predecessor. TEN ALT Y AGAINST Ol'FICEK. Sec. 2oo2. If any printer, auditor or justice of the peace fail to per- form the duties enjoined upon him ir^ this chapter in relation to estrays, he shall frofeit to the county not less than live nor more than fifty dollars, to be sued for by any pers^on in the county. i^ojnd to release. Sec. 2ooo. Befoi-e any property held under this chapter vests in the tak er-up it may be released at once upon the owner giving to the holder a bond to be approved by the justice of the peace before whom the proceedings concerning the property have been had, conditioned to pay to the holder of the property, within twenty days after such approval, all costs and damages to which he is entitled on account of his action and loss in the matter. MAKKS AiND BRANDS. Sec. 2334. The board of supervisors of each county shall procure, at the expense of the county, a book for each civil township, to be in the custody of the township clerk, in which to record the marks and brands of horses, sheep, hogs and other animals. RECORD. Sec. 23^5. Any person wishing to mark or brand his domestic animals with any distinguishing mark may adopt his own mark, and have a description thereof recorded by the clerk of the township in which the owner lives, for which such clerk shall receive a fee of twenty-five cents. MARK PREVIOUSLY RECORDED. Sec. 2386. No person shall adopt a mark or brand previously recorded to an- other person residing in the same township, nor shall the clerk record the same one to two persons, unless on their joint application. ABANDONED ANIMALS. Sec. 2337. Any person may take charge of any animal whose owner has abandoned it, or fails to properly take care and provide for it, and may furnish the same with proper shelter, nourishment and care at the owner's expense, and shall have a lien on such animal for the same, which, at the expiration of three months shall become a perfect title to the property. FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES. Sec. 2338. In case any animal impounded or otherwise confined shall be without necessary food or water for more than twelve successive hours, it shall be lawful for any person, as often as necessary, to enter the pound, inclosure or building, and supply it with necessary food and water so long as it shall remain so confined, and the reasonable cost of the same may be collected by him of the owner ol the animal. BOUNTIES. Sec. 2348. A bounty of five dollars shall be allowed on the skin of an adult wolf, two dollars on that of a cub wolf, and one dollar on that of a lynx or a wild cat, to be paid out of the treasury of the county in which the animal Avas taken, upon the certified statement of the facts, together with such other FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 637 evidence as the board of supervisors may demand showing the claimant to be entitled thereto. The person claiming the bountj- shall produce such statement, together with the whole skin of the animal, to the auditor of the county wherein such wolf, lynx or wild cat was taken and killed, and he shall destroy or de- face the same so as to prevent their use to obtain for the second time the bounty herein provided. Any person who shall demand a bounty on any of the above mentioned animals killed or taken in another State or county, or on a domesticated animal, shall be lined not more than one hundred nor less than fifty dollars. I-)OGS IvILLED. Sec. 23iO. It shall be lawful for any person to kill any do? caught in the act of worrying, maiming or killing any sheep or lamb, or other domestic animal, or any dog attacking or attempting to bite any person, and the owner shall be liable to the party injured for all damages done by his dog. except when the party is doing an unlawful act. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any damage done by a dog affected with hydrophobia. PEDIGREES. KEGISTRATION OF PEDIGREES. Sec. 2341. Any owner or keeper of a stallion or bull for public service who represents him to be pure bred, thoroughbred, or standard bred, of any breed of horses or cattle that has a stud or herd book for the registration of pedigrees, shall place a oopy of a certificate of regi-»tration on the door or the stall or stable where such animal is usually kept, giving the registration number, name of breeder, name of animal, and the volume and page of the stud or herd book, in which such animal is recorded, and, when requested to do so, shall give to any patron a copy of such certificate. Any violation of the provisions of this section shall be a misdemeanor. PUBLISHING FALSE PEDIGREES. Sec. 2342. Any person who shall post or publish or cause to be posted or published, or shall cause to be recorded in any public record kept as a record of pedigrees, any false pedigree of any horse, cattle, sheep or swine shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars and costs, and be imprisoned in the county jail till said fine is paid, but not ex- ceeding three months. STATE VETERINARY. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS FOR PREVENTION OF DISEASE AMONG" HORSES, CATTLE, SHEEP, ETC. APPOINTMENT— QUALIFICATION. Sec. 2529. The State veterinary surgeon shall be appointed by the gov- ernor, subject to removal by him for cause, who shall hold office for three years. He shall be a graduate of some regularly established veterinary college, skilled in that science, and shall be by virtue of his office a member of the State board: of health. 638 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. FOWEKS— IiEGL•LAT10^S. Sec. 25o0. He shall have supervision of all contagious and infectious diseases among domestic animals in, or being driven or transported through, the State, and is empowered to estabJish quarantine against animals thus diseased, or have been exposed to others thus diseased, whether within or without the State and. with the concurrence of the State board of health, may make such rules and regulations as he may regard necessary for the prevention and suppression, .and against the spread, of said disease or diseases, which rules aud regulations the executive council concurring, shall be published and enforced, and in the per- formance of his duties he may call for the assistance of any peace officer. DUTIES — DEJ^UTIES. Sec. 2o'S'S. Whenever a majority of any board of supervisors or township trustees, or any city or town council, whether in session or not. shall in writing notify the governor of the prevalence of, or probable danger from, any of said diseases, he shall notify the veterinary surgeon, who shall at once repair to the place designated in said notice and take such action as the exigencies may demand, and the governor may, in case of emergency, appoint a substitute or assistant? with like qualifications and with equal powers and compensation. DESTKUCTIOM OF STOCK— CO^U'ENSATION—AFFEAL. Sec. 2.").*U. Whenever in the opinion of the State veterinary surgeon the public safety demands the destruction of any stock, the same may be destroyed upon the written order of such surgeon, with the consent of the owner, or upon approval of the governor, and by virtue of such order such surgeon, his deputy or assistant, or any peace officer, may destroy such diseased stock, and the owner thereof shall be entitled to receive its actual value in its condition when con- demned, to be ascertained and fixed by the State veterinary surgeon and the near est justice of the peace, who, if unable to agree, shall call upon the nearest or other justice of the peace upon whom they agree as umpire, and their judgment shall be final when the value of the stock, if not diseased, would not exceed twenty-five dollars : but in all other cases either party shall have the right of appeal to the district court, but such appeal shall npt delay the destruction of the diseased animals. The veterinary surgeon shall at once file with the gov- ernor his written report thereof, who shall, if found correct, endorse his finding thereon, whereupon the auditor of State shall issue his warrant therefor upon the treasurer of State, who shall pay the same out of any moneys at his disposal under the provisions of this act. but r.o compensation shall be allowed for stock destroyed while in transit through or across the State, and the word "stock" as herein used, shall be held to mean cattle, horses, mules and asses. DISEASED ANIMALS K1L.LED. Sec. 2.S8J). The sheriff, constable, police officers, officer of any society for the prevention of cruelty tc animals, or any magistrate shall destroy any horse or othei' animal disabled and unfit for further use. SHEEl' FNSFECTOR. Sec. 1:343. The board of supervisors of any county, when notified in writ- ing by five or more sheep owners of such county that sheep diseased with scab. or any other malignant, contagioiis disease, exist in such county, shall, at any regular or special meeting, appoint a suitable person as county sheep inspector, who shall take the oath of office, whose duties shall be as hereinafter prescribed, and whose term of office shall be for two years and until his successor is ap- pointed and qualified. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 639 TREATMENT OF DISEASED SIlEEl'. Sec. 2344. It shall be the duty of the sheep inspector, upon the com phiint of three or more sheep owners that any sheep within his jurisdiction have the scab or any other nmlignant. contagious disease, to immediately inspect and report in writing the result of his inspection to the county auditor, to be filed by him for reference by the board of supervisors or any party concerned And if he deem it necessary, in order to prevent the spread of the disease to the sheep of the other owners, he shall command the owner or agent to dip or other- wise treat such diseased sheep, and sliall inspect such diseased sheep every month thereafter until such disease shall be eradicated. EXPENSES. Sec. 2345. It shall be the duty of the sheep inspector to dip or otherwise treat duch diseased sheep, should the owner or agent refuse to do so, and all costs, expenses and charges, togetlier with a per diem of three dollars per day, .shall be charged against the owner of such sheep, and shall be lien thereon, and may be recovered in an action. COMl'EiNSATlON OF INSFECTOK. Sec. 2340. Such compensation fof the inspector shall be three dollars per •day. and shall be paid by the owner of the sheep, or his agent, if the disease is found to exist. In case no disease is found to exist, the complainants shall pay •such fee. INSPECTION OF SHEEP FKOM OUTSIDE THE STATE. Sec. 2347. Upon the arrival of any flock of sheep within the State from a ■distance of more than twenty miles outside the boundaries of the State, the -owner or agent shall notify the inspector of the county in which such sheep are being held, and he shall inspect the flock at the expense of the owner or agent : ^nd if the sheep are found sound shall furnish the owner or agent a cei'tificate which shall be a passpoi't to any part of the State : but sheep in transport on board of railroad cars, or passing through the State on such cars, shall not come within the provisions of this section. Any violation of, or failure to comply with the provisions of this and the four preceding sections by the owner of any sheep shall subject him to a forfeiture of not to exceed one hundred dollars, which shall be a lien on such sheep, and shall be recovered in an action by the county attorney in the name and for the use of the county. BRINGING DISEASED SHEEP INTO THE STATE. Sec. 5012. If the owner of sheep, or any person having the same in charge, knowingly import or drive into the State sheep having any contagious dis- ease ; or knowingly turn out or suffer any sheep having any contagious disease to run at large upon any common, road or uninclosed lands : or sell or dispo.sp of any •sheep, knowing the same to be so diseased, he shall be fined in any sum not less than fiftv nor more than one hundred dollars. ERADICATION OF HOG CHOLDRA. REGULATIONS ACCEPTED. Sec. 2350. The governor is hereby authorized to accept, on behalf of the State, any rules and regulations prepared by the secretary of agriculture of the United States for the eradication of hog cholera or swine plague, in one or more •counties of this State, and he. together with the State veterinary surgeon, may co- with the government of the United States for the objects of this act. 640 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. FlilDEKAl. l.NSl'KCTOltS. Sec. 2351. The inspectors of the bureau of animal industry of the United States department of agriculture shall have the right of inspection, quarantine and condemnation of animals affected with hog cholera or swine plague, or sus- pected to be so affected, or that have been exposed to this disease, and for these purposes are hereby authorized and empowered to enter upon any ground or premises. It is hereby made the duty of sheriffs, constables and peace officers to ;issist MK-h inspectors when so requested ; and said inspectors shall have the same powers and protection as peace officers while engaged in the discharge of their dnries. DISEASED ANIMALS DESTROYED^OMPENSATION. Sec. 23.">2. Whenever any swine in the district specified in the regulations are fovmd to be affected with or to have been exposed to hog cholera or swine plague, said swine may be condemned and destroyed ; and the owners of all swine destroj'ed under the provisions of this act shall be entitled to receive a reasonable compensation therefor, but not more than the actual value in the condition when, condemned. In case of failure on the part of the inspector and the owner to agree as to the amount of compensation, the swine shall be appraised by a board of citizens of this State, one of whom may be appointed by the inspector, one by the owner of the swine, and the two thus appointed shall select a third, and these together shall proceed to appraise the amount to be paid to the owner for the animals destroyed. Such appraisal shall be made under oath, and shall be final when the value of the animals does not exceed one hundred dollars, but in all other cases either party shall have the right of appeal to the district court, but such appeal shall not delay the destruction of the diseased or exposed animals. EXPENSES. Sec. 2358. All expenses of quarantine, condemnation and destruction of swine under the provisions of this act. and the expenses of any and all measures that may be used to eradicate hog cholera, shall be paid by the United States, and in no case shall this state be liable fur any damages or expenses of any kind under- the provisions of this act. PENALTY. Sec. 23o4. Any person violating any order of quarantine made under this act. or any regulations prescribed by the secretary of agriculture and accepted by the governor of this State for the eradication of hog cholera, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars. SWINE DYING FROM DISEASE. Sec. 5015. The owner or person having charge of any swine any of which' die or are killed on account of any disease, shall upon such fact coming to his^ knowledge, immediately burn the same. REPEAL — NOT TO BE DEALT IN. Sec. 5016. — a. No person shall buy, sell, deal in or give away, or offer to buy, sell or deal in any swine that have died of any disease, or that have been killed on acount of any disease. ^ NOR CONVEYED ALONG HIGHWAY. Sec. 5017. No person shall convey upon or along any public highway or other public ground, or any private land except that owned or leased by him, any diseased swine, or swine that died or have been killed on account of any disease. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 641 Upon the trial for the violations of the provisions of this section, the proof that any person has hauled or is hauling dead swine from a neighborhood in whicb swine have been dying, or are at the time dying, from any disease, shall be pre- sumptive evidence of his guilt. ALLOWING DISEASED HOGS TO ESCAPE. See. 5018. It shall be unlawful for any person negligently or wilfully tc allow his hogs or those under his control, infested with any disease, to escape his control or run at large. PENALTY. Sec. .5019. Any person violating or failing to comply with any provisions of the four preceding sections shall be fined not less than five nor more than one hundred dollars, or be imprisoned In the county jail not to exceed thirty days,, or both. DISEASED HORSES, CATTLE, MULES, ETC. BRINGING IN DISEASED HORSES, MULES, ETC. Sec. 5013. If any person knowingly import or birng within the State any horse, mule or ass affected by the disease known as nasal gleet, glanders or button- farcey, or suffer the same to run at large upon any common, road or uninclosed land, or use or tie the same in any public place, or off' his own premises, or sell, trade or offer for sale or trade any such animal, knowing the same to be so dis- eased, he shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars, or be imprisoned not to exceed one year in the county jail, or both. ALLOWING DISEASED HORSES, MULES, ETC., TO RUN AT LARGE. Sec. 5014. If any horse, mule, or ass reasonably supposed to be diseased with nasal gleet, glanders or button-farcey be found running at large without any known owner, it shall be lawful for the finder thereof to take such animal, so found, before some justice of the peace, who shall forthwith cause the same to be examined by some veterinary surgeon, or other person skilled in such diseases, and if, on examination, it is ascertained to be so diseased, it shall be lawful for such justice of the peace to order such diseased animal to be immediately destroyed and burled ; and the necessary expense accruing under the provisions of this section shall be defrayed out of the county treasury. BRINGING DISEASED CATTLE INTO STATE. Sec. 5020. Any person driving any cattle into state, or any agent, servant or employe of any railroad or other coporation who shall carry, transport or shipr any cattle into this state, or any railroad company or other corporation or persow who shall carry, ship or deliver any cattle into this state, or the owner, controller, lessee or agent or employe of any stock yard, receiving Into such stock yard, or in any other enclosure for the detention of cattle In transit or shipment or reshipment or sale any cattle brought or shipped in any manner into this state, which at the time they were either driven, brought, shipped or transported into this state, were in such condition as to infect with or to communicate to other cattle pleuro-pneti- monia, or splenitic or Texas fever, shall be fined not less than three hundred and Bot more than one thousand dollars, or be imprisoned in the county jail not exceed- ing six months, or both. 41 642 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. AC'L'ION FOR DAMAGES. Sec. 5021. Any person who shall be injured or damaged by any acts pra hibited in the preceding section, in addition to the remedy therein provided, may recover the actual damages sustained by him from the person, agent, employe or corporation therein mentioned and neither said criminal proceeding nor said civil action shall be a bar to a conviction or to a recovery in the other. CRUELTY AND MALICIOUS MISCHIEF TO ANIMALS, INJUKIES TO BEASTS. Sec. 4818. If any person maliciously kill, maim or disfigure any horse cattle or any other domestic beast of another, or maliciously administer poison to any such animal, or expose any poisonous substances with intent that the same should be taken by such animal, he shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not ex- ceeding five years, or imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding one year, or be fined not exceeding three hundred dollars. DKiVlNG AWAY STOCK. Sec. 4819. If any person knowingly or willfully drive off, or suffer or per- mit to be driven off, any stock of another to a distance exceeding one mile from the residence of the owner, or of his agent having charge of such stock, or the range In which such stock is usualy in the habit of running, without the consent of such owner or agent, he shall be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars, or be imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding thirty days ; and any justice of the peace in any county through which the stock thus driven off should pass, or in which it may be found, shall have jurisdiction of the offense. UISTUKBING STOCK. Sec. 4820. Any person who knowingly discharges firearms of any description within, or in the immediate vicinity of, any inclosure where cattle, hogs or sheep are being fed for the purpose of fattening the same ; on any person who enters such Inclosure with firearms or dog, unless such person shall be the owner of said stock. or have the control of the same, or shall have permission from such owner or the person having control thereof to enter said premises, shall be guilty of a misde- meanor. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. Sec. 4969. If any person torture, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance, mutilate, overdrive, cruelly beat or cruelly kill any animal, or unnecessarily fail to provide the same with proper food, drink, shelter or protection from the weather, or drive or work the same when unfit for labor, or cruelly abandon the same, or carry or cause the same to be cruelly carried on any vehicle, or otherwise, he shall be imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding thirty days, or be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars. IMPOUNDING ANIMALS WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER. Sec. 4972. If any person impound or confine, or cause to be impounded or confined, in any pound or other place, any creature, and fail to supply the same during such confinement with a sufficient quantity of food and water, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 643 PURE FOOD LAWS RELATING TO DAIRY PRODUCTS. IMITATION BUTTER OK CHEESE. Sec. 2516. Every ai-ticle, substitute or compound, save that produced from pure milk or cream from milk of cows, made in the semblance of or designed to be used for and in the place of butter, is imitation butter ; and every article, sub- stitute or compound, save that produced from pure milk or cream from milk of cows, made in the semblance of or designed to be used for and in the place of cheese, is imitation cheese. iNo one shall manufacture, have in his possession, offer to sell or sell, solicit or take orders for delivery, ship, consign or forward by any common carrier, public or private, and no common carrier shall knowingly receive or transport, any such imitation butter or cheese, except in the manner and subject to the regulations in this chapter provided. SUBSTITUTE FOR BUTTER OU CHEESE— REGULATIONS AS TO SALES AND USE— TRANSPORTATION. Sec. 2517. A substitute for butter and cheese, not having a yellow color nor colored in imitation of butter and cheese as prohibited in the next section, may be manufactured, kept in possession, offered for sale, sold, shipped, consigned or forwarded by common carriers, public or private, if each tub, firkin, box or other package in which the same is kept, offered for sale, sold, shipped, consigned or forwarded shall have branded, stamped or marked on the side or top thereof in the English language, in a durable manner, the words, "Substitute for butter" or '•Substitute for cheese," as the case may be, the letters of the words to be not less than one inch in length by one half inch in width. The defacing, erasure, canceling or removal of this brand or mark, with intent to mislead, deceive, or violate any provision of this chapter, is prohibited. Such substitute for butter or cheese may be kept, used or served as a food or for cooking in hotels, restaurants, lunch counters, boarding houses or other places of public entertainment, only in case the proprietor or person in charge of such place shall display and keep con- stantly posted a card opposite each table or other place where the guests or others are served with the same, which card shall be white, at least ten by fourteen inches in size, the words, "Substitute for butter used here," or "Substitute for cheese used here," as the case may be, printed in black Roman letters of the same size as herein required to be placed upon the tubs, firkins, boxes or other package which substi'tute for butter or cheese is kept, and no other words or figures shall be printed thereon. No substitute for butter or cheese shall be offered for sale in the manufacturer's original package under the name of or for true butter or cheese made from the milk or cream of cows, nor shall any substitute for butter or cheese be offered for sale or sold unless the purchaser at the time was informed thereof, and, in addition, furnished with a printed statement in the English language in prominent type that the substance sold is such substitute, and giving the name and place of business of the maker. Nothing nerein contained, however, shall be so construed so as to prohibit the transportation of imitation butter or cheese through and across the state. COLORING— ADULTERATION. Sec. 2."»18. No one shall color with any matter whatever any substance in- tended as a substitute lor butter or cheese, so as to cause it to resemble true dairy products, or combine any animal fat, vegetable oil or other substance with butter or cheese, or combine with any substance whatever, intended as a substitute for butter or cheese, anything of any kind or nature for the purpose or with the effect of imparting to the compound the color of yellow butter or cheese, the product of the milk or cream from cows, or use, solicit orders for delivery, keep for sale or sell any such substance so colored and disguised as a substitute for butter or cheese ; but 644 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the use of salt, rennet, or harmless coloring matter in making butter or cheese from such milk or cream. PACKAGE BRANDED. Sec. 2519. No one shall have in his possession or under his control, except for the actual consumption of himself or family, any substance designed as a sub- stitute for butter or cheese, unless the tub, firkin, box or package holding the same is branded or marked as in this chapter required. Any person having in his pos- session or under his control such substance, not so branded or marked, shall be presumed to know its true character "and name. CONTRACTS INVALID. Sec. 2520. No action shall be maintained in any of the courts of the state upon any contract or sale made m violation of or with the intent to violate any provision of this chapter by one who was knowingly a party thereto. SEARCH WARRANTS— SAMPLES. Sec. 2521. Whoever shall have in possession or control any imitation but- ter or cheese, or any substance designed to be used as a substitute for butter or cheese contrary to the provisions of this chapter, shall be held to have possession of property with intent to use it as a means of committing a public offense, and all the provisions of the chapter relating to search warrants and proceedings thereon shall apply, except the officer serving the warrant, in addition to his duties as therein required, shall deliver to the dairy commissioner, or to a person by him authorized in writing to receive the same, a perfect sample of each article seized by virtue of such warrant, for the purpose of having the same analyzed, and forth- with return to the person from whom it was taken the remainder of each article seized. If any sample is found to be imitation butter or cheese, or substance de- signed to be used as a substitute for butter or cheese, it shall be returned to and retained by the magistrate for the purposes contemplated in said chapter on "search warrants and proceedings thereon," but if any sample be found not imita- tion butter or cheese, or a substance designed to be used as a substitute therefor. the value of the same shall be paid by the dairy commissioner as part of the ex- penses of his oflBce, to the person from whom it was taken. MILK DEALERS— MANUFACTURERS AND PACKERS— REPORTS— PENALTY. Sec. 2522. Every city milk dealer, or every person furnishing milk or cream to such dealer, or the employe of such milk dealer, and every person or corporation, or the employe of such person or corporation, who operates a creamery, cheese or condensed milk factory, or reworks or packs butter, shall maintain his premises and utensils in a clean and hygenie condition, and shall make, upon blanks fur- nished by the dairy commissioner, such reports and statistics as may be required for the purpose of compiling statistics authorized by this chapter, and such dealer, owner, operator or business manager shall make such returns and reports within thirty days after receiving the proper blank form from the dairy commissioner and shall certify to the correctness thereof. Whoever shall violate any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than thirty days. MILK TEST. Sec. 2528. Any person or corporation, or the employe of such person or corporation, who operates a creamery or cheese or condensed milk factory, and uses a chemical milk test to determine the quantity of butter fat in milk purchased used or received, shall so use only such tests as shall be clear oil, free from any foreign substance, and produce correct measurements of butter fat, and every such person or corporation using a milk test shall procure from the dairy com- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 645 missiouer for each factory so operated, one standard tube or bottle, or one stand- ard measure or pipette, for testing miili, certified and marked by him as in this chapter provided, which shall be kept for inspection by the patrons and used by such person or corporation in testing or verifying test tubes or bottles and milk measures or pipettes used. In any action arising between any such operator and patron, the burden of establishing the use of reliable tests and the results there- from, equivalent to the standard herein provided, shall be upon the operator. SAMPLES COLLECTED. Sec. 2524. The commissioner may appoint agents in any city having over ten thousand inhabitants to collect from each dealer, not more than four times each month, samples of milk offered for sale therein. The agent shall make an ac- curate test of each sample received by him, and keep a true record thereof, with the name and location of the person from whom it was obtained, and report his work in detail to the commissioner, tlie compensation therefor not to exceed three dollars for each day actually employed therein. PERMITS. Sec. 2.j2.j. Any person or corporation who shall sell milk or cream from a wagon, depot or store, or sell or deliver milk or cream to a hotel or restaurant or boarding house, or any public place in any such city, shall be considered a city milk dealer. No such city milk dealer shall sell milk or cream from a wagon, depot or store in any such city without a written permit from the commissioner for each wagon, depot or store operated by him, for which he shall pay annually one dollar. All permits shall expire on the fourth day of July of each year, and no permit shall be issued for less than one dollar. INSPECTION. Sec. 2.'326. He or his r:gent may open any can or vessel containing milk or cream offered for sale in such city, and inspect its conteats and take samples therefrom for testing or analysis. And any city milk dealer, or employe of such milk dealer, or any other person who shall resist or interfere with the commis- sioner or his agent in the performance of his duties in executing any of the re- quirements of this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished as pro- vided in this chapter. PENALTIES. Sec. 2.j27. Whoever shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be punished by a tine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court. SALE OF IMPURE OR SKIMMED MILK— SKIMMED MILK— CHEESE LABELING Sec. 498P. If any person shall sell, exchange, or expose for sale or exchange, or deliver or bring to another, for domestic or potable use. or to be converted into any product of human food, any unclean, impure, unhealthy, adulterated, unwhole- some or skimmed milk, or milk from which has been held back what is commonly known as strippings. or milk taken from an animal having disease, sickness, ulcers, abscess or running sore, or which has been taken from an animal within fifteen days before or five days after parturition ; or if any person, having cows for the purpose of producing milk or cream for sale, shall stable them in an unhealthy place or crowded manner, or shall knowingly feed tiiem food which produces im- pure, unwholesome milk, or shall feed them distilled glucose or brewery waste in any state of fermentation, or upon any substance in a state of putrefaction or rotten- ness or of any unhealthy nature, or shall sell or offer for sale cream which has been taken from milk the sale of which has been prohibited, or who shall sell or 646 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. offer for sale, as cream, an article wbich sliall contain less than the amount of but- ter fat as prescribed in this chapter ; or if any person shall sell or offer for sale any cheese manufactured from skimmed milk, or from milk that is partly skimmed without the same being branded, stamped or marked on the side or top of both cheese and package, in a durable manner, in the English language, the words "skimmed-milk cheese," the letters of the words to be not less than one inch in height and one half inch in width, he shall be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars, and be liable for double damages to the person or persons upon whom such fraud shall be committed : but the provisions of this sec- tion shall not apply to skimmed milk when sold as such and in the manner and subject to the regulations prescribed in this chapter. WHAT DEEMED ADULTERATED OR IMITKE MILK. Sec. 4990. For the purpose of this chapter, the addition of water or any other substance or thing to whole milk or skimmed milk or partially skimmed milk, Is hereby declared an adulteration, and milk which is obtained from animals fed upon waste as defined in this chapter, or upon any substance of any unhealthy nature, is hereby declared to be impure and unwholesome, and milk which is proved by any reliable method of test or analysis to contain less than twelve and one half per cent, of milk solids to the hundred pounds of milk, or than three pounds of but- ter fat to one hundred pounds of milk, shall be regarded as skimmed or partially skimmed milk, and every article not containing fifteen per cent, or more of butter fat shall not be regarded as cream. ENFORCEMENT. Sec. 499L . It is hereby made the duty of the dairy commissioner to enforce the provisions of the two preceding sections. ADULTERATING FOOD OR LIQUOR. Sec. 4982. If any person adulterate for the purpose of sale any substance intended for food, or any wine, spiritous, malt or other liquor intended for drink- ing, he shall be imprisoned in the county jail not more than one year, or be fined not exceeding three hundred dollars, and the article so adulterated destroyed. OTHER ADULTERATION. Sec. 4984. No person shall mix, color, stain, or powder, or order or permit any other person to mix, color, stain or pow.der, any article of food or confections with any ingredient or material so as to render the article injurious to health, with the intent that the same may be sold, and no person shall sell or offer for sale any such articles. WITH INTENT TO SELL. Sec. 4985. No person shall, except for the purpose of compounding in the necessary preparation of medicine, mix. color, stain or powder, or permit any other person to mix, color, stain or powder any drug or medicine with any ingredients or materials, so as to affect injuriously the quality or potency of such drug or medicine, with the intent to sell the same, or shall offer for sale any such drug or medicine. LABELING. Sec. 4986. No person shall mix. color, stain or powder any article of food. drink or medicine, or any article which enters into the composition of food, drink or medicine, with any other ingredient or material, whether injurious to health or not, for the purpose of gain or profit, or sell or offer for sale the same, or order or permit any other person to sell or otter for sale any article so mixed, colored, stained or powdered, unless the same be so manufactured, used or sold or offered for sale, under its true and appropriate name, and notice that the same is mixed FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 64T or impure is nmrked, printed or stamped upon each pacl\nge, roll, parcel or vessel containing the same, so as to be and remain at all times readily visible, or unless the person purchasing the same is fully informed by the seller of the true names of the ingredients (if other than such as are known by the common name thereof) of such articles at the time of making the sale thereof or offering to sell the same ; but nothing in this section shall prevent the use of harmless coloring ma- terial used in coloring butter and cheese. GLUCOSE— SKIMMED MILK— CHEESE— OLEOMARGARINE. Sec. 4987. No person shall mix any glucose or grape sugar with syrup or sugar intended for human food, or shall mix or mingle any glucose or grape sugar with any article, without distinctly marking, stamping or labeling the article or the package containing the same with the true and appropriate name of such article, and the percentage in which glucose or grape sugar enters into its composition. Nor shall any person sell or offer for sale, or permit to be sold or offered for sale, any such food, into tlie composition of which glucose or grape sugar has entered, without at the same time informing the buyer of the fact, and the proportion in which glucose or grape sugar has entered into the composition. PENALTY. Sec. 4988. Any person violating any provision of the four preceding sec- tions shall, for the first offense, be fined not less than ten nor more tkan fifty dol- lars ; for the second offense, not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than thirty days ; for the third of any subsequent offense, not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, and imprisonment in the peitentiary not less than one nor more than five years. FRAUD IN LARD FROM DISEASED HOGS. Sec. 4992. All persons or associations that engage in the business of sell Ing lard rendered from swine which have died of disease shall, before selling or offering to sell any such lard, plainly stamp, print or write upon the cask, barrel or other vessel containing it the w^ords, "Lard from hogs which have died of disease;" or, if sold without such cask, barrel or other receptacles, the purchaser shall be informed that the lard is from hogs which have died of disease. For a violation of the provisions of this section he shall be fined not less than five nor exceeding one hunded dollars, or imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding thirty days. COMPOUND LARD— LABELINCJ. Sec. 4998. No manufacturer or other person shall sell, deliver, prepax'e, put up, expose or offer for sale any lard, or any article intended for use as lard, which contains any ingredient but the pure fat of healthy swine in any tierce, bucket, pail, package or other vessel or wrapper, or under any label' bearing the words -'pure," "refined," ••family," or either of said words alone or in combination with other words of like import, unless every tierce, bucket, pail, package, or vessel, wrapper or label in or under which said article is sold, delivered, prepared, put up, exposed or offered for sale bears on the top or outer side thereof, in letters not less than one half inch in length, and plainly exposed to view, the words. "Com- pound lard," and the name and proportion in pound and fractional parts thereof of each ingredient contained therein. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined, for the first offense not less than twenty nor more than fifty dollars, and for each subsequent offense not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars. CANNED FOOD— LABEL. Sec. 4994. It shall be unlawful for any packer of or dealer in hermetically- sealed, canned or preserved fruits, vegetables or other articles of food, not includ- 648 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Ing canned or condensed milk or cream, to knowingly offer such canned or pre- served articles for sale for consumption in tliis state, unless the cans or jars which contain the same shall bear the name, address and place of business of the person, firm or corporation that canned or packed the articles so offered, or the name of the wholesale dealer of the state who sells or otters the same for sale, together, in all cases, with the name of the state, city, town or village, where the same were packed plainly printed thereon, preceded by the words "packed at." Such name, address and place of business shall be plainly printed on the label, together with a mark or term indicating clearly the grade or quality of the articles contained therein. SOAKED GOODS. Sec. 4995. All packers of and dealers in soaked goods, or goods put up from products dried or cured before canning, shall in addition to complying with the provisions of tlie preceding section, cause to be plainly branded on the face of the label in legible type, one half of an inch in height and three-eighths of an inch in width, the word "Soaked." PENALTY. Sec. 4096. Any packer or dealer who shall violate any of the provisions of the two preceding sections shall be lined not more than fifty dollars for each offense in th^ case of retail dealers, and in case of wholesale dealers or packers, not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars for each offense. WHO DEEMED "PACKER' OR "DEALER." Sec. 4997. The terms "packer" and "dealer," as used in the three preced- ing sections, shall include any firm or corporation doing business as a dealer in or packer of the articles mentioned therein. INFORMATION BY BOARD OF HEALTH. Sec. 4998. It shall be the duty of any board of health, cognizant of any violation of the provisions of the four preceding sections, to inform the county at- torney, whose duty it shall be to institute proceedings against any person who is charged with a violation of such provisions, and in case of conviction he shall receive twenty-five per cent of the fines actually collected in addition to any salary otherwise provided for. LAWS FOR THE PROTECTION OF FRUITS, TREES AND PLANTS. SHADE TREES— TIMBER— DRAINAGE. Sec. 1556. The road supervisor shall not cut down or injure any tree grow- ing by the wayside which does not obstruct the road, or which stands in front of any town lot, inclosure or cultivated field, or any ground reserved for any public use. and shall not enter upon any lands for the purpose of taking timber there- from without first receiving permission from the owner or owners of said lands, nor destroy or injure the ingress or egress to any property, or turn the natural drainage of the surface water to the injury of adjoining owners ; but it shall be the duty of the supervisor to use strict diligence in draining the surface water from the public road in its natural channel, and to this end he may enter upon the ad- joining lands for the purpose of removing obstructions from such natural channel that impede the flow of such water. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 649 STATE ENTOMOLOGIST— ASSISTANTS— FEES. See. 2575. The entomologist of the state experiment station is hereby con- stituted the State entomologist and charged with the execution of this act. He may appoint such qualified assistants as may be necessary, fix a reasonable compen- sation for their labor, and pay the same ; and their acts shall have the same valid- ity as his own. He shall, by himself, or his assistants, between the first day of June and the fifteenth day of September, in each year, when requested by the owner •or agent or where he has reasonable grounds to believe the scale exists, carefully •examine any nursery, fruit farm, or other place where trees or plants are grown for sale, and if found apparently free from the scale, he shall issue his certificate stating the facts, and shall collect therefor a fee of not less than five dollars, nor more than fifteen dollars, according to the amount inspected. It shall be unlawful to sell, or offer for transportation, any nursery stock outside the county where said nursery stock is grown unless accompanied by a copy of this certificate. QUARANTINE— TREATMENT— COLLECTION OF COST. Sec. 2575 — d. The State entomologist shall have authority, when requested by the owner or agent, or when he has reasonable grounds to believe the scale ex- ists, to enter upon any grounds, public or private, for the purpose of inspection, and, if he finds anj^ nursery, orchard, garden, or other place infested by the scale, he may. by himself or his assistants enter upon such premises and establish quaran- tine regulations. If in his judgment the scale may be eradicated by treatment, he may, in writing, order such treatment, and prescribe its kind and character. In ■case any trees, shrubs, or plants are found so infested that it would be impracti- -cable to treat them, he may order them burned. A failure for ten days after the ■delivery of such order to the owner or persons in charge to treat or destroy such infested trees or plants, as ordered, shall authorize the entomologist to perform this work by himself or his assistants, and to ascertain the cost thereof. He shall •certify the amount of such cost to the owner or person in charge of the premises, and if the same is not paid to him within sixty days thereafter he shall certify the amount to the county auditor, who shall spread the same upon the tax books, to be collected as other taxes are, and turned over to the entomologist to become a part of the fund for carrying this act into effect. INSPECTION OF NURSERY STOCK SHIPPED INTO STATE. Sec. 2575 — e. Where nursery stock is shipped into this state, accompanied by a certificate as herein provided, it shall be held prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated, but the state entomologist, by himself or his assistants, when they have reason to believe any such stock is infested with the scale, shall be authorized to inspect the same and subject it to like treatment as provided in sec- tion two of this act. CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION— PENALTIES. Sec. 2575— f. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to bring into the state any trees, plants, vines, cuttings, and buds, commonly known as nursery stock iinless accompanied by a certificate of inspection by a state ento- mologist of the State from which the shipment was made, showing that the stock has been inspected and found apparently free from the scale. Any person violating ■or neglecting to carry out the provisions of this act, or offering any hindrance to the carrying out of this act, shall be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor and upon ■conviction before a justice of the peace shall be fined not less than ten dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars, for each and every offense, together with all the costs of the prosecution, and shall stand committed until the same are paid. All amounts so recovered shall be paid over to the state entomologist, and added to the fund herein provided for carrying out the provisions of this act. 650 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. TO FKl IT OK OKNAME^^TAL TKEE. Sec. 4826. If any person maliciously or mischievously bruise, break, pull up, carry away, cut down, injure, destroy or sever from the land any fruit, orna- mental or other tree, vine or shrub standing or growing on the land of another for ornament or use, he shall upon conviction thereof be punished by imprisonment Id the county jail not more than one year, or by fine of not more than five hundredi dollars, or both. STEALING Oli KNOCKING OFF FKUIT IN DAYTIME. Sec. 4827. If any person maliciously or mischievously enter the inclosure of another with intent to knock off, pick, destroy or carry away, or, having law- fully entered, afterwards wrongfully knocks off, picks, destroys or carries away, any fruit or flower of any tree, shrub, bush or vine, he shall be fined for the first offense not less than five nor more than one hundred dollars, with the costs of conviction, or be imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding thirty days^ and for a second violation he shall be fined not less than ten dollars and costs o£ conviction, or be imprisoned as above provided. SAME IN NIGHT TIME. Sec. 48i;8. If any person maliciously or mischievously enter the inclosure- of another in the night time, and knock oft", pick, destroy or carry away any fruit or flower of any tree, shrub, bush or vine, or if, having so entered with the intent to knock off. pick, destroy or carry away any fruit or flower as aforesaid, he be- actually found therein, he shall be fined not less than twenty-five nor more thatt one hundred dollars and costs of conviction, or imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding thirty days. LAWS AGAINST SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS AND PLANTS. CANADA THISTLE— WRITTEN NOTICE. Sec. 1562, The road supervisor, when notified in writing that any Canada thistles or any other variety of thistles are growing upon any lands or lots withia his district, shall cause a written notice to be served on the owner, agent, or lessee- of such lands or lots, ir found within the county, notifying him to destroy said. thistles within ten days from the service of said notice, and in case the same are not destroyed within sucli time, or if such owner, agent, or lessee is not found within the county, then the road supervisor shall cause the same to be destroyed,, and make return in writing to the board of supervisors of his county, with a bill for his expenses or charges therefor, which in no case shall exceed two dollars per day for such services, which shall be audited and allowed by said board and paid from the county fund, and the amount so paid shall be entered up and levietf against the lands or lots on which said thistles have been destroyed, and collected by the county treasurer the same as other taxes, and returned to the county fund.. WEEDS— DUTY OF KOAD SUPERINTENDENT. Sec. 1562 — a. It shall be tlie duty of road supervisors to cause to be cut^ near the surface, all weeds on the public roads in their respective districts between the fifteenth day of July and the fifteenth day of August of each year. But noth- ing herein shall prevent the land owner from harvesting the grass grown upon the roads along his land in proper season. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 651 RUSSIAN THISTLE— NOTICE. Sec. 1568. No owner or occupant of any lands or lots, or corporation or association of persons owning, occupying or controlling land as riglit of way. de- pot grounds or other purposes, or pubMc officer in charge of any street or road, shall allow to grow lo maturity thereon the Russian thistle or salt wort (salsoli kali, variety tragus). It shall be the duty of every person or corporation so own- ing, occupying or controlling lands, lots or other real property, or any road super- visor or other public officer having charge of any street or road, to cut, burn or otherwise entirely destroy such thistle growing on said premises, right of way, road or street, before the same shall bloom or come to maturity ; and any person, cor- poration or public ollicer neglecting to destroy all such thistles as aforesaid, after receiving notice in writing of tlieir presence, shall be deemed guilty of a mis- demeanor and be punished accordingly. It shall be the duty of any person know- ing of the presence of Russian thistles upon any premises, lands, lots, streets, roads or elsewhere, at .any time after the first day of July, to give notice imme- diately to any member of the board of trustees of the township in which thistles are growing ; or, if within a city or town, then to give notice to the mayor, recorder, or clerk thereof, who shall immediately give notice in writing to the owner, occu- pant, or person or corporation in possession or conrtol thereof : and if not de- stroyed by such owner or occupant or person in possession in proper time to pre- vent maturity, cause their total destruction, the costs thereof, together with the costs of serving notice, to be paid out of the county fund upon the certificate of the township trustee or the council, as the case may be, to the board of supervis- ors ; which board shall cause the sum so paid to be levied as a special tax against the premises upon which the thistles are growing, and against the person or cor- poration owning or occupying the same : which amount shall be collected by the county treasurer as other taxes, and paid into the county fund. Where township trustees have received notice, as aforesaid, of the presence of such thistles upon lands owned by the United States or this State, it shall be their duty to cause their destruction, and the costs thereof, upon proper certificate of the amount, shall be paid out of the county fund. INFORMATION — KULLETIN. Sec. 1564. A bulletin shall be prepared by the professor of agriculture of the agricultural college, briefly describing by words and cuts the Russian thistle, with the best known means of staying progress and effecting its extermination, wliich shall be printed by the state printer at public expense, from time to time, in such numbers as the secretary of state and said professor of agriculture may di- rect to supply the demand. A sum of money sufficient to pay for the cost of printing and making suitable plates lor illustrating said bulletin is hereby appro- priated from any funds in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated. DIS'IRIKUTION. Sec. 1565. The secretary of state shall furnish to the state agricultural college such number of said bulletins as it may desire to circulate, and also to county auditors, on their requisition, such number as may be necessary to supply all townsliip and town or city officers with copies, and a sufficient number to distrib- ute to all farmers desiring the same. DISEASED HOI' ROOTS OR CUTTINGS. Sec. 5022. If any person use. transplant, cultivate or sell, or bring into state for the purpose of using, planting, cultivating or selling, .any hop roots plants or cuttings which may be diseased in any manner, or infected with lice or vermin of any kind, or which may be brought from any state or country in which the cultivation of hops has been retarded or impaired by the presence of any dis- ease, lice or vermin of a contagious character, he shall be fined not less than ten, nor more than one hundred dollars, and imprisoned not less than five nor more than twenty days. 652 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SEIZL'KE AND DESTRUCTION OF DISEASED PLANTS. Sec. .j023. If complaint is made before a justice of the peace by one or more responsible persons, that they have good reason t© believe that hop roots have been introduced into or are being cultivated in the city or township where they reside in violation of the pr^^cediug section, the justice befo>e whom ^uch complaint is made shall issue a warrant authoriing any peace officer to seize such roots, and they shall be held In charge by such officer until action has been brought against the person so offending, and the cause determined ; and in case it is found that the said plants, roots or cuttings are diseased, or are infected by lice or vermin of a contagious character, the officer before whom it is brought shall order said roots, plants or cuttings to be burned, cliarging the expense of do- ing the same as costs upon the party owning or cultivating the roots, plants or cuttings : and in no case shall he allow them to be planted or delivered to a third party until the fact is established that they are not infected with any vermin or disease of a contagious character. CANADA THISTLES. Sec. 5024. If any person or corporation, after having been notified in writ- ing of the presence of Canada thistles on any lands owned or occupied by such per- son or corporation; or if any road supervisor, after having been notified in writ- ing of the presence of any such thistles on the road under his jurisdiction, shall permit such thistles or any part thereof to blossom or mature, such person, cor- poration or road supervisor shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or imprisonment in the county jail not more than thirty days. FENCES— MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS CONCERNING. PARTITION FENCES. Sec. 2355. The respective owners of adjoining tracts of land, except timber land not used otherwise than for tiie timber thereon, from which each derives any revenue or benefit, shall be compelled to erect and maintain partition fences, or con- tribute thereto, and keep the same in good repair throughout the year, and if said fence be hedge, the owner tliereof shall trim or cut it back once in two years to within five feet from the ground, unless such owners otherwise agree in a writing to be filed with and recorded by the township clerk. POWERS OF FENCE VIEWERS. Sec. 2356. The fence viewers shall have power to determine any controversy arising under this chapter, upon giving five days' notice in writing to the opposite party or parties, prescribing the time and place of meeting to hear and determine the matter named in said notice. Upon the request of any land owner, the fence viewers shail give such notice to all adjoining land owners liable for the erection, maintenance, rebuilding, trimming or cutting back, or repairing of a partition fence, or to pay for an existing hedge or fence. At said time and place the fence viewers shall meet and determine by written order the obligations, rights and duties of the respective parties in such matter, and assign to each owner the part which he shall erect, maintain, rebuild, trim or cut back, or pay for. and fix the value thereof, and prescribe the time within which the same shall be completed or paid for, and, in case of repair, may specify the kind of repairs to be made. ASSIGNMENT OF PORTIONS. Sec. 2357. In case a land owner desires to erect a partition he'dge or fence when the owner of the adjoining land is not liable to contribute thereto, the fence FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 653 viewers may assign to each owner ttie part which he shall erect, maintain, rebuild, and repair, trim or cut back, by pursuing the method provided in the preceding sec- tion ; but the adjoinig owner shall not be required to contribute thereto until he becomes liable so to do. as elsewhere in this chapter provided. DEFAULT— DOUBLE DAMAGES. Sec. 23.'5.S. If the erecting, rebuilding, or repairing of such a fence be not completed within thirty days from and after the time fixed therefor in such order, the adjoining owner may do or complete the same, and the value thereof may be fixed by the fence viewers, and unless the sum so fixed, together with all fees of the fence viewers caused by such default, as taxed by them, is paid to the land owner so erecting, rebuilding, trimming or cutting back or repairing such fence, within ten days after the same is so ascertained ; or when ordered to pay for an existing fence, and the value thereof is fixed by the fence viewers, and said sum. together with the fees of the fence viewers, as taxed by them, remains unpaid by the party in default for ten days, the person entitled thereto may recover double said sum, together with the fees so taxed, in an action by ordinary proceedings. SERVICE OF NOTICE. Sec. 2359. The notices by the fence viewers provided for in this chapter may be served upon any owner nonresident of the county where his land is situ- ated, by publication thereof for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper printed in the county in which the land is situated, proof of which shall be made as in case of an original notice and filed with the fence viewers, and a copy delivered to the occupant of said land, or to any agent of the owner in charge of the same. OKDEKS — NOTICE. Sec. 2.360. All orders and decisions made by the fence viewers shall be in writing, signed by at least two of them, and filed with the township clerk. All no- tices in this chapter required to be given shall be in writing, and return of ser- vice thereof made in the same manner as notices in actions before a justice of the peace. Such orders, decisions, notices and returns shall be entered of record at length by the township clerk, and said record, or a copy thereof, certified to be such by sijch township' clerk, shall be competent evidence in all courts. DIVISION RECORDED. Sec. 2361. The several owners may. in writing, agree upon the portion of partition fences between their lands v/hich shall be erected and maintained by each, which writing shall describe the lands and the parts of the fences so assigned, be signed and acknowledged by them, and filed and recorded in the office of the re- corder of deeds of the county or counties in which they are situated. HOW FAR BINDIN(;. Sec. 2362. Any order made by the fence viewers, or any agreement in writ- ing between adjoining land owners, when recorded as in this chapter provided, shall bind the makers, their heirs and subsequent grantees, except, if the land of either shall cease to be used as a means for revenue or benefit, the same shall be inoperative while not thus used. LANDS IN DIFFERENT TOWNSHIPS. Sec. 2363. When the adjoining lands are situated in different townships in the same or different counties, the clerk of the township of the owner making the appli- cation shall select two trustees of his township as fence viewers, and the clerk of the other township one from his township, who shall possess, in such case, nil the powers given to fence viewers in this chapter, but all orders, notices, and valua- tions and taxation of costs made by them must be recorded in both townships. 654 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. FE^CE OS ANOTHER'S LAND. Sec. 2364. When a person has made a feuce or other improvement on an inclosure, which is found to be on land of another, such person may enter upon the land of the other and remove his fence or other improvement and material, upon his first paying, or offering to pay, the other party for any damage to the soil which may be occasioned thereby, and the value of an timber used in said improve- ment taken from the land of such other party, if any ; and if the parties can not agree as to the damages, the fence viewers may determine them as in other cases ; such removal shall be made as soon as practicable, but not so as to expose the ci'ops of the other party. LLNE FENCES. Sec. 2365. A person building a fence may lay the same upon the line be- tween him and the adacent owners, so that it may be partly on one side and partly on the other, and the owner shall have the same right to remove it as if it were wliolly on his own land. FENCE ON ONE SIDE OF LINE. Sec. 2366. The provisions concerning partition fences shall apply to a fence standing wholly upon one side of the division line. LAWFUL FENCE DEFINED. Sec. 2367. A lawful fence shall consist of three rails of good substantial material, or three boards not less than six inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick, such rails or boards to be fastened in or to good substantial posts, not more than ten feet apart where rails are used, and not more than eight feet apart where boards are used, or wire either wholly or in part, substantially built and kept in good repair, or any other kind of fence, which, in the opinion of the fence viewers, shall be equivalent thereto, the lowest or bottom rail, wire or board not more than twenty nor less than sixteen inches from the ground, the top rail, wire or board to be between forty-eight and forty-four inches in height, and the center rail, wire or board not less than twelve inches nor more than eighteen inches above the bottom rail, wire or board ; or it shall consist of three wires, barbed with not less than thirty-six iron barbs of two points each, or twenty-six iron barbs of four points each, on each rod of wire, or of four wires, two thus barbed and two smooth, the wires to be tirmly fastened to posts not more than two rods apart, with not less than two stays between posts, or with posts not more than one rod apart, without such stays, the top wire to be not more than fifty-four nor less than forty- eight inches in height. All partition fences may be made tight by the party de- siring it, and, at his election, the added material may be removed. In case ad- joining owners or occupants of land shall use the same for pasturing sheep or swine, each shall keep his share of the partition fence in such condition as shall lesirain such sheep or swine. Upon the application of eithnr owner, after notice given as prescribed in this chapter, the fence viewers shall determinate all contro- versies arising under this section, including the use of partition fences made hog and sheep tight \yHERE STOCK RESTRAINED. Sec. 2368. This chapter shall be construed the same in counties where stock is restrained from running at large as where not so restrained. APPEAL. Sec. 2369. An appeal may be taken to the district court from any order or decision of the fence viewers by any person affected, in the same manner appeals are taken from justices of the peace, except that the appeal bond shall be ap- proved by the township clerk, in which event the township clerk, after recording FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 655 the original papers, sliail tile tliem in ttie office of the clerk of the district court, certifying them to be such, and the clerk shall docket them, entitling the applicant or petitioner as plaintiff, and it shall stand for trial as other cases. RECORD KEPT— FEES OF CLERK. Sec. 2370. The township clerk shall enter all matters herein required to be made of record in his record book, and shall receive ten cents for each one hundred words in entering of record and making certified copies of the matters herein pro- vided for, and twenty-five cents additional for his certificate thereto when re- quired. TRUSTEES— DUTIES. Sec. 574. The township trustees are the overseers of the poor, fence view- ers, and the township board of equalization, and board of health, and shall have -charge of all cemeteries within the limit of their townships dedicated to public use, when the same are not controlled by other trustees or incorporated bodies. TRIMMING HEDGES. Sec. 1570. Owners of osage orange, willow, or any other hedge feuce along the public road, unless the same shall be used as wind-break for orchards or feed lots, shall keep the same trimmed, by cutting back within five feet of the ground at least once in every two years, when so ordered by the trustees of their respec- tive townships, and burn or remove the trimmings so cut from the road. Upon a failure to comply with the foregoing provision, the road supervisor ■shall immediately serve notice in writing upon the owner of the hedge to trim the same, and if he fails to do so for sixty days thereafter, such supervisor shall cause the same to be done at a cost not exceeding forty cents per rod, which shall be paid for out of the road fund, and make return thereof to the township clerk, who ■shall, in certifying the lands upon which the road tax has not been paid, include the lands along which the hedge has been trimmed, together with the amount paid therefor, which shall be collected by the county treasurer in the manner other county taxes are collected. Where the one district system is adopted as provided in this chapter, it shall be the duty of the township trustees to enforce the foregoing provision. DUTY OF BOARDS OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS— FENCE. Sec. 2745. — a. It shall be the duty of all boards of school directors in school "districts where the schoolhouse site adjoins the cultivated or improved lands of another to build and maintain a lawful fence between said site and cultivated or improved lands. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. WEIGHTS, MEASURES AND INSrECTION. Sec. 3009. The standard weights and measures now in charge of the sec- retary of state, furnished by the government of the United States, shall be the «tandard of weights and measures throughout the state. LENGTH AND SURFACE. Sec. 3010. The unit or standard measure of length and surface, from which all other measures of extension, whether they be lineal, superficial or solid, shall be derived and ascertained, shall be the standard yard now in possession of the 656 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. secretary of state, furnished by the government of the United States. It shalJ be divided into three equal parts called feet, and each foot into twelve equal parts called inches, and for the measure of cloths and other commodities commonly sold by the yard, it may be divided into halves, quarters, eighths and sixteenths. The rod, pole or perch shall contain live and a half such yards, and the mile, one thou- sand seven hundred and sixty such yards. LAIND MEASURE. Sec. 3011. The acre for land measure shall be measured horizontally an(J contain ten square chains, and be equivalent in area to a rectangle sixteen rods in length and ten in breadth, six hundred and forty such acres being contained in a square mile. Tne chain for measuring laiiQ shall be twenty-two yards long, and divided into one hundre l eqral parts, called links. WEIGHTS. Sec. 3012. The units or standards of weight, from which all other weights shall be derived and ascertained, shall be the standard avoirdupois and troy weights, as furnished this state by the United States. The avoirdupois pounds which bears to the troy pound the ratio of seven thousand to five thousand seven hundred and sixty, shall be divided into sixteen equal parts called ounces : the hun- dred weight shall consist of one hundred avoirdupois pounds, and twenty hundred weight shall constitute a ton. The troy ounce shall be equal to the twelfth part of a troy pound. LIQUIDS. Sec. 3013. The unit or standard measure of capacity for liquids. fron> which all other measures of liquids shall be derived and ascertained, shall be the standard gallon and its parts, as furnished this state by the government of the Uni- ted States. The inch or gauge of cream shall be one half of a standard gallon. The barrel shall be thirty-one and a half gallons, and two barrels shall constitute a hogshead. SUBSTANCES NOT LIQUIDS. Sec. 3014. The unit or standard measure of capacity for substances noc liquids, from which all other measures of such substances shall be derived and as- certained, shall be the standard half-bushel, furnished this state by the United States, and the peck, half-peck, quarter-peck, quart and pint measures, for meas- uring commodities not liquids, shall be derived from the half-bushel by succes- sively dividing that measure by two. BUSHEL BY WEIGHT. Sec. 3016. A bushel of the respective articles hereafter mentioned will mean the amount of weight in this section specified : Wheat sixty pounds. Shelled corn fifty-six pounds. Corn on the cob seveny pounds. Rye fifty-six pounds. Oats thirty-two pounds. Barley forty-eight pounds. Potatoes sixty pounds. Beans sixty pounds. Bran twenty pounds. Clover seed sixty pounds. Timothy seed forty-five pounds. Flax seed fifty-six pounds. Hemp seed forty-four pounds. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 657 Buckwheat fifty- two pounds. Bluegrass seed fourteen pounds. Castor beans , forty-six pounds. Dried peaclies thirty-three pounds. Dried apples twenty-four pounds. Onions hfty-seven pounds. Salt fifty pounds. Stone coal eighty pounds. Charcoal twenty pounds. Coke tliirty-eight pounds. Sweet potatoes forty-six pounds. Lime eighty pounds. Sand Olio lumdiL'd and thirty pounds. Hungarian grass seed fifty pounds. Millet seed fifty pounds. Osage orange seed thirty-two pounds. Sorghum saccharatum seetl thirty pounds. iJroom corn seed thirty pounds. Apples, peaches or quinces forty-eight pounds. Cherries, grapes, currants or gooseberries forty pounds. Strawberries, raspberries cr blackberries thirty-two pounds. MASON WOKK OK STONE. Sec. 3017. The perch of mason work or stone consists of twenty-five feet ^ubic measure. HOP BOXES. Sec. 3018. The standard size for all boxes used in packing hops shall be thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-three and one-fourth inches deep, inside measurement. LANDLORD AND TENANT. APPOKTlOrs'MENT OF KENT. Sec. 2988. The executor of a tenant for life who leases real estate so held, and dies on or before the day on which the rent is payable, and a person entitled to rent dependent on the life of another may recover the proportion of rent which has accrued at the time of the death. TENANT HOLDING OVER. Sec. 2989. A tenant, giving notice of his intention to quit leased premises at a time named, and afterwards holding over, and a tenant or his assignee wil- fully holding over after term, and after notice to quit, shall pay double the rental value thereof during the time he holds over to the person entitled thereto. ATTORNMENT TO STRANGER. Sec. 2990. The payment of rent, or delivery of possession of leased premises, to one not the lessor, is void, unless made with his consent, or in pursuance of a judgment or decree of court or judicial sale. TENANT AT WILL — NOTICE TO QUIT. Sec. 2991. Any person in the possession of real estate, with the assent of the owner, is presumed to be a tenant at will until the contrary is shown, and thirty days' notice in writing must be given by either party before he can termi- nate such a tenancy : but when in any case, a rent is reserved payable at intervals of less than thirty days, the length of notice need not be greater than such inter- val. In case of tenants occupying and cultivating farms, the notice must fix the termination of the tenancy to take place on the first dav of March, except in cases 42 658 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. of mere croppers, whose leases shall be held to expire, when the crop Is harvested ; if the crop is corn, it shall not be later than the flrst day of December, unless otherwise agreed upon. But where an agreement is made fixing the time of the termination of the tenancy, whether in writing or not, it shall cease at the time agreed upon, without notice. When a tenant can not be found in the county, the notice above required may be given to any sub-tenant or other person in posses- sion of the premises, or. if the premises be vacant, by affixing the notice to any out- side door of the dwelling house thereon, or other building, if there be no dwelling- house, or in some conspicuous position on the premises, if there be no building. LANDLORDS LIEN. Sec. 2992. A landlord shall have a lien for his rent upon all crops grown upon the leased premises, and upon any other personal property of the tenant which has been used or kept thereon during the term and not exempt from execu- tion, for the period of one year after a year's rent, or the rent of a shorter period, falls due ; but such lien shall not in any case continue more than six months after the expiration of the term. In the event that a stock of goods or merchandise, or a part thereof, subject to a landlord's lien, shall be sold under judicial process, order of court, or by an assignee under a general assignment for benefit of credi- tors, the lien of the landlord shall not be enforceable against said stock or portion thereof, except for the rent due for the term already expired, and for rent to be paid for the use of demised premises for a period not exceeding six months after date of sale, any agreement of the parties to the contrary notwithstanding. ATTACHMENT. Sec. 2993. The lien may be elYected by the commencement of an action, within the period above described, for the rent alone, in which action the land- lord will be entitled to a writ of attachment, upon filing with the clerk or justice a verified petition stating that the action is commenced to recover rent accrued within one year previous thereto upon premises described in the petition ; and the procedure thereunder shall be the same, as nearly as may be, as in other cases of attachment, except no bond shall be required. If a lien for rent is given in a writ- ten lease or other instrument upon additional property, it may be enforced in the same manner and in the same action. STATUTE OF FUNDS— CONTRACTS WHICH MUST BE RENDERED IN WRITING. Sec. 4625. Except when otherwise specially provided, no evidence of the following enumerated contracts is competent, unless it be in writing and signed by the party chargea or by his authorized agent : 1. Those in relation to the sale of personal property, when no part of the property is delivered and no part of the price is paid ; 2. Those made in consideration of marriage ; 3. Those wherein one person promises to answer for the debt, default or miscarriage of another, including promises by executors to pay the debt of the decedent from their own estate ; 4. Those for the creation or transfer of any interest in lands, except leases for a term not exceeding one year : 7>. Those that are not to be performed within one year from the making thereof. EXCEPTIONS. Sec. 4626. The provisions of the first subdivision of the preceding section do not apply when the article of personal property sold is not at the time of the contract owned by the vendor and ready for delivery, but labor, skill or money is necessarily to be expended in producing or procuring the same ; nor do those of the fourth sub-division apply where the purchase money, or any portion thereof, has been received by the vendor, or when the vendee, with the actual or implied con- sent of the vendor, has taken and held possession thereof under and by virtue of the contract, or when there is any other circumstance which, by the law heretofore in force, would have taken the case out of the statute of frauds. PART XL IOWA STATE FAI1I-IT8 EARLY HISTORY, ETC View of Iowa State Fair Q-rounds— looking east. ORGANIZATION AND GROWTH OF TH'E IOWA STATE FAIR. The first movement for the holding of a State fair was at a meeting- of the board of directors of the Jefferson County Agri- cultural society, held at Fairfield, Iowa, October 13, 1853. (It will probably be of interest to note that at this time Iowa was the only free State in the Union not holding an annual State fair.) At this meeting a motion was made by Mr. C. W. Slagle, and adopted by the society, whereby the officers of the societ>' were instructed to take immediate steps to effect the organiza- tion of a State agricultural society, and that they use their infiu- ence tO' have said society hold its first annual exhibition at Fair- field in October, 1854. A committee was appointed to confer with the different agri- cultural societies of the State and invite them to- send delegates to a meeting to be held at Fairfield on the 28th day of December, 1853, for the purpose of effecting a State organization. It was urged that not only farmers, but mechanics, merchants and pro- fessional men, interest themselves in the movement, and all were invited to attend. The day of the convention delegates representing Jeft'erson. Henry, Lee, \''an Buren and ^^'apello counties were present. The (659) 660 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. societ}' was duly organized, and the preamble to the constitu- tion adopted provided that the style of the society should Ije the ''Iowa State Agricultural Society," and that its object would be ''for the promotion of agriculture, horticulture, manufactures, mechanics and household arts." The! first president elect was Hon. Thos. \\\ Clegett of Lee county, and the first secretary Dr. J. M. Shaffer of Jefferson county. The latter is still living, and an active practitioner of medicine at Keokuk, Iowa. New Agricultural, Horticultural and Dairy building to be erected on State Fair Giounds, 1904 On the date of organization it was decided to hold the lirst annual exhibition at Fairfield on the 24th and 25th of October. 1854. The grounds secured contained about six acres adjoinmg Fairfield and were enclosed by a rail fence ten feet high. The main building was a shed two hundred and fifty feet in length erected on one side of the grounds next to the fence, and con- tained a table five feet in width running its entire length, upon which were placed exhibits. On the opposite side of the en- closure rails were used for the erection of stalls and pens for live stock exhibits. The first premium list offered, among other things, premiums to be on the following- : "Team of oxen, not less than three yoke, " "Best and biggest fattened hog," "Native or dunghill fowls," "Ox yoke," "Grain cradle," "Arrangement for raising water, other than pump," "Mattock," "Corn sheller," "Hand- power," ertc, all of which would be curiosities to the voung-er generation of today. It appears from the treasurer's report that the total receipts from the first fair were about $1,000, "after deducting counter- feit and otherwise worthless money," of which there seems to have been plenty. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XL 661 Continuous since the year 1854 an annual State fair has been held at dififereiit cities in the State, with the exception of 1898 when it was thought best to miss a year on account of the Trans- Mississippi exposition at Omaha, Nebraska. In 1879 the fair was located permanently at Des Moines, on W^est Grand avenue. The present grounds, containing- two hun- dred sixty-six acres, were secured l)y an act of the Twenty-first General Assembly appropriating $50,000 for the purchase there- of. The people of Des Moines donated a like amount for the erection of buildings. The following table shows town or city in Avhich fair was lield each year, also total receipts and premiums paid : 'i Where Held. 7} a a 53 1854 Fairfield $ 1,000 1,900 3,100 3, 059 2,843 2,166 3,721 2,058 3,576 4,464 7,877 8,522 4,460 9,527 7,132 12,075 11.287 19,464 18, 691 17, 392 15,286 12,266 2-, 924 27, 965 17,813 28, 626 2H,278 30,975 39,515 42, 535 40, 579 26, 976 39,384 •6\ 747 44, 553 55, 881 56,555 57,301 55, 262 25, 435 26,597 43,860 43, 449 47, 509 55, 455 56, 577 54, 467 67, 122 63,979 $ l.OCO 1,109 1855 Fairiield 1856 Muscatine . 1 8.34 1857 1858 Moscatine 1,679 1,622 1859 1,9&2 1860 Iowa City 2,307 1861 Iowa City 2,055 2,544 1862 1863 3,988 3,349 1864 Burlington 1865 Burlinsrton ... . . . 4,183 1866 3,680 1867 Clinton 3,947 1868 Clinton 4,810 4,775 1869 Keokuk .. .. . 1870 Keokuk 7,013 1871 1872 Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids 6,988 6,559 1873 1874 Cedar Rapids Keokuk . . 4,096 10,06(> 1875 Keokuk ... 8,075 1876 Cedar Rapids 8,920 1877 Cedar Rapids ... 10,130 1878 1879 Cedar Rapids L)es Moines 7,739 9,726 1880 13,271 1881 13, 653 1882 13, 165 1883 Des Moines 17, 476 1884 Des Moines . 19, 864 1885 Des M ines . .. 14,928 1886 Dp^ TVfninpq 18, 802 1887 18,015 1888 19, 279 1889 Des Moi n es . 21,911 1890 1891 Des Moines Des Moines 23,753 24, 601 1892 26, 769 1893 22,630 1894 19, 200 1895 1896 Des Moines Des Moines 17,698 16,404 1897 Des Moines 16,444 1899 Df>a TVTr>inp<5 ...... . 17,894 1900 18, 562 1901 19,101 1902 21,787 1903 Des Moines 23,813 662 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. It will be noted that from a crude beg-inning the fair has steadily grown until it now ranks as one of the greatest State fairs in the United States. Entries to the number of one thous- and, made by not more than two score of exhibitors at the first State fair, have grown until they now number o\'er fifteen thousand, representing about eight hundred exhibitors. Premiums in every department ha\e l)een increased from year to year, with the result that the Iowa State fair ranks among the first in number and high class of exhibits. To this must be cttributed the success of the fair, for to succeed there must be a well-lialanced exhibit. Live Stock Pavilion on State Fair Grounds. The management of the State fair is now under the control of the State Board of Agriculture, the old State Agricultural Society having been legislated out of existence by the Twenty- eighth General Assembly, when the law creating the Department of Agriculture was passed. Following is a list of officers and directors of the Iowa State Agricultural society from its organization to the time it became a department of the State, and of the officers and members of die State Board of Agriculture from its creation to the present time : FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 663 t/3 < Q W o S o in < H ID . . .... . . a^ai. •JB8i „ y: cn "t: 7} K '/' co m ^ ,^ fe^^^^ = S t: S o o o o o o . . . .^P _'cQc2JO^i!^'-' ^^^^'^6 6 o^B^^:r.m'J>d)d66666 666 dPQDQ . . oj oj 0) 0) D oi as C« CC t^ |> > t> J> t^ l> 03 CO O! 02 03 QD CC GC O! X 00 CC 03 QO cn OD X X O; 02 QQ Oi C/i CC C/2 72 QD' l-i h» l-j l-S "-S >-S l^" "-^ >-J t-i 1-^ ►-: hs" Hi H,' l-i h^ Hj l-i Hi H^ 1-5 K-s" h^; h. Hi Hi Hi h," Hi h^ h^ h^ ' Wl J J += -*^ -*^" -*=" *^ • • ' ^^'O btj tD tti tD tD ^^ '^Xi fl eS 03 ■ M o5 an_;_: 5 ? 5 r! 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FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 665 2 U o < D O I— I 'J <: o n:: o o ad •aB8A .tAt^t^t>^t^>>>f.i>.b£5!5 V, ■ ■ • •ooSooooo ^ ^ 32 ^ ry* rr* '"**'**'' '^ ""^ '■* n ^^^ ^^ .-»^ »-#^ m r/^ rr^ rr\ r/^ rn rn rri rri rr. **S ^ ^ ^-^ ^ "Q -kJ-u>-»^ o o o o o o o o es 'A'—'z, o o*-+^-*--*^*^+^*^-^ -^-^i;i;j;^tSc5jiu4 t;fc."t^t^;^fc ^^^^'^'a3'3'3'3'3'5'^'3-§ > > > ^sfisfi^tfSs 2 £ g 2 2 2£E£sS g;':=!;=';=! S3 03 es 83 e3 33 S3 03 S3 CrVW • • •'^KJHHnQQCinQl^t?- !^>^'^ • 'd Ti : : ^ -d tS TJ 'd Tjtj ••3-3 • •cacccc'- ' ^' H ^^^z:3 c o ^ a3 ,SbdW:^:^S S S ^ ==5 == ^- - u 0 _ „ _ c c c ,, c: c fl c s-^ iiss:t =! • 'S'S 0/ oj CJ t> % : .d^222l5Sflpa'S'3'3' :sl|^SS5l'^'Si^'^: ^^£^^S^^J^S~^,2 • •a3'3'dT!S°gg'0'tiT)22S222S§§ jJddqdddddodddddfc^dd-^^^^^^jh^jjHJJjKJ^ a; a3.a;S S 23 tSS.O).!; . • S 6c ic t- «- !:^ Q rt -. ^H ,^ ^ i 6 6'^ a a 3 § 2 § 2s^sS^H,-HiH,V:^^,^.-:^Hi^ S 2ddd J J^ ■ * ti «- CQ r® fe O 4i 03 2a3 2|a^d •S tH <» 5 (Si-sg ^ o g-go-^-oa «^ «•- . --« g t- 0) fc- p < , Ss"§K ^'■^.2 ■^ O --C t^ 00 J. C-. 02 C". C3 OS C5 OCOCOOXOO 00 :; o c o Q o ^^ •i-c be .2 J a; c 03 1 § (fih: 03^ •ri 83.« s: ^ *^ ^ O (15 O aj 6c ad ah^- o g oS -r" a> T* ^ Q > tctH tx^ aaac wdroOQ ®^ o * If o tc ~»^ Co o EC * Sd <3 ■ CO S o aj ^ ^ d be "oj o 83 til o ■ ag a tc O 0) to a o q a; Of^ 83 oOh(V oO o . >0 >0 Of* > o _ c ^ c ^-^ rH o i,:;^ o 00 o 05 0-. 05 i o ^ •^ c o c ^ c |i c * 00 «G FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 667 AMES SCHOLARSHIP GOES TO ELLIS RAIL. Homestead. Ellis Rail, of Birmingham, Iowa, won the $200 scholarship in the State agricultural college offered by the State department of agriculture to the young man who, in an open contest, at the State fair of 1903, would show himself the best judge of corn and live stock. Mr. Rail won the contest by a margin of about 67 points, securing 343 points as against 2771/2 won by his nearest competitor, M. S. Barclay, of West Liberty. C. W. Robb, of Newton, had 275 points, and while Mr. Rail secures the scholarship, Messrs. Barclay and Robb were given honorable mention. There were twenty-four contestants for the scholarship. Their mark- ings ranged from 102 points to 343 points, won by Rail. The judging of EI^LIS RAIL. the ear of corn was measured at thirty points, and of these the winner won 21, being surpassed by L. J. Andrews, of Morse, who got 24 V^ points out of the 30; Arthur Jay, of Blakesburg, who got 22 1/^, and M. J. Kelso, of Corydon, who got 2714. M. R. Barton, of Roscoe, also had 21. In the total score on corn judging, however. Mr. Rail had 76 points, while his nearest competitor was H. J. Lytle, of Oskaloosa, who got 72. In the stock judging Mr. Rail got 267 points. Mr. Barclay 222, H. C. Shayner, of Pocahontas 209, Mr. Robb 220, and Mr. Andrews 221. The following table gives the markings of the judges, showing the name of the contestant, his address, his score on the ear of corn, his total score on judging corn in the second column, his total in judging 668 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. stock in the third, and his total score, being the sum of the second and third columns, for all in the fourth, this determining the contest: Contestants. Carl Freeman. Norwalk H. C. Schayner, Pocahontas .. M. R. Barton, Roacoe B. W. Steele, Winterset C. W. Robb, Newton L. C . Person, Sibley R. F. Bennett, Ames Ellis Rail, Birmingham F. G. Boland, WilUamsburg. . ■G. S. Gleaaon, Mechanicsville. M. D. Kelso, Corydon C. R, Stout, Stout J. B. Mitchell, Shenandoah John Hethershaw, Des Moines F. S. Bell, Hancock J. H. Bader, Ware R. H. Stoner, South Engish.. H. J. Lytle, Oskaloosa L. J. Andrews, Morse M. S. Barclay. West Liberty.. Arthur Jay, Blakesburg A. R. Leffer, Hillsboro M. J. Hester, Ames Ralph Baldwin, Osceola 181., 16 " 21 15 111., 7 " i-' 12 271., 191; 20 " 19}., 15 " 17 13K 22 241^ 17 223 o 19 ' 20 10 481.^; 186 561^ 209 44 145 31 107 55 220 46 198 501., 162 76 " 267 34 171 47i.,| 141 52" 110 591^1 1H8 71 ' 163 50 5U^ 54 491^ 72 45y2 553/2 66 45^ 52 mi 137 164 164 151 221 222 204 153 2341^ 266>., 199 " 188 275 244 2121;; 843 " 205 1831^ 162 " 1971^ 234 219 218 213^ 223 2641,2 277 !/2 234 2141.^ 256 " ISQl C Professor Holden of the department of agronomy of the Iowa State College, had charge of the corn judging. Each contestant was required to select one ear of corn, the highest possible score being 30. Each con- M. 8. BARCLAY. testant was also required to pass on two varieties of corn, white and yellow, of ten ears each, placing the ears, first, second and third and FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. SO on, giving in writing reasons for so doing. For correctness of placing a score of 40 was possible, and for the reasons substantiating the placing a score of 30. After the corn judging the young men were set to work judging a class of cows, Red Polled, and then a ring of two-year-old grade steers. They were also required to judge a ring of aged Percheron stallions, and a'lso a ring of harness horses. Prof. W. J. Rutherford, of Ames, had charge of this and general direction of the contest. After the animals were judged by the contestants they were judged by Prof. C. v . Curtiss. FAIRS AS EDUCATORS. Breeders' Gazette. The public-spirited agriculturists who are laboring earnestly for the establishment of a State fair in Tennessee through public aid are en- couraged by the friendly sentiment which exists in the legislature now in session. The appropriation they seek is certainly modest enough, but it appears there is some danger of the defeat of the bill on the ground that larger appropriations are deemed necessary for educational work in that State. This one fact should insure aid for the establish- ment of a State fair. Such exhibitions are essentially educational in their character. The liberal appropriations of public funds which have been made by many of the States for such fairs rest on no other ground. Fairs are not held for purposes of amusement, nor primarily to encourage trade. Incidentally some features may serve as entertainment and cer- tainly a fair stocked with well-displayed exhibits is calculated to pro- mote the purchase of animals and implements of value to the farmer, but this is part and parcel of its educational character. The fundamental idea of such exhibitions is to bring the farmer in touch with better stock, better implements and better methods, and purchase naturally follows the acquisition of knowledge of improved material and methods. The educational value of such fairs is time-proved. It is no longer in argument among those who have had observation of the practical benefits which flow from such exhibitions. Vast sums have been added to the wealth of the agricultural world by reason of the ideas and information acquired by sttidy of fairs. The Tennessee legislators who are seeking to strengthen the cause of education in that State should consider the State fair proposition directly in line with their effort. Such a fair would prove a great factor in the education of the class of people on whose intelligent use of the soil depends in a very large measure the material prosperity of the State. Farmers in Tennessee should advise their legislators to this effect. The preliminary work has been done by disinterested, determined men. The matter is now 670 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. imder consideration in the legislature, but some members are hesitating lest money set apart for use in the establishment of a fair representative of the agriculture of the State shall be deemed as diverted from educa- tional channels. The live farmers of that great old State should by personal appeals to their representatives and senators remove any such serious misconception. State aid for agricultural fairs is an investment that touches the material as well as the mental condition of agriculturists. It is educational in the highest sense of the word. THE SOCIAL SIDE OF THE STATE FAIR. Wallaces' Farmer. The complaint of isolation has long been made against farm life. Rural delivery, the rural telephone and the extension of railroad and interurban facilities have done much in the past few years to remove this isolation. These do not, however, remove it altogether. It is neces- sary for the farmer and as many of his family as possible to get entirely away from the farm once a year and meet with their kindred and friends, whether of country or city, and enjoy the rest and recreation which such meetings invariably bring. The State fairs which are now beginning and will be continued for several weeks in the Mississippi valley furnish a most excellent opportunity for social fellowship. The necessity for this social fellowship is laid very deep in human nature. If our readers will turn to Leviticus, 23:39-44, they will see that provision was made for this kind of life in the ancient Israelitish code. There were three great ingatherings every year at which as far as possible the families were expected to attend, and one of them corresponds very nearly with our State fair. It was the harvest festival, and during that festival the people were required absolutely to dwell in tents or booths, as recorded in the passage above quoted. We sometimes think that healthy, normal development of humanity requires that once a year we should get out of the house and go into tents, getting an abundance of fresh air, sleep such as can not be found in the best bed at home, and get away as far as possible from the con- ventionalities and restrictions of house life. We sometimes think there must have been a good deal of scrapping for brush when the hosts of Israel met to build their tents, probably ending in fights for the best palm leaves, willow brushes and straight brush. There will be none of this at the State fairs this year, for farmers can bring their tents with them or the tent and awning companies will rent them wherever desired. There will be no long journeys for water, for pipes are laid all over most fair grounds and all that you have to do is to turn the faucet. Wherever farmers can possibly do so. they should bring their farm teams, their provisions, fried chickens, hams, butter, cheese, and other good things too numerous to mention, and should leave only enough of their family at home to take care of the stock and see that things are going right there, and attend the fair. • FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 671 The State fairs give opportunities for farmers to meet with old friends, friends they have not seen for many years, old soldiers to meet with their comrades, young folks to meet with their cousins and have a first-class outing. We do not know of anything that really equals the advantages afforded by a first-class State fair such as are being held each year in all the Western states. Where farmers can not attend, by all means let them send their boys and girls. Do not be afraid for these young folks. They will not get hurt on the cars. They will not do anything out of the way unless there is some bad blood in them for which the parents are responsible. We have a very vivid recollection of attending our first fair, now half a century ago. It was a great revelation to us. It showed us how big a world there was outside of the farm. The live stock, the machinery, the agricultural and horticultural exhibits, all these are wonderful educators. The boys have had a hard summer's work; the girls have probably worked just as well if not as hard as the boys, and it is time now for them to have an outing. Let them have it. Do not stint the expense. Do not me uneasy about them. Let them see what a great, big world this is, and what a great, big State their State is. Let them size up the •other boys and girls there from country and town. Let them see some- thing of the people who live in towns and get some idea of town life. It will do them all good. They will go home tired, hungry perhaps for some of mother's cooking, but they will be all the better for it. It will give them something to think about for years to come. The Iowa State fair, to be held August 21-29, gives every promise of being one of the finest fairs the State has ever held. The facilities for observation are better this year than ever before. The boys who are interested in the live stock will have an excellent opportunity to see the judging and to pass judgment themselves. The girls will be interested in the horticultural, the poultry and the dairy exhibits, and both will be ablet o measure themselves with other boys and girls and to measure the character of the people among whom they are likely to live the rest of their days. Speaking of the Iowa State fair, we think the finest exhibit on the grounds is always the people, for man is greater than any of his works; the farmer is far more than the live stock he breeds. The grains grown on his farm are the measure of his manhood. The women of the State are always far superior to their handiwork as exhibited at the fair. Each State is largely what the people of the State have made it; therefore, the attendance at the fair is nearly always more interesting than the fair itself. 672 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. STATE FAIRS. By Col. J. B. Killehrew, in Southern Farm Magazme. The State of Texas is to be highly commended for the deep interest which it takes in its State fair. For the present year the fair will begin on September 26th and will close on October 11th. It is said that this State fair has already run longer than any similar institution in the world, and its popularity continues unabated. It has been a strong factor in the development of the State, and its influence for good has been manifested in the growth along all industrial and agricultural lines. This success of the Texas State fair suggests an inquiry why so few States have kept up these valuable institutions. A State fair is a sign of progress. It is an evidence of a worthy ambition that exists among the people to elevate the agricultural conditions of the State. In the present age advertisements underlie all successful business pursuits, and experi- ence has demonstrated that no method is so efficient for this purpose, from an industrial point of view, as the holding of expositions and fairs. Fairs appeal more immediately to the people of the State than great expositions. Their tendency is to awaken a new ambition among every class, which leads to a healthy development. For the most part, State- fairs are used for the display of those products that originate in the State. They are short, local expositions, intensive and restricted in their plans, rapid in their movements, and successful in their ends. Scene suc- ceeds scene in quick succession, and there is an animation excited that is contagious. People will flock to a well-conducted fair as they come out on special days to an exposition. Where they are held every year thrifty, well-to-do farmers usually look forward to a grand holiday occa- sion where the best things are to be collected for their instruction, edi- fication and amusement. Taken in its broadest sense a fair is a school where the young and old may learn new lessons from the display of con- crete objects. A fair is a great book which all may read and enjoy. It is a living treatise on all products — aesthetic, mineral, vegetable and ani- mal— gathered and classified so as to convey to the observer the largest degree of practical knowledge, A fair is a place where the newest experi- ments in agriculture are exchanged, new ideas disseminated and the best methods of cultivating the various crops are made known. An exhibition of wheat, for instance; how it was fertilized, how the land was prepared, its variety, its time of ripening and its yield, may be the dumb but potent preceptor to a thousand farmers. The same lessons may be taught in varying degree by the exhibits of all other crops that are or may be grown within the boundaries of the State where the fair is held. In the improvement of live stock, however, the value of fairs is of the greatest importance. The best animals of every breed are brought for- ward, their good points studied, their pedigrees made known and their- excellent qualities determined. The interest taken in stock exhibitions is the best sign of progress. Wherever the cultivators of the soil are stimu- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 673 lated by competition to an improvement of their domestic animals the Improvement of the soil is sure to follow. No instance in the history of agriculture can be pointed out where an improved agriculture did not follow in the wake of improved domestic animals. For a long period the agriculture of England languished and the yield of agricultural products in the United Kingdom was reduced to such a low point as .to threaten the very existence of the nation. Every well-informed man kriows that at the beginning of the eigh- teenth century the agriculture of England was of the rudest character. The land, for the most part, was unenclosed. Stock of all kinds ran together upon the commons, the fields were cropped in succession until they were well-nigh exhausted. The quarter of a century immediately following 1760 is memorable in the history of English agriculture for the many improvements made. To the genius of Blakewell is due the extraordinary improvement made in domestic animals, and especially in the character of sheep, which proved the foundation stone of a new agriculture. With sheep came turnips, and with the depasturing of turnips came improvement to the soil. Longhorn cattle were succeeded by shorthorn or Durham cattle. Merino sheep were introduced by George III., who, however inefficient as a statesman, was an energetic and zealous farmer. The Bath and West of England Society was estab- lished in 1777, the Highland Society in 1784, and the National Board of Agriculture in 1793. These various societies by their exhibitions and publications infused such a measure of intelligence and inquiry through all ranks of society as to bring about a wonderful progress in agricul- tural development. Through the influence of these societies and the stimulus given to agriculture by the Napoleonic wars the rental of land in Scotland rose from £2,000,000 in 1795 to £5,278,685 in 1815. The live stock interest in- creased more rapidly than any other. The consumption of meat was out of all proportion to that of bread grains. To meet this demand there were more green crops and more live stock, from which resulted more wool, more meat, more manure and more grain crops. The productive- ness of the soil was greatly increased. Land was made to do quadruple the duty it performed a century before. Agriculture as a science and an art was steadily advanced, and to the numerous local agricultural asso- ciations which sprang up all over the United Kingdom collecting and disseminating information and giving exhibitions of live stock and agri- cultural products are these great improvements to be ascribed. With agricultural fairs will come, first, improvement in live stock. With improvement in live stock will come increased fertility in the soil. With increased fertility in the soil will come agricultural prosperity and development. Where fairs are encouraged and the live stock interest promoted every other branch of agriculture will flourish. Not only that, but the social value of fairs is not to be overlooked. They attract men of intelligence, of observation, of experience and of progressive thought. They bring the people together from various por- tions of the State and make them acquainted with one another. A fair is» therefore, broadening in its effect and patriotic in its tendencies. It 43 674 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. breaks clown local prejudices, it encourages the making of new experi- ments, it elevates the farmer in his own estimation and in the estima- tion of all classes in the community, it creates a bustling trade, breaks the monotony of country life and makes it enjoyable. Fair-days are gala- days, full of life and hope and happiness. They are often referred to as the beginning point of some new industry or some new meth'od of culti- vation or some new uses applied to old things. A fair is the occasion of kindly greeting of people from all portions of the country. It induces a feeling of good-will and amity, revives trade by stimulating inquiry, and its influence is felt to be one of the prime motive powers among the best agricultural classes. The establishment of State fairs, therefore, would be a wise provision for the elevation and prosperity of the States. The small amount neces- sary for that purpose would be inappreciable when compared with the good results which would follow. Wise legislators will look to the future and to the building up of those industries which are to pay the largest proportion of the taxes for the maintenance of the government. It is to be doubted if any appropriations have ever been made for a State fair that have been disapproved by the great mass of voters. Those States that have built up such enterprises are precisely those which are advancing most rapidly in all industrial pursuits and are attracting the largest amount of immigration and capital to their borders. The great States of New York, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Indi- ana and Massachusetts appropriate large sums every year for their State or county fairs. North Carolina, the most progressive State in the South, but with probably the most infertile soils, holds its annual fair at Ra- leigh, and the result is shown in the rapid progress which it is making in the building up of industrial establishments. A STATE FAIR EPISODE. Ruralist. The State Fair had been permanently located near the beautiful little city of D. M., and had already held two successful exhibitions, and spent much of the intervening time in preparing the grounds, erecting build- ings for the exhibits of various kinds, etc. Very little of this had reached the ears of Grandpa Hadley, until a few weeks ago, when he received one of tlie premium lists, made doubly attractive by pictures of the new buildings that were shown. Some way, fairs had become associated in Grandfather Hadley's mind with horse-racing, betting, games of chance, etc., and while he delighted in a good horse race, and in past years had seen some racing, yet there were memories of certain past experiences connected with a horse race and some nearby games, of which Grandma Hadley had never heard. But this was different, and as the old gentleman looked at the FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 675 pictures of the horse-barns, sheep and swine building, poultry palace and the beautiful halls for agricultural displays, he grew excited. "I vum, mother, I'm going to that fair," he said as his white-haired, placid-faced wife entered the room. "I wouldn't swear," said grandma severely, then with marked inter- est. "The fair at D. M.? Mary told me yesterday that John was going to take up some hogs, and said if we wanted to visit your brother, this would be a good chance, as the railroads were giving cheap rates." "Let's go," cried grandpa; "you see it begins the 17th of August and lasts a whole week. There won't be much work doing on the farm. " "The 17th of August," mused grandma, "is the anniversary' of our wedding. We were married forty years ago, and then we went to St. Louis and stayed two whole days. Do you remember it, father?" "Remember it? I reckon I do, and this will be our second wed- ding trip. I was proud of you then, mother, and thought your red cheeks and curly brown hair the prettiest in the world, but you are better looking now." "Don't be a fool," retorted grandma, giving him a push. It was finally all arranged. John, the son-in-law, was to see the old people safely to the city, where, after a visit of a day or two, they could attend the fair as much as they chose. Frank, the unmarried son, would remain at home and "see to things," and many were the directions that the careful housewife gave him regarding the chickens and flowers and milk; "and don't forget to feed the dog and cat every meal, for you know they get hungry as well as you do." Frank promised and laughingly said: "If you meet my sweetheart up at the fair be good to her." Grandma's face sobered. This sweetheart was the cause of so many sad thoughts, for the dear old lady couldn't see why Frank should have remained single until past thirty and then fall in love with a city 'girl. Nothing Frank could say made the matter any easier for grandma, and though she had never seen the girl, Elizabeth Graham by name, the thoughts of a city girl in the old farm home seemed sadly out of place, that dear, homely, comfortable home, with its many duties and pleasures that had so fully satisfied Mrs. Hadley. "I'll tell you what, Frank, if I see her I'll kiss her for you," said his father, who was in high spirits. "You never will get any sense," commented his wife. How little it takes to give pleasure, after all, if the mind is only in a receptive mood, and we are willing to be pleased; and so it was with this couple. The ride on the cars past farm houses and villages, the bustling, noisy crowd at the depot, the streets full of people, all hurrying some- where, were items of much interest. The big buildings that lined either side of the street, and the gaily dressed windows were duly noticed, but best of all w^as the fair. After a long ride on the street car, they reached the fair grounds, and hand in hand jostled with the crowd, until finally they were inside, with a long day before them to spend in seeing the many interesting things. 676 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The fruit display pleased both, but the old gentleman drew back from the flowers which he said "were not half so fine as those at home in the garden."' A pretty girl standing near smiled at the old gentleman's assertion, a smile so bright and full of sympathy that both old people were instantly drawn toward her. "It's a fact," repeated grandpa, "she has wagon loads of flowers pret- tier than anything here," and he motioned toward his wife. "Why father, how you do talk. Them's nothing but Dahlies." Then turning to the girl, "He always did think Dahlias the finest fiowers that grow, and will help me with them any time, though he does grumble dreadful when I want him to make flower beds for anything else." "Dahlias are beautiful," responded the girl, "and Thursday there will be a grand display here. Cut flowers are shown on that day. I hope you can come and see them. I have twenty varieties which I will bring in then." "We'll be here, sure," said grandpa. Then while the sweet-faced old lady talked to the pretty, sociable girl, grandpa did some hard thinking. "Twenty varieties! Humph!" and grandpa thought of the long rows at home, surely a hundred varieties. A little talk with the man inside the railing made things clear, and the old gentleman decided to give grandma a surprise, and that girl, too. "Though," grandpa said to himself, "she seems a real likely sort of a girl, with no nonsense about her. Must have been raised on a farm." Full of his scheme he was glad when his wife said the young lady would show her around while grandpa could go and see .John and the stock. Promising to meet at the same place at noon, they separated, grandpn to find John and unfold his wonderful scheme of sending a telegram to Frank to cut all of grandma's Dahlias and ship them by express so they would 'get there Thursday' morning, and John promised to attend to every- thing and not let "mother" know a word about it. Meanwhile the two ladies were looking at the beautiful display of fancy work, chatting like old friends, for between the two there seemed to be a mutual attraction that neither cared to resist. The sweet old face plainly told the story of a loving, simple life, devoted to home and its dutie;^, but willing to be interested in all man- kind, and at once won the girl's heart, while the cordial friendliness of the girl, who yet had a certain stately reserve of manner tiiat was very pleasing to the older woman. Grandma was much interested in the home-made goods, and when her companion pointed out many specimens of her own handiwork the older lady was delighted. "Do tell: So you pieced and quilted that all by yourself," looking closely at the work, as beautiful in its way as lace work, "it's as nice as 1 ever done and mebbe nicer, and not many folks can quilt better'n I can. And so that rug is al! made from old woolen rags drawn through the can- vass with a hook; now who would think it?" FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 677 •'Let me show you something else. Here is a knit spread, and this wool shawl that I don't mind telling you is for my mother-in-law." "La, me! child, are you married?" "Not exactly," blushing slightly, "but I expect to be this winter and that is why I am making these quilts and things. We are to live with my future husband's mother, who is a dear old lady, and I made those things for her. The farmhouse that is to be my home is a beautiful place all covered with roses and Ilowers everywhere. I do love flowers so much and shall be perfectly happy there." Grandma sighed. If only Frank had seen this girl before he fell in love with that other. This one was evidently a country girl or how would she know so much about common things and piece quilts and braid rugs etc. In the pantry department she had shown evidences of her skill also, and grandma easily persuaded herself that this girl possessed all the old-fashioned graces and accomplishments which would make her a most cherished daughter. At the appointed hour grandpa came, and after promises to meei Thursday morning at the flower display they separated. Grandrha sung the praises of her new acquaintance, but the old gen- tleman was too full of his secret to heed much. He finally roused him- self and asked her name. "I clear forgot to ask her," and grandma looked a little foolish, "but she told me all about her going to get married and she made the beauti- fulest shawl out of wool for her husband's mother, who is fuch a fine old lady." "Not half so fine as j'ou are, I'll be bound," said giandpa stoutly, "you just wait until Thursday and we'll show her something to talk about,' chuckling. "Whatever do you mean? ' but not one word more could she get. Wednesday they rested, but Thursday found them on hand early, but when they finally reached the floral display the flrst thing they saw v/as tlie girl, who smiled a welcome at them, and began talking at once. "Are your Dahlias here," asked grandma. "Oh, yes! but they're nothing by the side of some that are here; why there is one display of nearly one hundred varieties; came in early thi^ morning and the most beautiful 1 ever saw." Grandpa pressed forward. "What would mother say when he told her." Just then the old lady saw John and said, "Why John, I didn't sup- pose you would care for the flowers. But la, me! one never can tell about these men, for there is father crowding right up among them and iie never cares for the flowers at home, only Dahlias, of course." "But it's the Dahlias he is looking at. and your Dahlias, too. mother; that's what is tickling him." "My Dahlias! Why John!" she began, and then the whole story came out and the surprise was as great as even grandpa had hoped, until the young lady said: "My poor Dahlias haven't even a chance by the side of your beauties; I never saw such fine ones, so big and perfect. See, they are putting the blue ribbon on them. That's first premium, you know, and there goes the second premium to mine, the red ribbon." 678 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 'I hardly think it's just righl," began grandma. "My dear, do you suppose they would put the blue ribbon on yours if I asked them to?" "Oh, no! They couldn't do that, for your flowers are really very much finer than mine, and I am truly glad you got first premium. Why I have blue ribbons on ever so many things over in the other building." "Mother," here broke in grandpa, "mebbe that young lady would come and eat dinner with us, and that would help square things," with a man's appreciation of a dinner. "If you only would," said grandma, "but I don't even know what to call you." "My name is Elizabeth Graham," readily responded the lady. "Elizabeth Graham," excitedly repeated grandma. "Then you are my son Frank's sweetheart, and you are not ashamed of country folks?" With a bewildered look the girl said, "I don't quite understand, but I am certainly Frank's sweetheart, and if you are his mother I shall be so happy, for I have been afraid to meet her, fearing I was not altogether worthy of her noble son." with the humility of a deep love, "but now, I love you already." "So do I you, my dear, and I have been wanting you for my daughter ever since you first smiled at me." Taking the hand of the girl in his, grandpa said, "You know, mother, I promised Frank to kiss his girl for him if I met her at the fair, but I never thought I would want to do it for myself," and despite the crowd grandpa kept his promise and always contended that though he didn't get any blue ribbons, he got something far better, and no doubt he was right. PART XIL REPORTS OF COUNTY AND DISTRICT AGRICUL- TURAL SOCIETIES. ADAIR COUNTY. W. W. Burrell. Fair held at Greenfield, September 8, 9, 10 and 11, 1903. On account of the unfavorable weather during the days of our fair the attendance was not as good as it would have been had the weather been more favorable, yet, financially, the fair was a success. The exhibits of horses, cattle, hogs and sheep were the largest and finest ever shown on the grounds, and in the art, culinary, fruit and flower departments the exhibits were all that we could expect. Owing to the unfavorable season the exhibits in farm products were not as good as last year, yet they were a very creditable show and commanded $50 premiums. Our hay and grass crop this year was exceptionally good, and with good weather at haying time it was cared for in the best of condition. A great deal of timothy was cut for seed, and it yielded from four to eleven bushels per acre. Pall feed is plentiful, and all kinds of stock are in good condition and bringing fair prices. Oats were a light crop, yielding on an average of twenty bushels per acre, and owing to the wet season were colored some before being threshed. Wheat was of an average yield and quality with former years. We will raise more good corn than we did last year, but not so many bushels. Quite a number of wet spots will have none on. while the land well drained, and planted early, will produce good corn. Some late planted corn is yet in danger of frosts at this writing (October 5th). but with another week of good weather it will yield a fair number of bushels of good quality. The crop will be about 75 per cent of the average one. Very little grain will be shipped from here this season, as the demand from feeders will consume nearly the entire crop. Land is not selling as well as last year, but values are holding up. land being sold bringing from $45 to $85 per acre. (679) 680 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ADAMS COUNTY. J . M. Bevore. Fair held at Corning, October 5, 6, 7 and 8, 1903, after a postponement of five weeks on account of wet weather. The exhibits were good in all departments, and especially in those of corn and apples, they being superior in quality and display of any previous exhibit ever made here. Corn will yield below the average, on account of excessive rains and hailstorms. Oats were of a fair yield, though somewhat damaged in shock by rain. Wheat is not grown in this county to any great extent. Hay was an abundant crop, and pasturage being good, all kinds of live stock are in excellent condition. No hog cholera reported this year. ALLAMAKEE. hurt Hendrick. Fair held at Waukon, September 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1903. The fair was a very successful one from point of exhibits; the premiums were the largest paid in years, and with the improvements made on the ground the showing was of the best. The attendance was not up to the usual, owing to rain and threatening weather prevailing throughout the days of the fair. Crops in this section were good. On the bottom lands floods destroyed the small grain, and set corn back, but on the uplands the corn was good. Small grain was a good average, both in yield and quality with former years. Thoroughbred stock of all kind is being raised extensively, and the exhibits in this department were the best ever made at our fair. APPANOOSE. John C. Ashhy. Appanoose county is sharing in the general prosperity of the county, and ranks well up among the first counties of the grand old State of Iowa. The crops this year were up to the average, with the exception of corn, while on account of the late spring rains the acreage planted was not as large as usual. The corn on the uplands will make a very fair yield, while that on the low lands will not make as good a showing. Hay was an abundant crop, and was put up without the rains damag- ing it to any great extent. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. . 681 While there was not a very large acreage of wheat, the yield and quality were good. Oats was a very good crop, both in quality and yield. The millet crop was very large in acreage and is making a good, heavy yield. Rye is not raised to any great extent in this section. Buckwheat was sown by a few farmers in small patches this year, and was a very good crop. The honey crop here is the best had for a number of years. Prices are good, and as a rule the farmers are well pleased with the results of this season's work. All stock is in good condition, as the fall pasture was never better. We have some heavy feeders in this county, and their pens are being filled with the best stock that can be obtained. Quite a number of thor- oughbred cattle are fed in this locality, and bring top prices in the markets. We have very large coal interests, which makes good local markets "for farm and dairy products. The person is very fortunate who owns land in Appanoose county, as he can gather a large crop each season, and in addition receive a nice income from the royalty on the coal underlying his land. AUDUBON COUNTY. 0. B. Train. Fair held at Audubon, September 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1903. The fair was a very successful one, financially and otherwise. Exhibits were good in every department. The hog exhibit was the best ever seen in Audubon county, there being so many entries that the num- ber of pens had to be doubled, and many were turned away on account of having applied too late for the society to accommodate them with space. The weather was fine every day, and the attendance was all that •conld be expected. The association built a new amphitheater this year, and we now have as nice buildings and grounds as any association in western Iowa. The farmers seem to have awakened to the importance and value of a "County Fair" in its true sense, and there are good grounds for be- lieving that the exhibits in coming years will continue to grow both in quantity and quality. The following is a summary of the crop and live stock conditions in Audubon county for the year of 1903: Corn. — Yellow Dent, White Dent and mixed. Yield will average fifty bushels per acre of good grade. It would have averaged much better but for some being late planted, on account of early spring rains. Oats. — Mostly white. Average yield twenty-five bushels, of poor quality. Were badly damaged by rain after cutting and while in stack. Wheat. — Average yield about eight bushels per acre, and poor quality. 682 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Rye.— Practically none raised. Barley. — Spring. Average yield twenty-five bushels per acre, and of a fair quality. Very little flax, buckwheat or sorghum raised in this county. Potatoes. — Average yield forty bushels per acre, of good quality, and bringing $1 per bushel. Timothy Hay.^ — Average yield two and one half tons per acre, with . about one and one half tons per acre from second crop. Prairie Hay. — Average yield one and one half tons per acre, of good quality. Timothy Seed. — Average per acre four bushels, of good quality. Horses. — Principal breeds, Norman, Clydesdale, English Shire and grades. There is a general improvement in horses of all kinds. A great many are bought here and shipped to other markets. Prices range high. Number assessed, 8,420. Actual value as assessed, $469,138. No disease. Cattle. — Principal breeds, Durham, Hereford, Polled Angus, Jersey and grades. Durham preferred for beef; Jersey for dairy; steady im- provement. Number assessed, 34,663; actual value as assessed, $874,118. Mostly marketed at Chicago. No disease to speak of. Swine. — Breeds represented: Poland China, Berkshire, Chester White and Duroc Jersey. Poland China preferred, with Chester White and Duroc Jersey a close fight for second place. Supply good. Market, Chicago and Omaha. Practically free from disease. Number assessed, 39,197; value as assessed, $273,911, Sheep.^Mostly Southdowns and Shropshire. General health good. Not much increase in industry. Numbers assessed. 1.671; actual value as assessed, $6,686. The cultivated land is largely devoted to corn, hay and pasture, small grain not being very extensively raised. This is strictly a stock raising county, and can't be beat, in this respect, in western Iowa. This year's crop was materially damaged by wet and cold weather, yet take it on the whole we have plenty to be thankful for. In August a destructive hailstorm passed over the west part of our county, which did a great amount of damage, but the soil is so productive and the farmers so thrifty that Jhe loss will only be felt for a short time. Small fruit was injured to some extent this year on account of the extremely wet weather. While the crop set well in the spring, it did not mature well and the cause is generally laid to the wet weather. This IS also true with most of the large fruits, although the apple crop is quite- good. There is a steady improvement in the farms of Audubon county and> very few farms can be bought for less than $60 per acre. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 683 BENTON COUNTY. Geo. D. McElroy. Fair held at Vinton, September 16, 17 and 18, lOOo. The first and second days of the fair the weather was very un- favorable and roads almost impassable, but notwithstanding this the exhibits in the horse, swine and poultry departments were larger than last year. The floral display was very good, and all of the available space in the hall was taken. The corn crop will average probably forty bushels to the acre, and that which was planted early and on high or well drained land is of a good quality. The Vinton and Iowa canning companies put up over 6,000,000 cans of sweet corn this season. The farmers receive $5 per ton for the corn, besides having the fodder, which makes excellent feed. BLACK HAWK COUNTY. B. L. Manivell. Fair held at La Porte City, September 22. 23, 24 and 25, 1903. The fair was up to the standard in most of the departments, and a marked improvement was noticed in the quality of the stock exhibits. Good weather prevailed, and the fair was a financial success as well as otherwise. The hay crop was good, and was put up in fine condition, Oats were a light yield both in quantity and quality. Corn is very uneven, but of a fair yield. The potato crop is not up to the average. The creamery business is on a firm basis, the farmers' co-operative creamery handling this product to the general satisfaction of its members. The canning company here (La Porte City) put up 1.500,000 cans of good quality sweet corn, the farmer receiving from $12 to $25 per acre for the corn, price being $5 per ton. BOONE COUNTY F. W. Thomas. Fair held at Ogden, September 8, 9, 10 and 11, 1903. The fair was a great success, considering the fact that the season has been very backward, owing to the excessive rainfall. The rain on the second and last days of the fair had a tendency to keep the crowd away, but the third day was an exceptionally good one, and the gate receipts on a whole were very satisfactory. 684 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. All departments were well filled. The cattle and horse exhibits this year were the largest and finest the fair has seen for years. The hog exhibit was also very gratifying; Poland China and Chester Whites were the principal breeds shown. The poultry exhibit was not so large as it has been in former years, but some very fine birds were on exhibition. Ten pens of sheep were on exhibition, although this is not a very extensive sheep raising community. There is an increased interest manifested in the improvement of all kinds of live stock, especially horses and cattle. The season has been wet, and as a result farming has been very backward. The acreage of corn, as well as other grains, is short, com- pared with former years. The exceptionally fine weather in the latter part of the season has, however, been a great benefit in ripening the late corn, and the yield will be much better than at first expected. It will average about thirty-five bushels to the acre, and of a good quality. Oats averaged about twenty- five bushels to the acre, but of poor quality. Only a small crop of pota- toes were raised this year. The hay crop w^as the largest in years. There is a great number of cattle being fed here this year, notwithstanding the fact that last year was a very unprofitable one for feeders. Land is changing hands here at from $75 to $100 per acre, depending largely on the location as to the distance from town. The farmers did their 'Share this year in making the fair the success we have reported, and although the speed department was not so com- pletely filled as the association would have liked to have had it, the races were interesting. The society has some very fine buildings on their grounds, and they are all in good repair. A fine stock barn was built this year, which adds Tery materially to that department. The farmers' institute here is a very successful one. and is doing a great deal of good to the farmers. BUCHANAN COUNTY.Y C. W. Stiles. Fair held at Independence. September 1. 2. 3 and 4, 1903. Notwithstanding the fact that we have had two very wet seasons, and agriculture thereby being much retarded, we are most grateful, for Buchanan county has produced crops sufficient of all kinds to care for it during the coming year. The ordinary number of hogs are being fed for market, but not as many cattle as usual. The average yield of oats is variously estimated at from twenty to forty bushels per acre, weighing from twenty-six to twenty-nine pounds per measured bushel, and bringing on the market from twenty-six to twenty-eight cents. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 685 Because of the unusual rains at planting time the acreage of corn is below the average, and the yield will be light; estimated at from twenty to thirty bushels per acre, and market at this writing (October 27th) offering forty-five cents for eighty pounds. Potatoes are good where planted on high ground, and bring from thirty-five to forty cents per bushel. Hay was an abundant crop, and was put up without being damaged ])y lains. Local market paying from $t; to $7 per ton. BUENA VISTA COUNTY. G. E. Cameron. Fair held at Alta, August 18, 19, 20 and 21, 1903. This, the association's seventeenth annual fair, was a success beyond our expectations, as we had four fine days — something unusual this year — as a great many fairs in this part of the State were declared off on account of rain. The attendance was the largest in the history of the society. Exhibits in all departments were large, and show great improve- ment, except in the farm and garden departments, which owing to the extreme wet weather which has prevailed throughout the season was not up to the usual standard. In the horticultural department we had one of the finest exhibits ever shown, especially in the apple display, which would have been a credit ^o any apple country. The apple crop this year was large, and the quality excellent. Xhere were several cars of apples barreled and shipped out, something that was never done before, and we feel pretty proud of it, as they used to tell us that "Northwest Iowa could never raise fruit." If there is anyone that still doubts it, if they will attend the Buena Vista county fair we will dispel all doubts. Horses and cattle are gradually being bred up to a good standard. Horses are scarce, owing to the many carloads that have been shipped out during the past few years. Hogs are generally healthy, and there is a good crop of pigs. Com will be seventy-five per cent of a crop, if frosts hold off until October 1st. Oats run from twenty-five to fifty bushels per acre, but light in weight. The hay crop was the largest in the history of the county, and of fine quality. Land values range from $75 to $100 per acre. CASS COUNTY. S. W. W. straight. Owing to the destruction of a number of buildings on our grounds by wind we were compelled to declare our fair off for this year. IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Crops of all kinds are below the average both in quantity and quality,, owing to the unfavorable season. Much of the wheat and oats was spoiled in the shock, and all was more or less damaged by wet weather. There will be a fair crop of corn. There is a smaller acreage of potatoes than usual, and the yield will be light, many rotting in the ground. A hailstorm in July devastated a large strip of this section. Fine cattle, hogs and horses are bred extensively in this section, and bring good prices. Land values have not been affeetecf by the 1)ad season, farms selling from $75 to $125 per acre. CEDAR COUNTY. L. J. Rowell. The Tipton Fair Association held its annual exhibition at that place on September 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 1903. The fair was a success in every respect, the weather being good, the attendance large, and entries in every department being well filled. Nearly all the different breeds of draft horses were represented, as were also the roadsters. The cattle exhibit, while good, was not as large as usual, though we offered good premiums. The showing in the sheep department was good, as was also that of swine, all the principal breeds being represented. The exhibit of farm products was fine. Floral hall as usual was filled to overflowing. We had nothing but running races this year, which were well filled and gave satisfaction to all. The Bauscher Carnival Company was on the ground during the fair, and this, together with what outside shows we had, filled the ground allotted for that purpose. We had some good free attractions; ball games daily, together with the races kept the crowd in good humor and busy. The large attendance, and increase in exhibits, shows that an increased interest is being aroused in our fair. The hay crop this year was very heavy and of good quality. Corn is good, excepting that which was planted late and in low places. The oat crop w^as good, but not much wheat is raised in this coimty. Barley was a good crop. The pastures are in fine condition. Cedar coimty farm lands are ready sale, some selling as high as $130 per acre and the poorest cannot be had for less than $50. CHICKAS.AW. L. E. Eck. The annual exhibition of the Big Four Fair Association of this county was held at Nashua, September 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 1903. and was a success financially and otherwise. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 687 The oat and corn crop in this county will not exceed fifty per cent ringing from $60 to $80 per acre. LINN COUNTY. E. E. Henderson. Fair held at Central City, September 22, 23, 24 and 25, 1903. The fair was one of the best ever held at this place, and was pro- nounced by all who visited it, to be one of the cleanest fairs they ever at- tended. The management turned down several hundred dollars offered l)y privilege men that were making the rounds of other fairs. The live stock exhibit was good, and pronounced by many to be the best ever seen at this fair. The amount of premiums paid were never exceeded but by one fair since the organization of the society. The art hall was well filled and decorated, and contained no exhibits of mer- chants or business firms, being filled only with the handiwork of the people. A cabin such as was used in pioneer days was built, and contained an old time spinning wheel shown in operation, together wit bother arti- cles suggesting and illustrating pioneer times. Great interest was man- ifested by old settlers in this cabin and its exhibits. The attendance was the best had for three years, but was not up to the expectations of the management. Nearly eight hundred dollars were spent in improvements, in the way of two new large swine barns, planting of shade trees and ditching. The extremely wet season affected the crops to some extent, but they are considerably better than last year, and especially is this true of the quality of corn. Oats were of a fair yield, although they are somewhat light in weight. There were potatoes enough raised for home consumption, but are not of as good quality as usual on account of wet weather. The hay crop was an exceptionally large one, but was not put up in the best of condition owing to rains. Live stock is especially well favored in this county, both in quality and quantity. Considerable more feed-stuffs are shipped in than out, which speaks well for the live sfock industry. Very little land is being sold in this county. 704 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. LINN COUNTY. E. H. KnicTcerhocker. The annual meeting of the/ Prairie Valley Fair Association was held at Fairfax, September 12, 13 and 14, 1903. On account of rainy weather prevailing the attendance was not quite- up to the average. The exhibits were much better than we expected, ow- ing to our early dates of holding the fair. Crop conditions of this county are fine, considering the extremely- wet season. Corn will average about forty bushels per acre, and is of fair quality. Oats are somewhat colored, and had an average yield of thirty-eight bushels per acre. Wheat and rye yielded on an average of twenty-five bushels per acre. Barley is not raised to any great extent in this county. There w^as a large crop of hay. Vegetables were of an- average crop, while fruits of all kinds yielded poorly, but were of fair quality. There is a noticeable interest being taken in the raising of thorough- bred stock. Farm lands are selling at from $60 to $125 per acre. LOUISA COUNTY. Ed Hicklin. Fair held at Wapello, September 29 and 30 and October 1 and 2, 1903.. The weather conditions this year have been very unfavorable for the greater part of the land in this county, there being an excess of rain- fall. All of the lower lands were drowned out, and causing late planting on the uplands, favoring the more sandy soil. Corn is not more than fifty per cent of a full crop in yield, and there will be considerable soft corn to be placed on the market. There was not as large an acreage as usual, and the quality, taken on a whole, is not up to the average. The oat crop was nearly a total failure, and those which matured were light and chaffy. The rye crop was but little better than fifty per cent of the average one. However, there is not much planted in this county. Hay yielded an exceptionally large crop, and was put up in good con- dition. The weather has been favorable for fall seeding, and fall wheat and rye look well. Corn is nearly all gathered at this writing (December 1st). The fruit crop was a very good one, both in quality and quantity. ^arm Mechanics Students, drawing barn and other building plans. I. S. C Students in Farm Mechanics, studying the traction engine. I. S. C. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 705 LOUISA COUNTY. R. 8. Johnston. Fair held at Columbus Junction, September 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1903. This was our twelfth annual fair, and as usual was a very successful one in every respect, all exhibits being up to their usual high standard. We were favored with dry, pleasant weather throughout the days of the fair, and the attendance was exceptionally large. The fruit department was larger than ever before, which shows that an interest is being taken in this culture. Our fair management has adopted the single judge system in nearly every department, and it gives excellent satisfaction. Horses have been very high in price for the past year, with a steady increase and good demand. The bulk of the horses raised are draft, but there is a demand for all sound and showy animals. Prices range from $100 to $200. The prevailing breeds of cattle raised in this county are. Shorthorn, Herefords and Angus, there being but few Jerseys. Breeding cattle are selling for a much lower price than formerly, and this is also true of feeders which are shipped in, they bringing $1 less per hundred than last year. There are not as many cattle being fed for market as was last year. While there is a goodly number of breeders of pure bred swine in this vicinity, it is in a quiet way, there being few shipped in at fancy prices. There are very few sheep owned or raised in this vicinity. The acreage of corn planted is up to the average of former years, and while some fields will not have an average yield owing to the late planting caused by excessive early rains, the crop in general will be good both in qualty and yield. Oats are of a fair quality, but light in weight and yield. HUMBOLDT COUNTY. F. G. Loverein. The forty-sixth annual fair of the Humboldt County Agricultural Society was held at Humboldt, September 1, 2 and 3, 1903, and was a success in every way, the attendance on the second day reaching nearly five thousand people. The quality of the farm produce exhibited surprised everyone, con- sidering the exceedingly wet season. Corn was well filled and large. Oats and other small grain rather light. Garden vegetables fairly good. Fruit displayed was abundant in quantity and excellent in quality, and it is evident that fruit growers have learned that many varieties of ap- ples can be raised with the very best success in this county. Peaches 45 706 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. were also shown, which looked very plump and nice. Hope Cottage was well filled with beautiful plants of man species. Horses shown at fair indicate that our farmers are breeding almost exclusively for the heavy draft. Cattle shown included Durham, Red and Black Polled, Holstein and Swiss. The Swiss are very heavy beef cattle, and have only been raised in this county for the past few years. The Black Polled are very popular, and thought by many to excel the Shorthorn for beef purposes. The exhibit of swine was very good. Sheep raising is receiving more attention of late years, and our ex- hibit in that line was extra good. Angora goats are bred by a number of our farmers with marked suc- cess. They are very profitable for farmers living along the river and having timber and brush to clean up. Poultry raising is one of the most profitable industries of this county and our exhibit in that department was large and of the best quality. The quality and quantity of corn in this county will depend upon the length of time the frost holds off; if none comes before the first of September we will have an average yield and quality, but earlier frosts would prevent most of it from maturing. However, as nearly all corn raised in this county is used for home consumption, soft corn would not cause so great a loss as in localities where it is sold for shipment. Land, in Humboldt county sells from $55 to $100 per acre. The necessity for more scientific farming is impressing itself more and more upon the minds of the farmers of this county.^ The farmer who has his land in proper condition and drained will do well this year, while the man who was behind with his work, had all his plowing to do in the spring, and planted his crop late, will receive small returns for his labor. The question of drainage is receiving a great deal of attention and there has been thousands of dollars spent in tiling this season. LUCAS COUNTY. Chas. R. Kirk. Fair held at Chariton. September 18 and 19, 1903, after a postpone- ment of three days on account of heavy rains. The exhibits were light in all departments with the exception of horses and swine which had a splendid exhibit. Horses in this county are about the average in quality of grade draft horses, and farmers are obtaining top prices for everything good regardless of age. Cattle of pure blood are bred by many farmers in this vicinity. Short- horn and Herefords being the preferred breeds. There is a steady advance in the breeding of pure bred swine. We have some very large breeders of sheep, but farmers as a rule raise none at all. , FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 707 Very little wheat was sown here and yield was light. Oats were heavy but were damaged to a great extent in shock before threshing. Yielded on an average of thirty bushels per acre. Corn will average thirty-five bushels per acre of fair quality. Potatoes were a light crop, while that of fruit was an average one. MITCHELL COUNTY. J. A. Cutler. Fair held at Osage, 1903. On account of the rainy weather which prevailed throughout the days of our fair, the exhibit of stock was not quite as large as it would have been had the weather been pleasant. However, there was a fine exhibit of registered, or eligible to registry,, .stock. One of the very at- tractive and interesting features of our fair this year was the educational department, premiums amounting to $105.75 having been paid in this department. Crops, on the whole, are not an average with former years. Corn is a good crop in some localities, while in others it is only fair, and on the low lands where not well drained is only good for fodder. Oats are much the same as the corn crop, some good, but on the whole, light. Timothy seed fairly good in quality and yield. Potatoes a light crop, on account of the wet season. Barley and flax crops are fairly good. Hay crop was excellent. Stock or aHl kinds did well this season, owing to the exceptionally fine pasturage. Fruit was of a good quality, although the yield was not up to the average of former years. MUSCATINE COUNTY. W. H. Shipnian. The annual meeting of the Union District Agricultural Society was held at West Liberty, August 18, 19, 20 and 21, 1903, and was a very suc- cessful fair financially and otherwise. Corn at this date (October 24th) is in much better condition than was anticipated six weeks ago. The continued wet weather at time of plant- ing made the corn crop look very discouraging, and by August 1st many fields were given up as lost, but a very favorable fall has made a change. We will have plenty of good corn, while there will be some that will be very poor. Oats had a fair yield, but are light in weight, and altogether not a very profitable crop. Wet weather in the spring, and hot days at the wrong time are responsible for this. 708 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. There was very little wheat raised, but was of a good quality. Hay and grass are in abundance. Pastures were never in better con- dition, and consequently all stock is in fine condition. Hay crop was very heavy, and of good quality. Clover and timothy hay is not raised to any great extent. There was a good yield of second crop clover. All kinds of horses are raised, but more attention is being given to the breeding of good sized trotting and coach horses the past four or five years. Farmers are also breeding better draft horses. The breeding of cattle for beef purposes has been given the most at- tention, but recently the demand for good breeding cows that are good milkers has been growing, owing to the Iowa Condensed Milk Company having located a plant at this place. They will pay $1.40 per hundred for milk during the winter months, and many farmers think it a profit- able price. The company is organized with local capital amounting to $75,000. All breeds of hogs are raised, among which very little sickness has been reported the past year. MONTGOMERY COUNTY. D. B. Gunn. The annual exhibition of the Montgomery County Agricultural So- ciety was held at Red Oak, August 17, 18, 19 and 20, 1903, and was a suc- cess in every respect. Crops in this county were somewhat backward, as was true through- out the State, owing to the excessive rains. Corn at this writing (Octo- ber 6th) is at least three weeks behind the ordinary season, but with favorable weather much of it will mature. There will be a great deal of soft corn, and the yield in general will be lighter than any year since 1884. Will probably not average more than sixty-five per cent of the usual crop. Small grain was about the average crop, but was considerably dam- aged by rains after being harvested, and that which was stacked and not threshed as yet is growing badly. Hay was an exceptionally large crop, and being favored with good weather at cutting time was put up in splendid condition. Stock has done fairly well, owing to the good pasturage. Disease is breaking out among hogs quite badly, and reports are coming in that cattle are troubled, as they< were last year, with Black Scours or Bovine Cholera, as it was usually pronounced. We anticipate much trouble in this respect on account of the very wet condition of the grass and grains, especially corn and fodder, it being damp and sour, thus producing an acid condition that gives very disastrous results to stock, especially hogs and young cattle, with a few cases among feeders. As a whole we have had a fair average in production, and as the price on all commodities is fairly good, prosperity seems assured to the industrious tiller of the soil. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII. 709 MAHASKA COUNTY. Ed Pritchett. Fair held at Oskalaosa, September 8, 9, 10 and 11, 1903. Following is a summary of crop conditions in this county this season: Oats: About one half the average crop, and of a poor quality. Corn: Average about twfo thirds of usual crop. Grass and pasturage: 'An abundant crop, and generally was put up in good condition. MAHASKA COUNTY. N. D. Bates. Fair held at New Sharon, September 16, 17 and 18, 1903. We had one of the best fairs held here in several years. While the attendance was small on account of the prevailing bad weather, the ex- hibits in all departments were fine, especially the display of cattle. There were complete herds of the leading breeds that would do credit to any showering. The display of agricultural pioducts while good was somewhat lim- ited on account of the late season. The corn crop in this locality, while not up to the average of former years, on account of the late and wet spring, is better than was expected; will probably average fifty per cent of a crop. The lateness of frost this fall has helped to mature corn that would have been otherwise soft. The small grain was not as good a crop as usual, owing to the unfavor- able seas'on. Hay and pasturage was never better, the hay crop being an enormous one for this locality. MADISON COUNTY. T. J. Hudson. Fair held at ^interset, September 16, 17, 18 and 19, 1903. Considering the unpromising weather, the fair was a success. By a few days postponement more favorable weather was secured, but the continual rain preceding and including the first day of the fair mate- rially interfered with the attendance and exhibits. The cattle department was well filled, and in the horse department few draft horses were shown, but in the standard breed trotter and roadster classes some fine animals were exhibited. Many fine hogs were shown, comprising principally the Chester White, Poland China and Duroc Jersey. 710 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Owing to the unfavorable season all crops were retarded in early- planting and maturing. Hay, however, was an exceptionally good crop, while oats and other small grains were light, both in yield and quality. Corn at this writing (September 23d) is maturing rapidly, and will yield a two thirds cr'op. Land values range from $50 to $100 per acre. MARION COUNTY. Chas. Porter. Fair held at Pella, September 29 and 30 and October 1 and 2. 1903. The fair was a very successful one, taking into consideration that we had but one day of favorable weather, as all departments were well filled, and the gate receipts were more than the management expected under the unfavorable weather conditions. In the stock classes the showing far surpassed all previous exhibits, and especially was this true in the showing made of draft horses. We still claim the best poultry show made at any county fair in the State. Our crops were harvested mostly in good shape. Pasturage has been excellent throughout the season, and all live stock is in good conditi'on. Farmers in this vicinity have been very sucessful the past two sea- sons, with good crops of corn and no hog cholera. In every pasture a good crop of shoats may now be seen. Our farmers are using cream separators and are paying more atten- tion to the dairy industry, which means more diversified farming, and this, in the opinion of the writer, depends the success of our farmers in the future, as land has enhanced in value until we must) derive, if pos- sible, more and greater returns from each acre, and good stock will also be a redeeming feature. MILLS COUNTY. I. J. Swain. Fair held at Malvern, September 1, 2 and 3, 1903. Agricultural conditions in this county, while in a degree satisfactory, are still somewhat below the average, no crop being above. The wheat crop appears to be nearest the average of former years, while oats and corn are not so good. Apples and all small fruit were a disappoint- ment, and peaches and potatoes were practically a failure. It is doubt- ful if there is enough potatoes for home consumption. Rye, flax, buck- wheat and sorgum are not grown to any great extent, and can hardly be considered a part of the agricultural interests of this county. The outlo'ok for the corn crop at this writing (September 28th), tak- ing into consideration the acreage planted, will not yield more than a half crop of sound merchantable grain. Even barring killing frosts be- FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 711 fore October 15th to 20th the late planted corn will be unmatured and under value. Grass on the uplands yielded above the average, but the general yield is much reduced, owing to lands lying low and not well drained being flooded a greater part of the season. Taken as a whole the crop yield will undoubtedly fall below the average, yet, there will be a considerable surplus for the market, and at present prices, or even slightly lower, the average income per acre will not be much below former years. There is no disease reported among animals of the various classes, even the divesting swine plague, so often prevalent, being conspicuous ty its absence. Improved breeding of all classes of farm animals has been conducted for the past thirty years, and gratifying results are shown in the mag- nificent specimens of all breeds of horses, cattle and swine, to be found on a majority of the farms in this county. Hundreds :of horses are sold annually for the eastern and southern markets, at prices which render it profitable to the producer. Thousands of cattle and hogs are annually produced, fed and shipped, the income from which goes far toward maintaining the steady improvement of the farms and villages of the country. Under such circumstances notwith- standing the apparently unfavorable results of the year, our people are liappy, contented and prosperous, and feel a justifiable pride in extend- ing an invitation to others to locate within their borders. MUSCATINE COUNTY. W. A. Cooling. Fair held at Wilton Junction, September 9, 10 and 11, 1903, after postponement of one day on acc-ount of rain. On account of the unfavorable weather the attendance was somewhat curtailed; however, the fair on a whole was the must successful one ever held by this association. The exhibits in every department were large, and of a high class, and the races close and exciting, leaving our outfook for next year most promising. Crops in this vicinity were on a whole very satisfactory. Corn has ripened rapidly the past three weeks and the yield will be about the average. In spots, of course, there will be some soft corn, but generally speaking we can call corn a first-class crop. There was a good yield of oats, but were of a poor quality. Barley first class, in both quality and yield. 712 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. PAGE COUNTY. C. E. Young. Fair held at Shenandoah, August 12 and 13, 1903. The fair was a success financially and otherwise. Agricultural conditions in this county are good, the yield being much better than at first anticipated. Small grain was good both in quality and yield. Potatoes are rough, but selling at $1 per bushel. Corn is an average with former years, both in quality and yield. PALO ALTO COUNTY. P. V. Hand. Fair held at Emmetsburg. August 18, 19, 20 and 21, 1903. With regard to the amounts of agricultural exhibits at our fair, they were not as good as we would have liked to have seen, but owing to our early dates were all that could be expected. Furthermore, the weather was very bad, and the roads in' some parts of the county almost impas- sable, making it impossible for some farmers to bring in their exhibits, so that the display in this department would be no criterion as to the general condition of crops in the county. Corn, our principal crop, is about the average in quality with former years, but acreage is short, owing to the wet condition of the land in the spring causing late planting. Some of the corn will be soft, but the bulk of the crop, however, is well matured, the lateness of killing frosts being a great help to it. The ioat crop was as good as the average, but some are light in weight. Potatoes were above the average, both in yield and quality. Pasturage this season was of the very best, and the dairy interests in the county, which are very extensive, reaped a rich harvest. The writer is treasurer of the creamery at this place (Emmetsburg) and we have paid to the farmers for milk each month since May an average of $5,000. The apple crop was more than an average, both in quality and quan- tity, but were mostly of early varieties. There has been no epidemic of h;og disease this year, and taking everything into consideration, I would say that the farmers of this county are in a prosperous condition. POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. Caleh Smith. Fair held at Avoca, September 8, 9, 10 and 11, 1903. As far as the entries and exhibits were concerned the fair was a success, all departments being well filled, with the exception of horses. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII. 713 The management was compelled to diouble the capacity of the hog pens, and add a third more to the cattle barns, and with these additions there were a number of exhibitors who could not be accommodated with pens or stalls. A large amount of credit is due to the ladies of this county in filling the floral hall with their handiwork in domestic, ornamental and fine arts. The weather was a dismal failure, as it rained or threatened to rain every day of the fair but one. and on that day the attendance was good. Crops in this county are about an average with former years. Small grain was damaged to some extent by excessive rains. Corn on the lowlands was almost a failure, on account of it being planted late, and too wet to cultivate. Potatoes were a light yield, and some rotting in the ground. Hay was in abundance, but somewhat dam- aged by rain. Stock of all kind is in good condition. Hogs are plentiful, and no cholera is reported in this vicinity. POWESHIEK COUNTY. James Nowak. Fair held at Molcolm, September 7 to 12, 1903. Rain prevailed throughout the days of tne fair, and the attendance was not as large as in former years, when only a three days' fair was held. From point of exhibits the fair was a success, every department being well filled. However, receipts were sufficient to pay all bills and premiums in full. Owing to the exceedingly wet spring, corn was late in being planted. and some of it will be eoft and unmarketable, but the? yield is good and 7 per cent of it is of fair quality. Wheat, barley and oats were of an average yield and quality. Apples, peaches and other fruits fairly good. Potatoes were about 80 per cent of the average crop, but of extra good quality. Horses and cattle are bringing good prices. Hogs are free from dis- ease, and are also bringing good prices. Sheep are in good demand. Poultry and dairy industries are profitable ones to the farmer. Good farming lands are bringing from $60 to $125 per acre. Nearly every farm house in this county has telephone service and rural free delivery mail service. POWESHIEK COUNTY. C. H. VerhecTc. Fair held at Grinnell, September 1, 2, 3 and 4. 1903. The season has not been a profitable one for the farmers of this county, it having been cold and wet. Corn planted early and on high 714 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ground has done very well, owing to the fact that frosts have held off so late, there having been no killing frosts up to this date (October 5th). Late planted corn, and all corn on low land, will not mature, and there will be a good deal of soft corn, but the yield will be much better than at first anticipated. Oats, by reason of much wet weather, grew rank straw, and the grain is of light weight and not of good quality. Potatoes, except late planted, are not an average with former years, in quality or yield. Hay was an exceptionally large crop, and was generally put up in good condition. Pasturage is good and live stock of all kinds is in excel- lent condition. RINGGOLD COUNTY. Thos. Camphell. Fair held at Mount Ayr, September 1. 2, 3 and 4, 1903. We were favored with fine weather throughout the days of the fair, and the attendance was exceptionally g'ood. All those attending pro- nounced it the best exhibition ever had by the society. We made special effort on the county exhibits, and our barns were well filled, with more' room in demand than we could supply. The cattle, swine and sheep exhibits were in quality equal to any shown at the State Fair, and in fact they were a part of the herds shown there. The agricultural ex- hibit was a credit to the production 'of any year, and all other depart- ments were filled to overflowing. The outlook for an exceptionally good fair in 1904 was never better. The crops of this county were materially damaged by the continued cold and wet weather, and at this writing (October 9th) we are assured of but little in excess of a half crop. All grain is high in price,' and in consequence there will not be the usual amount of cattle fed for the market. The hay crop was an exceptionally large one, but was damaged to some extent in stack by the heavy rains. Fall pasture was never better, and we have plenty of everything to take us through the winter in good shape. Land values are about the same as last year, ranging from $35 to $60 per acre. SAC COUNTY. Frank Y. Healy. Fair held at Sac City, August 11, 12, 13 and 14, 1903. * Although the weather was very unfavorable throughout the days of the fair, all departments were well filled, and the attendance was fairly good. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 715 The society's grounds are very pleasantly situated and well equipped, being well piped, with hydrants from a spring on the grounds, and lighted with electric lights from the city plant. The fruit exhibit was the best ever had in the history of the association, and there was a fine field of trotting and pacing horses. The fact that we always offer large purses, pay every winner in gold at the wire, have the very best accommoda- tions, and a track second to no half mile track in the State, brings all the good ones each year, and we find that good racing, in addition to the good agricultural exhibit, brings large crowds and pleases the people. Horses: The farmers are taking more interest in the raising of horses and improving their stock, and there are some pure bred draft sires being brought into this county, the Percheron being preferred, as they sell at one or two years younger than some of the other draft breeds. Some very good trotting stock is bred, but not so much interest is taken as in the breeding of the heavier stock. There is no disease among horses, but barbed wire has ruined many of our promising colts. Cattle: Considerable interest is being taken in the breeding of thoroughbreds, and at our annual fair an improvement was quite notice- able. The Holsteins and Jerseys have few friends, Shorthorn, Angus and Herefords being preferred. Beef cattle are commanding a fair price, and cows for dairy purposes are selling at from $25 to $35. Principal market, Chicago. Cattle are generally healthy in this locality. Sheep: This industry is being revived, and numerous small flocks can be seen. T,he Shropshires are preferred, and are selling at good prices and generally healthy. Swine: The Poland China is probably the leader, although a few fine herds of Berkshires and Dui*oc Jerseys are to be seen. The pig crop was up to the average, and all the available space in the swine depart- ment at the fair was filled with good specimens of all breeds. No dis- ease is reported among hogs in this locality. SHELBY COUNTY. W. E. Cooper. Fair held at Harlan, September 15, 16, 17 and 18, 1903. Owing to the excessive rainfall on Tuesday, September 14th, and the threatening weather the following day, prevented this from being the most successful fair held by our association. The exhibits of fine stock excelled our usual good display, and the attendance, considering the weather, was all that could be desired. The problem that confronts our association, — and presumably oth- ers,— is, how to secure gdod horses and plenty of them for the speed ring. While our showing in that line was not such as we desired to have, it was as good as our adjoining associations. Our display of agricultural products was better than any previous year, as was the display in the floral hall. Wq feel that our people are becoming more interested in the ''County Fair" each succeeding year. 716 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The general condition of the stock on the farms is good, there being no contagious diseases reported in this county. The hay crop was all that could be desired, both in quality and quantit}^ and was harvested in good condition. Small grain was riot as good as usual, owing to the wet season. The yield was up to the average, but the quality was not so good. The corn crop will be a fair average, both in yield and quality, with former years. The potato crop was a failure, owing to excessive rainfall. The usual number of cattle will be put on feed this fall. The pig crop in this locality is above the average, and are in a healthy condition. A noticeable feature at our fair was the improvement in both numbers and quality of the stock on exhibition. Several local herds were exhibited at the fair for the first time, which is a sure indication of the advancement of stock breeding. % SIOUX COUNTY. James Wallpole. Fair held at Rock Valley, September 9, 10 and 11. 1903. Very unfavorable weather prevailed throughout the days of the fair. The first day threatening weather kept many at home, but the second day the attendance was good, and on the last day, owing to rain, the fair was abandoned. Exhibits in all departments were the best in the history of the society, all pens and stalls being filled, and we could not accommodate all those who wished to make exhibits in Floral Hall, for want of room. The excessive rains the past season in this county were very un- favorable to crops. The wheat crop was about the average, and early oats were good, yielding about fifty bushels per acre. Late oats were poor, both in yield and quality. Corn at this writing (September 15th) is practically safe from damage by frost, and will m^ake a fair crop. The potato crop was not an average of former years in yield, and are rotting to some extent. There is a marked improvement in the quality of all stock bred in this county, and all are in good condition. Grass and hay crops of all kinds were exceptionally good this season, and especially alfalfa. Land prices range from $70 to $90 per acre. SIOUX COUNTY. H. Slikkerveer. Fair held at Orange City, September 16, 17 and 18, 1903. The weather for two weeks previous to the fair was almost a con- tinual rain, and prospects for our fair looked bad, but a couple of days FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 717 before the date set for holding it the weather began to clear, and we had what we call a very successful fair, taking into consderation the weather, bad roads, and farmers being behind with their work. There was a good exhibit in all stock departments, but that of farm products was not very large. The Art Hall made a very good show- ing, for which the ladies must have all the credit, they taking much interest in the display of fancy goods. The attendance was very good. Good attractions were provided. The crops this season, owing to excessive rains and unfavorable weather, are not up to the average of former years. Summer wheat was poor in quality, and yielded from eight to fifteen bushels per acre Oats were mostly very light, the early ones being of better quality and yield. Corn gave promise of an enormous crop, but the wet weath.-r and early frosts did considerable damage, and will only average about fifty per cent of a crop. STORY COUNTY. J. R. Larson. Fair held at Nevada, September 9, 10 and 11, 1903. The corn crop in this county will be about the average in yield. There will be some soft corn, but ninety per cent of the crop will be marketable. There are some spots where ground was low lying, especially along Skunk river, where all crops were drowned out during the high water in the spring, but our avreage and quality of corn is much better than is the average of the State. The oat crop had a good yield, but quality poor, the grain being light and chaffy. The hay crop was the largest on record, and the farmers were able to put most of it up in good shape. Threshing is nearly all done at this writing (October 7th), and fall plowing is well under way. The farmers of this county are using more improved machinery than ever, and a better system of farming is gradually being adopted. There is a growing interest being taken in the breeding of thorough- bred stock bf all kinds, many farmers having started herds of pure breeds during the past two years. The showing of hogs at the fair this year was better than ever be- fore, while that of horses and cattle was about the average. TAMA COUNTY. A. G. Smith. Fair held at Toledo, September 15, 16, 17 and 18, 1903. The exhibits in all departments were lessened to some extent on ac- count of rain. Tuesday and Wednesday, the first and second days of our fair, it rained, and the fair was extended fo include Saturday. 718 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The speed department was up to the average of former years, and the horse exhibit made a splendid showing. The exhibit of cattle, while not as large as usual, was a very creditable showing. Over two hundred head of swine were entered for premiums, and the art hall, as 'usual, was well filled, as was also the agricultural department. Considering the wet weather we had, the board of directors of our society feel well satisfied with the fair. Premiums were paid in full. A special and interesting feature was the display of sch'ool work. Oats are very good in this county, being favored wth g'ood weather at harvest time. Hay was an exceptionally large crop, and generally put -up in good condition. Potatoes were of a fair yield and quality. Pasturage being good, stock of all kinds is in excellent condition. Corn, while not as good as some years in the past, is, on the whole, better than last year. At this writing (October 5th) we have had no killing frosts. TAYLOR COUNTY. W. F. Evans. Fair held at Bedford, October 14. 15 and 16, 1903. On account of unfavorable weather the fair was postponed from dates originally set. September 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th. to the above dates, but the continued dates were anything but favorable for outdoor exercise, and the attendance was light. The showing in most of the departments was excellent, and fully up to the standard, both in quality and quantity, of former years, although quite a number 'of fine stock raisers were prevented from making a showing of their favorites, on account of the almost impassable condition' of the roads. The fair was a success in every way except financially, the attend- ance being the smallest in the history of the society, owing very largely to the disagreeable weather and muddy roads. Friday, October 15th, was "Educational Day," and all children under twelve years 'of age were admitted free on this day. Under the infiuence and untiring effort of our efficient county superintendent. Professor H. S. Ash, this day has become the big day of our fair. The school exhibit was a very interesting feature to all who attended, every school, whether rural or graded, had something on exhibition from every pupil who could write. We exclude all games of chance, and find that our people, with small exception, highly approve of it. Horses: There has been a general breeding up of the better grades, especially in draft. Percheron, Clydesdale and Norman are the leading breeds. There was 12.064 head assessed in this county for the year of 1903. at a value of $681,370. No disease reported. Prices range from $75 to $175, and in many cases individuals of extra quality bring $200. These, of course, are exceptionally heavy fellows, .combining weight, color, style, etc. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 719 Cattle: While the showing la this department was small, on account cf bad roads and weather, the quality of those shown was fine, Here- fords and Black Polled iDeing the principal breeds exhibited. A number of Shorthorn breeders were prevented from exhibiting, owing to the above mentioned conditions. Cattle assessed, 37.904, valued at $830,843. No disease reported. Principal market, Chicago. Sheep: Interest not growing as in other kinds of stock, although there are some very fine flocks in this county. Number assessed, 7,647, valued at $23,151. Present price, $3.50 per hundred, and sold mostly to local markets. Swine: Poland China, Duroc-Jersey and Chester White are the leading breeds. No disease reported. A very large number 'of stockers on hand of extra fine quality. Although market at this time is much Lower than at the beginning of the year, there is at present prices a good profit in feeding surplus corn at home to hogs rather than selling it to the elevators. Number assessed, 43,364, valued at $297,717. Mar- keted at Chicago, St. Joseph and Ottumwa. Poultry: While the exhibit in this department at the fair was very light, the birds shown were of extra quality. There has been a notice- able increase in the amount^ of poultry raised in this county. Eggs are a source of wealth to the farmers' wives, and shipments are yearly on the increase. Poultry is better cared for than ever before, and better blood is plainly shown in all flocks. Barred, Buff and White Plymouth Rocks. Langshan and White Wyandottes arei the leading varieties where meat and eggs combined is the object, while for eggs alone White and Brown Leghorns are the favorites. Corn: That which was planted early on high ground is excellent in quantity and well matured. The unusually wet season drowned out all crops on me bottoms and lowlands. Yellow and White Dent are the lead- ing varieties. At least ninety per cent of crop uninjured by frost. Wheat: Very little was sown this season, and that which could be harvested was badly bleached by wet weather. Oats: The usual acreage sown, but badly damaged by rust before cutting, and the continued heavy rains damaged it in shock, making yield unusually light and quality inferior. Timothy: An exceptionally good crop, and generally put up in good condition. Potatoes: Acreage planted below the average of former years, and yielded very light. Many rotted in ground before fully matured; not enough raised for home consumption. Fruit: Apples not more than one fourth usual crop, and poor in quality. Peaches, pears, plums and all small fruits damaged by late frosts and heavy rains, and were almost a complete failure. 720 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. WINNESHIEK COUNTY. H. L. Coffeen. Fair held at Decorah, August 25, 26, 27 and 28, 1903. Owing to it having rained every day of our fair, the gate receipts were not as much as we usually have. The exhibits of cattle, swine and poultry were unusually good, and rainy weather was the only thing which prevented us from having a record-breaking fair. Stock throughout the county is of a high grade, and it is a very unusual thing to find farmers wh'o do not use thoroughbred sires of good quality, consequently the trend is upward. The hay crop was unusually heavy, and was put up in good condi- tion. About two thirds of the corn matured and made a fair crop, and will average about thirty bushels per acre. Other crops were about up to the average of former years. There are unoccupied water powers on the upper Iowa river that fur- nish facilities for getting cheap power if needed by anyone who should read this report. There are about twenty creameries in this county, all doing well. The natural groves of the county furnish timber enough for fuel, so that taken on a whole farmers in this county are generally in a pros- perous condition. WARREN COUNTY. G. F. Moorman. Fair held at Indianola, September 8. 3 and 10, 1903. Xhe fair was a success, financially and otherwise. Owing to the exceptionally wet season the planting of corn and small grain was very much retarded, but the yield on high and well drained land is a good average with former years. Fruits and vegetables were plentiful, and of good quality. Thoroughbred stock of all kind is raised extensively in this county, and the improvement in horses and cattle is quite noticeable. In cattle, Shorthorn and Polled Angus are the preferred breeds. Hogs made an exceptionally large showing at our fair, and of the best breeds. Sheep are not very extensively raised in this county, but those raised are of fine quality. Shropshire breed mostly in evidence. Poultry is extensively raised, and much interest is taken in the breeding of the best meat and egg producing varieties. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XII. 721 WINNEBAGO COUNTY. J. Woodcock. Fair held at Buffalo Center, September 9 and 10, 1903. The crops in this county, as in all northern Iowa, suffered a great deal from excessive rainfall and coid unfavorable weather. The acreage of wheat sown would probably not exceed fifty per cent of that of last year, and the yield was light, ranging from ten to twelve bushels per acre, of third grade. Will all be used for home consumption. The oat crop in acreage was about eighty per cent of that of last year, yielding from eighteen to forty bushels per acre, and weighing from nineteen to twenty-six pounds to the measured bushel. Corn will average about eighty-five per cent of the acreage of last year, but ten per cent of this will yield no crop, 'owing to land lying low and flooded. Yield will average thirty bushels per acre. Very little flax and buckwheat raised in this section. The hay crop was an exceptionally large one, and pasturage has been good all season. Potatoes will average only about twenty-five per cent of the usual crop, wet weather causing them to rot to a great extent while in the ground. All kinds of stock are in fine condition, owing to the abundance of pasture and fall feed. Fruit was a good crop both in quality and yield. WORTH COUNTY. Bert Hamilton. Fair held at Northwood, September 17, 18 and 19, 1903. Threatening weather just prior to the dates of the fair discouraged many who wt)uld have become exhibitors, and the almost impassable condition' of the roads prevented many from being able to haul their produce to town, and the poor crops made others feel too poor to spend either time or money necessary to attend the fair, and the consequence was rather a poor showing. In the live stock departments there were few exhibits, as it was almost impossible to drive or haul stock tb the fair grounds, on account of the muddy roads, but the few specimens present were as good as the county affords. In farm products there was a good show, considering the wet season and unfavorable conditions for harvesting crops. Splendid specimens of all kinds of small grain were shown, and many samples of corn were exhibited. 46 722 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. In fruits the display was better than usual, and the same may be said of vegetables. Worth county is getting to be a great fruit raising section, and many of the farmers have splendid orchards that are becom- ing sources of profit to them. In the ladies' department there was an unusually large display 'of fancy work and useful and beautiful articles. Our society does not spend much money for horse racing, as most of the fair attendants do not care for that kind of sport. A few good horses were here, and the races good. FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII. 723 724 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 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OSOOCDlO'-ICOCDt-JOCOOOOCO-^lOOX-<1'-^-^.-Ot>S3CO-*»50«050l» ?C ^^ox«3o"iot^j-;coodo63i — >rf-<-^o6xcso-H»dtr5-^Q6x'o6co— '--'CM^ t-^ lOXCM«C!COO'-ia5aia3K!COKIX)XXCMC3COXL-Ol-HCMCMCOXt-U3XlOt-.0-rr090:OCO»0»0— t-lOSX I CO r-ro^fioa5CMOTjri>roor-r^'-<*CMCMt-'co''-H eMi-r^'i-4'T* -.^^CMCM "O I— I ■* CM 2g i; |2 i . OOOOt-HOt-0-^OOOiOOOiO-^OOOCl-^OiOOiOOXO>Ot-inoo--iOiOiOOJXO»«>OiOXO X OJOOu3CMt^OCMCMCDXXit-C2X«mOCMTfCMC»-^COi-ii005'5' — t-CS-^-^t-t-Ot-CDl^^O-n'-rt- CO t^2i=»«^^"*^'*'>-'^'^d'3'-'2^'^--<'='OOcoro--'cMO«docMx'i>^oo;c'iu3x o »-*cot~iocc-j2 0XOit^roxoii-— 'CiTOi^— '»r5io-H»o>ococo»ot-co:vOto»o— '-^xc^— ' — ot^cox I i- '*ocDCO«x«oxcsiOT:ooeMXin!XOOJ.-ot-L-050xxxot-35x-tOCMr-lrt-HCO. ^l 8S loe^'^iceo. 02 Oi CM » C3 Xr-^CCOCM ■<*101Q05CM X'-Ht^oJoo CM .-I H. tj 00 O pli 8j i, O O ^T3 • •T3;g ■ C0T3 : ea OS . 03 a: ^*= : 03 ;3 S.2 43 03 CD (h ^ aj 0) S.S.S is So ea es ■3S^^-E^5S O fl c . S I " INDEX. PART I. STATE FARMERS' INSTITUTE. AGRICULTQRAL CONVENTION. SYNOPSIS OF THE STATE BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS OF 1903. PAOK Address of president, W. W. Morrow 74 Alfalfa in Iowa, H M. Cottrell 40 Assignment of superintendents 90 Auditing committee meeting, September, 1903 72 Buard meeting, March, 1903 65 Board meeting, August, 1903 70 Board meeting, December, 1903 92 Board, election of members 89 Board, members of Front pages Brooks, Senator J. T. , Talk on good roadd 75 Chief of police for fair of 1904 '.... 93 Chief marshal for fair of 1904 93 Children's and old soldiers' day for fair of 1904 97 Change in premium list for 1904 97 Coburn, F. D. , Talk on farmers' institutes in Kansas 17 Coburn, F. D. , ' 'Live stock at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition" 36 Committee on resolutions, report of 67 Committee on per diem and mileage, March meeting, 1908 69 Committee on per diem and mileage, August meeting, 1903 71 Committee on per diem and mileage, December, 1903 93 Committee meeting, Auditing. September, 1903 72 Committee meeting, Executive, October, 1P03 73 Committee on credentials, report of 86 Committee on address of president, and reports of secretary and treasurer 88 Committees, standing, members of 96 Consolidation of annual meetings, resolution adopting 62 Convention, State agricultural, December, 1903 74 Cottrell, H. M, "Alfalfa in Iowa" 40 Credentials, report of committee on 86 Curtiss, Prof. C. F. , ' 'Should the institute law be changed?" Election of officers of State Board, president, vi^e president and board of direcctors. . . 89 Election of secretary 92 Election of assistant secretary 93 Election of treasurer 92 Ellyson, G. D., elected treasurer for 1904 92 Ellyson, G. D., report of treasurer 75 Executive committee meeting, October, 19b3 73 Farmers' institute, State, 1903 ." 1 Farmers' institutes in Kansas, F. D. Coburn 17 Farmers' institute, how to conduct one successfully, Mrs. Squires 5 Fuller, Garth C, assistant secretary 93 Good roads meeting— at State Farmers' institute, 1903 45 Good roads, W. H. Moore 45 Good roads, D B Lyons 54 Good roads. Senator J. T. Brooks 57 Hamilton, Hon. John, ' ' The value of organization in ins'.itute work" 24 (727) 728 INDEX. PAGE Hillis, Mrs. Isaac Lee, address before farmers' institute 11 How to conduct a successful farmers' institute, Mrs. F. A. Squires 5 How to conduct a farmers' institute, Eugene Secor 13 Institute, State Farmers', 1903 1 Institute law, "Should it be changed?" Prof. C F. Curtiss 1 Kansas Farmers' institute, F. D. Coburn 17 Law, " Should the institute law be changed?" Prof. C. F. Curtiss 1 Louisiana Purchase Exposition live stock exhibits, F. D. Coburn 36 Lyons, D. B. , talk on good roads 54 Meeting of State Farmers' institute, December, 1903 1 Meeting of State Board of Agriculture, March, 1903 65 Meeting of State Board of Agriculture, August, 1903 70 Meeting of State Board of agriculture, December, 1903 93 Meeting of Auditing committee, September, 1903 72 Meetihgof Executive committee, October, 1903 73 Moore, W . H., Address on good roads 45 Morrrow, W. W., Address of president 74 Officers of State Board elected, president, vice president, and board of directors 89 Old soldiers' and children's day at State Fair, 1904 97 Per diem and mileage, March meeting, 1903 69 Per diem and mileage, August meeting, 1903 71 Per diem and mileage, December meeting, 1903 99 Premium list, revision of 97 President's address, W. W. Morrow 74 Resolution adopted as to the consolidation of annual meetings 62 Resolutions adopted at March board meeting, 1903 67 Report of committee on per diem and mileage, March meeting, 1903 69 Report of committee on per diem and mileage, August meeting, 1903 70 Report of committee on per diem and mileage, December meeting, 1903. 99 Report of secretary, J. C. Simpson 75 Report of treasurer, G. D. Ellyson 84 Report of committee on credentials, convention of 1903 86 Report of committee on address of president and reports of secretary and treasurer. .. 88 Revision of premium list for 1904 97 State farmers' institute, 1903 1 Should the institute law be changed. Prof C. F. Ourtijis 1 Squires, M 8. F. A. , ' 'How to conduct a successful institute" B Secor, Eugene, "How to conduct a farmers' institute" 13 State Board of Agriculture meeting, March, 1903 65 State Board of Agriculture meeting, August, 1903 70 State Board of Agriculture meeting, December, 1903 95 State Board of Agriculture, 1904 Front pages. State Agricultural Convention 1903 74 Secretary's report 75 Simpson, J. C. , secretary's report 75 Simpson, J. C. , elected secretary 92 Salaries of superintendents, etc. , for fair of 1904 93 State Board, election of members 89 Superintendents, assignment of 96 Standing committees 96 Treasurer's report, G. D. Ellyson 84 Warrants issued 1903 82 PART II. WEATHER AND CROP REPORT FOR 1903: IOWA CLIMATE AND CROP FOR A SERIES OF YEARS. Annual precipitation chart 150 Climatology of the year 101 Climate and crop review 107 Crop report, June Ill Crop report, July 112 Crop report, August 113 INDEX. 729 PAGE Crop review, final, December 113 Crops, maps showing 154 Crop summary table 114 Final crop report, December .^ 113 Final crop report table 117 Iowa climate and crops for a series of years 121 Iowa crops for 1 903, maps showing total and acreage yield by counties 154 Maps showing crops . 154 Monthly summaries climatology 102 Precipitation data 159 Physiography of Iowa 123 Review of climate and crops 107 Report of crops, June Ill Report of crops, July 112 Report of crops, August 112 Report of crops, final 113 Sage, J. R. , Report of Iowa Weather and Crop Service 101 Summary of Iowa crops 114 Tables of Iowa crops 117 Tabulated crop summary 114 PART III. PROCEEDINGS OF THE IOWA SWINE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION. Address of president, Harvey Johnson 166 Alfalfa and the hog, Henry Wallace 173 Corn and corn culture, D. B. Nims 177 Coming hog, W. D. McTavish 169 Howard, D. L. , "Iowa swine and corn association" 167 Improving corn to meet pig feeding requirements, Prof. W. H. Olin 177 Iowa swine and corn association, D. L. Howard 167 Johnson, Harvey, address of president 166 McTavish, W. D. , "The Coming Hog" 169 Meetingof the Iowa Swine Breeders Association, 1903 165 Members present , 182 Nims, D. B. , "Corn and Corn Culture" 177 Officers 165 Olin, Prof . W. H. , "Improving Corn to Meet Pig Feeding Requirements" 177 President's address, Harvey Johnson 166 Report of committee on resolutions 181 Resolutions adopted 181 Wallace, Henry, "Alfalfa and the Hog" 173 PART IV. EXTRACTS FROM THE DAIRY COxMMISSIONER'S RE- PORT, 1903. Amount of butter shipped by creameries of the State 198 Butter renovated 189 Batter, table showing average price of creamery butter 191 Butter shipments by counties 196 Creamery butter — Table showing average price 191 Creameries— Table showing product by counties 192 Cows— Table showing number in State for series of years 201 Cheese factories in Iowa 203 Dairy commissioners' report, H. R. Wright 183 Hand separators in Iowa 203 Oleomargarine 185 Product of Iowa creameries by counties, 1903 192 Price of fancy western butter in New York market 191 Renovated butter factories 189 Separators— Hand separators in Iowa 203 Shipments of butter, 1903 195 ^30 INDEX. PJlOE Table sh :> wing number of cows instate for series of years 199 Table showing average monthly price of creamery butter 191 Table showing pounds of milk, cream, etc. , received at creameries in State 192 Table showing number of creameries, etc. , in State 196 Table showing counties shipping more than 1, 000, 000 pounds 198 Table showing rank, etc., of counties 199 Wright, H. R, Dairy Commissioner's report, 1903 183 PART V. PROCEEDINGS OF THE IOWA STATE DAIRY ASSOCI- ATION AND NATIONAL DAIRY UNION, 1903. Address of welcome, J. C. Murtaugh 206 Address of H. J. Neitert— Response to address of welcome 206 Address of president, Samuel B. Shilling 213 Address of H. R. Wright 218 Address of Mr. Lang 221 Address of Gov. A. B. Cummins 233 Address of T. E. Purcell 283 Addressof I. E.Burridgc 286 Articles of incorporation of the National Dairy Union 295 Auditing Committee National Daii y Union ,• 281 Butter scoring 226 Burridge, I. E , address 286 By-Laws of the National Dairy Union 299 Butter-Makers meeting 300 Cummins, Gov. A. B. , address 282 Cobb, Euclid N. , "Food value of food stuffs" 259 Cream ripening, C. Larson 315 Dairy Union session 268 Dairy Union, report of secretary 271 Dairy Union, report of auditing committe'e 281 Dairy Union, articles of incorporation 295 Dairy Union, officers of 296 Dairy Union by-laws 299 Electiqn of officers, Iowa State Dairy Association 228 Election of officers of the National Dairy Union 296 Farmers' cow, how to keep and how to feed it, Professor Kennedy 242 Food value of f ood s^tuff s, Euclid N. Cobb 259 Financial statement, Iowa State Dairy Association 212 Financial statement, National Dairy Union 277 How to improve Iowa butter, M . Mortensen 308 Handling and care of milk and cream, J. P. Neilson 320 Iowa State Dairy Association, election of officers 228 Iowa State Dairy Association, membership 327 Kennedy, Professor, ' 'The Farmers' cow— How to keep and how to feed it" 242 Lang, Mr., address — 221 Loss and profits of the creamery business. Prof. G. L. McKay 301 Larson, C, "Starters and cream ripening" 315 Murtaugh, J. C . , Address of welcome 206 Mowbray, A. W. , ' 'The advantages of a silo to the Iowa dairyman" 250 Meeting of butter-makers 300 McKay, Prof. G. I., "Loss and profits of the creamery business" 301 Mortensen, M., "How to improve Iowa butter" 308 Membership of the Iowa State Dairy Association 827 Neitert, H. J. , Response to address of welcome 206 National Dairy Union session 268 National Dairy Union, report of secretary 271 National Dairy Union, report of auditing committee 281 National Dairy Union, articles of incorporation 295 National Dairy Union, officers 296 National Dairy Union, by-laws 299 Neilson, J. P., "Handling and care of cream" 320 INDEX. 731 PAGE Officers for 1904, Iowa State Dairy association 205 Officers of the National Dairy Union, 1904 296 President's address, Samuel B. Shillinp 213 Purcell, T. E., address 288 Response to address of welcome, H. J . Neitert 206 Report of secretary, Iowa State Dairy Association 210 Report of treasurer, Iowa State Dairy Association 212 Report of secretary, National E)airy Union 271 Rei- ort of auditing: committee. National Dairy Union 281 Report of committee on resolutions 322 Resolutions adopted 322 Secretary's report, Iowa State Dairy Association 210 Shilling, Samuel B. , Address of president 213 Scoring of butter 226 Silo for the Iowa dairyman, A. W. Mowbray 250 Session of' National Dairy Union 268 Starters and cream ripening, C. Larson 215 Treasurer's rteport, Iowa State Dairy Association 212 Wright, H R , Address 218 PART VI. PAPERS ON LIVE STOCK AND AGRICULTURAL TOPICS. A — BABY BEEF. Best method to pursue when raising calves for beef. Holland, E. C 339 Johnston, R. S 337 Packard, S. B 335 B— STEERS. Ames, A. L. , "Buying steers for the feed lot" 348 Bu.ying steers for the feed lot, A. L. Ames 346 Challenger's feeding 354 Elerick, J. , ' 'Margin one should expect on feeders" 342 Freeman, W. H. , "Margin one should expect on feeders" 344 Feeding cattle as a part of general farm operations, John Fox . . 349 Fox, John, "Feeding cattle as a part of general farm operations"... 349 Feeding, Challenger 364 Margin one should expect on feeders, R. T. St. John 341 Margin one should expect on feeders, J . Elerick . . 342 Margin one should expect on feeders, W. H. Freeman 344 St. John, R. T. , "Margin one should expect on feedarb" 341 Tail of the steer 351 C— HORSES. Breaking and fitting horses for sale 356 Horses head 360 Legs of draft horses 362 Treatment of sunstroke of horses 384 D — SHEEP. Art of feeding 372 Diseases of sheep 3/3 Grain for sheep 370 How to start in sheep 369 Lamb growing 374 Thrift, the great essential in sheep feeding 366 E — CORN. By-products of corn 378 Corn culture 374 Corn experiments, H. M. Oottrell 376 732 iNbE5t. F — ALFALFA. PAGE Alfalfa and protein 385 Alfalfa on Illinois corn land 387 Alfalfa on sandy soil.,.. 888 Alfalfa in northwestern Iowa 390 Alfalfa with or without nurse crop 391 Alfalfa inoculation 392 Concerning alfalfa 383 Disking alfalfa 384 Seeding to alfalfa 380 Spring seeding of alfalfa 382 G— MISCELLANEOUS . Abortion in cows .« 394 Apple orchard • • ; 405 Abattoir and packing house 427 Basis and objects of live stock classification 429 Cost of putting up ensilage 397 Chicago's live stock trade 416 Farming on one hundred dollar land 401 Farm animals and values 413 Influence of height of wheel on draft of farm wagon 410 Inspection of stock 424 Live stock in the world 410 Live stock exchanges 420 Manuring hilly land 397 Marketing livestock 420 Oats (smut in) 403 Potato Culture in Germany 407 Plowing by rule 409 Packing house methods 427 Rape grown in grain for pasture 398 Rule for measuring hay 419 Rules of stock yards 421 Sowing sorgum 4C0 Smut in oats 403 Stockyards 420 Selling stock in yards 422 ' 'The outlook cut no figure" 419 Value of Iowa land 412 H — IOWA STATE DRAINAGE CONVENTION. Address of Dr. A. B. Storms 437 Address of Prof . W. H. Stevens 438 Address of C. Q. Elliot on "Drainage laws of other states" 450 Appointment of committees 453 Ade, Mr. Will H. , Letter of 453 Address of Senator J. T. Brooks on road, drainage 454 Brooks, Senator J. T. , ' 'Road drainage", 454 Committees appointed 453 Committee on resolutions 459 Drainage laws of other states, C. G. Elliot 450 Drainage engineering, Professor Marston 443 Elliot C. Q-. , address on ' 'Drainage laws of other states" 450 Howard E. B , "Where will the drainage water go?" 460 Iowa State Drainage association— Organization of 460 Letter of Mr. W. H. Ade 453 Marston, Professor, "Drainage engineering" , 443 Organization of the Iowa State Drainage Association 460 Road drainage. Senator J. T. Brooks 454 Report of committee on resolutions , 459 INDEX. 733 PAGE Resolutions adopted 459 Storms, Dr. A. B , address of 437 Stevens, Prof. W. H., address of 438 Where will the drainage water go? E. B. Howard 460 I — PIG FEEDING. Alfalfa or red clover 475 Balance the corn 469 Cost of grain in hogs and cattle compared 469 Cheapening pork production 465 Cow peas 476 Long feeds make slow gains 470 Profitable pig feeding, Col. G. W. Waters 464 Red clover or alfalfa 475 Rape 475 Soy beans 476 Valueof pasture for pigs 465 Value of different kinds of pasture 471 Waters, Col. a. W., "Profitable pig feeding" 464 PART VII. POULTRY TOPICS. Andalusians 504 Brahmas 485 Black Spanish 505 Cochins 489 Dominiqaes 484 Egg producing hens, T. E. Orr 506 Farm poultry in winter 515 Geese (Toulouse) 518 Javas 483 Jersey Blues. 435 Langshans 493 Leghorns 494 Minocras 501 Orr, T. E. "16 to 1," "6 to 1," and the "egg producing hen" 506 PlymouthRock 478 Pure blood f o wels vs. mongrels 513 Raising turkeys 517 Standard varieties of chickens 477 Turkey raising — , 517 Toulouse geese 518 Varieties of chickens (standard) •• 477 Wyandottes 481 PART VIII. PAPERS READ BEFORE FARMERS' INSTITUTES. A son's duty to his father, H. J. Van de Waa 571 Bee culture, CM. Saylor 527 Behrends, John, "Dairy Farming" 564 Black, Mrs. T. K , "Share of the farmer's wife" 5S2 Browning, Mrs. O. W. , "Poultry on the farm" 599 C>operation, Lewis Richards 525 Construction and location of farm buildings, Chas. Lou 547 Cooper, F. L. , "The hog as a mortgage lifter" 558 Corn (growing and selecting s ed), Victor Felter 562 Child culture, Mrs. J. L. Van Horn 573 Carson, Mrs. John, "How to keep boys on the farm" 576 Dairy farming, John Behrends 564 Dairying on the farm, H. F. Hoffman •' 566 Domestic economy in public schools, Mrs. Alice Merritt 594 Farm exoeriments, J. C. Preston 529 Farmers' education, T. J. Kating 532 734 INDEX. PAGE Farm buildings, A. T. Zimmerman 541 Farmers' orchard and fruit garden, Wesley Greene 549 Felter, Victor, "Growing and selecting seed corn" 562 Ford, Mrs. CO., ' 'How to make home pleasant and attractive" 587 Greene, Wesley, "The farmers' orchard and fruit garden". 549 Good roads, F. G. Hanks 5^3 Growing and selecting seed corn, Victor Felter 562 Greene, Mrs. H. S. , "Sunshine and shadow on the farm" 584 How to improve t'leinstitute. E. J. McQuatters 521 Hanks, F. G., "Good roads" 553 Hoffman, H. F., "Dairying on the farm" , 566 How to keeo the boys on the farm, Mrs . John Carson 576 How to make home pleasant and attractive, Mrs. CO. Ford , 5S7 H JW the institute can bring the most goad to the girls 602 How to enlist the interest of the boys in agriculture through the home 611 Institute3 (organization of > 608 Jones, Carey M . , ' 'Thoroughbred cattle in Iowa" 569 Kating, T. J., "The farmer's education" 582 Kinsey, Mrs. L. B., "Music in the home" 581 Lou, Chas., "Construction and location of farm buildings" 547 Lewis, W. H. , "What is the matter with the corn crop?" 559 McQaatters, E. J.. "How to improve the institutes" 521 Marti, Chris. , ' 'Should farmers organize?" .. 523 McQuiston, E. J., "Value of education to the farmer" 537 Music in the home, Mrs. L, B. Kinsey 5S1 McKee, Mrs. H. H. , " Woman as a money saver" 593 Meriitt, Mrs. Alice, "The need of domestic economy in public schools" 594 Oats and clover, Geo. C. White 545 Organization of institutes . . .• 60S Preston, J. C, "Farm experiments" .. 529 Poulty on the farm, Mrs. O. W. Browning 599 Richards, Lewis, "Co-operation" 525 Rape as a forage and soiling crop, H. B. Strever 555 Should farmers organize? Chris Marti 528 Saylor, B. M. , "Bee culture" 527 Sherman, J. H., "What constitutes success in farming" 540 Strever, H. B., "Rape as a forage and soiling crop" 555 Stockwell, MissMary, "Why the boys leave the farm" 578 Shareof the farmers' wife, Mrs. T. K. Black 582 Sanshine and shadow on the farm, Mrs. H.S.Greene 584 Stutsman, Mrs. Mattie, "Women as home makers" 590 The hog as a mortgage lifter, F. L. Cooper 558 Thoroughbred cattle in Iowa, Carey M. Jones 569 Value of education to the farmer, E. J. McQuiston 537 Vande Waa, H. J., "Ason's daty to his father" 571 VanHorn, Mrs. J. L., "Child culture" 573 What constitutes success in farming, J. H. Sherman 540 White, Geo. C, "Oats and clover" 545 What is the matter with the crop? W. H. Lewis 559 Why the boys leave the farm, Mi.ss Mary Stockwell 578 Women as home makers, Mrs . Mattie Stutzman 590 Woman as a money saver, Mrs. H. H. McKee 593 Women's institutes 606 Zimmerman, A. T., "Farm buildings" 541 PART IX. IOWA STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS. Admission 621 Courses or study 621 Department of farm mechanics, Prof. C. J. Zintheo 628 Farmers' short course, Prof. W. H. Olin 621 Tuition , 621 Index. 735 PART X. LAWS RELATING TO FARMING AND STOCKRAISING INDUSTRIES IN IOWA. p^o^ Animals running at large 631 Adulteration of foods and liquors 643 Brands 634 Bounties 638 Cattle, Diseased 641 Cruelty and malicious mischief to animals 642 Cholera in hogs 639 Dogs killed 637 Diseased hogs 639 Diseased horses, cattle, mules, etc 641 Estrays *. 634 Fruits, trees and plants. Laws for p^-otection of 648 Fences, Laws concerning 652 Hog cholera 639 Horses, Diseased. 641 Inspection of sheep 639 Inspection of weights and measures 655 Laws for protection of fruits, trees and plants 643 Laws against (Spread of noxious weeds and plants 650 Laws concerning fences 652 Land measure 656 Landlord and tenant 657 Mules, Diseased 641 Malicious mischief to animals 642 Measures, Inspection of 655 Pedigrees 637 Pure food laws 643 Plants, Laws for protection of 648 State veterinary 637 Sheep inspection 639 Tenant and landlord 657 Veterinary, State r 637 Weeds, Laws against spread of 650 Weights, Measures and in-pectlon of 655 PART XI. IOWA STATE FAIR— ITS EARLY HISTORY, ETC. "A State fair episode," Ruralist 674 Dates of holding fairs from 1854 to 1903, inclusive 663 Directors and members of State board from 185 1 to 1903, inclusive 665 ' 'Fairs as educators, ' ' Breeder's Oazette 669 Iowa State College Scholarship Judging Contest at fair of 1903 €67 Officers from 1854 to 1903, inclut-ive 663 Places of holding fair each year ■ 6«51 Premiums paid from 1854 to 1903, inclusive 661 Receipts from 1854 to 1903, inclusive 661 "State fairs, " ColonelJ. B. Killebrew 672 "The social side of the State fair," Wallaces' Farmer 670 PART XII. REPORTS OF COUNTY AND DISTRICT AGRICUL- TURAL SOCIETIES. Adair county, W. W . Burrell ^79 Adams county, J. M. Devore 680 Allamakee county, Burt Hendrick 680 Appanoose county, John C. Ashby. 680 Audubon county, O. B. Train 681 Benton county, Geo. D. McElroy •••• 683 Black Hawk county. B. L. Manwell 683 Boone county, F. W Thomas 683 Buchanan county, C. W. Stiles 684 Buena Vista county, C. E. Cameron - • • 685 Cass county, S. W. W. Straight , 685 736 INDEX. Cedar county, L. J. Rowell 686 Chickasaw county, L. E. Eck 686 Clayton county, fl. W. Scotield 687 Clayton county, Henry Lueh>en, Jr 687 Clayton county, J. A. Kramer 688 Clinton county, J. B. Ahrens 688 Clinton county, L. D. Winnie 689 Dallas county, Josiah Petty 68r> Dallas county, H. H. Crenshaw 690 Davis county, J. C. Bouhard 690 Delaware county, James Bishop 691 Des Moines county, C. C. Fowler 691 Fayette county, H. P. Hancock 692 Franklin county, J. W. Cummings 693 Grundy county, J. W. Pepperman 694 Guthrie county, A. H. Grissell 694 Hancock county, John S. Fisk 694 Hardin county, C. E. Greefe 695 Henry county, O. N. Knight 696 Henry county, J. L. Roderick 697 Humboldt county, F. C. Loverin. 705 Iowa county, F. O. Harrington 697 Jackson county, D. B. Ely 699 Jasper county, C. W. Campbell 699 Jefiferson county, li. J. Marcy • 700 Johnson county, J . C. Leasure 700 Jonas county, W. G. Eeilers 701 Jones county, E. R. Moore 701 Knokuk county, Geo. A. Poff 702 Kossuth county, T. H. Wadsworth 702 Lee county, E. P. Armknecht 702 Linn county, E. E. Henderson 703 Linn county, E. H. Knickerbocker 704 Louisa county, bdHicklin 704 Louisa county, R. S. Johnston 705 Lucas county, Chas. R. Kirk 7t6 Mitchell county, J. A. Cutler 707 Muscatine county, W. H. Shipman 707 Muscatine county, W. A. Cooling 711 Montgomery county, D . B. Gunn 708 Mahaska county, Ed Pritchett 709 Mahaska county, N. D. Bates 7i9 Madison county, T. J. Hudson 709 Marion county, Chas. Porter 710 Mills county, I. J. Swain 710 Page county, C. E. Young 712 Palo Alto county, P. V. Hand 712 Pottawattamie county, Caleb Smith 712 Poweshiek county, James Nowak 713 Poweshiek county, C. H . Verbeck 713 Ringgold county, Tho«. Campbell 714 Sac county. Frank V. Healy 714 Shelby county, W. E. Cooper 715 Sioux county, James Wallpole 716 Sioux county, H. Slickerveer 716 Story county, J. R. Larson 717 Tamacounty, A. G. Smith 717 Taylor county, W. F. Evans 718 Winneshiek county, H. L. Coffeen 720 Warren county, C. F. Moorman 720 Winnebago county, J. Woodcock 721 Worth county. Bert Hamilton , 721 Financial statement of county and distri -t fairs 724 3 5185 00260 86