AN IDEAL JERSEY HEAD Prize Winner Iowa State Fair and Exposition 1907 EIGHTH ANNUAL Iowa Year Book of Agriculture Issued by the Iowa Department of Agriculture 1907 LIBRARY NEW YORK BOTANICAL QARDBN. DES MOINES: EMORY H. ENGLISH, STATE PRINTER E. D. CHAS8ELL, STATE BINDER 1908 ,01 LIBRARY NEW YORK BOTANICAL aARDEN. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OFFICE OF IOWA STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Des Moines, Iowa, February 10, 1908. To His Excellency, Albert B. Cummins, Governor of Iowa: SiR:^I have the honor to transmit herewith the Eighth Annual Iowa Year Book of Agriculture, for the year 1907. Respectfully submitted, JOHN C. SIMPSON, Secretary State Board of Agriculture. DC D_ INTRODUCTORY. The Eighth Annual Iowa Year Book of xlgriculture for 1907 in- cludes statistics, reports and papers that will be of interest to the student of Iowa agriculture. It is subdivided into thirteen parts. Preceding Part I is a condensed statistical table which tells the stor}^ of Iowa's source of wealth. These tables were prepared with great care in the office of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and convey, we believe, as near as it is possible, the agricultural resources of Iowa. Part I contains the final summary of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service for the year 1907. A monthly review of the climatology for the year is given, followed by the annual precipitation chart, date of the last killing frost in the spring and the first in the fall, and a final report showing the total yield of soil products by counties and value at farm prices December 1, 1907. Part II contains stati.stir-al tables of Iowa's principal farm crops for a period of years, principal farm crops of the United States, and principal farm crops of the world for 1906. Parts III and IV give the proceedings of the State Farmers' In- stitute and Agricultural Convention held in December, 1907. Part V contains a synopsis of the meetings of the State Board of Agri- culture, 1907. Part VI gives a synopsis of the meeting of the Iowa Swine Breeders' Association, held at Des Moines in June, 1907. Part VII is a partial report of the Iowa State Dairy Association, held at Des Moines in November, 1907. Part VIII deals with the Dairy Industry in Iowa. Part IX, a report of the Iowa State Fair and Exposition of 1907, giving a list of awards in the live stock departments, etc. Part X contains papers, addresses and mis- cellaneous articles pertaining to agriculture in all its branches. Part XI gives a financial statement of the County and District Fair Associations in Iowa receiving State aid in 1907. Part XII, the State law with reference to the standing of stallions for public service; a list of all stallions for which State certificate has been vi INTRODUCTORY issued is given by counties, showing the owner's name and the breed of stallion. Part XIII contains a directory of associations and or- ganizations representing agricultural interests in Iowa and other states. If the work of the Department is to be carried on in a manner to be of the greatest benefit to the State, it will be necessary for future General Assemblies to enact legislation giving to the State Board of Agriculture additional authority and support fund. Today the great agricultural State of Iowa provides only the meager sum of twenty-four hundred dollars annually for the support of the De- partment of Agriculture. This, with possibly a few exceptions, is the smallest fund expended annually for the support of an agri- cultural department by any state in the Union. This support fund should be increased to not less than five thousand dollars annually. With even this small increase the department could broaden its scope to a great extent by gathering statistical information, which is impossible under present conditions. Authority should be granted the Department to issue bulletins at such times as may deemed necessary by the State Board, possibly limiting the publications to one each quarter. As it is now the only medium the Department has for placing valuable papers, statistics, etc., before the public is through the annual Iowa Year Book of Agriculture. The size of this publication necessitates the omission of many matters of interest to the general public. To better illustrate this, would say that a bulletin should be published at the close of the institute year con- taining a financial report, statistics as to attendance, papers and addresses of each institute held for the preceding year. As it is now, only a short synopsis of this work can be included in the annual Year Book. A special bulletin on the swine industry could be is- sued immediately following the meeting of the Iowa Swine Breed- ers' Association, which would also include the proceedings of their meeting. Another bulletin on dairying could follow the yearly meeting of the Iowa State Dairy Association. Still another bulletin should be issued containing information and a list, by counties, of all stallions for which a State certificate has been issued. Such a bulletin placed in the hands of each owner of a pure bred stallion would be of great assistance in enforcing the provisions of the stallion law. The State institute law should be so amended that all reports should be made to the office of the Department of Agriculture. The stallion law should be amended requiring the owner or keeper to INTRODUCTORY vii report the death, or removal from the State of any stallion for which State certificate has been issued, and an annual renewal should be required upon all State certificates. This will keep the list of stallions alive and up to date and remove to a great extent the liability of fraud by unscrupulous parties substituting another animal for the State certificate he holds. Great care has been taken in preparing the copy for this book and an earnest effort made to have it issued promptly. The num- ber of copies issued is three thousand. J. C. SIMPSON, Secretary Iowa State Board of Agriculture. Des Moines, Iowa, February 10, 1908. STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 1908 EX OFFICIO MEMBERS. GOVERNOR OF STATE ^''^ 3Toines PRESIDENT IOWA STATE COLLEGE ^™«« STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER ^«* Motnes STATE VETERINARIAN Forest City OFFICERS. C. E . CAMERON , PRESIDENT ^"" w. C. BROWN, Vice-President Clarion J. C. SIMPSON, Secretary ^^^ Moines G. S. GILBERTSON, TREASURER ^«* Moines DISTRICT MEMBERS. FIRST District-R. S.JOHNSTON Columbus Junction SECOND DISTRICT-C. W.PHILLIPS MoQuoketa Third District-ELMER M. REEVES Waverly FOURTH DISTRICT-R. T. ST. JOHN RiceviUe FIFTH DISTRICT-S. B. PACKARD Marshalltown Sixth District-T. C. LEGOE What Cheer SEVENTH DISTRICT-C. F. CURTISS ^"^^^ EIGHTH DISTRICT-JOHN LEDGERWOOD .Osceola Ninth District-M. McDONALD Bayard TENTHDISTRICT-O. A. OLSON ForestCity ELEVENTH DISTRICT-H. L. PIKE Whitmg President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer are Elected for one Year. Terms of Directors for Even-Numbered Districts Expire Second Wednesday in Decem- ber, 1908. Terms of Directors for Odd-Numbered Districts Expire Second Wednesday in December, 1909 COMMITTEES. YEAK OF 1908. EXECUTIVE committee: C. E. CAMERON W. C. BROWN J. C. SIMPSON AUDITING committee: C. W. PHILLIPS T. C. LEGOE R. S. JOHNSTON committee on resolutions: R. T. St. JOHN M. MCDONALD JOHN LEDGERWOOD powers and duties of board: GOVERNOR ALBERT B. CUMMINS C. E. CAMERON W. C. BROWN THE adulteration OF FOOD, SHEDS AND OTHER PRODUCTS: S. B. PACKARD C. F. CURTISS H. R. WRIGHT DAIRY INDUSTRY AND PRODUCTS, INCLUDING FRAUDULENT IMITATIONS THEREOF: H. R. WRIGHT O. A. OLSON E. M. REEVES CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AMONG DOMESTIC ANIMALS: C. F. CURTISS P. O. KOTO S. B. PACKARD H. L. PIKE IOWA WEATHER AND CROP SERVICE: GEO. M. CHAPPEL, Director DES MOINES ILLUSTRATIONS Jersey Head Frontispiece Page Chappel , Geo . , Director Iowa "Weather and Crop Service 4 Sage, John R., Former Director Iowa Weather and Crop Service 22 Fifty Ears of Corn, winner "Wallace" Trophy 49 Champion Ear of Corn at Farmers' Institute, 1907 66 Champion Ear of Corn at Iowa State Fair and Exposition 1907 66 Lunch Time in the Grove , Iowa State Fair and Exposition 1907 162 Swine Barn and Show Pavilion, Iowa State Fair and Exposition Grounds 169 Horse Barn , Iowa State Fair and Exposition Grounds 170 Parade of Prize Winning Horses , Iowa State Fair and Exposition 1907 178 Main Entrance to Swine Barn 247 Scene in the Park , Iowa State Fair and Exposition Grounds 1907 260 Ayrshire Cow, "Croftjane Dinah 19th" 350 Guernsey Cow, *'Mei8tress Joe" 352 In the Horticultural Exhibit, Iowa State Fair and Exposition 1907 380 Short-Horn Bull 386 Holstein-Friesiaa Cow, "Parthenea Hengerveld 46004" 391 Clydesdale Filly 393 An American Carriage Horse in Action 394 American Carriage Horse ' ' Glorious Red Cloud" 404 Standard Bred Stallion "Hail Cloud" 405 Berkshire Boar, "Duke of Cedar Heights 84689" 408 American Carriage Horse, Brood Mare and Foal 411 Polled Durham Bull, "Roan Hero 6313" 420 Holstein-Friesian Cattle, Exhibitor's Herd at Iowa State Fair and Exposition 1907 423 Sheep Head 426 American Carriage Horse 429 American Carriage Horse "Wilbrino Boy" 433 American Carriage Horse "Kokane" 444 American Carriage Horse "Burnie Brino" 445 Morgan Stallion "Dart" 449 Hackney Stallion ' ' Prlckwillow Cannaught' ' 450 Clydesdale Mare "Queen of the Clydes" 451 Short-Horn Cow ' ' Victoria Countess " 460 Galloway Heifer "Lady Graceful " 465 Red Polled Bull ' ' Logan 13500' ' 466 Berkshire Sow ' ' Model H . 5th 90593' ' 477 Hampshire Down Ram 486 Shropshire Ram 487 Boys and Girls in Judging and Cooking Contests 504 Live Stock Students at Judging Pavilion Iowa State College 518 Class in Meat Demonstration Iowa State College 521 Champion Ten Ears of Corn at Iowa Corn Growers ' Association 523 Grand Champion Single Ear at the Iowa Corn Growers' Association 523 Class in Corn Judging Iowa State College 525 Hog Shelters 562 Hog Trough 563 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Letter of Transmittal Introductory State Board of Agriculture Standing Committees Index to Illustrations Table of Contents Iowa's Source of Wealth PART I Iowa Weather and Crop Report for 1907 5 PART II Iowa's Principal Farm Crops for the past twenty-seven years; Principal Farm Crops of the United States, 1906 and 1907; Principal Farm Crops of the World 1906; Number, Average Value and Total Value of Farm Animals in the United States, January 1, 1908 37 PART III State Farmers ' Institute , 1907 67 PART IV State Agricultural Convention, 1907 ". 163 PART V Synopsis of State Board and Committee Meetings, 1907 199 PART VI Proceedings of the Iowa Swine Breeders' Association, 1907 227 PART VII Proceedings of the Iowa State Dairy Association, 1907 261 PART VIII Statistics on Iowa Dairy Products, from the Dairy and Food Commissioner's Annual Report 1907 359 PART IX Press Reports of the Iowa State Fair and Exposition 1907, Live Stock Awards, Results in the Boys' Judging and Girls' Cooking Contests and Awards at Corn Show at State Farmers' Institute, December, 1907 381 PART X Papers and Addresses on Live Stock, Agriculture and Miscellaneous Topics from Bulletins, Agricultural Press and Papers read before County Farmers' Institutes 507 PART XI Financial Statement and Reports of Agricultural Conditions by County and District Agricultural Societies for the year 1907 741 PART XII Report of Division of Horse Breeding for 1907 821 PART XIII Directory of Associations and Organizations representing Agricultural Inter- ests In Iowa and other states 913 ERRATUM. The table on pages 55 and 5G, showing substantially the corn crop of the world, is for the years 1901-2-3-4 and 5, as indicated on page 55. The table on pages 61 and 62, showing substantially the rye crop of the world, is for the years 1902-3-4-5 and 6, as indicated on page 61. IOWA'S SOURCE OF WEALTH. COMPILED ESPECIALLY FOR THE IOWA YEAR BOOK AVERAGE YIELD, AVERAGE YIELD PER ACRE, AVERAGE FARM PRICE DECMEBER 1, AVERAGE VALUE PER ACRE AND TOTAL VALUE OF IOWA FARM PRODUCTS FOR THE YEAR 1907. Farm Products Acreage Winter Wheat Spring Wheat Corn Oats Barley Rye - Flax Potatoes Hay, Tame Hay, Wild Pasturage Fruit and Garden Products Other crops not enumerated Acreage crop not harvested Acreage occupied by farm build- ings and lots Dairy Products Poultry Wool Total 85 338 8,341 4,533 402 52 42, 117, 3,372, 896, 10,000, 625, 500, 1,300, 1,519,343 32,228,109 1,698,101 4,402,320 246,898,460 111,190,400 9,893,330 900,060 461,960 9,847,430 5,117,878 1,172,590 ■o a-- 01 l»oi "« 0) ss mQ &C(U es " U (1 t^-'-R O P. t>P.S < < 19.8 13 29.6 24.5 24.6 17. 10.8 84. 1.5 1.3 .62 8.50 6.75 $16.44 10.53 13.03 9.56 14.76 10.37 10.59 52.08 12.75 8.77 9.00 20.00 10.00 Total Value $ 1,409,423 3,565,879 108,635,322 43,364,256 5,935,998 549,036 408,640 6,105.406 43,401,963 7,914,892 90.000,000 12,509,800 5,000,000 40,000,000 20,000,000 700,000 l$389,500.705 NUMBER, AVERAGE VALUE, .AND TOTAL VALUE OF IOWA LIVE STOCK JANUARY 1, 1908. SUPPLEMENTED BY A TABLE SHOW- ING THE TOTAL NUMBER AND AVERAGE VALUE OF STOCK ELIGIBLE FOR REGISTRY AS SHOWN BY THE STATE CENSUS FOR THE YEAR 1905. Stock Number all Ages Average Value Total Value Number of Pure Bred Live Stock Census 1905 Average Value Horses 1,464,141 43,655 1,429,017 3,548,493 8,366,520 703,902 $ 90.00 S131. 772.690 8,167 89,388 110,035 9,988 $305.51 lOO.OO 33.00 25.00 9.00 4,365,500 47,157,561 78,712,325 75.298.680 Milch Cows -- - - Other Cattle . - 53.15 12.89 Sheep 5.0O 3,519,510 8.64 Total 15,555,728 l$340,826,266 (1) IOWA DEPAKTMENT OF AGRICCTLTURE. SUMMARY OF TOTAL ACREAGE FARM LANDS WITHIN THE STATE. NUMBER OF FARMS, AVERAGE SIZE OF FARMS, AVERAGE VALUE PER ACRE, TOTAL VALUE FARM MACHINERY, AVE- RAGE VALUE FARM MACHINERY PER FARM, TOTAL VALUE FARM BUILDINGS, AVERAGE VALUE FARM BUILDINGS PER FARM, TOTAL VALUE FARM LANDS AND BUILDINGS, TOTAL RURAL POPULATION (1905 CENSUS), AVERAGE RURAL POPU- LATION PER FARM. Total acreag-e farms - - 32,228,109 Number of" farms - 209,163 Average size of farms (acres) 158% Average value per acre $ 58.00 Total value farm machinery — 41,232,368.00 Average value farm machinery per farm 197.00 Total value farm buildings 303,750,975.00 Average value farm buildings per farm 1,452.00 Total value farm lands and buildings $1,855,857,423.00 Total rural population (1905 census) 1,142,114 Average number per farm 5% GRAND TOTALS. Value crops and other farm products 1907 $ 389,500,705.00 Value live stock 340,826,266.00 Value farms lands and buildings - 1,855,857,423.00 Value farm machinery — 41,232,368.00 GRAND TOTAL VALUATION . $2,627,416,762.00 PER CAPITA VALUATION. Per capa valuation rural population » $ 2,300.00 Average valuation per farm 12,561.00 Per capa valuation farm crops 1907 341.00 Average valuation farm crop per acre 1907 11.75 Average valuation farm crop per farm 1907 1,862.00 Per capa valuation live stock 298.00 Average valuation live stock per farm— 1,629.00 Average valuation live stock per acre 10.27 Total per capa valuation farm crops and live stock 639.00 Average valuation farm crop and live stock 3,491.00 GEO. M. CHAPPEL, Director Iowa Weather and Crop Service. Successor to J. E. Sage. PART I. Report of the Iowa Weather and Crop Ser- vice for 1907. Geo. M. Chappel, Director CLIMATOLOGY OF THE YEAR 1907. Baeometee. — The mean pressure of the atmosphere of the year of 1907 was 30.04 inches. The highest observed pressure was 30.79 inches on January 22d at Charles City, Floyd county. The lowest pressure was 29.18 inches on November 20th at Dubuque, Dubuque county. The range for the state was 1.61 inches. Tempeeatuee. — The mean temperature for the state was 47.6°, which is the normal, for the state. The highest temperature reported was 102', on July 5th, at Thurman, Fremont county. The lowest temperature reported was 31° below zero on February 5th, at Washta, Cherokee county. The range for the year was 133°. Peecipitation. — The average amount of rain and melted snow for the year, as shown by complete records of 103 stations was 32.06 inches, which is .03 of an inch above the normal, and .83 of an inch above the average amount in 1906. The greatest amount recorded at any station for the year was 43.90 inches at Mount Ayr, Ringgold county. The least amount recorded was 19.93 inches at Sioux City, Woodbury county. The greatest monthly rainfall was 13.66 inches at Belle Plaine, Benton county, in July. The least monthly precipitation was .05 of an inch at Sioux City, Wood- bury county, in November, and Hancock, Pottawattamie county, in Decem- ber. The greatest amount in any twenty-four consecutive hours was 5.30 inches at Belle Plaine, in Benton county, on July 9th. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more of fain fell was eighty-eight. Wind and Weatheb. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity was 66 miles per hour in Sioux City, Woodbury county, from the northwest on January 19th. The average daily move- ment of wind was 202 miles. There were 168 clear days; 94 partly cloudy, and 103 cloudy days; as against 163 clear days, 97 were partly cloudy, and 105 cloudy days in 1906. (5) 6 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. MONTHLY SUMMAEIES. January. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by the records of 115 stations, was 18.8°, which is 1.0° below the normal for January. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 14.0°, which is 3.6° below the normal; Central section, 19.4°, which is .02° above the normal; Southern section, 23.1°, which is 0.6° above the normal. The highest monthly mean temperature was 28.9°, at Keokuk, and the lowest monthly mean was 8.0°, at Rock Rapids. The highest temperature reported was 68°, at Keokuk, on the 7th, and lowest was 22° below zero, at Forest City and Inwood, on the 30th. The average monthly maximum was 45.4°, and the average monthly minimum was --11.5°. The greatest daily range was 46° at Onawa; and the average of greatest daily ranges was 33.2°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by the records of 123 stations, was 1.52 inches, which is .57 of an inch above the normal. The average by sections was as follows: Northern section, .96 of an inch, which is .20 of an inch above the normal; Central section, 1.41 inches, which is .37 of an inch above the normal; Southern section, 2.20 inches, which is 1.15 inches above the normal. The largest amount reported was 5.30 inches at Burlington, and the least amount reported was .10 of an inch at Atlantic. The greatest daily rainfall re- ported was 2.69 inches at Keokuk, on the lSth-19th. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported was 7. Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity reported was 66 miles per hour, from the northwest, at Sioux City, on the 19th. The average number of clear days was 8; partly cloudy 7, and cloudy 16. February. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by records of 116 stations, was 25°, which is 5.8° above the normal. By section the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 22.1°, which is 5.8° above the normal; Central section, 25.1°, which is 5.7° above the normal; Southern section, 27.7°, which is 5.9° above the normal. The highest monthly mean was 30.2°, at Keokuk, and the lowest monthly mean was 19.5°, at Sibley. The highest temperature reported was 65°, at St. Charles, on the 16th, and the lowest reported was -31°, at Washta, on the 5th. The average monthly maximum was 55.5°, and the average monthly minimum was -17.9°. The greatest daily range was 51°, at Sibley, and the average of greatest daily ranges was 37.5°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 126 stations, was .71 of an inch, which is .32 of an inch below the normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, .80 of an inch, which is .13 of an inch below the normal. Central section, .72 of an inch, which is .29 of an inch below the normal; Southern section, .61 of an inch, which Is .53 of an inch below the normal. The largest amount reported was 1.95 inches, at Rockwell City and Thurman, and the least amount reported was .06 of an inch, at Stockport. The greatest daily precipitation reported was 1.26 inches, at Britt, on the 28th. There was an average of 4 days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART I. 7 Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of tiie wind was north- west. The highest velocity reported was 52 miles an hour, from the northwest, at Sioux City on the 1st. The average number of clear days was 14, partly cloudy 6, and cloudy 8. Maech. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by the records of 116 stations, was 40.6°, which is 7.6° above the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 36.7°, which is 6.9° above the normal; Central section, 41.1°, which is 8.2° above the normal; Southern section, 44.1°, which is 8.0° above the normal. The highest monthly mean was 47.6° at Keokuk. The lowest monthly mean was 31.8° at Sibley. The highest temperature reported was 92°, at Clar- inda and Massena, on the 25th. The lowest temperature reported was 7° below zero, at Inwood, Lyon county, on the 2d. The average monthly maximum was 84.0°; and the average monthly minimum was 10.2°. The greatest daily range was 59°, at St. Charles, and the average of greatest daily ranges was 44.6°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 124 stations, was 1.35 inches, which is 0.55 of an inch below the normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 1.19 inches, which is 0.44 of an inch below the normal; Central section, 1.20 inches, which is 0.79 of an inch below the normal; Southern section, 1.66 inches, which is 0.43 of an inch below the normal. The largest amount reported was 5.05 inches at Keokuk. The least amount reported was 0.23 of an inch at Washta. The greatest daily rainfall was 3.50 inches, at Keokuk, on the 28th-29th. The average number of days reported on which .01 or more of precipitation fell was 6. Wind and Weather. — ^The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity reported was 40 miles per hour, from the south, at Sioux City, on the 24th, and from the southwest, at Des Moines, on the 26th. The average number of clear days was 14, partly cloudy 7, and cloudy 10. April. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by records of 119 stations, was 41.05°, which is 7.7° below the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 39.2°, which is 8.7° below the normal; Central section, 41.9°, which is 6.8° below the normal; Southern section, 43.4°, which is 7.7° below the normal. The highest monthly mean was 46.3°, at Keokuk. The lowest monthly mean was 35.9°, at Sibley. The highest temperature reported was 80°, at Clarinda on the 24th. The lowest temperature reported was 10°, at Earl- ham on the 14th, and at Washta on the 17th. The average monthly maximum was 71.6°, and the average monthly minimum was 16.4°. The greatest daily range was 54°, at Woodburn; and the average greatest daily ranges was 38.2°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 125 stations, was 1.32 inches, which 1.59 inches below the nor- mal. By sections the averages were as follows: Northern section, .84 of an inch, which is 1.81 inches below the normal; Central section, 1.27 inches, which is 1.66 inches below the normal; Southern section, 1.84 inches, which is 1.30 inches below the normal. The largest amount re- 8 IOWA DEPARTIVIENT OF AGRICULTURE. ported was 3.22 inches at Burlington. The least amount reported was .24 of an inch at Inwood. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 1.50 inches, at Pacific Junction on the 28th. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported was 6. Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity reported was 52 miles per hour, from the northwest, at Sioux City, on the 11th. The average number of clear days was 12, partly cloudy 8, and cloudy 10. May. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by records of 120 stations, was 53.5°, which is 7.2° below the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 51.4°, which is 7.9° below the normal; Central section, 53.6°, which is 7.1° below the normal; Southern section, 55.5°, which is 6.7° below the normal. The highest monthly mean was 57.6°, at Keokuk, and the lowest monthly mean was 48.0°, at Sibley. The highest temperature reported was 96° at Elliot, on the 22d, and the lowest was 14° at Whitten, on the 4th. The average monthly maximum was 86.4°, and the average monthly minimum was 22.1°. The greatest daily range was 66°, and the average of greatest daily ranges was 46.3°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 126 stations, was 3.48 inches, which is .78 of an inch below the normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 2.74 inches, which is 1.30 of an inch below the normal; Central section, 3.87 inches, which is .38 of an inch below the normal; Southern section, 3.84 inches, which is .64 of an inch below the normal. The largest amount reported was 7.68 inches, at Tipton, and the least amount reported was .71 of an inch at Clear Lake. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 4.50 inches at Tipton, on the 23d. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more of rainfall was reported was 10. Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north, southeast, south and southwest. The highest velocity reported was 52 miles per hour from the south, at Sioux City, on the 12th. The average number of clear days was 11, partly cloudy 10, and cloudy days 10. June. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by records of 120 stations, was 66.5°, which is 2.9° below the normal. By section the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section 65.2°, which is 3.0° below the normal; Central section, 66.7°, which is 2.8° below the normal; Southern section, 67.7°, which is 2.8° below the normal. The highest monthly mean was 70.0° at Thurman, and the lowest monthly mean was 63.2° at Estherville. The highest temperature reported was 98°, at Clarinda, on the 16th; and the lowest reported was 36° at Atlantic on the 2d. The average monthly maximum was 92.6°, and the average monthly minimum was 42.4° The greatest daily range was 44° at Audubon and Atlantic. The average of greatest daily ranges was 34.2°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 129 stations, was 5.35 inches, which is 0.79 of an inch above the normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 5.67 inches, which is 1.03 inches above normal; Central section, 4.98 inches, which is 0.45 of an inch, above the normal; Southern section. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I. 9 5.41 inches, which is 0.90 of an inch above the normal. The largest amount reported was 9.33 inches at Northwood, and the least amount reported was 2.07 inches at Davenport. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 3.60 inches, at Clear Lake and Waukee, on the 9th. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported was 11. Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of the wind was south- west. The highest velocity reported was 44 miles per hour, from the west, at Sioux City, on the 23d. The average number of clear days was 14, partly cloudy 9, and cloudy 7. July. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by records of 117 stations, was 73.7°, which is 0.4° below the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 71.9°, which is 1.1° below the normal; Central section, 74.1°, which is 0.1° below the normal. Southern section, 75.1°, which is 0.1° below the normal. The highest monthly mean was 76.9°, at Ottumwa, and the lowest monthly mean was 69.1° at Fayette. The highest temperature reported was 102°, at Thurman, on the 5th, and the lowest temperature reported was 41°, at Alton, on the 2d. The average monthly maximum was 93.9°, and the average monthly minimum was 53.6. The greatest daily range was 42°, at Esther- ville. The average of greatest daily ranges was 30.4°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by the records of 126 stations, was 7.27 inches, which is 2.92 inches above the normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 7.02 inches, which is 2.79 inches above the normal; Central section, 7.23 inches, which is 2.93 inches above the normal; Southern section, 7.56 inches, which is 3.02 inches above the normal. The largest amount re- ported was 13.66 inches at Belle Plaine; the least amount reported was 3.97 inches at Elkader. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 5.30 inches, at Belle Plaine, on the 9th. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported was 13. Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of the wind was south- west; the highest velocity reported was 48 miles per hour. August. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by records of 113 stations, was 71.1°, which is 0.8° below the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 69.5°, which is 0.9° below the normal; Central section, 71.0°, which is 0.8° below the normal; Southern section, 72.7°, which is 0.8° above the normal. The highest monthly mean was 75.3° at Ottumwa. The lowest monthly mean was 67.6 at Sibley. The highest temperature reported was 99°, at Ottumwa, on the 31st. The lowest temperature reported was 37° at Osage on the 13th. The average monthly maximum was 92.9°; the average monthly minimum was 46.9°. The greatest daily range was 49° at Osage. The average of greatest daily ranges was 32.2°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 123 stations, was 4.33 inches, which is 0.57 of an inch above the normal. The average by sections was as follows: Northern section, 3.99 inches, which is 0.86 of an inch above the normal; Central section, 4.69 inches, which is 0.82 of an inch above the normal; Southern section, 4.30 inches, which is 0.54 of an inch above the normal. The largest amount 10 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. reported -was 9.67 inches at Delaware. The least amount reported was 1.05 inches, at Rock Rapids. The greatest daily rainfall was 4.95 inches at Boone, on the 28th-29th. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported was 9. September. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by the records of 110 stations, was 62.8°, which is 0.7° below the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 60.8°, which is 1.2° below the normal; Central section, 62.9°, which is 0.5* below the normal; Southern section, 64.7°, which is 0.5° below the normal. The highest monthly mean was 66.6°, at Keokuk and Leon. The lowest monthly mean was 58.0° at Sibley. The highest temperature reported was 98° at Clarinda and Thurman on the 1st. The lowest temperature reported was 25° at Elma, on the 25th. The average monthly maximum was 89.5°, and the average monthly minimum was 31.8°. The greatest daily range was 51° at Storm Lake and Washta, and the average of greatest daily ranges was 36.3°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 118 stations, was 2.76 inches, which is 0.60 of an inch below the normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 2.71 inches, which is 0.66 of an inch below the normal; Central section, 3.02 inches, which is 0.21 of an inch below the normal; Southern section, 2.54 inches, which is 0.95 of an inch below the normal. The largest amount reported was 6.06 inches at Ridgeway. The least amount reported was 1.38 inches at Washington. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 3.15 inches at Olin on the 27th and 28th. There was an average of 8 days on which .01 of an inch or more rainfall was reported. Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity reported was 42 miles per hour, from the northwest, at Sioux City, on the 23d. The average number of clear days was 15; partly cloudy, 9; cloudy, 6. October. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by records of 115 stations, was 50.4°, which is 2.1° below the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 48.4°, which is 2.5° below the normal; Central section, 50.4°, which is 1.6° below the normal; Southern section, 52.4°, which is 2.1° below the normal. The highest monthly mean was 54.1°, at Onawa, and the lowest monthly mean was 46.2°, at Plover. The highest temperature reported, 85° at Hampton on the 2d, and at Keosauqua and Messena on the 17th. The lowest tem- perature reported was 10°, at Audubon and Massena, on the 28th. The average monthly maximum was 79.4°, and the average monthly minimum was 18.7°. The greatest daily range was 50°, at Clarinda and Guthrie Center, and the average of greatest daily ranges was 39°. Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 124 stations, was 1.50 inches, which is 0.89 of an inch below the normal. By sections the averages were as follows: Northern section, 1.24 inches, which is 1.01 inches below the normal; Central sec- tion, 1.73 inches, which is 0.70 of an inch below the normal; Southern section, 1.53 inches, which is 0.97 of an inch below the normal. The largest amount reported was 3.71 inches, at Boone; the least amount re- EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I. 11 ported was 0.30 of an inch, at Tipton. The greatest daily rainfall was 2.24 inches, at Perry, on the 3d. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported was 5. Wind and Weathee. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity reported was 40 miles per hour from the north at Sioux City on the 7th. The average number of clear days was 20; partly cloudy days, 5, and .cloudy, 6. November. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by the records of 115 stations, was 36.7°, which is 1.3° above the normal. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 34.7°, which is 2.0° above the normal; Central section, 36.8°, which is 1.6° above the normal; Southern section, 38.7°, which is 0.5° above the normal. The highest monthly mean was 43.6°, at Bedford. The lowest monthly mean was 32.3°, at Elma. The highest temperature reported was 68°, at Baxter, on the 6th. The lowest temperature reported was 4° below zero at Elma, on the 14th. The average monthly maximum was 59.3°, and the average monthly minimum was 11.3°. The greatest daily range was 43° at Baxter; and the average of greatest daily ranges was 32.2°. Precipitation. — ^The average precipitation for the state, as shown by records of 123 stations was 1.03 inches, which is 0.29 of an inch below the normal. The averages by sections were as follows: Northern section, 0.91 of an inch, which is 0.37 of an inch below the normal; Central section, 1.04 inches, which is 0.31 of an inch below the normal; Southern section, 1.15 inches, which is 0.19 of an inch below the normal. The largest amount reported was 2.27 inches at Logan, and the least amount reported was .05 of an inch at Sioux City. The greatest daily rainfall was 1.70 inches at Logan, on the 1st. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more precipitation was reported was 4. Wind and Weather. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity reported was 44 miles per hour, from the northwest at Sioux City on the 30th. The average number of clear days was 17; partly cloudy, 6; cloudy, 7. December. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown by the records of 117 stations, was 28.8°, which is 5.9° above the normal for Iowa. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern section, 26.2°, which is 6.2° above the normal; Central section, 29.2°, which is 6.1° above the normal; Southern section, 31.1°, which is 8.2° above the normal. The highest monthly mean was 34.9°, at Keokuk, and the lowest monthly mean 23.2° at Osage. The highest tem- perature reported was 62°, at Mount Pleasant, on the 9th. The lowest tem- perature reported was -9°, at Osage, on the 28th. The average monthly maximum was 51.8° and the average monthly minimum was 5.4°. The greatest daily range was 43°, at Elkader. The average of greatest daily ranges was 31.3°. Precipitation. — ^The average precipitation for the state, as shown by the records of 123 stations was 1.00 inch, which is .24 of an inch below the normal. By sections the averages were as follows: Northern section, 1.21 inches, which is .13 of an inch above the normal; Central section, ..75 12 IOWA DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTURE. of an incli, which is .52 of an inch above the normal; Southern section, 1.05 inches, which is .31 of an inch below the normal. The largest amount reported was 2.28 inches at Plover. The least amount reported was .05 of an inch at Hancock. The greatest daily rainfall reported was 1.85 inches at Thurman, on the 9th. The average number of days on which .01 of an inch or more was reported was 5. Wind and Weatheb. — The prevailing direction of the wind was north- west. The highest velocity of wind reported was 58 miles per hour, from the northwest, at Sioux City, on the 24th. The average number of clear days was 10; partly cloudy, 7; cloudy, 14. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART I. 13 14 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. o < I—) I— I CO o P5 o I— I en < o H <^ afl ID r Us OSS' dd -a SB ijs &H-< Id BC •« a ni p. 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Ol Oi C^ W C^ I Oi Oi CO irt -f r- lO r siaqsnq IBJOX Ci c^ Oi c* c PP ;SSoS©ooSSS-aiSc«SS " siaqsna siaqsnq IBjox r-l rH — ( ^ rH C4 ^ -H i-H rt ^ tH r-( 1-^ rt t-H — r- I >PS<525S<5SPSPPOeS22S2 »-*CQ r^^ Biaqsnq IBJOX ) t* t^ 00 O "* ( ^OQr^Ot-OCirH 8 JOS J8d siaqsna CD WCO C4 -^ W (?> rH CQ I W M^ Oi SSS ISSSSSg 1 X l> I C5 O Csi t^ ■* -^ 00 00 I— IQ tC CO ■<** -^ ■* 00 ^ ■'Ji i«e«c<5«i« CO siaqsnq IBJOX O -* c= -*• c; 00 t^ id CO CO --^ t-t 8J0B jad siaqsna 2g532?^SggSi=85;2g ss s^ I 2 >> aooSoogSaScscjojcj • a. 03 •u o , },> t^ V 4 ■* y j/»*p EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I. 35 'J. f/..> -'■' •*« 'i /•/ '-^ '1 ei PART II. STATISTICAL TABLES OF Iowa's Principal Farm Crops. CORN CROPS— 1880, 1885, 1890. Statistics Compiled from Reports of Secretary of Iowa Agricultural Society. Year 2 ■p. a) £ t- < 2 o H Average farm value per bushel Dec. 1st 3 > s O si m « 1880 1 41 230,633,200 33 ' 224.636.522 $.25 .23 .41 $57,658,300 51,666,400 98,266,814 5,625,200 1885 - -- -- 6,803,834 1890 28 239,675,156 8,559,827 CORN CROPS— 1896-1907. Statistics compiled from Reports of Crop Service Division of Iowa State Department of Agriculture. Year 2 St. < Total yield Average farm value per bushel Dec. 1st 4) > 3 o 60 cd 0) u o < 1896- 39 29 34.5 36.3 40.3 26.2 34 31 36 37.3 41 29.6 312,692,210 239,452,150 289,214,850 306,852,710 345,055,040 227,908,850 296,9.50,330 230,511,310 323,853,330 345,871,840 388,836,252 246,898,460 $.14 .17 .23 .23 .27 .50 .28 .36 .35 .35 .33 .44 $ 43,916,900 40,706,890 66,519,400 70,429,410 93,164,860 113,954,000 83,433,700 82,984,071 113,348,665 121,055,144 128,155,143 108,635,322 8,043,390 8,353,522 1897 1898 8,396,286 8,460,521 8,618,660 8,687,480 1899 - 1900 1901 -_ 1902 . . . .. 8,700,000 7,398,320 9,000,000 9,285,150 9,443,960 8,858,000 1903 1904 1905 .- - - . 1906 ___ 1907 _ Average -- 34.6 296,174,769 $.30.4 88,858,539 8,596,440 37 38 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. OATS— 1880, 1885, 1890. Statistics Compiled from Reports of Secretary of Iowa Agricultural Society. Year 2 •Ft < 2 B o Eh Average farm value per bushel Dec. 1st > o V 60 C8 V b t> < 1880 35 32.5 29 42,288,800 71,737,900 80,002,735 $.23 .21 .88 $ 9,496,424 16.064,959 30,401,039 1,179.680 2,207.320 2,758.71* 1885 1890 - OATS -1896-1907. Statistics compiled from Reports of Crop Service Division of Iowa State Department of Agriculture. Year 2 ^* Total yield Average farm value per bushel Dec. 1st 01 > O 1896 -- .. 26 30 32 34.5 35 32 31 25.9 29.4 33.8 34 24.5 73,450,000 ' $12 $ 8,814,000 21,211,380 29,383,220 26,722,980 27,766,460 40,209,230 22,297,000 29,703,798 30,793,284 36,609,810 38,349,878 43,364,256 2,825,000 4,405,782 4,299,243 4,009,557 3,991,690 3,799,220 3,770,624 3,822,822 4,018,980 4 177 546 1897 1898 132,517,150 139,915,340 140,647,300 138,8:32,300 114,883,000 92,907,900 99,012,660 118,435,570 146,439,240 142,036,530 111,190,400 .16 .21 .19 .20 .35 .24 .30 .26 .25 .27 .39 1899 1900 *1901 1902 .. »»1903 .- 1904 1905 -- 1906 _ 4,166,800 4,536,170 1907 -- -. Average 30.7 120,855,616 24.5 $29,602,108 3,990,283 ♦Short corn crop. ••Excessive moisture. WHEAT— 1880, 1885, 1900. Statistics Compiled from Reports of Secretary of Iowa Agricultural Society. Year 2 ti t-i So} p. 2 1 - f H < 4-) a 2 ^ a 2^ -, a 2^ p 'u a a- t-, u a u Year >> 'S.©^ 2^ S^ ' 2« ss . 0) U h 01 V « a) es P s; % g >Q. o >>£!S o CJ < H i: C.4 i; 1880 - 23 4,600.000 $.42 $1,932,000 200,000 1885 27 5,737.095 .33 1.893,241 212,485 1890 . 24 3,664,368 .47 1,722,254 152.682 B ARLE Y— 1S96- 1907 . Statistics compiled from Reports of Crop Service Division of Iowa State Department of Agriculture. Year 2 < 2 O Average farm value per bushel Dec. 1st Total value c V b o < 1896 -. 29 25 27.5 25.6 25.3 24.2 25 24.7 25 27.5 26.5 24.6 15,881.618 14,076,850 14,138,000 14,719,310 12,695,200 14,654,410 15,380,910 12,179,790 12,317,710 15,566,770 14,858,830 9,893,330 $.20 .23 .30 .30 .33 .44 .33 .37 .34 .33 .36 .60 $3,176,320 3,237,670 4,209,740 4,415,570 4,189,410 6,447,940 5,075,710 4,506,523 4,188,021 5,137,034 5,349,178 5,935,998 647,642 1897 — - 551,867 1898 — 509,589 1899 - 1900 657,598 501,740 1901 1902 -_ 1903 1904 604,610 594,070 493,108 493,370 1905 565,700 558,870 397,210 1906 . 1907 Average 25.8 13,863,560 $.34 4,655,769 531,281 40 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. RYE— 1880, 1885, 1890. Statistics Compiled from Reports of Secretary of Iowa Agricultural Society. Year 2 ® < Total yield Average farm value per bushel Dec. 1st 3 > O « ac St a) u o ■< 1880- 14 15 16 574,000 1,710,000 1,608,960 $.38 .43 .61 $318,130 718,300 830,570 41.000 1885 - 114,000 100.560 1890 RYE— 1896-1907. Statistics compiled from Reports of Crop Service Division of Iowa State Department of Agriculture. Year 2 0) si 4) 4) < Total yield Average farm value per bushel Dec. 1st Total value 0) £ < 1896 ... 16 15 16 16.3 15.6 15.8 17 15.6 15 18 17.5 17 1,891,716 3,490,344 3,370,550 2,061,160 1,621,130 859,630 882,830 1,923,060 1,517,090 1,283,500 1,093,160 900,060 $.25 .34 .38 .40 .43 .48 .40 .44 .54 .52 .48 .61 $ 486,680 1,186,710 1,280,800 824,460 697,300 859,630 353,132 846,146 819,228 667,420 530,719 549,036 121 870 1897 — 1898 — 226,198 310,309 126,236 103 680 1899 1900. 1901 . . 54,390 55 150 1903 .. 1908 123 273 1904- _ -. 99,590 71 305 1905 -- -- 1906 1907 62,530 52,975 Average.- 16.3 1,741,186 $.44 757,605 108 942 HAY— 1880, 1885, 1890. Statistics Compiled from Reports of Secretary of Iowa Agricultural Society. Year ■d 2>> 4)W co so H 2 "3 «s2 Total yield Tons Total yield all hay Tons 4) 3 >. a MOO aj 4) eS < 3 oO£3 ^°2 < 4J 3 :^ 4) 60 ee 4) u o *1880 *1885 1890 1.5 4,991,335 6.81 34.140,731 3.327,557 *No authentic data obtainable. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. 41 HAY— 1896-1907. Statistics compiled from Reports of Crop Service Division of Iowa State Department of Agriculture. Tame Hay Wild Hay B"o ay 3 < ® eS >? BJ-. Year 2 v> 4> > < 2 .2 so 2 yi >, V s > < 2 0) >» CD SO H « eS l-i o < 1896 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.8 1.9 1.5 1.8 1.3 1.5 3,376,440 3,362,287 3,852,561 3,853,941 3,609,010 3,711,680 4,439,040 5,216,404 4,499,090 6,477,300 4,892,950 5,117,878 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.2 1. 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 2,325,000 1,939,117 1,645,419 1,458,195 1,530,050 1,268,700 1,202,860 1,191,345 1,091,590 1,313,310 1,110,690 1,172,590 5,701,440 5,301,320 5,498,080 5,311,130 5,139,060 4,980,380 5,641,900 6,407,749 5,590,680 7,790,610 6,003,640 6,290,468 $4.50 4,50 4.30 5.75 6.50 8.25 6.80 5.75 5.62 5.50 7.50 8.50 $3.30 3.70 3.50 4.90 5.00 6.30 5.50 4.95 4.50 4.50 5.50 6.75 $22,782,000 22,:304,000 22,281,000 29,350,000 31,120,000 38,713,000 36,787,322 35,891,480 30,197,040 41,. 535, 045 42,805,920 51,316,945 3,800,960 1897 - 3,315,972 1898 4,104,967 1899 1900 3,742,655 4,078,960 1901 3,608,450 1902 3,391,408 1903... 3,651,894 1904 3,707,298 1905 — 4,692,925 1906 4,418,600 1907 4,268,730 Average 1.58 4,367,208 1.24 1.437.405 5,804,705 $6.13 $4.87 $33,756,896 3,898,568 FLAX— 1880, 1885, 1890. Statistics Compiled from Reports of Secretary of Iowa Agricultural Society. ■a a 6 >>a) •a 3 Year 01 h o > 1 0) (U cS 5*2" ei 1^ >ft O >>oS O o < H < H <: 1880 - 10 1,034,200 $1.00 $1,034,200 103,420 *1885 — .94 3,503,293 1890 10.5 2,929,081 1.10 3,276,989 283,722 *No other data. FLAX— 1896-1907. Statistics compiled from Reports of Crop Service Division of Iowa State Department of Agriculture. Year 2 < 2 3 o Average farm value per bushel Dec. I8t Total value u o < 1896 9.5 10. 10.5 11.2 11.7 18.8 8. 8.7 11. 9.8 10.7 10.8 1,946,720 2,498,600 2,376,600 1,597,790 1,222,980 916,890 755,350 355,160 591,140 173,770 205,280 461,960 $ .95 .87 .80 1.04 1.50 1.29 1.00 .78 1.15 .90 .97 .98 $1,13.5,000 2,173,782 1,901,280 1,661,898 1,834,470 916,890 725,350 277,024 679,811 156,393 200,091 408,640 199,128 1897 1898 -. 249,882 225,014 1899 1900.— 142,175 108,850 1901 -- 104,140 1902 1903 . - - 94,767 40,823 1904 51,370 1905 -- 17,733 1906 19,160 1907 .- - 42,790 Average 10.1 1,091,853 $1.02 $1,005,886 107,986 42 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. POTATOES— 1880, 1885, 1890. Statistics Compiled from Reports of Secretary of Iowa Agricultural Society. ■o a 6 U 0) p^d) 2 5S30 D Year 2 1 §3 S3 2 o ^^^H C8 O < H -s; H -«; 1880 95 82 49 10,165,000 12,874,000 8,332,358 $.35 .40 .81 $3,557,750 5,U9,600 6,749,205 107,000 1885 - • 117,000 1890. 170,048 POTATOES— 1896-1907. Statistics compiled from Reports of Crop Service Division of Iowa State Department of Agriculture. Year ■a V >'o a> u MO ca«8 < 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 •1901 1902 *»1903 ___ 1904 1905 1906 1907 Average 87. 60. 76. 98. 78. 37.4 91. 53.8 125. 84. 101. 84. 81. 14,814,795 10,051,910 12,538,410 15,252,9^ 10,850,900 5,098,460 12,051,670 6,082,694 14,255,680 9,352,190 11,697,500 9,847,430 10,991,214 $.46 $2,962,950 4,523,360 3,826,900 3,600,714 4,340,360 4,588,610 4.095,650 4,562,020 3,991,590 4,676,045 5,614,800 6,105,406 $4,412,367 170,285 163,248 164,456 154,243 149,680 136,300 138,481 113,433 113,250 111,335 115,310 117,350 137,281 •Very dry. ••Very wet. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. 43 STATISTICS OF THE PRINCIPAL CROPS. Figures taken from the Year Book of the United States Department of Agriculture for 1906, and the Iowa Weather and Crop Service report for the same year. CORN. Acreage, production, value and distribution of corn in the United States, and amount shipped out of county where grown in 1906, by states. State or Territory 1) dj p t>a.o >° m 1 >>0 27 19,443,013 25,203,906 4,166,800 34.0 142,036,580 .27 38,349,876 45,048,640 644,101 22.8 14,685,503 .33 4,846,216 1,468,550 1,245,711 32.5 40,485,608 .27 10,931,114 7,692,266 1,275,000 36.4 46,410,000 .25 11,602,500 13,923,000 2,450,000 29.5 72,275,000 .26 18,791,500 29,632,750 1,050,000 23.6 24,780,000 .31 7,681,800 3,717,000 206,063 21.5 4,430,354 .38 1,683,535 265,831 146,573 21.5 3,151,320 .41 1,392,041 315,133 184,179 17.2 3,167,879 .51 1,615,618 31,679 90,374 18.0 1,626,732 .49 797,099 16,267 28,269 17.2 486,227 .45 318,802 914,440 34.8 31,822,512 .41 13,047,230 7,955,628 217,736 34.2 7,446,571 .32 2,382,903 1,414,848 350,000 34.4 12,040,000 .28 3,371,200 3,491,600 184,571 30.5 3,783,706 .42 1,589,157 75,674 196,802 43.2 8,501,846 .44 3,740,812 1,870,406 50,103 39.5 1,979,068 .40 791,627 59,373 147,584 40.4 5,962,394 .45 2,683,077 1,490,598 12,269 34.6 424,507 .52 320,744 16,980 914 34.4 31,442 .65 20,437 6,288 47,000 43.7 2,053,900 .45 924,255 205,390 6,518 38.8 252,898 .64 161,855 25,290 107,864 40.7 4,390,065 .43 1,887,728 1,580,423 172,767 43.2 7,463,534 .41 3,060,049 2,985,414 284,660 33.8 9,621,508 .43 4,137,248 3,175,098 163,692 31.5 5,156,298 .52 2,681,275 1,495,326 30,960,568 31.3 966,164,102 $.31.7 $306,633,064 266,182,194 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. 45 WHEAT. Acreage, production, value of distribution of wheat in the United States, and amount shipped out of county where grown in 1906, by states. State or Territory < a I £ t, m 5 aJ 3 > ftp a ftp a fto 4) 3 CO Maine Vermont New Yorlc New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland Virginia West Virginia -- North Carolina - South Carolina .. Georgia Ohio Indiana Illinois Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Iowa Missouri North DalvOta .._ South Dakota -— Nebraska Kansas Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Mississippi Texas Indian Territory Oklahoma Arkansas Montana Wyoming Colorado New Mexico Arizona Utah Nevada Idaho Washington Oregon California United States 8,038 1, 467,509 111,093 1,642,553 131,745 806,401 744,546 384,341 583,091 318,384 316,107 2,117,750 2,323,750 1,976,200 1,041,600 288,040 5,119,412 443,810 3,144,350 5,992,000 3,131,000 2,376,560 5,423,508 818,624 871,418 98,639 1,761 1,228,364 240,849 1,333,133 177,338 137,389 30,352 254,355 44,836 15,542 178,417 27,604 336,736 1,304,301 712,411 1,573,144 34.8 33.3 30.0 18.3 17.7 16.0 16.0 12.5 13.7 9.1 9.3 10.0 30.4 20.7 19.5 13.1 16.3 10.9 16.2 14.8 13.0 13.4 23.0 15.1 14.1 13.5 11.0 10.0 11.5 13.0 14.0 10.8 24.0 28.7 32.5 25.0 25.2 27.4 31.5 24.4 20 30.0 17.1 199, 30, 9,350, 2,083, 29,073, 1,947, 12,902, 9,306, 4,879, 5,297, 2,960, 3,161, 43,203, 48,080, 38,535, 13,644, 4,690, 55,801, 7,169, 31,734, 77,896, 41,955, 52,288, 81,830, 11,543, 10,893, 1,085, 17, 14,126, 3,890, 18,663, 1,915, 3,297. 871. 8,366, 1,120, 391, 4,888, 869, 8,23li 25,075, 14,315. 26,883, $1.01 .86 .83 .80 .76 .71 .71 .81 .81 .93 1.10 1.03 .71 .70 .69 .73 .72 .65 .64 .67 .63 .61 .57 .58 .73 .78 .94 .87 .77 .63 ..55 .75 .64 .73 .65 .83 1.03 .65 .85 .60 .63 .66 .75 17,263,979 15.5 733,218,682 .$ .667 301,335 26,619 7,667,148 1,626,402 22,095,623 1,383,023 9,160,715 7,538,528 3,952,687 4,936,236 3,256,045 3,224,291 30,673,491 33,656,648 26,589,771 9,824,371 3,377,387 36,271,034 4,579,697 21,363,383 49,074,480 36,593,794 39,804,554 47,461,754 8,426,097 8,496,326 1,019,937 15,331 10,877,163 1,791,917 10,265,134 1,436,438 3,110,295 635,904 5,373,2.50 930,140 403,408 3,177,607 739,097 4,938,979 15,546,660 9,443,228 20,162,746 $ 489,016,637 427,252,826 .0 2,898,556 406,600 7,268,297 1,051,877 7,870,474 2, .512, 843 683,181 370,793 59,201 94,833 22,465,092 25,002,081 19,267,950 4,775,738 422,173 39,619,130 2,303,054 15,550,101 66,211,600 32,725,213 35,5.56,311 63,009,570 3,347,353 3,049,963 10,850 3,673,808 1,416,193 13,318,149 114,915 857,307 43,555 4,133,369 44,836 15,666 1,564,360 34,781 4,609,713 19,5.58,701 7,818,578 14,517,177 46 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. BARLEY. Acreage, production and value of barley In the United States in 1906, by states. State or Territory Acreage- acres 2 o ® ^ > ft.Q < 1 a o« 11 SI II < Farm value December 1 Average value per acre 7,661 1,507 12,810 86,193 8,518 1,436 2,398 21,776 8,486 25,298 70,000 728,000 1,128,265 558,870 1,648 613,000 790,000 120,000 359,000 673 1,045 4,601 15,666 14,313 3,000 18,531 556 13,404 12,000 7,089 47,028 158,994 59,862 1,425,000 a, 5 21.4 32.8 26.3 25.0 31.0 28.6 30.0 29.4 30.0 26.1 30.7 28.0 26.5 24.2 25.8 29.0 28.0 23.5 26.0 23.0 24.5 29.8 33.0 31.4 41.0 27.0 42.0 44.0 36.8 41.0 36.5 35.0 27.2 241,322 32,260 420,168 2,266,876 212,950 44,516 68,583 653,250 249,488 758,940 1,827,000 22,349,600 ai, 591, 420 14,858,830 39,882 15,815,400 22,910,000 3,360,000 8,436,500 17,498 24,035 112,724 466,847 472,329 94,200 759,771 15,012 565,649 528,000 260,875 1,928,148 5,803,281 2,095,170 38,760,000 $.65 .64 .62 .55 .55 .47 .56 .46 .52 .42 .49 .45 .35 .36 .48 .33 .32 .31 .33 .55 .60 .61 .33 .56 .64 .54 .63 .76 .54 .69 .50 .49 .52 .54 $ 166,859 20,640 260,504 1,246,782 117,122 20,923 38,406 300,495 129,734 318,755 895,230 10,057,320 11,056,997 5,349,178 19,143 5,219,082 7,331,200 1,041,600 2,784,045 9,624 14,421 68,762 154,060 264,504 60,288 410,276 9,458 429,893 285,120 180,004 964,074 2,843,608 1,089,488 20,930,400 $20.48 New Hampshire Vermont New York Pennsylvania - Maryland — — Virginia Ohio 13.70 20.34 14.47 13.75 14.57 16.08 13.80 Indiana Illinois 15.29 12.60 Michigan 12.79 13.82 Minnesota Iowa 9.80 9.54 11.62 North Dakota 8.51 9.28 Nebraska - - 8.68 7,76 Kentucky Tennessee -- 14.30 13.80 Texas - 14.95 Oklahoma . 9.83 18.48 20.10 Colorado - 22.14 17.01 32.07 TTtah 23.76 25.39 20.50 Washington - - 17.89 Oregon California 18.20 14.69 United States 6,320,887 28.3 178,041,414 $.41.5 $ 74,077,995 $11.74 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK -PART II. 47 RYE. Acreage, production and value of rye in the United States in 1906, by states. State or Territory u OS < £1 t, t- 2; 4) (U 3 »^ ftp 4) C •< > ^ ao < a '- < O) (-1 as u u > a < Maine New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts .. Rhode Island .— Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland Virginia West Virginia .. North Carolina - South Carolina _. Georgia Florida Ohio Indiana Illinois Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Iowa Missouri North Dakota _- South Dakota — Nebraska Kansas Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Texas Indian Territory Oklahoma Arkansas Montana Wyoming Colorado New Mexico Utah Nevada Idaho Washington Oregon California United States 109,516 210 19,329 113 26,300 101 29,149 6,360 31,931 120,406 67,353 253,797 7,600 28,751 55,656 34,376 23,812 9,065 8,627 3,946 157,072 75,483 150,638 285,000 245,000 131,782 115,310 85,228 25,171 35,422 84,530 85,000 34,736 22,420 9,258 5,628 12,000 31,097 12,247 10,498 20,837 80 14,099 153 4,202 115 46,968 125 1,426 121 11,987 165 2,974 175 11,900 175 34,199 129 40,083 101 50,291 125 114 108 98 105 120 94 97 93 75 97 75 82 77 85 110 89 97 95 97 92 101 84 98 300 87 79 82 80 75 85 62 77 76 85 22,998,360 2,164,848 2,656,300 3,322,986 686,880 3,129,238 44,142,630 8,082,360 23,856,918 737,200 2,673,843 4,174,200 3,384,472 1,785,900 743,330 664,279 335,410 17,277,920 6,717,987 14,611,886 27,075,000 23,765,000 12,123,944 11,697,500 7,159,152 2,466,758 3,542,200 7,354,110 6,715,000 2,848,352 1,793,600 694,350 478,380 744,000 2,394,469 930,772 893,330 1,666,960 2,143,048 483,230 5,871,000 172,546 1,977,855 520,450 2,082,500 4,411,671 4,048,3&3 6,286,375 2,988,460 102.2 306,825,882$ .51.1 \ .50 .60 .55 .65 .80 .72 .49 .66 .57 .59 .56 .67 .61 .74 1.05 1.10 1.10 .48 .57 .62 .34 .30 .37 .48 .57 .46 .35 .52 .70 .61 .62 .93 .87 .75 .87 .75 .80 .67 .61 .&5 .45 .90 .50 .70 .41 .56 .56 .74 11,499,180 1,298,909 1,460,965 2,159,941 549,504 2,253,051 21,629,889 5,334,358 13,598,443 434,948 1,497,352 2,796,714 2,034,028 1,321,566 780,496 730,707 368,951 8,293,403 3,829,253 9,059,369 9,205,500 7,129,500 4,485,850 5,614,800 4,080,717 1 134 l!239i770 3,824,137 4,700,500 1,737,495 1,112,032 645,746 416,191 558,000 2,083,188 698,079 713,864 1,116,863 1,307,259 314,100 2,641,950 155,291 988,928 364,315 853,825 3,470,536 3,267,094 4,651,918 $ 157,443,183 $105.00 67.20 55.55 74.10 86.40 70.56 51.45 79.30 53.58 57.33 53.08 50.25 59.17 55.50 86.10 84.70 93.50 53.80 50.73 60.14 32.30 29.10 34.04 48.48 47.88 45.08 35.00 45.24 55.30 50.02 49.60 69.75 73.95 46.50 66.99 57.00 68.00 53.60 93.72 74.75 56.25 108.90 82.50 122,50 71.75 72.24 56.56 92.50 $ 52.29 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART II. 49 32 2 .^ > D Is o » a : 00 S a 50 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ACREAGE, PRODUCTION AND VALUE OF THE PRINCI- ( Figures taken from the December, 1907, Supplement of the Crop State or Territory Maine New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts -. Rhode Island ... Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania --. Delaware Maryland Virginia West Virginia .. North Carolina . South Carolina . Georgia Florida Ohio Indiana Illinois Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Iowa Missouri North Dakota --. South Dakota -.. Nebraska Kansas Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Texas Oklahoma Arkansas Montana Wyoming Colorado New Mexico Arizona Utah Nevada Idaho Washington Oregon California Corn United States CO o 12,000 26,000 56,000 44,000 10,000 56,000 600,000 278,000 1,413,000 193,000 649,000 1,841,000 760,000 2,732,000 1,974,000 4,426,000 621,000 3,400,000 4,690,000 9,521,000 1,900,000 1,459,000 1,615,000 9,160,000 7,775,000 154,000 1,850,000 7,472,000 7,020,000 3,300,000 3,014,000 2,961,000 2,500,000 1,600,000 7,409,000 4,650,000 2,525,000 4,000 3,000 111,000 42,000 8,000 11,000 37.0 35.0 36.0 36.0 31.2 33.0 27.0 31.5 32.5 27.5 34.2 25.0 28.0 16.5 15.1 13.0 11.3 34.6 36.0 36.0 30.1 32.0 27.0 29.5 31.0 20.0 ! 25.5 I 24.0 1 22.1 I 28.2 1 26.0 15.5 I 17.0 17.5 21.0 24.4 : 17.2 22.5 25.0 23.5 29.0 37.5 25.5 5,000 12,000 16,000 54,000 ), 931, 000 25.9 op ■■CP 30.0 27.0 27.5 34.0 444 910 1,980 1,584 312 1,818 16,200 8,757 45,922 5,308 22,196 46,025 21,280 45,078 29,807 57,538 7,017 117,640 168,840 342,756 57,190 46,688 43,605 270,220 241,025 3,080 47,175 179,328 155,142 93,000 78,364 45,896 42,500 28,000 155,589 113,265 43,430 90 75 2 1,218 300 280 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 ooo 000 000 000 000 000 000 ooo .000 ,000 000 000 ,000 ,000 ,000 ooo ,000 ooo 000 000 ,000 ,000 000 000 ,000 ,000 000 000 ,000 000 000 ,000 ,000 000 ,000 V CD U O ]3 in a, $.75 .75 .75 .75 .80 .75 .71 .63 .64 .52 .54 .64 .72 .74 .78 .76 .80 .52 .45 .44 .55 .55 .50 .43 .47 .60 .46 .41 .44 .53 .57 .75 .75 .70 .60 .44 150,000 324,000 440,000 1,836,000 3,592,320,000 $.51.6 ts i; (B 0) 333,000 682,000 1,485,000 1,188,000 350,000 1,386,000 11,502,000 5,517,000 29,390,000 2,760,000 11,986,000 29,456,000 15,322,000 33,358,000 23,249,000 43,729,000 5,614,000 61,173,000 75,978,000 150,813,000 31,455,000 25,678,000 21,802,000 116,195,000 113,282,000 1,848,000 21,700,000 73,524,000 68,262,000 49,322,000 44,667,000 34,422,000 31,875,000 19,600,000 93,353,000 49,&37,000 29,532,000 61,000 52,000 1,695,000 877,000 270,000 202,000 105,000 227,000 326,000 1,561,000 $1,336,901,000 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAK BOOK— PART II. 51 PAL FARM CROPS OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1907. Reporter issued by the United States Department of Agriculture. Winter Wheat Spring Wheat o 1 < Produc- tion- bush. V tn D aj ■cop Ph Total farm, value Dec. 1 60 t, CS u V 1 < * 1 . Produc- tion- bush. q; CB 3 aj Ph Total farm value Dec. 1 u a 2; 8.000 26.2 210,000 $1.01 $ 212,000 1 fl 1,000 23.0 23,000 1.00 23.000 8 4 6 4i(j,000 108,000 1,618,000 120,000 777,000 655,000 367,000 560,000 17.3 18.5 7,197,000 1,998,000 $.99 .98 .y6 .97 .y6 .98 1.00 1.07 1.20 1.15 7,125.000 1,958,000 28,891,000' 2,a86,0OO 14,172,000 8,024,000 4,477,000 5,692,000 3,203,000 3,074,000 7 8 18.6 (4 20.5 i 2',m',(m 19.0 ] 14,703,000 12.5 8,188,000 12.3 , 4,477,000 95! T ■i?n nnfi 10 n n IS 14 8.5 9.0 2,669,000 2.673,000 15 16 17 1,882,000 2,362,000 2,228,000 878,000 60,000 16 3 Qrt fi77 nrm .92 .88 .87 .91 .92 28,223,000 29,931,000 34,8'JO,000 11,585,000 856,000 18 14.4 34,013,000 19 ?0 14.5 15.5 12,731,000 930,000 9-1 150,000 5,200,000 504,000 13.5 13.0 12.8 2,025,000 67.600,000 6,451,000 .92 .92 .82 1,803,000 62,192,000 5,290,000 22 23 65,000 2,213,000 18.5 13 2 1,202,000 00 010 nnn .82 .84 986,000 24,538,000 24 ?5 5,513,000 2,900,000 322,000 314,000 10. 11.2 12.0 5.8 55,130,000 ' .87 32,480,000 .89 47,963,000 28,907,000 3,053,000 1,493,000 26 27 2,213,000 5,ei5,00O 734,000 779,000 80,000 2,000 19.0 i 42,047,000 11.3 ! 63,788,000 12.0 8,808,000 9.5 7,400,000 10.0 , 890,000 11.0 : 22,000 .79 .82 .93 .95 1.05 .88 33,217,000 52,306,000 8,103,000 7,030,000 935,000 19,000 3,864,000 1,821,000 .79 .83 28 29 30 31 3?l 38 .34 380,000 959,000 154,000 7.4 9.0 9.5 2,812,000 8,631,000 1,463,000 .99 .83 .95 2,784,000 7,164,000 1,390,000 1 35 ,36 37 139,000 .30,000 293,000 46,000 15,000 161,000 30,000 169,000 950,000 334,000 28.8 28.5 29.0 24.0 25.9 28.8 32.0 24.5 24.5 21.5 4,003,000 .81 855,000 .77 8,497,000 .78 1,104,000 .93 388,000 il.05 4,637,000 1 .74 960,000 1.04 3,243,000 38 658,000 f 39 6,628,000 40 1,027,000 41 408,000 3,431,000 998,000 2,774,000 17,456,000 5,601,000 42 43 44 173,000 399,000 317.000 1 3(58 OOO 36.0 29.5 25.5 15.0 4,498,000 11,770,000 8. 084. 000 20,520,000 .67 .75 .78 .98 3,014,000 8,828,000 6,306.000 20,110,000 4,141,000 23,275,000 7,181,000 .67 .75 .78 45 46 47 4S 98,132,000 14.6 409.442.000 $.88.2 361.217.000 17,079,000 13.2 224.645,000 $.86.0 193,220,000 52 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ACREAGE, PRODUCTION AND VALUE OF THE PRIN State or Territory Oats eS o o I 1) to o o 3 oj PL, Maine New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts -_ Rhode Island -— Connecticut New Yorlv New Jersey Pennsylvania -— Delaware Maryland Virginia West Virginia - North Carolina - South Carolian - Georgia Florida Ohio Indiana Illinois Michigan Wisconsin Minnetosa Iowa Missouri North Daliota -— South Dakota -— Nebraska Kansas Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Texas Oklahoma Arkansas Montana Wyoming Colorado New Mexico Arizona Utah Nevada Idaho Washington Oregon California United States 115,000 13,000 78,000 7,000 2,000 10,000 1,20S,000 60,0(X) 1,003,000 4,000 30,000 146,000 95,000 192,000 195,000 300,000 30,000 1,600,000 1,816,000 4,150,000 1,468,000 2,350,000 2,530,000 4,500,000 663,000 1,320,000 1,325,000 2,524,000 1,092,000 192,000 147,00(f 220,000 90,000 28,000 500,000 418,000 175,000 240,000 60,000 155,000 12,000 4,000 45,000 7,000 113,000 190,000 279,000 136,000 31,837,000 23.7 37.1 32.5 34.0 35.0 29.5 31.5 30.7 29.5 29.6 30.0 27.5 19.6 19.3 15.6 20.0 16.7 13.7 22.8 20.2 24.5 20.8 22.0 24.5 24.2 21.5 24.5 24.7 20.4 15.0 17.6 20.8 17.5 17.9 14.5 19.0 15.0 19.5 49.0 37.0 38.0 38.5 29.0 45.0 43.0 50.5 55.5 35.0 33.5 4,266,000 423,000 2,652,000 245,000 59,000 315,000 37,086,000 1,770,000 29,689,000 120,000 825,000 2,862,000 1,834,000 2,995,000 3,900,000 5,010,000 411,000 36,480,000 36,683,000 101,675,000 30,534,000 51,700,000 61,985,000 108,900,000 14,254,000 32,340,000 32,728,000 51,490,000 16,380,000 3,379,000 3,058,000 3,850,000 1,611,000 406,000 9,500,000 6,270,000 3,412,000 11,760,000 2,220,000 5,890,000 462,000 116,000 2,025,000 301,000 5,706,000 10,515,000 9,765,000 4,556,000 754,443,000 .60 .61 .63 .60 .66 .60 .57 .56 .54 .50 .49 .50 .54 .60 .72 .73 .75 .45 .42 .41 .48 .47 .41 .38 .41 .40 .39 .37 .42 .49 .50 .67 .65 .55 .60 .48 .54 .46 .53 .50 .55 $.44.3 2,560,000 258,000 1,671,000 147,000 39,000 189,000 21,139,000 991,000 16,032,000 60,000 404,000 1,431,000 990,000 1,797,000 2,808,000 3,607,000 308,000 16,416,000 15,407,000 41,687,000 14,656,000 24,299,000 25,414,000 41,382,000 5,844,000 12,936,000 12,764,000 19,051,000 6,879,000 1,656,000 1,529,000 2,579,000 1,047,000 223,000 5,700,000 3,009,000 1,843,000 5,410,000 1,177,000 2,945,000 254,000 70,000 972,000 217,000 2,397,000 4,745,000 4,394,000 3,235,000 $ 334,568,000 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. CIPAL FARM CROPS OP THE UNITED STATES IN 1907. 53 Barley Rye cs o < u OJ o ? •« as*" >< ■fll to o oat PL, S « « * SI < n A >< 111 PLi u H IB O o 3 3 p a ea'd > 3 s >fi 3 >a o a >P o z < H Z < H Z ■< H 151,000 $16.00 $ 2,416,000 267,000 $4.09 $ 1,092,000 67,000 $8.75 $ 586,000 103,000 17.00 1,751,000 77,000 3.87 298,000 53,000 9.25 481,000 221,000 14.00 3,094,000 223,000 4.16 928,000 99,000 8.15 807,000 92,000 17.00 1,564,000 45,000 4.49 202,000 70,000 10.25 718,000 10,000 19.00 VM,000 8,000 4.40 35,000 13,000 10.00 130,000 83,000 19.00 1,577,000 34,000 4.75 162,000 47,000 10.50 494,000 907,000 17.00 15,419,000 1,131,000 4.81 5,440,000 669,000 8.90 5,954,000 82,000 21.00 1,722,000 44,000 4.99 230,000 155,000 10.00 1,550,000 965,000 18.00 17,370,000 1,102,000 4.62 5.091,000 990,000 7.80 7,722,000 23,000 20.00 440,000 12,000 4.64 56,000 46,000 7.50 345,000 140,000 20.00 2,800,000 163,000 4.55 742,000 293,000 6.35 1,861,000 561,000 19.00 10,659,000 512,000 4.00 2,048,000 798,000 5.75 4,588,000 549,000 22.00 12,078,000 675,000 4.40 2,970,000 379,000 5.75 2,179,000 450,000 12.00 5,400,000 220,000 2.62 576,000 1,357,000 5.60 7,599,000 223,000 12.00 2,676,000 59,000 2.17 128,000 678,000 5.70 3,865,000 680,000 11.00 7,480,00(J 269,000 2.01 541.000 1,599,000 5.50 8,794,000 664,000 10.00 6,640,000 101,000 1.97 199,000 .399,000 3.75 1,496,000 1,050,000 21.00 22,050,000 3,110,000 4.48 13,933,000 2,559,000 6.50 16,634,000 1,096,000 21.00 23,010,000 1,215,000 5.06 6,148,000 3,159,000 6.20 19,586,000 2,164,000 22.00 47, €08,000 793,000 5.01 3,973,000 4,672,000 6.60 30,835,000 1,003,000 16.00 16,048,000 2,130,000 4.46 9,500,000 1,388,000 6.60 9,161.000 1,137,000 13.00 14,781,000 1,044,000 4.15 4,333,000 1,910,000 7.00 13,370,000 1,27L> 000 12.00 15,348,000 4.59,000 3.79 1,740,000 1,267,000 7.10 8,996,000 3,8S1.0OO 21.00 81,501,000 718,000 4.97 3,568,000 8,413,000 6.50 54,684,000 2,349,000 20.00 46,980,000 1,017,000 4.36 4,434,000 3,593,000 5.15 18,504,000 642,000 16.00 10,272,000 627,000 3.56 2,232,000 233,000 7.50 1,748,000 1,426,000 18.00 25,668,000 821,000 3.63 2,980,000 903,000 7.00 6,321,000 3,265,000 19.00 62,035,000 431,000 3.76 1,621,000 4,343,000 6.25 26,519,000 3,577,00 20.00 71,540,000 236,000 4.15 979,000 3,663,000 5.90 15,712,000 714,000 18.00 12,852,000 1,071,000 4.22 4,520,000 1,374,000 4.60 5,860,000 595,000 12.00 7,140,000 348,000 3.39 1,180,000 1,502,000 4.65 6,984,000 539,000 8.00 4,312,000 188,000 1.94 365,000 1,251,000 4.60 5,7.55,000 589,000 8.00 4,712,000 181,000 1.80 326,000 1,316,000 4.50 5,922,000 480,000 10.00 4,800,000 180,000 1.79 323,000 669,000 4.50 3,010,000 7,825,000 12.00 93,900,000 1,799,000 3.74 4,929,000 3,147,000 5.25 16,533,000 1,814,000 16.00 29,024,000 98,000 2.88 282,000 1,-588,000 5.3S 8,464,000 695,000 8.0O 5,560,000 266,000 2.13 567,000 1,127,000 3.80 4,383,000 879.000 20.00 17,580,000 5.524,000 3.90 21,544,000 66,000 10. 00 660,000 838,000 24.00 20,112,000 5,885,000 4.15 24,433,000 18,000 9.25 166,000 1,454,000 20.00 29,080,000 1,695,000 3.33 5,644,000 150,000 8.00 1,200,000 939,000 17.00 15,963,000 4,787,000 3.45 16,515,000 36,000 7.00 182,000 603,000 17.00 10,251,000 1,031,000 3.63 3,732,000 18,000 8.00 144,000 324,000 17.00 5,508,000 3,967,000 3.88 11,512,000 61,000 7.50 458,000 367,000 20.00 7, .340, 000 1,586,000 3.79 6,011,000 15,000 10.00 150,000 344,000 17.00 5,84.8,000 3,. 575, 000 3.55 12,691,000 130,000 7.00 910,000 389,000 18.00 7,002,000 824,000 3.73 3,074,000 182,000 7.75 1,410,000 758,000 17.00 12,886,000 2,661,000 3.58 9,526,000 279,000 6.25 1,744,000 1,155,000 19.00 21,945,000 2,422,000 3.47 8,404,000 551,000 7.20 3,967,000 50,073,000 $16.89 $845,938,000 54,631,000 $3.88 $211,736,000 56,084,000 $6.05 $339,030,000 51,565,731 $17.10 $881,557,398 53,240,082 $3.84 $204,210,129 54,794,439 $7.63 $417,791,321 47,067,656 15.85 746,171,709 50,631,619 3.54 179,056,144 .52,102,847 6.18 331,802,571 43,669,443 15.15 661,571,308 45,170,423 2.82 127,331,850 47,320,511 5.99 283,254,978 43,639,498 16.32 712,178,134 51,630,144 2.59 133,530,009 47,009,367 6.15 389,224,637 44,659,206 18.45 824,054,903 63,964,876 2.63 168,315,750 46,922,634 7.78 364,973,688 44,727,797 18.76 839,126,073 62,039,091 2.65 164,446,091 48,698,890 7.03 342,120.180 66 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. r Champion single ear at the State Farmers Institute, Des Moines, De- cember, 1907. First prize white, and reserve Champion at the Iowa State Fair and Exposition, 1907. PART III. Proceedings of the State Farmers' Institute and Agricultural Convention Held in the Rooms of the Department of Agriculture, Des Moines, Iowa, Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 10-11, 1907. FORENOON SESSION, 9:30 A. M. The President: You will please come to order, and we will commence the program. The first will be the address of welcome, by Hon. G. L. Dobson, of Des Moines. ADDRESS OF WELCOME. G. L. DOBSON, DES MOINE^. IOWA. Mr. President and Members of the State Farmers' Institute: I can assure you that it is with great pleasure that, on behalf of the citizens of Des Moines, I welcome you to our city. It is not to be wondered at that the people of Des Moines are interested in your work, when we realize that the properity of our city and the prosperity of the state depends upon the success that you make of your work. Many years ago, when I first attended a state fair, we had but a very small fair. When I came to Iowa first, 38 years ago, this was quite a new state. I went to Northwestern Iowa in 1869, when there was not a railroad in that section of the state. How wonder- (67) 68 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. fully it has grown and what great prosperity the state has had in the years gone by; and when we realize that Iowa is purely an agricultural state, and that the great wealth has come from the farmers, it is not, as I said before, to be wondered at that the business men of every section of the state are interested in your meetings. They are interested in all that you accomplish, for, when you succeed, they have a chance to succeed; when you fail they are certain to fail. Whenever the farmers of our country are succeeding, then the merchants and manufacturers are succeeding. The business men of every line or calling have a chance to succeed when the farmers do, but when they go down in adversity, all other lines are bound to go down with them. We are all proud of the citizenship of the great state of Iowa. Last year we produced in live-stock alone more than 40 million dollars above any state in the union. This has been largely brought about because of the intelligence which the stock men have put into their work. If we had the old scrubby cattle we used to have when I first came to Iowa, no such showing could be made. When the farmers last year produced about 100 million dollars worth of corn — a sum well nigh incomprehensible, to be added to the wealth of the great state of Iowa — the bulls and bears of Wall street may have their wrangles — but when the farmers of Iowa who are tilling the soil put their best thought and energy into it, it is not going to affect Iowa so much ; they can go on and gamble and for a time affect the business interests, but so long as the soil pro- duces abundantly under the guidance of intelligent men and women Iowa will be all right. We are proud to welcome you here today, because you men here have done so much to distinctly put Iowa above every other state in the union by the grand exhibits you are making every year at our state fair. It has been my fortune to travel from the east to the west, from one ocean to the other, several times in the last few years, but I have heard Iowa talked about every place I go — that you men make the best exhibition of stock in any state of the union. These are things, friends, we feel proud of, and we feel it is a great pleasure to welcome you to our state. I hope Des jMoines is doing what she should to encourage these things and will do her part to make your work as easy as possible. It will always be hard work ; nothing worth having can be had with- out effort. No man succeeds in life, only when he is willing to pay the price. No farmer succeeds, only as he is willing to pay the price and finds out what is the very best for him to do. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II. 69 What a changed, condition do we find today from what it was when I first came to the state. In almost every line of work we cut and covered, so as to get over the ground, when we plowed. But she has made many steps in advance. When we realize that 45 million people in Japan live on 15 million acres of cultivated land, the fence corners and waste spots in Iowa today would practically support the population of Japan, if it was cultivated as intensely as those little Japs cultivate. Their average farm is less than two acres in extent, and it will produce enough to support a family. And while we have accomplished much, our young men need not think there is no field open for them today, for there is as much to be accomplished by them as there was in the early days, and Iowa can be kept in the very foreground of the states of the union. Intense farming is what made it prosperous. Now, gentlemen, it is not in place for me to talk to you ex- tensively, but simply to make an address of welcome; and I can assure you that the great Commercial Club of Des Moines, with nearly a thousand members, and business men, extends to you a hearty welcome, and the hope that this session will be the best session that you have had since you first came to Des Moines. RESPONSE TO ADDRESS OF WELCOME. G. H. VAN HOUTEN, LENOX, IOWA. Mr. Pesident: I am sure, in responding to this cordial address of Mr. Dobson on behalf of the citizens of Des Moines, I can say that we are very grateful for the kind words spoken. Yet we realized we were welcome, even without these eloquent words uttered in our presence. Some of us, in fact, have come to Des Moines so often and stayed so long that we have almost felt at home here. If I were speaking for myself, I would speak differ- ently ; but as I am delegated to speak for you all, and some of you do not come here as often, you may not appreciate the hearty welcome the people of Des Moines are ready and willing to give you. It has been my privilege to be closely identified with our state fair for several years, and it has been my privilege to be associated with the people of Des Moines for many years, and the more I know of the State Fair, and the more I know of Des Moines and the state of Iowa, the more I am conscious of the fact that the prosperity of all are linked closely together. So that the people of Des Moines, in giving us the welcome they do, understand and be- 70 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. lieve that the State Fair is a state institution. While the inter- ests of the state are closely connected "v\dth the State Fair, so the interests of Des Moines and all our interests lie close together. I can appreciate these words of welcome ; I can realize and know they come from the heart and that they are truly meant. There are some things said by Mr. Dobson I would enlarge upon. The people of Iowa are industrious, and while industrious, they are prodigals ; while in some things they may be economical, they have not learned in the school of economy. It has been my privilege to visit Japan, so that the illustration he gave you is one that ap- peals to me. These 45 million of people in Japan make their living and actually live on an area less than half the size of the state of Iowa. The entire Empire of Japan — and at the time I visited it was before their recent acquisitions of China and Corea — comprises ten thousand square miles, less than the state of California; and when you consider that so much of it is not tillable, then you can realize the force and effect of the illustration Mr. Dobson has given ; and when we consider that their wage schedule is so much lower than ours, and taking all these things into account, we can truly say that Japan is wonderfully prosperous; and this gives us some idea of economy we know nothing about, and I trust and hope that the necessities of the people of the orient shall not come to us. That we have become lavish and to a degree careless goes without saying The time has come in Iowa when better methods must be resorted to. We have high priced land, high priced labor and a higher schedule of living, and I hope and trust it may never be lower. If we are to maintain these high standards of prosperity we must make our lands more productive; we must conserve the different forces and gain the best advantages possible by more in- telligent application. I realize much has been done in the past. I give the organiza- tion of the Iowa State Fair credit for its share in this better and more improved work. We have had our annual meetings and fairs, and I trust each one has been better than the one preceding, and I further trust that the future holds out better prospects. It must be a pleasure to you gentlemen who come to our annual meetings and attend our annual fairs to see the rapid rate of progress made. When I first knew the State Fair we had very few buildings and of a poor character. When I first knew Des Moines it was different then ; my earliest recollections were in the vicinity of Des Moines. I have known Iowa when it had not a railroad within its borders. Now, that it has nearly ten thousand EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 71 miles of railroads and electric lines, with all the advantages of rapid communication by telephone and other means, Iowa has been put in a very different position. So we welcome this change ; we rejoice in its prosperity, and we are only anxious and solicitous that this prosperity shall continue. I am sure the people of Des Moines will co-operate to help make this effort a success. I am sure the people of Des Moines will co-operate in a continuation of this success, which is evidenced by its magnificent gift to the state in establishing this great fair. It has been my privilege to visit several of the fairs of other states, as well as many exhibitions of other countries. I can say, in my judgment, we have the ideal fair and the ideal conditions in a most remarkable agricultural community. Mr. Dobson made the statement that this was purely an agri- cultural state, and it is true, no doubt. But it is not true that we wiU always remain an agricultural state. Why? We have the coal — the motive power — to make a great manufacturing state. With our incresing demands, and increasing population, no one can say this will always be an agricultural state. It is true that our magnificent soil naturally led us into agricultural pursuits, and the lack of these advantages in other states, to manufacturing pursuits. But the time will come, I think, when we will see fit to diversify our industries; when with our 18,000 acres of coal lands and the impetus of our rivers for disseminating the power of electricity, and all these things, then, if not before, will there be a diversity of our industries. We are not dependent on com, grain, hogs and cattle and horses ; we raise other crops and animals, and just so as time goes on we will increase these opportunities and diversities. I shall not attempt at this time to give you my ideas of what the future should be. But it is certain as time goes on, we will resort to better methods, more scientific investigation and applica- tion as the days and years shall come and pass, and with it we hope and expect that our State Fair and State Farmers' Institute wiU not only keep pace, but will go beyond the march of progress. So, Mr. Dobson and the people of Des Moines, we return to you our hearty acknowledgment of your kind welcome. You have spoken to us, and we shall try to appreciate your friendship. Then when the time comes for the State Fair we all hope to be back again with our friends and neighbors, so that we may have a royal good time, and that the next Fair will be better than any yet held in the state of Iowa. 72 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The President: The next number on our program is "A Dis- cussion of Iowa Statutes With Reference to Feeding Stuffs," by H. R. Wright, State Food and Dairy Commissioner. A DISCUSSION OF IOWA STATUTES WITH REFERENCE TO FEEDING STUFFS. H. R. WRIGHT, POOD AND DAIRY COMMISSIONER. Mr. President: I suppose this subject was put on the program more to call attention to something the Board of Agriculture has been engaged in, rather than to give any particular information in regard to the statute. This Board, as organized, one of the things with which it was charged was the investigation of adulterations. Those investiga- tions have been carried on by means of a committee, of which Gov. Packard has been chairman. These investigations have resulted in the enactment of a general pure food law and also a stock food law. The stock food law embraces three subjects: one being the so- called Continental Stock Food, and the other subject, that of con- centrated feeding stuffs, as they are usually known, and the third subject, the question of seeds that are either adulterated or im- pure, by reason of mixtures, etc. So, that these three subjects are embraced in the statute, and I may say, there probably never was a law of such relative importance, that took so much hustling to get it passed through the legislature You would naturally suppose it would have been universally favored, but the develop- ments were different. As to the law in relation to Continental Stock Foods, we origin- ally sought to have the names of the ingredients put upon the label upon all packages. I may say, such a law was enacted in a half dozen other states last year The makers of the Continental Stock Foods devoted their attention to our legislature and succeeded in blocking some of the provisions your committee put in the bill, but they got the same kind of medicine in other states. We suc- ceeded in having put into our statute a provision that the label should bear a statement and name the percentage of the diluent. The statutes passed in the other states were in effect that they should give the names of the ingredients, while in Iowa they were to give the percentage of the diluent. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 73 We thought, and think so the more yet, that the filler in the Con- tinental Stock Food was one of the elements of fraud. For ex- ample, in one of our committee meetings last winter one of the manufacturers of one of those foods was made to admit by Prof. Michael that he had 65 per cent oil meal and 10 per cent salt. At any rate it was 65 per cent of oil meal. The committee, be- lieving the diluent was one of the chief elements of fraud, suc- ceeded eventually in getting that provision put into the statute, al- though they beat us on our original intention, they should give the name of all ingredients. However, the stock food manufacturers are all agreeing that they will print the names of the ingredients on their packages. I suppose you all realize that the business of manufacturing and selling these foods is principally carried on by men of very large means, and attempted by men of small means. About 100 of these foods are on the market. The up-shot of the whole matter is, the Continental manufacturers have formed a sort of conspiracy to beat these laws in the various states Their ac- tion in this state has been in the form of an injunction in the Fed- eral court of this district, against the Food Commissioner, restrain- ing him from an attempt to enforce this law at all. This is the situation at the present time. I suppose one might be a little reluctant to admit that the law which he is charged \nth enforcing has not been enforced. That is the situation. The reason for it is, as I have stated, an action for an injunction has been brought attacking the constitutionality of the law, and for that reason nothing can be done towards en- forcement until the injunction is dismissed or dissolved ; and in the event it is made permanent it cannot be enforced. The law in relation to concentrated commercial feeding stuffs requires that every package shall bear a statement of the protein and fibre and fat. Those of you who have made any study of food stuffs understand why this is necessary. The reasons that may occur to you were not altogether what actuated the conunittee of the legislature in passing the law. There was a very extensive adulteration of feed stuffs in this state, the motives which prompted the enactment of the bill, not that the farmer needed necessarily the information or needed to be educated as to what protein was in a food, of brans or other feeds, but more, that the maker and seller of them should say how much he had; then if he had an examina- tion of the article, he could say it truthfully, and if he had an article that was worthless he would be obliged to say that truth- fully, and the man who bought avoided being cheated, thinking he 74 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. was getting something better than he really had; that feature of the statute has already done considerable good. Prof. Michael found a lot of these foods adulterated with wheat hulls and other things. The adulteration of them has apparently, so far as we know at the present time, ceased. The law does not prohibit the sale of stock food at all, with the exception that it prohibits the sale of wheat or rye screenings con- taining cockle or other poisonous or deleterious substances. The statute permits the sale of concentrated commercial feeding stuffs, whether simple or mixed, provided the seller tells exactly what he has got. If he has a simple food like a bi-product he is required to give the percentage of protein, fibre or fat. If he has a mixed food he is required in addition to state the constituents, names of the ingredients, to state also on the package the number of pounds net weight. In addition to this the statute requires that upon such foods there shall be paid a license of ten cents a ton, and these tags are to be secured from the office of the Food Commissioner on the payment of the necessary amount. This particular feature of the law has aroused great opposition on the part of millers, and still more on the part of feed dealers. They do not object so much to the money phase as to the difficulty and trouble of attaching the tags, and the opposition to the statute comes with the retailer or small dealer. You know, of course, many of our food stuffs of the kind in question come in from the outside of the state: still a considerable quantity is manufactured in the state. The question as to whether the statute is violated as applied to foods outside of the state, is raised by the American Linseed Co. They, too, have applied for an injunction in the Federal court, alleging that the whole statute is unconstitutional. So that I am obliged to say now, frankly, the law has been enforced up to the present time It became ef- fective the 4th of July and almost immediately applications for injunctions were made. However, we have collected about $5,000.00 on the ten cent tags. We have made some headway, even though we have not prosecuted anybody, except one fellow in Delaware county, for selling food which wasn't what he claimed it was. The third feature of the statute has not affected anything, for the reason that the sale of seeds is usually conducted from the middle of winter to spring, and very few seeds have gone on the market since. The law is that a man who sells seeds may not sell seed which contains quack-grass, Canada thistle, etc., and he EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAK BOOK— PART III. 75 is absolutely prohibited from selling seeds containing any noxious weed seeds. The thought is, that a man who gets these weeds in the land is not only injured in the loss of the purchase price of the seeds, but a thousand-fold more in the difficulty of getting the weeds in the soil. The seed dealer is prohibited from selling seeds containing any of these particular noxious weed seeds. Then he is required to have his seeds to a certain standard of purity. That is, if a man buys a bushel of timothy seed he is entitled to get 96 per cent of timothy seed, the other 4 per cent may be harmless mixtures of weed seeds, which simply goes to the loss of the value of the price of the seed. The dealer is permitted to sell under the statute seed containing less than the standard of purity, but in that case he must put on a label stating the names of the seeds present and the amount of it. So that a man might sell clover seed, for instance, with which some timothy seed had been mixed. In that case he could easily take the timothy seed out. The thought is that the farmer is to be protected against the purchase, first, of seeds containing these noxious weed seeds, and against the purchase of seed represented to be pure seed. These are the three phases of the law, and I am frank to admit the law has not been well enforced, for the reasons suggested. If this law is finally upheld, the feeders of this state will pretty nearly know what percentage protein, fibre and fat is contained in the food which they buy; and the thought is that an intelligent man will be able to determine what value in dollars and cents the feed has he is buying, and that on the seeds, he will have the same chance to protect his pocktbook and will be fully protected against the chances of getting these noxious weeds into his field, which are so extremely difiicult to eradicate. I may say, in closing, that the committee of which Gov. Packard is chairman, has in hand now the investigation of some weeds as they appear in this state, the intention being to get legislation to control them and eradicate them, the intention being to perpetuate the usefulness of our soil to the greatest extent possible by eradi- cating the weeds which are so detrimental. If there are any ques- tions I can answer, I should be glad to attempt to do so. Question: Mr. Wright says the farmers are protected. If a farmer has got a lot of seeds himself, and he sells timothy seed or clover to his neighbor, and he is not in a position to get this exact per cent, where is he at? Mr. Wright: The law makes an exception in that case, which is as follows: "The provisions concerning agricultural seeds con- 76 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. tained in this act shall not apply to : Any person or persons growing or selling seeds for food purposes only, or having such seeds in possession for sale for such purposes." The law does not apply to the man who sells his grain or seeds to the elevator and does not apply to any person selling seeds direct to merchants and that covers the case of a man producing the seed he wishes to sell to a seed dealer; but this does not release him from the exemp- tion as to its containing quack-grass or Canada thistle and other noxious weeds. The law does not apply to the sale of seeds grown and sold on his own premises by the farmer. The thought is that if you have the Canada thistle your neighbors know it as well as you do, and if he comes and buys it of you he is not harmed or in- jured at all, even though he is sold impure seeds, for the reason that he knows it. The exceptions in the state have been framed to meet all these circumstances at the farmer's end of it. The President : The next topic on the program is entitled, "The Earning Capacity of an 80-Acre Iowa Farm Devoted to Dairying," by H. G. Van Pelt, Sup't Dairy Farm, Ames, Iowa. THE EARNING CAPACITY OF AN 80-ACRE IOWA FARM DEVOTED TO DAIRYING. HUGH G. VAN PELT, AMES, IOWA. More than once since the subject, "The Earning Capacity of an 80-acre Iowa Farm Devoted to Dairying" was assigned to me I have tried to reason for myself why so small a farm as 80 acres was designated. A farm so small is surely far below the average sized farm of Iowa. Were I to speak regarding the possibiities of a quarter section of Iowa land it could at the present time be made to apply to the condition of a larger number of Iowa farmers; and had I been speaking a decade ago the earning capacity of a half section of land would have been more appli- cable. Following along this train of thought, the reason for my subject has revealed itself. The population of Iowa has increased in great rapidity, and with this increase has followed closely the increased price of land per acre. These two factors are tending to decrease the size of farms in Iowa. Men whom a quarter of a century ago bought section after section of this fertile (Iowa) prairie at low prices, have farmed and grazed it, oftentimes with extravagant methods, but nevertheless have lived well, saved money, and as time advanced their wealth increased by leaps and bounds by the natural increase in the value of their lands. To the minds of farmers of those times the question of the earning capacity of an 80-acre farm never occurred and neither did a consideration of milking cows except to supply bountifully the family table with milk, cream and butter. Gradually, however, these large farms and estates are being divided, for one cause or another, either among the original owners' EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART III. 77 descendants, or sold to settle estate affairs, or, as in many instances, the farmer has found in his old age that his sons have chosen some other call- ing in life and he is left on the old farm alone, with no alternative except to sell a portion of his land from time to time and keep only that which it is possible for him to personally supervise. On the other hand, it seems a part of human nature for a young man to be eager to own a farm. This is evidenced by business men of every vocation, — lawyers, doctors, bankers, and men of all professions are all striving for the ownership of a piece of land, whether large or small. If Iowa farm land is their desire, they find that to attain a farm does not mean a few hundred dollars as it did to their fathers, but to own a large farm in Iowa today is to have a fortune. As a result of the great desire for farms on the part of so many, and the high price per acre, large farms are divided up and the divisions pur- chased by young men who in most cases are forced to go in debt for a large portion of the cost price. These are the men who are striving to solve the problem and who are asking the question, "What is the earning capacity of an 80-acre Iowa farm," and "To what purpose can it be devoted that will not only increase its earning capacity, but also its yielding value?" Supposing an 80-acre Iowa farm be devoted to raising grain for the market. This will pay well for a few years, especially if the years are favorable ones for plant growth and the proper methods of cultivation and crop rotation are resorted to. Unless commercial fertilizing is prac- ticed in this case, however, the farm gradually becomes poorer and the farmer's capital gradually decreases until finally in the interest which it returns him annually is not sufficiently large to pay expenses and yield for himself and family a living. Then it is that the farm becomes as many farms in the eastern and southern states, viz. — abandoned and sell- ing for less than the buildings upon them cost. It is impractical, too, under ordinary conditions to raise and graze feeding cattle on so small a farm, because the owner at once places him- self in competition with ranchmen and owners of large tracts of less valuable lands who can with less expense raise a vastly larger number of animals of the same character. Eliminating these two methods of managing the small farm and those which remain tend more nearly toward intensive and diversified farming. "Without doubt if a man is to devote his best efforts to conducting opera- ations on an 80-acre farm he must practice the most intensive methods possible and put in use the lessons which science and practice have taught. He must grow large crops of animal foods on every foot of available ground, feed every pound of it to farm animals of one kind or another and return the barnyard manure thus produced back to the fields, — thus making them richer, more valuable and more productive each year. Feeding for meat production and feeding for milk production both come under this head, and both may as a rule be made extremely profitable; yet there are a few factors which enter in and warn the proprietor of a limited acreage of high-priced land against borrowing money or spending that which he has on hand for purchasing feeding animals to which to feed the crops he has raised: First, If he chooses to feed hogs and cattle there are opportunities for making large profits unless the hogs 78 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. contract disease, to which they are very susceptible, or the market price of either or both hogs and cattle drops, — when profits are quickly changed to losses. Second: If it is sheep that are to be fed there is a chance for the market price of both wool and mutton to drop; and as for feeding horses, few indeed are those who care to accept the hazards which present themselves. Third: During the fattening period of these animals the percentage of concentrated foods necessary for feeding is very great in comparison to the roughage, while on even a small farm in Iowa or the corn belt a large amount of roughage Is necessarily raised. For instance, the dally ration of a fattening steer would be something like 20 pounds of con- centrates and 10 pounds of roughage, while for a dairy cow the con- centrates would be about 6 to 10 pounds, while the roughage would be from 20 to 25 pounds. Leaving out of consideration these hazards, however, it must be con- ceded that raising grain and feeding it to meat producing animals has a distinct advantage in that the owner of an 80-acre farm can do all his own work except during harvest, bj- farming the land in the summer and feeding the grains and hays — the results of his summer's efforts — during the winter; and little need he be concerned about the scarcity of farm help. On the other hand, he who wants to be assured of a regular and sure profits from day to day and from year to year, dairy farming is to be recommended, for it has been truly said by one man that the dairyman tears off a coupon from each cow each day. Another says that the cow is the only farm animal a portion of which can be sold each day; and still another that the dairy farmer's harvest comes every day in the year. All these sayings are quite true as well as suggestive. The true earning capacity of a dairy farm, however, is governed by many condition: 1. Location. 2. Character of cows milked. 3. Care and feed received by the cows. Upon the location of the farm depends the price received for the produce and this in itself has much to do with the profits, for the farmer who sells his cream to the creamery cannot expect nearly so much for his milk as the one who sells direct to the consumer of milk and cream, and he who is located close to a large city, by putting out a fancy product in the form of either milk, cream or butter has an even great advantage. Equally as great a difference is brought about by the comparative producing ability of cows, for often there may be found in a herd one cow producing 500 pounds of butter in a year and another producing 200 pounds, — the former making for her owner a large profit and the latter losing him money daily — the same as would a scrub hog or steer, put in the feed lot at a high price. The care and feed the cows receive is another feature of the business which in itself may determine whether or not the earning capacity of the dairy farm is to be large, small or below the expense of operating. Cows must be abundantly fed on foods contain- ing the required constituents for milk production if they in turn are to EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART III. 79 produce milk largely and profitably. And, too, the feeder must use knowledge in selecting and combining the foods, to which he has access, into a ration which is at once Inexpensive, palatable, and stimulating to a large yield of milk and butter fat. In order that my words may not be termed theoretical or impractical it will be well to consider an 80-acre farm in Iowa that on the start "will produce only average crops and is so located that the produce from the cows must be sold at a local creamery at 25 cents per pound for the butter fat, which has been the average price for the past year. By the uses of silos of large enough capacity for both winter and sum- mer feeding and by the intelligent rotation of crops it will not be at all difficult to keep a 50-cow herd upon the farm beside the horses required to do the work of the farm, providing a small amount of concentrated foods rich in protein is purchased each year. To care for and milk the cows and raise the calves will require the services of four men and a fifth man, with the help at odd times that the four barn men can give him, will be able to haul all feed and manure, keep in repair the fences, etc., and do all the farm work except during harvest and silage making time. Some there are who would have you believe that fewer men could do the work around such an establishment, but my experience has been that one of the best ways to solve the labor problem, which is so vexing at the dairy farm, is to have enough good men drawing good salaries to do extra well every portion of the work without being forced to work such extremely long hours as are usually required. In this way it is easy to keep good, reliable men and a much less number of cows will be required to produce a given amount of milk than though fewer men were kept and the work more carelessly done. Now if the proprietor and his four men have good land and a good herd of 50 grade cows which can be found and purchased for about $50 apiece, the annual income, expense and profits will be as follows: Butter fat (350 lbs. per cow), 17,500 lbs at 25c $4,375.00 45 calves (90 per cent of crop saved) at $5.00 each 225.00 Skim milk (6,125 lbs. per cow) 306,250 lbs. at 25c cwt 765.62 Total $5,365.62 Expenses. 4 men at $40 per month $1,920.00 Extra help in harvesting hay and silage 200.00 Insurance on 50 cows, $1 each and bull $2 52.00 Interested on money invested in cows ($2,500) at 6 per cent 150 Interest on money invested in 1 bull ($100) at 6 per cent 6.00 Interest on money invested in 80 acres of land at $100 per acre at 6 per cent 480.00 Interest on money invested in horses, machinery, etc. ($1,500), at 6 per cent 90.00 Insurance, wear and tear and breakage on ^me at 10 per cent. . . . 150.00 30 ton concentrated protein feed at $23.00 690.00 Total $3,738.00 80 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Amount received $5,365.62 Amount expended 3,738.00 Profit $1,627.62 This is not an extremely large profit, but it should be remembered that very average conditions have been considered, creamery prices al- lowed for only a fairly large production and only veal prices allowed for calves. Although 25 cents may be considered a large price for skim milk, it would be worth a dollar per hundred were it fed to pure bred calves or hogs. If the farmer himself wished to work quite hard it would be possible to get along with one less man and thus add another $480 to his profits annually; or, if as is the rule in theoretical farming, the manure and calves are allowed to pay for the hired help, then the Income would be $5,140.62, the expense $1,818, and the net profit $3,322.62. Now let us presume that the farm is located close enough to a city so that the product can be marketed in the form of 30 per cent cream at 3 cents per point for butter fat, which is quite a common wholesale price, and that his cows are pure bred and producing the same as the grades except that the calves would be worth $25 when they reached a salable age of six or eight weeks. 30 per cent cream (145 gal. per cow) 7,250 gals, at 90c $6,525.00 45 calves (90 per cent of crop saved) at $25 each 1,125.00 Skim milk (after feeding calves 1-2) 145,800 lbs. at 25c 364.50 Total income $8,014.50 4 men at $40 per month $1,920.00 Extra help in making hay and silage 200.00 Insurance on cows at $2.00 each 100.00 Insurance on 1 bull at $2 2.00 Interest on money invested in cows ($5,000) at 6 per cent 300.00 Interest on money in bull ($100) at 6 per cent 6.00 Interest on 80 acres at $200 per acre at 6 per cent 960.00 Interest on money invested in horses, machinery, etc. ($1,500), at 6 per cent 90.00 Wear and tear, insurance and breakage on same at 10 per cent. . . 150.00 30 ton concentrated protein feed at $23 690.00 Total $4,418.00 Total income $8,014.50 Total expenses 4,418.00 Total profit $3,596.50 Figuring in this manner the profits are more than doubled and the dairy farmer has for himself $3,596.50, with only his taxes and insurance on the farm buildings to pay. And these figures are reasonable except that the income figured at much lower prices than many breeders are at the present time receiving for their cream, calves and skim milk, but I have tried to keep so far within the bounds of reason, that my audience may not say — as I really expect said — "theoretical — impractical." EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 81 In conclusion I wish to say that in my opinion the earning capacity of an 80-acre farm devoted to dairying as I have figured it is only well within reason for each instance, and that which can easily and surely be accomplished year after year by any careful and intelligent dairy farmer. As for the possibilities of an 80-acre farm devoted to dairying, none of us have any conception of them. Only a practical demonstration could determine this truly, yet I do not doubt in the least that these possibly profits on either of the hypothetical farms I have mentioned could be made to reach three times the figures I have set forth. I am led to believe this by the fact that Mr. Detrich, a Pennsylvania minister, took up the management of an old 15-acre farm that was so run down and worn out that it would not support well the two cows and one horse that were kept upon it. Mr. Detrich converted it into a dairy farm and the first year lacked $46 of paying expenses, but in the six years that followed he cleared up a $7,200 mortgage. So greatly had the land been improved that at the end of this time 30 head of stock, 17 of which were milk cows and two were horses, were being provided with all the roughage they needed and 3,300 tons of hay were sold. The outlay for concentrated feeds was about $625 a year. It has been estimated that this farm of 15 acres produces a revenue of about $3,000, or $200 per acre, annually. Doing one-half as well on good Iowa land as has been done on worn out and reclaimed Pennsylvanian land, 80 acres would produce a revenue of $8,000. Up in Michigan is another farm, according to the Department of Agri- culture, containing 120 acres, owned by Mr. J. N. Neal, whose total in- vestment in the farm and his share of the dairy herd and farm equip- ment Is $12,500. He receives annually $1,500, or 12 per cent on his money invested and gives the farm management no attention whatever. Mr. C. J. Augerine, the manager, who owns half the herd and the farm imple- ments also received $1,500 as his share, so the 120-acre tenant farm re- turns annually $3,000 clear profit. The President : We have a little time, if any one wishes to ask any questions, I am sure the writer of the paper would be glad to answer them. Question: "What difference would it make if the farmer would make his own butter? Mr. Van Pelt : That would depend on whether he was making his own butter near a large city. If he were, he could on a high class product get a premium of 10 to 15 cents per pound. It is not exceptional for dairy farmers to have yearly contracts in large cities to furnish butter from 35 to 40 cents a pound. In New York State, I think, it is not an exception to have the wholesale price 50 cents per pound. It would be simply owing to the prices it were possible to obtain for it. 82 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Question: How many acres of com did you raise to go into this silage ? Mr. Van Pelt : As I said before, in order to gain a profit or keep many cows on so small a farm, it would be necessary to soil it the year around. In calculating m}^ figures, I allowed ten acres for pasture for the cows; then in order to feed thirty pounds of silage, will require about 250 tons of silage a year. The corn which we raise as a rule will run twelve to fifteen tons of silage per acre. But with so many cows as 50 on so small acreage of ground, where the manure is returned to the farm each year, it will be possible to raise a good deal larger tonnage. We know of some who are rais- ing 25 tons of silage to the acre. Figuring 25 tons, you see it only takes 10 acres to suppty the 250 tons. Then I also figured it was possible to raise most of the com in the way of concentrates, by balancing up this com with the 30 tons of concentrated protein feeds, and also supplying protein with the clover necessarily used in crop rotation, and also having from ten to fifteen tons of alfalfa hay, it would be possible to supply not only the roughage, but a balanced ration. Question : Do you expect to raise it on the average Iowa farm ? Mr. Van Pelt: I would not expect to raise it on the average Iowa farm. Question: How would you cure it? Mr. Van Pelt : That is quite a subject for the Iowa farmer, because of climatic conditions. There is a way, however, it can be cured, even in seasons, such as we have had the past year. By cutting in the morning and allowing it to cure until noon or slightly afternoon, then shocking it up, allowing it to remain under that cover for a week or ten days. I am satisfied there is no better way on earth to make clover hay or alfalfa hay. The finest hay I ever fed or saw was alfalfa hay raised in Colorado and cured by this same method — cut in the morning and in the afternoon cocked up, and then after a week it was baled and shipped east; when it was taken out of the bale it was just as green and nice as could be. Question : On the average farm, would it be economical to put that expense on curing this hay ? Mr. Van Pelt : Not on an average farm ; but where a man has devoted all his efforts on such a farm, in the manner I have indi- cated, it will be possible for him to put up his hay in that way. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 83 Question: Will you please repeat the amount of profits under the two methods you speak of ? Mr. Van Pelt : The profits in the first instance were $1,627.62 ; in the second instance, the profits were $3,596.50. Question: How would you first obtain that supply of cows suitable for such an operation ; how would you keep up your supply after you started? Mr. Van Pelt : That is a very important question, also quite a perplexing question. It is much easier to select good cows from a herd of pure bred cattle than it is of grade cattle. If one wishes to stock up his farm with grade cows, he has quite a difficult task, because in many instances it is difficult for him to determine the value of these cows; it necessitates traveling around. One way is to buy them on the market. This fall I was on the Chicago market. I saw there a good number of dairy cows, as one would judge them, simply seeing them. At the same time these cows are quite expen- sive. Probably a better way would be to simply go through the country and pick them up here and there. As a matter of fact, in certain vicinities it is possible to buy exceedingly good grade cows. For instance, you go into the vicinity of a breeder of pure bred cows. He has sold to the neighborhood his bulls and bred their cows for them. I know a vicinity where a great many graded cows soM for $100 apiece. Then there are different methods of keijping up a herd. The dairymen in the Elgin district, close to Chicago, buy cows somewhat of a beefy nature; they milk them until they are no longer profitable, and they are fattened for the market and sold at beef prices. Then their cows that are springers, or fresh are put in the place of those, and this is the manner in which a great many progressive dairymen are doing. But the time for this is almost past, because, as I said before, these grade cows are selling for such enormous prices. To keep up a herd of pure bred sires, the heifer calves that are dropped on the farm, are of much merit, so that they can be raised much more cheaply than they can be purchased. In this way the owner of them would at the same time know what their ancestry has been and what they have done. In this manner it is possible for the perpetuator of the farm to re- ject the calves of poor cows. Question: If you raised the calves, wouldn't you have to make allowance for raising them until they began to produce, and you would have to make allowance for the young cows not producing with a fully developed cow? 84 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Me. Van Pelt: Yes, that is something that needs to be taken into consideration. It struck me very forcible in figuring out the earning capacity of an 80-acre farm. Of course, after the calves get past the age of six months — at the same time the calves do not need as much heavy feeding, and they can be running in the pas- ture in the summer time. It would be possible to raise even more silage. As I said before, this is a line to itself. We would also need to figure the profits as well as the cost of raising. Question : Of course, if you wanted to keep 50 cows up, wouldn't you have from 15 to 25 young stuff, from calves to 3 years old? Mr. Van Pelt: Yes, sir. Question : Could you keep so many cows, if you kept them on this 80? Mr. Van Pelt : No ; unless you had side-lines, you would have to have a larger farm. Question: Have you ever tried the sugar cane for silage? Mr. Van Pelt : Personally I never have. Those who have tried do not like it as well as corn, for the reason that it forms more lactic acid, and is not so palatable as com. Question : Have you tried sugar cane in its raw state ? Mr, Van Pelt : I have fed some. It has this one thing to recom- mend it, that it is very palatable when put up in the form of hay. That is another thing regarding the two methods of curing : it can be shocked for fodder, and corn should be put in the silage. Any animal needs a certain amount of dried matter before it is possible to get it out of the silo. So that fed in the raw state, sugar cane is quite valuable as a food. But the farmers say that sorghum is quite hard upon the land. Question: I don't know whether I got a clear understanding. I had the impression that 50 cows was the full limit of the capacity of an 80-acre farm ; you spoke of the milk being worth 25 cents. Did you intend that the other feed should be purchased or produced outside of that farm; that the farm doesn't produce feed for the pigs and calves? Mr. Van Pelt : Yes, that is true. I figured for the calves to be sold at weaning time. Question : And the feed outside of the milk, should have to be purchased outside of the product of the farm ? EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 85 Mr. Van Pelt : Yes, sir. Regarding the amount of cows that could be kept there. I did not make a direct statement, because, really the possibilities of an 80-acre farm are, as I believe, greatly larger than I made them. I think that 50 could be kept very easily where concentrated foods are purchased. Question: What provision would you make to replace those cows ? Mr. Van Pelt : As I said before, they can be replaced in dif- ferent ways. He can raise the calves on some other place, or else when his cows go dry, he can sell them and buy more. Question: In your figures did you take that into account? Mr. Van Pelt : Yes, I took that into account to the extent that I charged up interest against the cows. I charged one dollar per year insurance against the cow^ ; that probably w^ouldn 't cover more than accidents or deaths; but, as a rule, if one wanted to sell those cows at the end of the period of lactation, it would be possible for him to replace them for the prices received for them. There might necessarily need to be some provision made, however, for other ex- penses. A Member : It is my opinion, in replacing these cows, that you haven 't taken nearly enough into account to replace them — to either raise the calves, or go out and sell those cows and rebuy others. That is the most expensive thing in the whole business. If you are going to raise the calves, you don't get as good a calf as you got a cow, only occasionally, and it takes three or four or five years to get them ready to milk. Mr. Van Pelt : As a rule breeders try hard to improve each generation. As you say, there are a great many disappointments, a great many calves we think should be most excellent milkers, when they come at their milking age, they are not what we expected. But it isn't necessary to wait four or five years on a calf to become a profitable milker. If they are profitable at all, they should be profitable at 214 to 3 years old. Mr. Reeves: "While they are a source of profit, they wouldn't come up to the mature cow ; you would have to cut your figures con- siderable A three-year old cow is not much better than a two-year old. Mr. Van Pelt: Heifers should produce, and in many instances do produce more butter fat than I have estimated. Really I con- sider the average amount of butter produced by the Iowa cow is 86 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. much below what I stated. We have a heifer at the College, barely two years old and that heifer is this year going to make 350 pounds of butter fat, and really, her care is ordinary, for the reason that we have not been prepared to give her the best attention. Pure bred cows under the same conditions are going to make between 400 and 500 pounds. There is that one thing — there might neces- sarily be some expense necessitated in exchanging these cows for fresh ones; but there are the two methods, the manager can either sell his calves or exchange the dry cows for fresh ones. It is possi- ble that in some instances he would have to pay more for the fresh cow than he gets for the dry. In many instances it will be possible for him to sell that cow for even more than necessary. Mr. Reeves : I have found, in my experience, it is quite a prob- lem to get anywhere near as much for the worn out cow; some of them, when they are worn out, they are all gone. Mr. Van Pelt: Of course, a person wouldn't dare wear his cows out that way. If she were only a five-year-old cow, then he couldn't expect a second calf; he would only have the first calf, providing he had a springer. Following out that system, she is simply milked as long as she is profitable for the one period of lactation ; then she is sold on the market. Question : "Would you recommend selling a 350-pound cow ? Mr. Van Pelt : No. Some provision would necessarily be made for raising those calves; but these calves would need to be raised on some other farm, unless the 80-acre farm was farmed more in- tensely than I have figured. So that if you wish to raise those calves, it would be possible to go and raise them on the roughage, and the profits could remain the same, because when you raise these calves, and she reaches the salable age, she is worth all she has cost. In other words, if you sell her at weaning time for $5, that is all the value she is to you at that time. But if you put more money into her and grow her into a mature cow, and she is worth more money; you have got a profit there. A Member -. I think in making an estimate on an 80-acre farm, you should raise those calves yourself and take out enough when those are old, and sell them as canners. Mr. Van Pelt: That simply would be another way of getting at the figures. Question : How about the milking machines ? EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 87 Mr. Van Pelt : The milking machine is still in the experimental stage. The best man on that subject is probably ]\Ir. Scribner, of Wisconsin. His opinion is where heifers are broke with the first calf, they do reasonably well, but in cows who have formed the habit of being milked by hand, they do not respond readily to the milk- ing machine. Question : In your figures, what is the percentage of butter fat ? Mr. Van Pelt : I took five per cent. Ql^estion : Can 3^ou find a creamery that will give you a five per cent test? Mr. Van Pelt : I can find plenty of cows that give five per cent milk. The President: Our next subject is entitled, "Sugar Beet In- dustry in Iowa," by Earl C. Moore, Secretary Iowa Sugar Factory, "Waverly, Iowa. SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY IN IOWA. E. C. IIOORE, WAVERLY, IOWA. I infer that the invitation extended to the Iowa Sugar Co. that their representative meet with the State Agricultural Society at Des Moines was given rather with a view of learning something of the manufacture of sugar than the question of beet culture with which I assume every one of you is more or less familiar. The important feature in the success of beet sugar manufacture is the question of profit to the farmer, and the manufacturer who does not inform himself as to the conditions of agriculture in the immediate locality of his factory and who does not co-operate with the farmer in every step is not likely to make a success of his factory. You will understand that the success of the beet sugar industry is so interwoven with the farmers profits that the factory can not exist unless it develops that the growing of beets is profitable to the farmer. It is impossible in the short time alotted to give you more than the outlines of the possibilities of beet culture in Iowa and we must to a certain extent depend on. the experience of other states as the factory established at "Waverly has not yet been demonstrated as an entire success. That is, one year's experience is not sufficient for a grower to know whether or not he wants to continue the culture. From the side of the investor we have demonstrated our faith in the ultimate outcome by providing the cash for the construction of the factory. We believe that you have the fertility of soil, the average favorable amount of precipitation, and most necessary the sunshine and cool nights during the maturing season. It must not be forgotten, however, that a crop brings to the farmer $60 to $125 per acre necessarily demands 88 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. more attention than one that brings $8 to $15, and the most serious obstacle to the development of the industry is, no doubt, the extreme scarcity of the farm laborer. The experience of sugar factories in other states has demonstrated beyond contradiction that the establishment of the sugar industry attracts farm labor which is generally available for other crops than sugar beets. In general these are employes of the packing house, the heads of which families are employed during the winter in the cities and gravitate to the fields in search of employment for themselves and families during the summer. You will understand that in the growing of beets there is certain hand labor required. First the beets are drilled in rows from 20 to 24 inches apart at the option of the grower. The drill used plants four rows at a time using from 15 to 20 pounds of seed per acre. Upon their development to the fourth leaf they are blocked and thinned so that one plant stands by itself about 8 or 10 inches apart in each row. In the meantime a one horse cultivator cultivating two rows at a time is used to keep down the weeds between the rows. The cultivator is used until the leaves lap in the rows. After the blocking and thinning is done the field is hoed and later in the season is gone over a second time with the hoe, killing the weeds that are left. After the beets are matured a beet lifter lifts them from the ground and the hand labor contractor tops the beets, throws them in piles and covers them with the tops and they are ready to deliver to the factory. When properly covered, ordinary frosts do not hurt the beets and thousands of tons of frozen beets are made into sugar every year. You will understand that between these operations the labor con- tractor has considerable time when, as practice shows, he is engaged by the farmer to assist in other work. Often these families locate in the immediate vicinity of the factory. Of some 60 families brought to the Waverly factory this year about 20 per cent have become permanent residents, and the tendency is, as I have intimated, the gradual drift- ing to the beet section of the necessary farm labor. I might say that this hand labor we contract for $20 per acre to those knowing a sufficient number of acres to warrant the employment of a family. I naturally drift toward the cultivation of the beet, but I suppose you want to hear something about the sugar itself. "Sugar is one of the most recently acquired, the most rapidly increas- ing and one of the most important articles of diet. From its earliest mention until the time of Queen Elizabeth sugar was used only in the arts and sciences and was sold at about $1 per pound. The four decades following the issuance of a decree by the first Napoleon ap- propriating one million francs for experimental work in connection with the development of the sugar beet were only important in increasing the quality, for in the year 1840 95 per cent of the world's sugar was made from cane." About one million tons were used in 1840. Since 1840 the increase in consumption has amounted to 150 per cent per decade and now amounts to 12,000,000 tons, 60 per cent of which comes from beets, and the people of the world annually expend $1,250,000,000 for sugar. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART III. 89 Europe has 1,500 sugar factories, scattered over all but two European nations. In 1864 the United States consumed 18 pounds per capita, while last year our consumption was 76 pounds, as compared to 90 pounds in Great Britain and 7 pounds in Italy. In 1888 the production of beet sugar in the United States reached 1,000 tons for the first time in our history. When the present tariff bill was enacted ten years ago we had six beet sugar factories in the United States which produced 40,000 tons of beet sugar. Last year we had 63 factories in operation and produced 483,612 tons of sugar sur- passing for the first time the cane sugar output. Last year the American farmer received nearly $25,000,000 as his share of the beet crop and as much more went to laborers and other em- ployees of the factories, the coal mines, the railroads, the lime kilns and numerous other classes of American industries. Our Agricultural De- partment now classes it as the seventh most important agricultural product. . The retail price of sugar in New York averages cheaper than the re- tail prices In Berlin, Paris, Vienna or St. Petersburg, the commercial centers of the world's greatest beet sugar producing countries. If by fostering this great industry, an unjust burden has been laid upon any citizen of any state in the union, the figures do not show it. The state of Iowa will consume the product of sixteen factories such as we have at Waverly, so you will understand the market is at our door. Factories in successful operation will produce about 200 lbs. of sugar to each ton of beets, and the state of Iowa with its 2,225,000 people, re- quires 85,000 tons of sugar annually, 850,000 tons of beets or the product of 85,000 acres, figuring 10 tons as an average, although the average should be considerable more than that. The state of Michigan in 1906 exceeded 12 tons average. Over 110,000 acres were grown by 27,000 farmers. Speaking of Michigan, the industry in that state was started in 1897, when one factory was built at Bay City with a slicing capacity of 500 tons daily, exactly the same capacity as the one we have built at Waverly. At this present time there are sixteen factories in active and successful operation, and do the farmers of Iowa admit that the land in Michigan is more fertile, that its sunshine is more bright, or that its farmers are more intelligent than those of Iowa, or are the farmers of Iowa content with smaller profits, or do they believe they can pay the Interest on present values of land by growing oats and corn? My faith Is that eventually, in order for the fertile acres of Iowa to produce for their owners their full fruition, they must resort to more intense cultivation and a more careful tillage and more particularly a rotation of crops. To return to the manufacture of sugar. I have already shown you that the need exists and that the opportunity is here. The factory is the medium whereby the consumer is placed in more direct communication with the producer. In one door it takes the beets from the farmer, pay- ing him $5.00 per ton, it works up the ton of beets through the factory and produces sugar which it sells to the grocer, receiving approximately $9.00. Between these two figures they must pay for the coal, for the 90 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. cooperage or package in which the sugar is placed, the lime rock and the coke, they must satisfy the labor that manipulates the beets, they must pay for the wear and tear on their machinery, with all its incidentals, and they must at the same time maintain an intelligent field force who are intended to assist the farmer in the proper cultivation of his beets. It will not be necessary to continue to instruct the farmer, as two or three years' cultivation will put them in possession of all we know about the cultivation. In addition to the hand labor which I have already specified, the proper cultivation of beets demands, first, the preparation of the ground and the seeding, sufficient cultivation through the growing season so that the subjection of the weeds is assured, the lifting of the roots after they are matured with a beet lifter, and the hauling of the beets to the sheds or cars. It is estimated that $30 per acre, which includes the contract hand labor, should cover the entire cost of cultivation and hauling, figur- ing the latter at an extreme of 50 cents per ton. So that a crop of six tons will cover all the necessary expenses of raising an acre of beets. The seed is furnished by the factory at cost, 10 cents per lb. The average receipts for the farmer in Michigan is $48 per acre, while in Colorado it is $75 per acre. After the beets are placed in the sheds they are floated in flumes to the factory, where they are sliced into long, thin cossetts, when they are placed in the diffusion battery and the sugar extracted from the slices. The resulting juice is treated with milk of lime and carbonic acid gas to eliminate the solid impurities, after which the production of sugar simply means the elimination of the water by evaporation. There are, of course, many steps in the process necessary to purify the juice, eliminating all salts and pectic substances. It is popularly supposed that cane sugar is in some way superior to beet sugar, but I venture to say there is no one whj by any process either chemical or otherwise, can demonstrate any difference. Sugar is a chemical product of a definite crystallization and there is no difference whatever in the cane and beet sugars, and they are sold in the market side by side. After the juice is extracted from the cossetts the residuum becomes a valuable stock food, rich in protein, and when fed with other feed rations gives results that can not be obtained with any other feed in the same space of time. Milch cows will produce more and better milk and stock can be fattened with one-third less the amount of grain. The Iowa farmer is faced with a weed condition that is extremely dangerous. Long continued cultivation of corn which permits the growth and ripening of weeds in the hills after the crop is laid by has filled the soil with seeds of all sorts of noxious vegetation. The cultivation of beets is one of the steps necessary to eliminate this condition, and I think you will agree with me that any steps in this direction are proper for the farmer to consider. I understand that some farmers have been reduced to the point of three years cultivation of fields in order to de- stroy quack-grass without any return whatever. The German Agricultural Society has made a study of the cultivation of beets covering fifty years and in one of their recent reports they make the statement that if a farmer received no returns whatever for his EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAE BOOK— PART III. 91 beets that the cultivation given the beets benefits the land to an extent that the increase in succeeding crops will more than offset the cultivation. They state that the use of the sugar beet as a rotating crop increases the acreage production of wheat 24 per cent, barley 25 per cent, rye 15 per cent, peas 86 per cent and potatoes 102 per cent, oats 30 per cent. Beets require a moderately fertile soil. They can not be grown on light sandy ridges, nor in peat, nor in sour bottom land. The plant is very hardy and is not materially affected by hailstorms, drouth, nor heavy rains if the drainage is such that the land is not soured. The price is fixed and is not affected by too productive a year and it is the only crop grown by the farmer which has an assured market price before the seed goes in the ground. It is not necessary to construct cribs or barns to store the crop. In the event of a heavy surplus it may be necsesary to pit, in which case the factories allow the farmer for his extra work. Freight rates have been made by the railroads so that shipments can be profitably made to factories within a radius of 150 miles, the factories generally assuming all freight in excess of 50 cents per ton. The cost of construction of factories approximates $100,000 for each 100 tons slicing capacity, with a minimum of $500,000. I have tried to give you a general idea of the method of cultivation, as well as the maiufacture of sugar, and I will be glad to explain any one of the items further or to answer any questions pertaining to the business. The President : The paper is open for discussion or any ques- tions that any one may wish to ask. Question: Do I understand you furnish the labor or hands? Mr. Moore : "We furnish the hands to the fanner where we can get a family ; the contractor will furnish that labor for $20 per acre. We had no trouble about getting help. The reason for that is this : take these men working in the packing houses, take it in the sum- mer, their children tw^elve to fifteen years of age have as much of an earning capacity as a woman. We have had several families at Waverly during the summer, the men of which families during the past summer earned enough to support them, and they went back to Omaha with from $350 to $400, as the wages of that family. That is why we are able to get this help, because, as you see, they have a chance to earn more money than in any other way. The men and women generally do the blocking with the hoe, and the children do the thinning ; they are small and active and can get over the ground very readily. Question: Do I understand you induce a farmer to put in as much as 25 acres? 'Mr. Moore: We do not advise that. There are cases where a man has exceptionally good ground, and he will put in 25 acres; in that case, we furnish the help. 92 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Question: Do you agree to send a family and pay the room rent? Mr. Moore : As a general thing, the home they live in is gener- ally furnished by the grower. It is through the warm season, and you don 't have to fight the cold. We have had no trouble in finding houses to put these people into. Question : Do they ever live in tents ? ]\Ir. Moore : Sometimes they do. Question : What kind of families do you get ? Mr. Moore : We had some good German families we got. For several years we have been taking this help to J\Iichigan. For the last few years there has been quite an emigration of Russians into Michigan, and for that reason we have the pick of the families; we get the best families. As a general thing a farmer will take an acre or two of beets. We have had any number of farmers tell us they were able to handle one or two or three acres, and it does not interfere with their other work. The beet growers get the pulp without any extra charge. That makes a very fine stock food, the farmer paying the freight. Question: Does it come out dry? ]\Ir. Moore : When it comes out there is a moisture in it, but it can be covered up, and with the weather we have, it will keep aU through the winter. There is more or less moisture to it ; it does not become perfectly dry. It might freeze on the outside on the pile ; the cattle will eat it, even in a frozen state. Prof. Curtiss: About what acreage have you now? Mr. Moore : We figured on having 5,000 acres. We failed on that this year, it having been a wet season. In some places the weeds got so bad they outgrew the beets. The beet is a very hardy plant. Question: You asked the question as to whether the fertile Iowa soil couldn't produce more than the sandy soil and ridges of Michigan; isn't an admixture of sand the most favorable? Mr. Moore : Not particularly. Secretary Wilson claims we could produce 20 tons of beets. We have had a great faith in Iowa, and have thought if IMichigan could produce beets, Iowa cer- tainly could, because we have claimed all the time our soil was richer and better. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 93 Question: How have they turned out? Mr. Moore: We had beets this year that approached close to $85 per acre. We have had 22 and 23-acre pieces that went better than $42. Last year the farmers were told to plow deep, the ordi- nary plowing has been five to six inches, and some of the farmers lost their crops last year on that account, although we had farmers last year who raised in 10-acre fields beets that averaged better than 17 tons. We have had two or three acre fields that went 22 to 24 tons. Question: Wouldn't that indicate that a man w^ho has a little piece would take the better care of his beets? Mr. Moore: You take it, where a small piece is taken in con- nection with the other farm work, it gets better care. Where a man has a big piece and the rain comes on to him, the piece gets a little too big for him, whereas in a smaller piece they are able to take care of it and get it cleaned up. The trouble this year was the rains came on in July and where they had large pieces, they be- came discouraged. A Member: Can you tell what I have raised on a small patch of sugar beets. I remember the last crop I raised I had i/4 acre. I took a small sled and marked it out; it was never thinned. I cultivated it with a corn plow three times, and pulled out of it three 26-inch boxes. Mr. Moore : You pl^-nted them as wide as corn, but they wasn't thinned at all? ]\Ir. Reeves: That would be about five tons. I have grown sugar beets for the last ten years. I started in ten years ago with the idea of getting a factory at Waverly, and that it was a practical thing for the farmer. On the start it is somewhat difficult ; but when you get along, probably five acres will be what the average farmer will get along with. You can hire the children from the town, as they are loose from school about the time they are needed, and it is a good thing to set them to work ; the little chaps will earn a dollar a day. All the good to the community cannot be figured by the profit the farmer gets from the beets, because more than that amount has gone into the pockets of the laborers. The children wouldn't be doing anything except running the streets or up and down the river and fields, committing depredations. If you have an industry like this in your community, they are learning some- thing useful ; it makes them more manly and womanly. You have 94 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. noticed this sample of sugar here — I don 't know whether any of my beets went into that or not — I have heard it said that beet sugar was inferior to cane sugar. One of the things that have been charged against it is that it wouldn't make jell; you couldn't make jell by using beet sugar. Here is a sample made from apples last Friday; my folks undertook, to make a little of it to illustrate whether it will make jell. Now, you know, it takes some time to harden jell. I would like to have you make an examination of these samples of beet sugar. From an examination of this jell you will find that it can be made from beet sugar; in fact it is equal in every respect to the cane sugar. I spoke a moment ago about deep plowing. The people from Michigan told us that the ground should be plowed deep, because they had a clay subsoil, and the reason we fell down the first year on a number of pieces was on account of taking that advice. Our soil here is loose enough so we don't need to go as deep as they do. Adjumment taken until 2 o'clock p.m. PROCEEDINGS OF THE Joint Session of the Annual State Farmers' Institute and Corn Belt Meat Pro- ducers Association HELD AT Savery Convention Room at the Savery Hotel, Des Moines, Iowa, on December 10, 1907, beginning at 2 o'clock, P. M. The meeting was called to order by President Sykes of the Corn Belt Meat Producers' Association. The President : The time has arrived for us to begin our pro- gram. I suppose you all understand that this is a joint session of the State Department of Agriculture and the Corn Belt Meat Pro- ducers' Association this afternoon. The first subject is entitled, "Sheep Husbandry on High Priced Farm Lands," by Geo. H. McKerrow, President of the Wisconsin State Board of Agriculture. I desire to state that Mr. McKerrow was unable to get here, but wrote us, that he would furnish a sub- stitute better than himself, in the form of his son, Wm. A. McKer- row, who has charge of the sheep upon their farm. SHEEP HUSBANDRY ON HIGH PRICED FARM LANDS. WM. A. MC KERROW, PEWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Iowa State Farmers' Insti- tute and Corn Belt Meat Producers' Association: It is quite a privilege for me to come here and talk to such a noble body of men, gathered together from all over the State of Iowa. We know that Iowa is noted for the greatness of her beef and pork producing industry, but the sheep end of it seems to be, possibly, slighted. We (95) 96 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. know, however, that the sheep part is increasing and that Iowa will be a great sheep country. In fact, Southern Iowa, I believe, is now increasing her flocks and the value of her flocks on high priced land — we must increase the value of flocks rather than increase the numbers. The sheep husbandry of the United States has made the greatest advance of any of the live stock industries the past ten years. And why shouldn't it? That we are destined to become the greatest sheep raising and mutton consuming country in the world, is as safe a prediction, as that we are rapidly and surely becoming one of the richest and most powerful nations on the globe. We have territory enough to sustain half the sheep in the world without unbalancing our system of mixed husbandry. Within our great commonwealth we have varied conditions of climate and forage growth for any and every known breed of sheep. If England can furnish environment enough to sustain twenty- five or thirty distinct breeds, our great country should produce every known breed in the world. We know we have the resources, but what of the results. We must give diligent thought to selection, care and mating of our flocks, in order to produce the most mutton with the least cost. Let us compare the cost of production of mutton with beef — and this I have from a talk given by Prof. Curtiss four or five years ago, from an experiment carried on at your station, and I think the best comparison we have from any college, and the Ames College is one of the leading colleges in the Union. From this experiment, carried on at Ames, we have the following : One hundred and nine sheep were fed ninety days, and given 34,501 pounds of feed, grain and hay. They fed 34,501 pounds of feed and produced 4678 pounds of mutton, giving us the ratio of 1 : : 1 31-100. For every pound of mutton produced, 1.31 pounds of feed was consumed, at a cost of 2.93 cents per pound of feed, at market value, which was a little more than farmers would realize, This experiment included representatives from each breed of sheep. The best work they could obtain the same winter with cattle, was with a bunch of grade Hereford steers coming two years old, fed on similar food rations. In that experiment it required 8.9 pounds of this feed to produce one pound of beef, covering a period of one year's feeding. It is estimated the average amount of feed to produce one pound of beef at the different experiment stations and similar places where experiments have been conducted in the United States EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 97 is 10.25 pounds of feed. At the difference in price of mutton and beef, we would figure a greater profit in mutton production than beef. Now, what is essential in mutton production ? Let us consider the feeding of the flock. To have a flock do well and produce the best class of mutton, a variety of food is necessary, technically speaking, a balanced ration. All meat producers know that, in order to get the best results they must have a balanced ration. For a balanced ration for sheep in the winter season — the season of dry foods — we should have some succulence. Such foods as roots, ensilage, or something that will take their place is necessary. Economical feeding is very important. There is no class of grain or fodder cheaper than corn or corn fodder. They can be used very well in making up a balanced ration, although we must balance up with protein and succulent feeds. We can make mutton very cheap in the fall of the year by grow- ing root crops and rape, and it is of especial importance in dry weather. In growing your animals, there is one thing we should bear in mind, and that is, to feed bone and muscle forming foods. In the early life of the animal it should be so fed that bone and muscle development is certain, or you will never get a perfectly well developed animal. We should watch the lambs to see that they are kept growing. In order to get the best results from your lamb crop, it is necessary to commence a long time before they are born, that is, you want the mother fat when they are born, and a good strong flow of milk, which should be kept up through the season. Ewes are great milkers, far exceeding the milking capacity of the cow, and much richer. Remember, and feed for milk production, bj^ using rich protein feeds, such as clover, linseed cake, alfa^lfa and bran — corn will not answer at this period. About the time a lamb is a week old it is looking around for something to eat. Then give it a chance ; make a lamb creep, con- sisting of a slatted gate, making a small enclosure, in a corner of your bam or yard for the lambs to go into at will. Feed them a little oats and bran ; clean your trough out at least once a day, and put in fresh feed ; construct a small hay rack in the creep and feed the brightest and best hay you have. One of the greatest enemies the sheepmen has in raising mut- ton, is the internal parasites — stomach, tape and other worms. 7 98 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. This trouble can be prevented rather than cured. We use the hurdles, a system carried on almost exclusively in Great Britain, with excellent results. By using this method you have your lambs on fresh feed every day. They do not follow the ewes and become infested. If you do not use hurdles, keep your lambs on fresh pasture — clover if possible — and be prepared for the dry season. This season is when the rape crop is very important. Rape comes up in great wealth, and will make mutton for nothing. You can sow it in your corn fields at the last cultivation ; this will be ready by the first of September or whenever your corn is harvested. Per- haps the best method for an Iowa farmer to follow would be to plow up a piece of sod after haying and sow rape. Don't miss sowing rape ; it is your cheapest and best fall feed. Wean your lambs and keep them doing well; put them on your best clover pasture. Don 't have them follow older sheep that might be infected with disease. One thing I wish to speak of and that is the breeding of the flock. Good breeders all recognize the value of a sire in building up a herd or flock. Our western breeders are willing to buy a carload of good rams (pure bred) with breeding that will tell on their flocks, rather than use a scrub sire at one-fourth the cost. People speak of the sire as half the flock. This is true when both sire and dam are equally well bred; pure bred and strongly bred, so they will have an equal influence on the offspring. But when one side is scrub or grade, the saying is not true, and from this source the average farmer must start his herd, or flock. If the female side of the flock is scrub, then the pure bred sire becomes all the flock, so far as blood lines of improvement are concerned. This is considering the first cross. In the second cross, he becomes a little less than all, and as the grade of the flock rises, the sire becomes less and less, until when graded up to the practical standard of pure bred, then your sire gets to be half of the flock. Therefore, the selection of the sire is of the greatest importance to the flock. Select accord- ing to your demand, but, by all means select one with great constitutional vigor and as near correct mutton conformation as possible, and then get breed type. I should say first of all, select for mutton conformation and breeding. The care of the sire at the breeding season is important. See that he is not going back in condition while in service. In conclusion I might say a little more as to feed. We in Wisconsin and the people in the middle West are troubled with the EIGHTH ANiNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 99 intestinal parasites. Everybody is trying to find a remedy. We, as I spoke about, use hurdles with our flock and give the lambs fresh pastures every day. "We let the ewes follow the following day where the lambs ran the first day. Then we wean as early as possible. Our lambs are dropped in February mostly, some in March; we wean along about the middle of July; then we turn the lambs on either rape or fresh clover pasture. If farmers would do that, I do not think they would have any trouble with parasites. The trouble is that they will insist in pasturing their old blue grass, old sod pastures. Now, if there are any questions, I will be pleased to try to answer them. The President: You will understand this subject is now open for discussion or questions any one may desire to ask. Question : I would like to ask if there is any danger of lambs in clover, bloating or scouring? Mr. McKerrow: Of course, we pasture our lambs on clover; we run the hurdles on clover too. If your clover is real young and short, there isn't much danger of scouring your lambs. I will say, as soon as we wean our lambs we drench them with what is called Santovin, prepared by Stephen Pettifus & Sons, Mahusbury, England. We havn't lost any at all, from any trouble whatever. I think it acts as a good preventive from disease. Question : Have you had anj^ experience with tobacco and salt? Mr. McKerrow : No, we havn't used it. We have used nearly every other preparation, I guess. Question : What would you suggest as a preventive from these worm? Mr. McKerrow: As I have just mentioned, we have tried sev- eral remedies. The most successful, I should say, was drenching with Santovin. The President: There being nothing further, we will proceed with the next subject entitled, "Buying, Feeding and Selling the Steer for Profit," by Prof. John G. Emboden, of Decatur, 111. We are glad to be able to state we have Prof. Emboden with us this afternoon. I believe most of our farmers have read of some of his work in the different Agricultural papers over the country, and I take pleasure in introducing Prof. Emboden to you at this time. 100 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. BUYING, FEEDING AND SELLING THE STEER FOR PROFIT. JOHN G. EMBODEN, DECATUR, ILL. Mr. President, and Merabers of the Corn Belt Meat Producers' Association^ and Iowa Farmers' Institute: It affords me pleasure to meet a body of men who have at heart the agricultural and live stock interests of this great state; inter- ests that cannot profitably be separated. I don't know but this is the first time I have ever been intro- duced to an audience as a professor. I am not a professor; I am just an every-day farmer and cattle feeder. I went to the southern part of Illinois a few years ago to address an audience on cattle feeding. I was there introduced to a gentleman, who said: "I am very glad to meet you; I have heard something of you; you are a damn common looking fellow; I rather like the looks of you; you look like you had some sense." I asked him what he expected to see. He said he didn 't know but some dude fellow was coming down there to talk to us old fellows about cattle feeding. I said to him: "My brother, the dudes are about all out of the cattle feed- ing business, and if the present condition remains longer, there are some of us not dudes, who will be out of it." Your secretary, wrote and asked me to make this subject as broad as I could. So I wrote and told him we would consider, * * Buying, Feeding and Selling the Steer at a Profit. ' ' I think you will all see that this subject is broad enough to satisfy any one who has any desire to get in or stay in. If I were to tell you that in the past 25 years I have handled and fed cattle, I never bought a load of cattle too high; never fed cattle but what made a satisfactory gain ; never sold a load of cattle on the market at a low figure, you would think A Voice: That you was a liar. Mr. Emboden: Every old feeder here would think that I was either a big liar, or never fed cattle. What is the truth about it? I have bought cattle too high. I have fed them when they didn't make a satisfactory gain, and I EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 101 have sold them on a very mean margin. Now, that is the experience of every feeder who has been long in the business, and will be the experience of every feeder who remains in it. There is an element of chance in the business we cannot escape, and the man that is not willing to take some risk, will never make a cattle feeder. Buying, feeding and selling a steer for profit — not that profit we think we get when we top the market with a load of cattle — not the profit we get by a profitable experience — but that profit in dollars and cents we want and need. The question of profit in dollars and cents need not much concern the man who owns his farm, is out of debt and has money with which to buy his cattle. But with the average feeder who must borrow money to buy his cattle and pay interest, as most of us feeders must in our feeding operations, and struggling to pay for a farm and get out of debt, the question of profit is one that greatly concerns him, and should greatly concern him. The older feeders, the men who have made money in the cattle feeding business, are today practically out of business, and the feed- ing operations now on the farm, are conducted by their sons or tenants on the farm. But when the landlord advises his sons or tenants to feed cattle for profit, he must remember that conditions have greatly changed since the time he made money out of the business, and the system that was practically profitable a great many years ago won't do today. So that we must adjust ourselves to the conditions as we find them today. In every community there are men recognized as good cattle men. There are others recognized as good hog men, and others that do better with horses. Now I wouldn't advise you, if you do not like cattle, to go into the cattle feeding business. I wouldn 't advise you, if you want to get rich easy and quick, to go into the cattle feeding business. But if you like the business, and will continue at it one season after another, and handle such number of cattle as you can handle to advantage, I think the business can be made fairly profitable — and that is about all we are entitled to — a fair profit on our business enterprise; that is about all the mer- chants and business men today are doing; they are simply get- ting a fair profit on their business. That is what we feeders must be satisfied with, if we remain in the business. Now, as to the question of buying these cattle, I am often asked what kind of cattle I like to feed or handle. I tell them I like the color of a good steer; I like to feed good ones, but I would rather feed a mean one and make two dollars, than to feed a 102 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. good one and make one dollar. When I am buying cattle to put in the feed lot, while I am looking for the good one, I will buy most anj^hing I come to, provided the seller will accept my price for it. You must remember, when you are after something every- bod.Y likes — if a man has a bunch of cattle that justs suits you, you must remember that the seller has a great deal to do in naming the price, and he can generally find a buyer at his price if he has got the article which is in demand. If, on the other hand the seller has some cattle nobody wants ; they are not what you want ; they are not what your neighbor wants, the buyer has a great deal to do in naming the price, and he can often name that price at a figure that will realize him a profit in the feeding of these cattle. Now, do not understand me as advocating the breeding of common and mean cattle; it cannot profitably be done. There are three interests that have a right to share a profit in this cattle business, in the feeding of cattle. The breeder, and that is the man who keeps the cow, and if she doesn't earn any- thing but the calf, the breeder of this calf and the grower of this calf; and the man that finishes the steer, puts the finishing period on him. We all agree that each interest should share in this profit, if there is one. But conditions have been such, if the breeder and grower realizes what he considers a fair profit for him, the price is so high to the feeder that it is very hard for him to figure a profit in maturing this steer. If on the other hand, the feeder buys the steer he can realize on, the breeder and producer and grower of this steer has produced it at a loss. So it is very often the case that the feeder can buy a steer of the breed- er and grower at a price he has sustained a loss and yet may re- alize him a profit; but if each one shares in this profit, the profit will be very small to each one of us. Of course, as to the question of feeding cattle to an advan- tage, we must remember, the cost of beef production increases Avith the age of the animal and the period it has been on feed. The longer the steer has remained in the feed lot, the next hundred pounds cost more than the hundred pounds put on previously, and so on. We should remember this, that if we are buying calves and yearlings to grow on the farm, we should get just as much quality and breeding as possible ; we cannot get too much. If we must buy common and mean cattle, let the other fellow grow them and turn them on short feed. We must remember and we all know there are a great many good cattle feeders in nearly every commu- nity that have never fed a prime bullock in their life. There are EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 103 other men who have always bought prime cattle and have finished them; and I want to state here, that it is not always the cattle that top the market that make the feeder the most money. I can handle a calf and feed a calf eight or ten or twelve months, but I don't want to feed a grown steer more than from three to five months, if I want to realize a greater profit. The question of feeding after we have obtained this steer is one that we should carefully consider. Now, I am not going to talk to you about protein, carbo-hydrates and balanced rations; I don't know much about those things myself, and I leave that for those that do. But I am going to talk to you about corn and the various forms in which we put that corn to feed it. Of course, in the great corn belt of Iowa and Illinois, the feeder is extravagant in the use of corn and always will be. I want you to remember that I am speaking from the standpoint of a feeder, and not from a breeder's standpoint, and when I am talk- ing about plain and common cattle, I am often accused of advocating the handling and growing of these cattle. But I am not; you will undestand I am not. But these cattle are with us and they are going to stay with us ; they will be with us a good while yet. They must be converted into beef, if they are put on the market; they are put on the market, and that is the end of all of them. Now, considering feed cattle, I think shocked com is one of the best foods that can be given a steer. I think it is the best single feed for it, throughout the feeding period, from start to finish. As a rule, I do not believe it pays to grind corn for the cattle. I would say to feeders who have plenty of hogs follow- ing the cattle, as most feeders have, I would put the least expense possible on a bushel of corn delivered to the steer. Yet I grind about 75 per cent of all the corn I feed, and for this reason (I have a farm of 100 acres) I buy all my cattle and practically all my corn. This 100 acres of land is mostly in grass; I grow a little corn and feed out of the shock; and the system that is practicable to me and profitable to me, it might not be profitable and practicable to somebody else. Roughness is very high and has been for a number of years, in Central Illinois, and is probably here. I find that I can convert my ear corn into ground corn, cob and all. I think that 100 pounds of ground corn with the cob for the first 60 or 90 days, is worth as much as 100 pounds of clear, shelled corn for feeding cattle ; for that reason I am using ground corn principally. With ground com and cob cattle need very little if any other roughness ; they will do well without any other rough- 104 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ness whatever. I have handled a great many cattle on ground corn alone without other roughness. The economy in the use of self-feeder is quite an advantage, and it is being used with advantage by a great many feeders; feeders are using it generally with very satisfactory results. I have used it for a number of years. I would prefer, if I had a good man feeding, perfectly regular, twice a day, what the cattle would clean up; but it is pretty hard to do that, so that for a number of years I have used a self-feeder with more satisfactory results. I use in connection with ground corn, either cotton seed meal or oil cake; I think it a very profitable feed. It shortens the feeding period and gives a better finish on our cattle, which has come to be an important thing in our beef production. At the Chicago International, last week, I had a load of cattle in the short feed class, bred in New Mexico; they were in Colo- rado, and had been there a little over a year. They weighed 752 pounds when I put them on feed; I fed them 107 days; they made an average gain of 334 pounds on 107 days' feed. They ate 31 bushels of corn, 259 pounds of oil cake and 535 pounds of hay, the cost of that gain was $21.92 or $6.60 a hundred. We should remember that it is rarely the case that we can sell the gain we have produced on our cattle during the period of winter feeding, at Avhat it has cost us to produce that gain; it is very seldom we can do it on two-year old cattle; not often that we can sell the gain for what it cost to produce it. To illustrate : We buy a thousand-pound steer at $4 a hundred, or $40. We feed 50 bushels at 40 cents— $20. The steer, if he has done well, will gain 300 pounds. We sell that steer after he has been fed, at $5 a hundred. It is very evident we sold that 300 pounds of gain for $15.00. Our only profit, if we have one is on the advance of the original weight. We have in this instance, one dollar a hundred in advance, which is $10.00; deduct the $5 loss, which leaves a net profit of $5 on the steer, which, I think, is a fair average profit. As I said before, it is not often we can sell the gain for what it cost to make it. I don't think the average Illinois or Iowa feeder during the winter period of feeding, gets to exceed a 5-pound gain from a bushel of com ; I don 't think he gets to exceed 5 pounds. The question of margining our cattle is one that concerns the feeder a great deal, and I think when a man's cattle are ready to go on feed, he should consider the age and quality and the EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 105 weight of his cattle, and the available feed, and his bank account. I think he should decide then when these cattle should be mar- keted and feed them accordingly, and market them when the time has expired. I invariably, when I put my cattle on feed, name the date, within a week. I will say, I move these cattle in May, or the middle of June, or first of July, and they go then. I don't wait until the cattle are ready to go, and then, as too many feeders do, write their commission firm and tell them they have some cattle now ready to market, and ask them when to be there with them, and read the daily quotations every day. and when you strike a high time, you go there — and you will find a great many fellows who have reasoned the same way you have, and they are there too. You must remember, good markets are shared by few, and the mean markets by many. It is a very expensive operation, to hold a bunch of fat cattle, waiting for a market; 30 to 60 days soon slip around, and we are producing beef pretty high, and the chances are we get on a market no better than it was 30 to 60 days earlier. I think if you would select a dozen feeders in this audience today, and let them feed cattle the next five years, and let half of them name their shipping day ahead, whether 3, 6 or 10 months, or a year, with every bunch of cattle they feed, and move those cattle on that day, they will strike as good average markets as will the other six men who have finished their cattle and then try to hit the high tide. I believe the ones who name the date and stick to it, will strike as good an average market as the man who watches the market in order to get the best of it. In regard to dehorning cattle, I think the results obtained following the taking off of the horns, justifies taking them off. That it costs feeders more to dehorn two-year old steers than at the earlier date, most of us are ready to admit. I don't think we can dehorn good strong two-year old cattle for less than $1.50 to $2.00 a head. Sometimes we dehorn cattle and it does not seem to affect them very much, and again we dehorn them under just as favorable conditions and it nearly kills them, and we sometimes lose a steer. I think the results obtained, however, justifies taking off the horns. Now, if this subject is going to be of profit to us here, I think it will be from the exchange of ideas and views on this question. I have hurriedly gone over it, and possibly haven't touched some phases of it you might like some information about. 106 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. If I am able to answer any questions, I will be glad to do it. I thank you for your attention. Question: Why is it you grind your corn and advise the other fellow not to? Mr. Emboden: For this very reason: Most farmers have more range than I have; they have more roughness and plenty of hogs to follow their cattle. I depend more on the steer alone, and make my gain, and as I said before, I think I am justified in putting the expense on a bushel of corn which another feeder situated differently would not be justified. I have but a small farm and feed about 200 cattle during the year. I find I can grind corn with a profit. With the average feeder, I say, I don't think it paiys to grind the corn. In regard to the factor of pork production in connection with beef production. I haven't said anything about that yet. Yet the gain we make in pork of the corn actually consumed by the steer, is greatly overestimated. You hear a feeder say he has fed two or three loads of cattle, that the cattle didn't do very well, hardly paid out, but I sold a thousand dollars worth of pork, hogs, and got $200 worth left. Now, he doesn't say so, but leaves the im- pression, or wants to, that this thousand dollars worth of pork has been made from the corn consumed by the cattle, and would have been an actual loss if he hadn't had the hogs. What are the facts in the matter? These hogs were worth $600.00 when they went into the feed lot, and their feed, even extra, is all charged to the steers, and of course the steers haven't made a satisfactory profit. If you are going to charge all the corn your steers and hogs eat, let us be fair, and give the steer credit for all the beef and pork that is made from this corn. I don't think the gain that the hogs actually make from the corn consumed by the cattle exceeds a pound and a half to two pounds to the bushel, with the average feeder, during the feeding period. Another thing you want to remember, when you are putting corn into that steer in that form, there isn't so very much left for the hog to feed on. I have soaked corn with very satisfactory results, and I think it increases the feeding value about 20 per cent. There isn't quite so much left for the hogs following as there is if the corn is fed whole and dry. Two years ago I had 60 head of yearlings on the pasture. That year I fed them by hand. They were given soaked corn shelled, a little ground corn and some oats; 60 head, from May until September. There was no corn wasted and they were fed regularly what they would clean up. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 107 I was feeding- them for the Show, and of course wanted to make them good. I don't think, during the entire feeding period, from May until September, there was two bushels of feed thrown out of their troughs to the hogs. The gains the hogs made on fatten- ing these 60 head of cattle during the summer was 1,780 pounds. A good many feeders would tell, you that they sold five hundred hogs out of that feed lot. And those hogs had made a growth during the summer on a good bluegrass pasture alone, besides the corn they got. So that the gain the hogs made from the corn actually consumed by the cattle is greatly overestimated. Yet the hog question is a great factor in profitable beef production, and it is almost impossible to feed cattle profitably without the hogs fol- lowing ; yet we ought to feed the cattle so as to gain most from the corn consumed by them. Question: What is your method of handling corn fodder? Mr. Emboden : I cut the corn and put it in the shock and leave it in the field until it is fed. I feed all my feed under cover. I feed all my shocked corn in the bam and the sheds. This year I have about 300 shocks of corn in the field and expect to shred it, because I don't expect to put any cattle in until February, and I will probably feed these cattle late, and I want this fodder for them during the spring. For that reason I thought I would shred it in the course of the next two weeks and put it in the barn to feed it shredded. But I would prefer to feed it whole out of the shock. I don't think it pays to shred corn to feed. The first I shredded two years ago, the weather came on a little damp and I continued shredding, and I had 110 hogs in the lot and about 70 head of cattle. After we got through, I think the second day, the whole thing was steaming; you could hardly bear your hand in it. I went, to town and took out insurance on all the cattle and hogs I had in the barn. I told the agent I had heard of spontaneous combustion and fire although I had never seen any of it. I had the building insured and wanted the contents insured; but it didn't burn. Question: Which is the most profitable, common cattle on short feed or good cattle on finished? Mr. Emboden: That is a hard ciuestion. Now, I handle a few cattle each year on long feed; they are principally Texas calves that I give ten months or a year's feed. I fed 50 head last year and made top cattle of them; sold one load at 8.90 and the other at 8.50. At the last International I had two good loads, that 108 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. fell down in the auction ring. I sold one load for 6.50 and the other for 6.30. That was no fault of the cattle. I like a few calves and yearlings, but I do not like to put all my interest in one kind of cattle. For that reason, during the spring I handle the cheaper grade cattle, and turn on shorter feed. I find that these cattle have made me more money than the cattle I have given high feed. If I would handle three bunches of cattle on short feed, not necessarily common cattle, but aged cattle, and give them short feed while I might not for a certain year's experience on the whole, I would find that the three bunches would make me much more money than one bunch given the long feed. So that I have divided my feeding inter- ests. "While I feed a bunch of calves ten or twelve months, I generally put a bunch in in Februarj^ and market about May, and put a bunch in in the summer and market in the fall. I find cattle going on feed in the summer and the market in the fall should be better quality than those in the February marketed May or June. I find the difference in the selling price of a common steer and the prime steer, handled under like conditions, is not as great as it was in the buying price. If you buy those cattle at $1 a hundred difference, when you begin the feeding period you wiU find the price at the time you go on the market wiU run about 40 to 60 cents difference. Of course, a well bred steer makes a little the best gain, but not always, and the gain made sells for a little more per hundred, but the advance, as a rule, between the buying price and the selling price on these shorter fed cattle, is greater on the common steer than on the prime steer. Question: Can you state your freight rate per hundred over the shrinkage. Mr. Emboden: My freight rate from home is about 12 cents per hundred. I buy and handle a good many cattle in the spring of the year and summer. Most cattle I buy at home are weighed at the farms and are shrunk three per cent. That is if you were feeding a bunch of cattle and I buy your cattle, I will buy them, weighed on your scales, shrunk three per cent, in the morning, out of the feed lot; generally weighed up before they get their morning feed. If I am offering to sell to a buyer, I will price him these cattle shrunk three per cent; he can weigh them any time. Of course, that is not quite answering the ques- tion. I find these cattle, average conditions, will shrink about EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 109 5 per cent. That is, if I get a 1200 pound steer, J get 36 pounds. I find that steer has shrunk about 24 pounds on an average. Oc- casionallj'' you will find a load of cattle that will weigh out, and again you will find a load of cattle, you think the conditions are just as favorable, and you have a condition you cannot account for. This matter of shrinkage we have no control over, so much depends on the conditions of the cattle weighed at home and the conditions at the market. Question : I notice these cattle you reported on made an aver- age gain of three pounds a day. Mr. Emboden: No, sir; they made nearly 3 1-8 pounds. My cattle generally make an average of 2 I/4 a day if they are fed not to exceed 5 months; if they are fed longer, they Connol: maintain that gain. These Texas cattle generally go about 11 months on feed. They make an average, one year with another of about 700 pounds. Question : Will you state your method of starting those calves ? Mr. Emboden : I received some calves yesterday, before I left home from Chicago ; they were shown at the International. They were first prize, from the Southern District of Texas, Tick country. I put out in the rack some clover hay and a little sorghum; I had cut and put about a bushel of corn in the trough; about a half bushel of oats and about a half bushel of ground corn, with a little oil cake — a bushel to 22 calves. Probably by this evening that feed will be eaten. There may be a few calves that will prob- ably not touch it at all, and the majority of them will get around the box and take a little feed, and during the day this bushel of feed will be gone. Tomorrow they will probably take a bushel and a half, and in the course of a week — I never had a bunch of calves from the range it would take over a week for all of them to go on feed, and putting out a little feed at a time, you will find the calves take readily to it, while others will be a few days or a week getting to the feed. They will all soon take to it, and I will increase the feed then, and these calves will be fed ground com with a little oats and about a half pound of oil cake until spring, and then will be put on full feed. Question: How much do they weigh? Mr. Emboden: About 400 pounds now. Question: In your experience what is the most profitable high priced feed and low priced feeders, or high priced feeders and low priced feed? 110 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr. Emboden: Well, there is a combination. I don't know that I ever met just that proposition. Of course, when you have got high priced feeders the common cattle have advanced a little in proportion; you often have to pay more for your common cattle than you would otherwise have to pay for them. Of course, the feeder don't get much pleasure or satisfaction in putting high priced feed into a common steer, especially during the feeding pe- riod. Sometimes, when the cattle are sold he has got some satis- faction out of it, because he has realized a profit. But you couldn 't lay down a rule and say, high priced feed on common cattle at all times would be more profitable than low priced feed on high priced cattle, because the price of feeders might be so high, and the price of finished cattle low, that you wouldn't realize a profit, even feeding these cattle a low priced feed. On the other hand, a common steer bought at a low price and the feed to feed it at a very high price, the market might be such, that he wouldn't real- ize you a profit, I want to say here, if your system of handling your feed, and market cattle has been satisfactory to you; if you realized fair profits on your investment and labor involved; if the gains have been satisfactory, and j^our profit satisfactory, I wouldn't advise you to change your method for what I may say, or anybody else may say. A Voice : It has not always been so ; that is why I am asking. Mr. Emboden : I don't know of any feeder with whom it has been so. As I said before, there is an element of chance and this we cannot escape. Question: When are you going to sell those calves you just bought? Mr. Emboden : I expect to show those calves of the Southern District, at the Chicago International, next November. Question : How much do you expect to make them weigh ? Mr. Emboden: I expect to make them weigh about 1150 at Chicago, These calves this year will weigh 1125 or 1150. Question : How do you feed cotton seed meal and oil meal ? Mr. Emboden: In connection with my corn, with ground corn or shelled corn, whatever feed I am feeding. If I am feeding broken ear corn, I put it in a wagon and pour a sack on the feed. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. Ill Question: How many pounds to the steer a day? Mr. Emboden: These short feed cattle, I gave them a pound a day 16 days in August, 2 pounds in September, 2 pounds in Octo- ber and 3 pounds in November. Question: What did you pay for those calves you just bought? Mr. Emboden : That, is a leading question. Those calves cost $25.00. Question : They are better than the ordinary run ? Mr. Emboden : 0, yes, they were selected calves at the Chicago International. Question : You are going to change your method from feeding common cattle to the nicest ones? ^Ir. Emboden: No, sir; I didn't say I have any method of feed- ing common cattle. I have always fed a few prime calves. I do not feed any year the same class of cattle during the year. I am going to put in gome in Februry, I don't know which yet. I will put in such as I at the time think I will realize the most profit on. When I buy I put in anything I find if the seller takes my price for it. If I am willing to pay 4 for a good steer and he is offering me a right mean one for 2, I will buy him. Question : You are not feeding those calves for the June mark- et? Mr. Emboden: No, sir. Question : Could you make a profit with such system of feed- ing these calves and sell them on the June market, one year with another ? Mr. Emboden : Well, conditions the last year have been such that I could. I want to say this : There are always some surprises to a feeder; some of the cattle he counted on being the best disap- point him, and other cattle he hasn't counted much on, and would like to have thrown them out of the bunch, have passed some of the other cattle and in the finishing period were in the top row. That is a common experience. Two years ago I had 51 calves out of the same herd. One morning I weighed them; I cut out 17 top calves I considered worth the most money and weighed them; I cut out the next 17 and put a ring in the right ear, and I had 16 left and put a ring in the left ear, and put them altogether, and fed them under the same conditions. Tbe con- sequences w^ere, some of the calves in the third lot had gone to the 112 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. top and two calves out of the top lot had dropped to third place. So that is a common experience. You cannot tell about the de- veloping of young animals, hoM^ they develop. Question: Do you expect to turn those young cattle on the grass this summer? Mr. Emboden: The calves, generally, I have put on the grass during the season. These I have now, I doubt very much whether I will put them out on grass. There are 30 or 40 yearlings I will probably put on grass. I want to say this to feeders putting cattle that are finished on grass : If you have a finished bunch of cattle and desire to hold them longer, I wouldn't turn them on grass; I would hold them in a dry lot. Invariably the cattle that do the best on grass, have had plenty of roughness during the winter. But I do not believe in putting really finished cattle on grass. I would let them stay in the lot. Question : These cattle you turn on grass, do you expect to feed oil meal to them? Me. Emboden: Yesr sir; I had 60 acres of bluegrass last year, and they were running to a self-feeder, ground corn frequently too. In regard to feeding oil cake, I find I can feed two or three pounds to a bunch of cattle for an indefinite period, and if you will increase this to 6 or 8 pounds, you will have to shorten your feeding period or they will quit you. A few years ^go I was feeding a part of them 3 pounds and a part 6 pounds. I got three large steers from a neighbor getting not quite full feed, I told my sons we would put them on 10 pounds of oil cake per day. We did that, and they stood it just thirty days, and dur- ing that time the steers made an average gain of over 6 pounds a day. These three large steers weighed 1470 pounds when I started them, and they made an average gain of over 6 pounds a day for 30 days, then they quit and didn't practically do anything for the next five weeks. The cattle getting six pounds stood it for 76 days and made an average gain of S% pounds a day, and they quit. I weighed those cattle up at the same time I weighed the larger steers, and I weighed them five weeks later when I shipped them, and the results w^ere about the same on each bunch, hardly a pound a day. The other cattle which had been getting three pounds a day for 5 months had made an average gain of 2 % pounds a day for the five months feeding period. So that if you will make up your mind that you want to feed five or six pounds EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART III. 113 of oil per day, provided you will settle on how many days you will feed it, and market your cattle at that time, I think you will have satisfactory results; if you are going to feed your cattle longer, give them less oil cake. Question: Is it safe to feed these little fellows so much oil meal? Mr. Emboden: No, I don't think it is. These calves now; I will not give them over a half pound of oil cake during the winter and spring and increase it toward the end. Question: Let me ask you if you notice any difference in the flies bothering younger cattle or the older cattle? Mr. Emboden : I don't know that I have. What aged cattle I have, are fed in the drj lot. Nearly all my feeding is in the winter except the yearlings in the summer. Question: "What particular breed are the range cattle? Mr. Emboden: Principally Hereford. Question: Do you feed those calves cotton s-eed meal? Mr. Emboden: I have fed a little of it. I don't think it is as good as linseed meal. I think often there is an irritant about the cotton seed meal, and I have been using linseed meal for a num- ber of years and I prefer it. Question : I would like to ask you if you vaccinate your calves ? ]\Ir. Emboden : I never did. I have handled calves more or less for 20 years, and never had a case of the black-leg, and a great many range calves are vaccinated and great many are put on the market not vaccinated. An old feeder years ago told me to use a little saltpetre in connection with salt, that it was a sure prevention of black-leg. I don't know whether there is any merit in this or not. He used 4 ounces of saltpetre to 8 pounds of salt, and I have been using that for a number of years, and never have had a case of blackleg. There may be no merit in that; it costs but a trifle and may be worth trying. Question: Do you think it essential to feed oil meal to finish steers ? ]\Ir. Emboden: I use it when I put a bunch of age cattle in the lot ; I would like to do it as short a time as possible. I find with the addition of linseed meal or cotton seed meal, I can shorten my feed. But we must remember, corn might be at a price, or bi- 114 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. products at a certain price, and we wouldn't be justified in feeding it. The President : I am sure this discussion is very interesting and we would all like to listen to it, but on account of our limited time, it becomes necessary to close it at this time. We have cer- tainly all enjoyed the address at the hands of our friend, who has had such a Avide experience in these matters. The next subject is "Beef Production in the Corn Belt," by Prof. H. R. Smith, of Lincoln, Nebraska. BEEF PRODUCTION IN THE CORN BELT. H. R. SMITH, LINCOLN, NEB. Mr. President: I want to say, that I feel like congratulating myself that I am here in an audience of cattle men. I know you are cattle men ; I can tell a cattle man a long distance by his face. Judging from the c^uestions fired at the speaker who just pre- ceded me, I am very sure I am right in this guess. I think I have enjoyed the address as much as any of you, and feel like adding my testimony to what has already been said. In speaking of the address, there is one thing I might add to a statement made in the matter of ground feed. In our experiments at the Nebraska sta- tion, conducted during two years, we have not found it profitable to grind feed for cattle. We have found we can get a slightly larger gain by use of ground feed, but the ground corn has been worth to us about 2 cents per bushel more than unground, and that two cents won't pay for grinding. This is the result of two experiments; I won't say that it is conclusive. In an address on beef production in the corn belt, I should pre- cede my remarks with something pertaining to types, but because the time is limited, I will simply say a few words in regard to the types of cattle to feed. I was at the International last week and I learned a few things there. Nearly all of us can take away some ideas, and I also took away a hard cold. I might give you a few ideas on the run of types of cattle most sought after now. When I sat there watching the judging done, and when on Satur- day I sat there in the pavillion and saw the cattle seU, I was thor- oughly convinced of this fact : that the buyers are no longer want- ing big, heavy fat cattle ; they are paying higher prices now for medium weight cattle. I had in our own consignment a 1900 pound EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK- PART III. 115 steer, a very good type ; he sold for 6I/2 ; when lighter cattle weigh- ing 1300 pounds sold for 1^2 or 8 cents. It was very noticeable in the carcass judging; it wasn't the fat carcasses that were winning the prizes; it was the cattle of medium flesh, rather low in flesh. In a talk with the judge, Mr. Durnough, from Scotland, I found further that the people across the water have changed their ideas about the fat cattle. Where, two years ago they paid the highest prices for the big, heavy cattle, they are now showing their prefer- ence in a ver>^ decided way for the very light cattle. He made the statement very clearly, that they much preferred a carcass weighing 600 or 700 ponds, than a heavj^ carcass. This was also shown in the final judgment, when the grand championship prize was given to a calf weighing about 1050. I haven 't time to discuss the question of type, I simply throw this out as a little fresh material I gathered. I will now give you some- thing along the line of our results at the Nebraska Experiment Station upon rations. I will say that our conditions are very sim- ilar to yours. I think that whatever I give you here can be applied in this state. When I first came to the state, my experience with cattle feeding had been in another state east of this. While I had fed cattle all my life, I realized in coming to a new state, it was first of all necessary to become familiar with conditions existing in that state. After traveling all over the state. I found this to be true in eastern Nebraska : The majority of the feeders there used corn and prairie hay ; some cane or straw, and a few, clover. Others were making some use of commercial feeds — oil meal and cotton seed meal; but about three-fourths of the feeders of that state were feeding corn and prairie hay. After making these observations, I began at once to put on some experiments which would show whether or not they were on the right road; whether or not the feeders of Nebraska should change their methods, because of the changed condition, and I am going to give you some observations we have made at our station along the line of rations for cattle feeding. Let me give you some idea how we carried on these tests. We have been carrying on our tests in lots of ten steers each. We selected these cattle from the range, because we wanted them under uniform conditions. We didn't like to pick up feeders here and there; we preferred to take them from the range, where they had all been handled the same way, having had no grain or previous feeding. We carried these cattle usually five or six months in length. We weighed them three or four times to begin with in successive days. 116 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. and we took the average of that weight. Then we weighed them at the end of every month and got the monthly gain. They are given water once or twice a day, usually twice, and the feeds are given, as I will point out to you on these charts. I brought along some charts. The first chart I will show you deals wnth an experiment under way for three years, upon the relative economy of corn and prairie hay, and com, and alfalfa hay. In our experiment station work we do not feel at all safe in drawing conclusions from the results of a single experiment ; we prefer to carry on that test for a period of two or three years. I do not suppose you feed much prairie hay here, or alfalfa. I will say, that the Nebraska prairie hay is very similar in composition to your timothy; they are very nearly alike, and that might almost be said of alfalfa. I might say alfalfa belongs to the same family, of clover, and is similar to it. We would like to think alfalfa is ahead of clover, but have made no tests. Below you will find a chart of the experiment carried on during a period of three years: Table 1. — Corn and prairie hay versus corn and alfalfa Yearling Steers Dec, '03, to June, '04,— 24 weeks CD p ci a * 05 Two-year-old Steers Jan., '05, to July, '05,- 24 weeks a. 2 d «s u t- t^S §2 Ocd -O ft "O otf =«>• S« (11 C c« 'oO ^COB s* 02 O) Two-year-old Steers Nov., '05, to Feb., '06,— 12 weeks CS D C 1, a o t: 0,00 03 Average for 3 years IS a O A a * o tS Average initial weight per steer, lbs Average gain per day lbs. Average grain fed per day, lbs. Average hay fed per day, lbs. Grain consumed per lb. of gain, lbs Hay consumed per lb. of gain, lbs Total food consumed per lb. of gain, lbs.-. Cost of 100 lbs. gain ■fProfit or loss per head including pork pro- duced from droppings. SOI. 00 808.00 1.35 1.97 14.30 15.30 8.70 9.20 10.50 7.70 6.50 4.70 17.00 $8.27 12.40 $6.04 §$0.38 §$8.66 926.00 1.90 17.90 9.70 9.53 5.19 14.71 $8.23 }$1.13 937.00 2.30 18.60 9.20 8.14 4.03 12.16 975.00 1.20 9.47 18.22 7.87 15.16 23.03 $8.76 :$0.08 977.00 2.06 9.47 22.15 4.60 10.75 15.35 $5.49 §$3.56 901.00 1.48 13.89 12.21 9.29 8.95 18.25 $8.32 }$0.27 907.00 2.11 U.4S 13.52 6.81 6.49 13.30 •Snapped corn is the ear within the husk or shuck. The figures in the table are its shelled corn equivalent. tin computing profits all items of expense were included except the labor of feedinpr which is customarily figured as an offset to manure made. §Proflt. tLoss. It will be noticed by the chart, that the weights of the cattle vary from 800 to 975 pounds. In any single test made we aimed to EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 117 have tlie cattle about the same weight. It would not do to compare yearlings with the two-year old. In the first experiment the year- lings weighed about 800 pounds apiece. You will notice on com and prairie hay the gain was small, 1.35 ; where as on shelled com and alfalfa it was 1.97. You will notice the figures for the next two years, on shelled corn and alfalfa and snapped corn and alfalfa and snapped com and prairie hay. The average for the three years on corn and prairie hay is 1.48 ; on com and alfalfa, 2.11. The wide contrast per year in favor of the use of alfalfa is to be noticed. But what you are interested in mostly is the cost of pro- duction. Now, let me say this : the statement was made a while ago in the previous discussion that the cattle will gain 21/^ to 2% pounds per day. In this experiment where we weigh them three or four times every month, and where they are molested by visitors a good deal, we can not get the gains you can on the farm. I am not going to refer to all the figures on the foregoing chart. Now, as to the amount of grain consumed, you will see that the yearling took 14.30 pounds per day, and the next year about 18 pounds per day. Now, you are most interested in the cost of the gains. Figuring alfalfa and prairie hay each at $6 a ton, and com worth this year, 33, 35 to 39, taking an average of 36 cents per bushel. The cost of gain on com and prairie hay is $8.27, and the cost of gain on com and alfalfa is $6.04, snapped com and prairie hay, $5.49 ; corn and alfalfa, $6.29. Now, that looks like a big cost, and as the previous speaker pointed out, you cannot make a profit on cattle feed unless they are sold considerably over the cost price. You cannot aiford to feed cattle on just what they will gain ; you have got to sell them at an advance. These cattle were sold at an advance averaging $1.25 per hundred. At that advance over the cost price, the profit the first year on prairie hay and corn was 38 cents per head ; on shelled com and alfalfa $8.66, the second year on shelled corn and prairie hay there was a loss of $1.13, and on shelled corn and alfalfa, a profit of $2.86. The third year there was a loss on prairie hay of 8 cents per head. But take the average for three years and the loss on com and prairie hay is 27 cents per steer. Figuring these profits and losses, the feeds were figured at market price in the city of Lincoln ; at the farm, feeds would be consumed for less than that. A Voice : Not in this state. 118 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Prof. Smith : I want to say further that all the items of ex- penses are included in this with the exception of the labor. We did not figure the cost of labor; we figured that the cost of labor was offset by the value of the manure. In states further east they con- sider the value of manure worth much more than the labor. I feel that the manure will well offset the labor. Question clover ? What is the feed value of alfalfa over good red Prop. Smith: We have made no comparisons. I can't tell you. We hope to get some information on that point. I w411 give it as my personal opinion that in the experimental work I am convinced alfalfa is superior to clover, because it is eaten with more relish ; there is less waste. We have found that tbe cattle will sometimes leave their grain to eat alfalfa. Now, we come to another problem. Thexe is the comparative value of corn and alfalfa and corn and alfalfa and corn-stover. By corn-stover I mean the stalk without the ear. We cut the corn as soon as it is ripe, and the stover is the com stalk cured, just after the com ripens. We have two experiments, as shown by the table which follows : Table II. — Corn and alfalfa versus com, alfalfa and corn-stover: Jan., '05, to July, '05,— 24 weeks Nov., '05, to Jan., '06,— 12 weeks Average of the two Experiments 0^ ■a "3 Shelled corn, alfalfa and corn-stover ■a ass flO CB Snapped corn, alfalfa and corn-stover •a a « aS. o * o cS o S, "^ ;-— o O eS o O Average initial weight per steer, Ibs..- Average gain per dav, lbs. 937.00 2.30 18.60 9.20 8.14 4.02 12.16 $6.89 $2.86 941.00 2.40 18.40 9.90 7.89 4.56 13.45 $6.49 $3.33 977.00 2.06 9.47 22.15 4.60 10.75 15.35 $5.49 $3.56 974.00 1.96 9.61 22.45 4.90 11.44 16.34 $5.01 ^.30 957.00 2.18 14.03 15.67 6.37 7.38 13.75 $6.45 $3.21 957.00 2.18 Average grain fed per day, lbs Average roughness fed per day, Ibs... Grain consumed per lb. of gain, Ibs.- Roughness consumed per lb. of gain lbs. - _ . _.- 14.00 16.17 6.39 8.00 Total food consumed per lb. of gain, lbs. 14.39 Cost of lOO lbs. of gain $6.05 Net profit per head including pork $3.76 We have the shelled corn and alfalfa, and shelled com. alfalfa and corn-stover. In the shelled com and alfalfa we have an aver- age gain per day of 2.30 pounds. Now, when we add the rough- ness, the stover, we get a little larger gain. You will notice that the results, where we used the snapped com and alfalfa, were a EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 119 little ditferent. I dont think we can expect quite as good gains as when we use shelled com, but in the case of the snapped com we feed the husks, and they seem to be beneficial. In the second experiment where w'e used snapped com and alfalfa, we had a gain of 2.18 per day; while in snapped com, alfalfa and stover, the gains were not as great. You will notice that the average daily gain was the same. When it comes to the cost of the gain, we have a different proposition. We figure stover at $2.50 per ton, and alfalfa at $6.00. The material on our farms in Nebraska is usually wasted. They usually figure a stalk-field at 50 cents an acre. Xow, let us notice the cost gains: It is $6.89 without the stover; $6.49 with the stover. The second year it is $5.49 without the stover, and $5.01 with the stover; and the average for the two years, as shown upon the chart, is $6.45 without the stover, and $6.05 with the stover; so that we produce beef at 40 cents per hundred less if we use the corn-stover. Question : Did you figure anything on the cost of cutting 1 Prof. Smith: We figure the stover at $2.50. Now, the profits, you will see, are $2.86 per steer without the stover, and $5.32 with the stover. The next year they are $3.56 without, and $4.20 with the stover. The average for the two years was 55 cents a hundred in favor of the stover. Inasmuch as we figure stover at $2.50 a ton, it seems w^ell worth while to save the stalks and make use of them. I believe this is one of the reasons why we get better results, at least more economical beef, by the use of stover, that in feeding clear alfalfa we find the steers sometimes a little too loose, and I think that is one of the reasons for getting better results — feeding this roughness in the form of stover. I don't know but what you might have just as good results if you mixed timothy hay with alfalfa. Question: Why did you husk the corn? Prof. Smith : Why didn 't we leave it in the fodder ? I will say, in carrjdng on these experiments we have to first of all make them accurate. Question : Is shredded fodder the same thing as stover ? Prof. Smith : It would be the same thing and a little bit better. Question: To what extent is there danger of fire? Prof. Smith : There is a little danger ; if it is shredded too wet. On our old farm in Michigan we nearly always shredded our com. We waited until nearly November. I am convinced, however, it 120 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. does not pay to shred for outside feeding. For inside feeding I believe it will pay to shred the fodder. Question: What do 3^on figure on silage? Prof. Smith : I don 't believe we are quite ready for silage. I don't know how it is in Iowa. While we have made no tests, I don't believe we can spend the labor and make com silage for fat- tening cattle. Question: Have you had any experience? Prop. Smith : We have made no comparisons yet on silage and corn-stover ; but so long as we can make good gains on shocked com without shredding, I don't see why we should worry about the other. I might say, though, we have also carried on for two years a test, of which I have no chart here, comparing detached corn from the stalk with corn fed on the stalk. I told you a while ago we couldn't feed it because we couldn't get the weight. The way we did that, we took the com, just as it came, weighed it and then detached the ear and weighed it. In that test, we found the results were practically the same. We only have two winter results, but I think they go to show there is no particular advantage in taking it from the stalk. I believe the better way is to let the steers take off themselves; they can do it cheaper than you can hire it done. Question: How do you feed your corn on the stalk? Prop. Smith : Our practice on the farm was always, in the fall months, to scatter it on the sod. During the winter feeding, where tht.' cattle are confined, we have fed them in racks, built so that the Cuttle can eat from both sides, with vertical slats, far enough apart to put their head through. They will eat the corn off first and tiien they will strip the leaves. They will not consume the butts; there is little nutrient value in the butt. We always charge up the whole stalk to them. These slats prevent them from pulling the corn out and tramping it under foot. I believe thoroughly in that method of feeding, inasmuch as the labor is scarce and high ; I believe in saving all the labor we can. A man with a harvester can cut six or seven acres a day. A man can put it in the barn or shock at $1.18 per acre. A good man,y people will make the argument that feeding shocked corn or stalks is not practicable, because of the labor involved. You can put your corn in the shock just as cheaply as you can put it in the crib, and you can feed it right out of the shock, as the previous gentleman suggested in his talk. Question : You don 't think there is much feed in the stalk after the leaf is stripped off? EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 121 Prof. Smith: No, sir; I do not. Question: Which would you prefer, hauling out the manure, or the shredded fodder or the whole stalks? Prof. Smith : The shredded fodder. We let our manure stand all summer, and in the fall of the year it is well rotted, and we do not really have any difficulty in hauling it out. Question : Don 't you find when it is cut that the cattle seem to eat it and like it? Prof. Smith : Yes ; they will eat it just as much where you shred it. It is no doubt better where it is shredded. If you would take the butt of the stalk and pay for having it shredded, it wouldn't be of very much value to you. It seems like a useless expense to shred the butt ; the nutrient is lacking. You can 't blame the cattle for refusing to eat it. Question : Is there any difference whether it has been stacked or not? Prop. Smith: I imagine there would be less loss in the stack; but for earl,y feeding I think it is just as well to haul it right out of the shock and feed it. Question: Isn't stacking corn fodder the meanest work you ever done ? Prof. Smith: That depends on w^hether the bundles are well made. We sometimes put it in long stacks and don't build high stacks, and have it about the height of a wagon, which makes it a good deal easier. Question : Have you had any experience in feeding sweet com fodder? Prof. Smith : No. Question : When you feed shocked corn, you have to feed a good deal of corn besides, do you not? Prof. Smith: At the beginning we feed shocked com and alfalfa. We cannot produce beef any cheaper than on that com- bination. Along towards the latter part of the feed it is well to feed some shelled com or snapped corn in addition. Speaking of the alfalfa question, I realize some of you are not growing it. We can grow it in all parts of our state, and I think you can grow it in the western part of your state. I will say this to you: I am absolutely convinced, the ciuicker you grow alfalfa, 122 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the better you are off. They are freighting it to us in the form of a meal at $20.00. Although I am inclined to think, if you have to pay $20.00 a ton for alfalfa meal, it would be just as well to keep on feeding linseed meal. Question: Do you thiuk shocked com and alfalfa hay would be better than shocked com and plenty of bluegrass? Prop. Smith : I am not prepared to say which would be the cheaper, because we have made no tests on the subject. I know this to be true — for 25 years we have fed just that combination, and always get good gains, are often able to market our cattle right off the grass and get a good fini.sh at a low cost. But for winter feeding, shocked com and alfalfa makes a good combination. Now, I am showing you a comparison of wheat bran versus lin- seed meal versus cotton seed meal. I am presupposing that we are not feeding anything but com and timothy, or corn and prairie hay, or com and stover, as illustrated by the following table : Table III. — Wheat bran versus linseed meal versus cotton-seed meal. Feb., '06, to Apr 8 weeks ., '06,- Nov., '06, to Apr., '07,— 20 weeks ^ir-ft 03 Shelled corn 90*, oil-meal 10*, prairie hay Shelled corn 90*, cotton- seed-meal 10*, prairie hay u .>■ ■^ t-aa fl CS ti UU 1 (1 o c o Corn 90*, cotton-seed- meal 10*, corn-stover Average initial weight per steer, lbs. — -. 1146.00 1.98 25.20 5.50 12.97 2.78 15.75 $9.31 1.00 8.31 ♦$0.57 1:8 1187.00 2.52 24.60 6.80 9.77 2.70 12.47 $7.87 O.&l 7.03 *$1.43 1:7.3 1154.00 2.29 24.60 6.20 10.77 2.72 13.49 $8.50 0.68 7.91 *$0.47 1:6.8 973,00 1.76 24.97 8.91 14.19 5.06 19.25 $10.49 2.30 8.19 t$3.94 1:8.8 976.00 2.33 23 i 2 8.i', 9.88 3.85 13.73 $7.64 1.31 6.33 ♦$1.65 l:S.2 988.00 Average gain per steer per day, lbs. 2.11 Grain consumed per steer per day, lbs. — 22.83 Average roughage consumed per steer per dav, lbs.- 8.89 Grain consumed per lb. of gain, lbs. 10.83 Roughage consumed per lb. of gain, lbs. . __ 4.21 Total food consumed for 1 lb. of gain, lbs. .- .__ 15.04 Cost of 100 lbs. of gain $8.26 Value of pork produced as a by- product for 100 lbs. of gain on steers 1.86 Net cost of food per lOO lbs. of gain - _ _ _ 6.53 Net profit or loss per head in- cluding pork ___ . __ *$1.32 Nutritive ratio by lots .-_ _ _ 1:7.6 ♦Profit. tLoss. I had another chart, in which I had a comparison of com and prairie hay with oil meal, and without oil meal. I will say, that in EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 123 three years' experience, feeding corn and prairie hay with or with- out oil meal, we have been getting the best gains by the use of oil meal. We found the gains w^ere strongly in favor of the use of oil meal with prairie hay and com. Figuring the oil meal at $30.00 per ton and prairie hay at $6.00, we have been able to cheapen the cost of producing beef about 11 per cent. We figure we can afford to use oil meal when the cost does not exceed $45 per ton. Now, the table that has been last shown you, you will observe, by reference to the table, that we fed during one experiment, shelled com, 75 per cent, bran, 25 per cent, with prairie hay, and in the other column, shelled corn 90 per cent, and oil meal 10 per cent, and in the next one we have shelled corn 90 per cent, cotton seed meal 10 per cent, and of course, with prairie hay in each case. The second year the roughness was com stover, and the corn bran and oil meal in the percentage as indicated by the table. We have to use more bran, because bran is not nearly so rich in protein material. No dobbt, the reason we get so much better gains by the use of oil meal, rather than com and prairie hay alone, is because the oil meal furnishes the protein, which is lacking in corn and prairie hay or timothy hay. Now, in this comparison with wheat bran, linseed meal and cotton seed meal, the average gain per steer per day the first year is, shelled corn, bran and hay, 1.98 ; on shelled corn and oil meal, 2.52 ; shelled com and cotton seed meal, 2.29. You will notice the next year we fed those rations throughout the entire period of twenty weeks ; that year, instead of feeding prairie hay, we fed corn stover. In the cost of production, we figured oil meal at $32 a ton and bran at $15, and cotton seed meal at $32. The first year, the cost of producing 100 pounds of gain on the bran was $9.31, and on the oil meal it was $8.59. The next year, as disclosed by the table, the cost of producing 100 pounds gain on the bran was $10.49, and on the oil meal $7.64 The cost of pro- ducing gains, therefore, was greater watli bran. We have found oil meal somewhat superior to the cotton seed meal. But this experi- ment "\nll be carried on farther, and it may be we will obtain better results this winter. Question : I would like to know the percentage of protein in the cotton seed meal that you use ? Prof. Smith : It was right around 31 or 32 ; it was higher than the oil meal. Question : Did you use this in the finishing period ? 124 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Prof. Smith: In one experiment we used it in the finishing period in the other during the whole period. Question : What time of the year ? Prof. Smith: In the winter. I am thoroughly of the opinion that in cattle feeding, to make it profitable, we have got to feed some form of roughness. If you should withhold roughness entire- ly from a calf, you will find it becomes sickly and they very often die. I have in mind an experiment performed when I was at school, where a steer was confined without roughness. He ate the straw under his feet; we substituted sawdust, and he ate the sawdust. Beef production, to be profitable, presupposes the utilization of a certain amount of rough feed, which the hog cannot utilize. I do not want you to think that I am saying definitely that oil meal is superior to cotton seed meal. I have simply given you the results of two experiments as indicated in these tables, at our sta- tion, and those experiments show slightly in favor of oil meal. I want you to accept that simply as the result of two experiments. I am convinced that bran is not a very satisfactory feed, espe- cially in the way we get it to-day; so much of the nutrient being taken out and going into the shorts ; the bran to-day is not what it was a few years ago. Question: I am feeding some steers weighing on an average 1100; they get all the prairie hay they want; how much oil meal would you give them? Prof. Smith : The amount of oil meal would depend on the price of the corn. The Member: The price of com is 35 cents. Prof. Smith: At that price, I would feed more oil meal. We have been feeding in this experiment about two pounds of oil meal per day. In reporting the test of ten per cent, that made it about two pounds per day. This year, with high priced corn, you might find it more profitable to increase the oil meal to 21^ pounds per day. I think two pounds a day wouldn't be far wrong. Question : About what are the protein contents in the standard oil meal? Prof. Smith : I always give that in terms of digestible protein — right around 29 per cent. Question: And in the cotton seed meal? Prop. Smith: About 31 to 32. It looks a little inconsistent to think that coton seed meal is higher in protein, and yet we have EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 125 gotten better results with the oil meal. The only explanation I can give is, that the steers relish oil meal better than cotton seed meal. We find they walk up to the racks with a little more enthusiasm, and I believe the difference we get is due to the higher palatability. Question: Which do you find is the most loosening on the bowels? Prof. Smith: I haven't noticed much difference. We do not find that in either case they are too laxative ; the bowels seem to be in good shape most of the time. Question : Have you conducted any experiments with molasses feed? Prof. Smith: No. I think we ought to deal with the form of food that is constant. When you are out of that material on the farm, then it might be well to take up secondary material. The trouble with these molasses feeds and feeds of that nature, they are not the same from one year to the other. Oil meal is con- stant, and so is bran. We will take up next a thing I think will interest you. I have shown to you, I think, by these experiments, that if you are feeding corn and prairie hay, or corn and straw, something like oil meal is desirable, or cotton seed meal. Can we get along mthout the commercial protein food, if we have alfalfa hay? I will direct your attention to the following table : Table IV. — Linseed-meal versus alfalfa. Feb., '06, to Apr., •06,-8 weeks ■e :•; C5 o oois a o o cS =- OJ — »^- == 2 S O CO cSfi ft Nov., '06, to Apr. '07,— 20 weeks -*£ a ( i, lie O ® ' .Sag o>M o aj 31 O cO cd en P« Average initial weight per steer, lbs — Average gain per steer per day, Ibs.. Grain consumed per steer per day, lbs Roughage consumed per steer per day, lbs. Grain consumed per lb. of gain, Ibs.. Roughage consumed per lb. of gain, lbs. Total food consumed for 1 lb. of gain, lbs. Cost of 100 lbs. of gain Value of pork produced as a by-prod- uct for 100 lbs. of gain on steers... Net cost of food per 100 lbs. gain Net profit per head including pork pro- duced from droppings Nutritive ratio 1187.00 2.53 24.60 9.77 2.70 12.47 $7.87 0.84 7.03 1.43 1:7.3 1164.00 2.39 23.20 976.00 2.33 23.03 8.10 10.16 8.96 i 9.88 3.55 3.85 13.71 $7.40 13.73 $7.&t 1.07 6.33 1.31 6.33 2.53 1.G5 , 1:8.7 1:8.2 1 978.00 2.42 22.33 9.77 9.22 13.25 $6.99 1.53 5.46 6.33 1:8.7 126 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. It will be noticed, that iu one case the protein was supplied in the form of a concentrate ; in the other, in the form of roughness, form- ing one-half of the whole feed. In the first column we have 90 per cent com, and the rest, 10 per cent linseed meal. In the next we have corn, 100 per cent and alfalfa hay and prairie hay equal parts. On the com, without the linsed meal, using alfalfa hay, the gain per steer per day was 2.29. In the next year, for the whole period, we get a slightly larger gain by the use of alfalfa. The cost of producing 100 pounds of gain, in the first experiment, with linseed meal, was $7.03 : the cost of producing 100 pounds without the linseed meal was $6.33. In the second experiment, the cost with linseed meal is $6.33, and with alfalfa without the meal, $5.46. We have found, therefore, that we can get good gains when alfalfa forms at least half the roughness, even though no com- mercial protein food is fed. This experiment figured out shows, that with linseed meal worth $30 per ton, as a source of protein, alfalfa is worth $13 per ton, in comparison with it. We have found that alfalfa at $13 per ton is just as valuable an adjunct to com, as linseed at $30. I have no data on clover yet. But the conclusion to be dra^^m from this is, that you can grow your own protein on the farm in the form of alfalfa or clover, a good deal cheaper for cattle, than you can buy it on the market in the shape of commercial food. Question: Have you had any experience in grinding flax? Prop. Smith : No ; we have never tried it ; but judging from the composition, I will say ground flax is just the same as linseed meal, with the exception that linseed meal has less oil and slighter higher protein contents. If I were to select from the two foods to sup- lement corn, I would select linseed meal in preference to ground flax. Question : Don 't you think that the improved machinery they now have in grinding flax, throws less feeding value in iti Prof. Smith : I don 't know, I am sure. Let me now review briefly some of the points gone over: First of all, we have shown that alfaKa, fed with corn, is very much superior to prairie hay. We may, I think, safely take it for granted, that clover fed with com is very much superior to timothy, millet or straw. The other point is this : Valuable as these protein foods are, we can get along without them, if we have clover and alfalfa. We EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 127 have been careful enough to make it pretty safe to assert, that we are producing beef in Nebraska the cheapest on a ration consisting of corn, alfalfa and the bi-product upon which the corn grows— stover. I am not prepared to say just yet which is the cheapest feed, corn on the stalk or from the stalk. I believe it is cheaper to take it from the stalk. "We have been carrying on a test this year in which we have fed a heavy feed of grain, as compared with a light feed of grain and roughness', alfalfa and stover. We have fed one lot a full feed of corn, and we fed another lot 14 pounds of corn per day. We find that on those two-year old steers, taken from the range, weighing 900 pounds to begin with, we get exactly the same gain; we get exactly the same gain during the six months on these light fed cattle that we got on the heavy fed cattle ; we got a gain of exactly 2 pounds per day. The question is, which is the more economical for the farmer, a heav}^ feed of corn, or a light feed of corn. Last year we found we made a little cheaper gain by the heavy feed ; but if alfalfa had cost $5 per ton instead of $8, the cost would have been identical. If corn had been worth 50 cents per bushel instead of 36, we would have produced gains just as cheaply on the light feed as on the heavy feed. Now, the limits are somewhere between these figures. This single experiment goes to show that high priced hay and low priced corn made a better full feed. If you have a low priced, good quality of hay, alfalfa or clover, and corn is high, make your beef on less corn and more hay, even if it takes more time. Let me say in conclusion, that I was surprised myself, when we found that we got just as good a finish on those steers which had only 14 pounds per day, as we did on the 20 pounds per day. Those steers that were fed 14 pounds per day were shipped to the Omaha market and brought just as much as the other steers did. It simply suggests to me this possibility : if we are careful to put up good quality of alfalfa or clover, and feed it right, we can make beef cheaper than we have been making it. Let us no longer neglect the roughness; do not feed some old, rotten strawstacks, but give your cattle a good quality of roughness with the corn. The President: The next on the program will be "Failure with the Oat Crop in Iowa; the Remedy," by the Hon. John Cownie. Mr. Co^vnie : Farmers of Iowa : I desire to assure you that it gives me sincere pleasure to meet so many live-stock shippers as' I 128 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. see this afternoon. For more than an average life-time, in the state of Iowa, I have been feeding and shipping stock to Chicago. Many is the night that I have spent in the caboose with fellow shippers. I have eaten with them, slept with them and drank— water it was, (Laughter.) My whole sympathies are with the feeders and ship- pers of this state. We can raise cattle and fatten them; we can raise hogs and fatten them, and we can do it, as we believe, with a profit; but when we get them to Chicago, there are other parties who have a say, and what we had figured on as a profit, we are liable to come home to figure up to loss. When I was invited to address this meeting, on the subject of the Oats Failure in Iowa, the question came to my mind, whether I would sit down and surround myself with books on agricultural chemistry and prepare an address that would appear very learned, and make you all believe I was a scientist, or whether I would drop the books and simplj^ give you some of my own personal experience. I chose the latter. I had intended to come before you and give you a talk on this sub- ject, but your secretary sent me a communication asking for a copy of the paper I was to read, and also my photograph. I was so highly honored by thinking my photograph would appear in the paper, perhaps, that I decided to write a paper, in order that my photograph might accompany it. In the criticisms I shall make in regard to the work as it is usually done in Iowa, I do not want one of you to consider for a moment that it is personal. You all do your work well. It is the man who does not attend these meetings I am referring to. But if any of you chance to find in my remarks something that fits your- selves, and that you would like to criticise me, I want you to bear in mind that my fighting weight is 238 pounds, and that I never felt better in my life than I do to-day. There is one advantage in a written paper ; you always know when to stop, and I shall stop just as soon as I get through. FAILURE WITH THE OATS CROP IN IOWA— THE REMEDY. BY JOHN COWKIE. With land rapidly advancing in value,' and the cost of operating a farm increasing from year to year, it would seem that more attention would be given to details in the growing of crops, and that scientific methods should take the place of the haphazard system that unfortunately has been altogether too common. No one familiar with the conditions as they exist will deny that the oats crop in Iowa for many years has EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PAET III. 129 been far from profitable, and the object of this paper is to call attention to some of the reasons for the failure of this crop and to suggest a remedy. The physician, when called upon to visit one who is sick, makes diligent inquiry as to the condition of the patient, and endeavors to ascertain the cause of the trouble, for on the successful diagnosis of the case the re- covery largely depends. In like manner I will endeavor to point out some of the causes for the repeated failures in the oats crop, by referring to conditions that actually exist, the object of which is known to every ob- serving person. In a systematic rotation, necessary to secure the best results, the greater part of the oats crop follows corn, and it is certainly not surprising that failure should result when the conditions as regards seed, preparation of soil and other requisites are carefully considered. While in the breeding of animals and even in the selection of seed corn, care is taken to secure the best, no heed is given to the quality of the oats used for seed, the great majority of farmers not even using a fanning mill to remove the light grains and the foul seeds, but sowing the oats as they came from the threshing machine. Cattle are allowed to wade in the mud in the cornfield when the ground is soft in the spring, causing lumps to form when the ground dries, and no attempt is made to have the surface of the soil- smooth and even before seeding. The eleven-foot seeder, which is in common use, bounces over the inequalities of the ground, doing very imperfect work and distributing the seed so unevenly that no amount of after-work will secure an even and uniform stand. The seeder is followed by the disc harrow, the blades of which are dull and rusted, and the great majority of farmers have not yet learned how to use this implement in a proper manner as evidenced by the appearance of the oats field throughout the state, when the young grain shows above the ground in a rather successful attempt to imitate in living green, our national emblem, with its stars and stripes. One or at most two strokes of the harrow after discing is considered sufficient, and then the soil, the showers and the sunlight are depended upon to bring forth a bountiful yield. And with favorable climatic condi- tions an excellent crop is often secured, and the farmer, failing to realize that fortune favored him, not on account of, but in spite of his slipshod methods, congratulates himself on his success, and turns a deaf ear to all who urge more care in the preparation of the seed, and a more thor- ough cultivation of the soil. In due time the oats are cut and bound, the self-binder making this easy work in comparison with former methods, but with all the levers for the adjustment of the different parts of the harvester, too often the sheaves as they drop from the machine are fearful and wonderful in their shape and appearance. The adjustment of the reel in the varying condi- tions of the grain in going on the level and up and down hill receives scant consideration and as a result a square butted sheaf is the excep- tion instead of the rule, as it ought to be. The binder also requires a watchful eye to insure the placing of the band in the proper place, but as a rule too little heed is given to th§ handling of the levers and anything 9 130 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. but a neat, compact, square butted, well balanced, tightly bound sheaf is the result. These bundles, by courtesy called sheaves, are then thrown in a heap, known as a shock, and as a rule they are a shock to the nervous system of any one who appreciates neat, artistic work, in performing the neces- sary labor of the farm. The shocks are allowed to remain in the field, exposed to the weather, be it dry or wet, it matters not, they must wait until the threshing ma- chine arrives, be it early or late. And I need not add, for you all know, that millions of dollars have been lost to the farmers of Iowa within the last few years by the indefensible custom of threshing from the shock, rather than stacking the grain in a proper manner. Having outlined briefly the methods pursued in the production of oats, not by all the farmers of Iowa, but by the great majority, I will now call attention to a method by which far better results will be secured. In the first place good seed is imperative and the best oats that can be had should be procured and they should be thoroughly cleaned with the fanning mill, eliminating all light grains and foul seeds, leaving only for seed the plumpest and heaviest kernels. As the quality of the oats the present season is very inferior and light in weight, it might be advisable to procure seed oats from localities north of Iowa, being sure that they had been well kept, sound, of good weight, and free from foreign seeds. Oats for seed, as, in fact, all other seeds, should be harvested while they are somewhat green, as they have more vitality than when fully ripe, and if they are put in well erected open shocks as soon as cut and properly cared for, will give a much more vigorous growth than when they are allowed to stand in the field until the substance in the straw that has fed the kernel is exhausted. In man, as well as the lower animals, the young and vigorous are much more potent than the aged, and what is true in animal life is equally true in plant life. To digress while on this subject for a moment fears are entertained by many that owing to the backwardness of the season and the imma- turity of the corn crop much of the seed corn saved this season will fail to germinate. No fears need be entertained on account of the corn not being fully ripe when the stalks were killed by the early frost, provided that the seed corn was gathered prior to the middle of October and at once placed on racks and thoroughly dried by artificial heat. The most vigorous seed corn I ever saw was gathered when it was hard; roasting ears placed in a room where there was artificial heat day and night, and so thoroughly dried that the kernels resembled pebbles in hardness. Not a single kernel of that seed corn failed to germinate and produce a strong, healthy stalk, and in this connection it might be recalled that while we had probably the best corn crop in 1906 ever harvested in Iowa, the quality also of the best, largely grading No. 2 in Chicago, our seed corn the present year proved far from satisfactory, as there was not to exceed two-thirds of full stand of corn in the state. This condition no doubt resulted from neglect in saving seed corn in a proper manner and this neglect cost the farmers of Iowa millions of dollars the present year. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. ' 131 But I repeat that the immature corn of this year's crop if saved as indicated, can be depended upon to germinate 100 per cent in the spring of 1908. Those of us who never have any trouble in regard to our seed corn failing to grow, select the finest eai's we can find in the field, from the strongest and most vigorous stalks. We select it while it is yet green and fire dry it as rapidly as possible and if the oats intended for seed are selected from the best of the crop cut somewhat green, put in long shocks properly built, and in due time securely stacked, and allowed to remain in the stack two or three months before they are threshed a much better quality of seed than usually sown will be secured. With good seed thoroughly cleaned all light grains and foul seeds eliminated, the next question is the preparation of the soil. Under no circumstances should live stock be allowed in the cornstalk field when the ground is soft, and it is labor well spent to give the stalk ground a single stroke of the harrow crosswise of the rows as left when last cultivated. As usual, after the corn has received the last cultivation, the corn row is somewhat ridged, and if the oats are sown, without leveling the ground, the seed rolls to the lowest plane in the row, being too thin on the corn row and too thick in the space between. To prevent this condition, before seeding the ground should be leveled by one stroke of the disc harrow, following the corn rows as left when last cultivated and by careful driving and taking three rows at a time, the ridges will be cut down, the loose soil turned into the low places and the seed as it drops from the machine will lie where it falls, this in- suring an even distribution of the seed, which is all important in securing the best results. As to the amount of seed to be used much depends upon the condition of the soil and the weather that follows. The best crop of oats I ever raised, four bushels of seed was sown, but the growth was so heavy that had clover and timothy been sown with the oats the seed would have been wasted. Every farmer should study the condition of his soil before de- termining the amount of seed, and if clover and timothy are sown, less seed must be used than if the only requirement is a crop of oats. How- ever, I am not in favor of thin seeding, trusting to the stooling to give a sufficient stand, as the stalks directly from the seed are much more vigor- ous and far stronger than are the shoots or suckers from the parent root. After seeding the ground should be disced crosswise of the way in which the seeder was driven, and here let me enter a most vigorous protest against the common method of single discing. In use, the disc harrow throws the soil from the center towards each end, with the result that the seed is doubled at the ends with little or none left in the center, and no amount of cross harrowing will restore the seed to its proper place or leave an even surface. You have all seen the wavy appearance of our oats fields in the spring, caused by single discing, and if cross disced the result is the wavy ap- pearance both ways instead of one way. Any farmer who paints his fields in living green in this manner ought to be ashamed to show himself in public, and if he has any respect for the high calling he professes to follow he should take himself at once to some occupation where care- 132 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. less work and heedlessness will not be so indelibly stamped upon his work. By lapping the disc harrow one-half and driving carefully, allowing the outside disc to turn over the small strip left unturned in the center of the preceding round, an even uniform surface is secured, and if the seeding has been properly done there will not be a single streak in the field. But it requires careful driving to hold the outside disc exactly in line at all times, turning over the uncut center strip, for if the disc is allowed to vary, even slightly, a depression or ridge is made, proving at once the incompetency of the driver. The double discing should be followed by thorough harrowing and the more of this the better, not one or two strokes, but four, five, or half a dozen, crossing and crossing again until the ground is perfectly smooth and also well packed. In dry weather it is advisable to follow the harrow with a crusher or roller, and this is especially true if grass seed has been sown with the cats. I have already referred to the careless manner of handling, or rather the failure to handle promptly and in a proper manner the several levers of the self-binder and I will add that with standing grain the reel as a rule is allowed to hang too low and too far back to insure a square butted sheaf. Long shocks containing a dozen sheaves are to be preferred to round shocks, and in building the shock the sheaves, one in each hand, should be grasped firmly by the hands, and placing one on each side of the knee, the butts of the sheaves should be brought down with force upon the stubble. With a hand on each side, the tops of the sheaves should be brought closely together, the opening through the center of the shock be- ing of suSicient size that a twelve year old boy could crawl through without moving the sheaves. Shocks put up in this manner dry out quickly, even after a rain, thus enabling the farmer to get his stacking done at the earliest possible moment after cutting, and thus prevent loss by exposure to the weather. While threshing from the shock may save some labor, it is a pernicious practice that has cost the farmers of Iowa millions of dollars, but not- withstanding all this loss it seems that as with saving seed corn in a proper manner, some people will not learn by experience, no matter how dear it may be bought. But it is not only the loss sustained by unfa- vorable weather, but the grain threshed from the shock is never so good as when properly stacked and allowed to stand for six or eight weeks before threshing, the sweating process taking place in the stack instead of the bin. Grain well stacked and allowed to sweat and dry before threshing is invariably brighter in color and plumper in appearance than grain threshed from the shock and will keep much better in the bin, being less liable to mold and keeping free from dust. But while j'^ou are not giving audible expression to your thoughts, I know that you are agreeing with me in what I have said, but you are also saying to yourself, this is all very well, but what about oats lodging, which is the most serious condition with which we have to contend. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART III. 133 You have often heard it said, and you may have said it yourself, "My land is too rich for oats, and that is the reason for their lodging." But let me tell you that you never harbored a greater fallacy, for the fact is your land is too poo?- and this is the reason for your oats lodging. I do not mean that the application of barnyard manure to the sail will pre- vent lodging, for it will only increase it, but your soil is lacking in an •essential element, absolutely necessary to give strength and stiffness to the straw. Those of us who remember the first grain crops produced on the Iowa prairies can readily call to mind the strong stiff straw of those early days, the crop rarely lodging on the smooth prairie, the hazel brush land being the exception. Does any one believe that our land is richer today than it was when the first crops were produced, for is it not a fact that we, have taken away from the soil many of the elements that had been accumulating for untold ages? At one time I had a field bordering on a slough, the high land having been cultivated for years, but as the water level lowered a strip about three rods in width on the side of the slough was broken up and added to the cultivated land. It being desirable to seed the field in grass, the cultivated land that had been in corn the previous year and the new land, the first crop, remember, were both seeded with oats at the same time. All the ground was well cultivated, a fine growth was secured and to within a week of the ripening of the grain there was little perceptible difference in the appearance of the oats on the new and the old land. At that time a severe thunder storm occurred, accompanied by a strong wind and a heavy rainfall that leveled the oats on the old land as if a roller had passed over them and they were all cut "one way" with the harvester. But not one single stalk of the oats on the new ground broke down, the line being as distinctly drawn as was the furrows made by the plow in breaking the sod, the straw strong and stiff, standing erect, in striking contrast with the oats lying flat on the old land. At another time I had a grove of timber standing in a cultivated field, a heavy growth of hazel brush covering part of the ground. The trees were grubbed, the hazel brush cut, piled in heaps and burned, the ground broken up and sown with oats and seeded with grass. With the excep- tion of the spots where the brush was burned all the oats lodged, the standing grain indicating the exact location without question, and the exact size of the brush pile. A neighbor attempted in the winter to move a dwelling house across one of my fields, but failed in the attempt, and the house was taken apart, the plaster being largely left on the ground. Several years afterward this field was sown in oats, and as is common, the crop lodged, the only exception being the ground on which the house was wrecked; here the oats standing erect, and the only difference as far as I could see being the old plaster left there years ago and which was still to be seen. Being by nature of an observing disposition, and a sincere desire to learn and profit by experience, I determined on a series of experiments in an endeavor to add to the soil some element that would add strength to the oats straw and prevent lodging. Hog manure consisting of the droppings and decayed corn cobs were tried upon a part of the field, horse manure on an adjoining plat, and 134 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. manure from the cow yard on another plat, the field sown in oats, with the result that with the exception of the three plats that had heen manured the oats stood up well. No difference was perceptible on account of the different kinds of manure used, all three plats being so badly lodged that it was impossible to secure more than half of the crop with the harvester. It is needless to say that the corn crop that followed the oats on these plats that were manured made up for the partial loss of the crop of oats. A number of years ago we were told by some would-be scientist that what our soil needed was salt, and the Chicago packers promptly offered the refuse salt after being used in the curing of hog products at a less price than the new salt could be bought for by the barrel. Several car- loads were sold to the farmers in our neighborhood, but the results were not satisfactory. I did not purchase, believing that the salt having been used,- had lost its savor, but instead tried a quantity of new salt without any perceptible benefit. Having in my study of agricultural chemistry learned that silica gave firmness and rigidity to the stalks of grass, and the cereals, and not having at hand any powdered quartz. I tried an application of river sand to the heavy black soil, but the crop did not assimilate the cruder article, and the straw was no stronger than in other parts of the field. Following up my experience with the old plaster and the ashes of the brush heaps, I mixed sand and lime together, applying the mixture to a plat of ground, having previously tried lime, as I had sand, separate, without results in strengthening the straw. The lime and sand mixed proved of as little value as they did separate and on calling the attention of a neighbor to the former result from the old plaster and no result from the lime and sand, he reminded me that I had omitted the hair always used in plaster. On an adjoining plat of ground I applied a good coat of oak ashes that I purchased from the Amana Society in Iowa county, with the result that the oat straw was stiff er and stronger on this plat; of this there was no question. While that season all the oats stood up I was convinced that the oats straw had been strengthened by the potash in the oak ashes. It was of brighter color than the balance of the field, the grain was plumper and heavier and had it been possible to secure a supply of oak ashes at a reasonable price this experiment would have been con- tinued on a larger scale. It is well known to every student of agricultural chemistry that the three principal fertilizers are potash, phosphoric acid and nitrogen, and if the soil is deficient in either one of these, while having the others in abundance the crop must suffer for the lack of plant food, in other words, plants require, as well as animals, a balanced ration. Much more could be written on this subject, but I have already ex- ceeded the limit I had intended and it only remains for me to repeat again that our land is not too rich to produce oats that will not lodge, but it is too poor. And to insure strong, stiff straw that will stand up we must furnish the soil with the necessary plant food, in the same manner as we feed our young animals oats, shorts and bran to make bone and muscle, reserving the corn for fattening. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAE BOOK— PART III. 135 Phosphoric acid we still have in limited quantities in our- Iowa soil, and this substance enters largely in the formation of the grain. Nitro- gen that insures the growth of the stalk we can furnish by growing clover and the application of manure. Potash to give strength to the stalk, that lodging of the grain may be in a large measure prevented, is absolutely necessary, and it is for the lack of this plant food and not be- cause our soil is too rich that the growing of oats has so often resulted in failure. It is yet doubtful whether the purchase of potash in large quantities and its application to the soil would prove profitable, with the low price that usually prevails for oats, the present season being an exception. But of the value of the suggestions in this paper as to seed, cultiva- tion, harvesting and stacking, there is no question, and the farmer who follows the advice here given will not only reap a I'ich reward, but have the consciousness that he has risen to a higher plane as a farmer than he formerly occupied, and in adding to his own wealth he is at the same time advancing one of the greatest industries of the best agricultural state In the American union. The President : This closes our program for this afternoon. I desire to say on behalf of the audience, that we thank these gentle- men most sincerely for their addresses, which have been so highly entertaining, and the discussions following have been highly appre- ciated. This meeting will reconvene this evening, at 8 o'clock, when I have no doubt a full and most interesting program will be carried out. (Adjournment taken until 8 o'clock P. M.) TUESDAY EVENING SESSION— 8 O'CLOCK P. M. . . I The President : Gentlemen, we will proceed with our evening program. I am highly pleased to announce that we have with us tonight, Dr. A. D. Melvin, head of the Animal Industry, of Wash- ington, D. C. We are glad for the privilege of having this gentle- man with us to-night. I am sure Secretary Wilson could not have pleased us better than to have sent him to address this meeting this evening. I now have the pleasure of introducing to you Dr. A. D. Melvin. 136 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ADDRESS. DR. A. D. MELVIN, CHIEF OP BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY, WASHINGTON, D. C. 3Ir. President: I have been taken rather an unfair advantage of in being asked to address you gentleman. I came here to listen what you folks had to say at your meeting and to ascertain whether there was anything in the live stock industry which the department could do for you to further your interests. In the first instance, I wish to present to you the compliments of the Secretary, and assure you that he has the deepest and liveliest interest in the welfare of this Association. This is the first time I have had the opportunity of meeting with you, although in the several years that I have been connected with Secretary Wilson, he has frequently referred to this Association as one of the strongest in the live-stock industry in the United States. Mr. Wallace suggested to me that I touch upon the subject of the inspection, more particularly, the meat inspection as conducted by the Bureau of Animal Industry, and I shall therefore devote some attention to this subject, in what I may have to say to you. • There has been a great deal of interest in this question in the last couple of years, on account of the great notoriety that was given our slaughter houses and their methods, through the press, and in other ways, and nearly all of you, I presume, are familiar with the hor- rible conditions that were painted in the most lurid colors. Per- sonally, I am able to say, that this coloring was very much exag- gerated. I have been closely connected with the inspection for many years, and so far as the law has given authority to go, the inspection was well conducted, and in the houses where inspection existed, the meats were inspected in good shape. We now have authority to require modem sanitary conditions, and re-inspection of the meats during the different stages of pro- cessing, regulating the preservatives which shall be used in curing meats and the labelling of the products. Many of these labels were really misleading as to the contents. That has all been corrected, and the work was a tremendous one. Heretofore the work of inspection was not obligatory on the part of the packer, except with reference to exportation of beef. Only EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 137 those who desired an inspection had it, on account of the small ap- propriation, and some who desired it were not able to get it. The new law provides that all who do an inter-state business shall have inspection. "With respect to retail butehers and dealers supplying customers, and animals slaughtered on the farm by farmers, these exceptions are made on account of the tremendous difficulty it would entail in inspecting small houses and the slaughtering on the farms. I am fortunate in having with me some figures to show you some- thing of the magnitude of the work during the past fiscal year. There .were in all 50,953,000 animals inspected on post-mortem examinations, of which there were 7,593,000 beef cattle, 1,757,000 calves, 9,672,000 sheep, 31,639,000 swine, and 52,000 goats ; these I suppose went in with the sheep. This work was conducted at 708 different establishments, in 186 different towns, and required the employment of 2,290 persons. All final post-mortems are conducted by veterinarians, who are assisted in part by experienced employes. The final passing on whether a carcass shall be condemned or passed, is in the hands of veter- inarians. The greatest cause for condemnation in the case of cattle and sheep is tuberculosis. .39 per cent of the cattle were condemned for tuberculosis; .25 per cent in whole, and .14 per cent in part. Of the hogs there was 1.04 per cent condemned for tuberculosis. .206 per cent were condemned in whole, and in .834 per cent in part. There were, of course, a very large number of animals that were slightly affected, which were passed entire. Now, these figures represent the number condemned entirely or some portion of them, in consequence of the diseas§. Of the total number condemned of cattle 70 per cent were con- demned on account of tuberculosis ; the number of hogs condemned was 62 per cent, on account of tuberculosis. Of course, the cost of this has not been fully felt by the producer as yet. The one who sends in a lot of cattle and hogs,- — a very large proportion of them are affected with the disease and condemned, — is to-day receiving the same amount practically for his stock, as the man who sends in entirely healthy cattle. So far, there has been no discrimination made between the breeder of healthy cattle and diseased cattle — you are paying for it. You are familiar with the story of the traveling man who lost his overcoat out on a trip, and he purchased a new one and put it in his expense bill. When the bill was presented to the house, it was promptly cut out. In his next trip he was unfortunate 138 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. enough to have his overcoat stolen again, and it was again put in his expense account ; there was no overcoat in that bill, and it was allowed, but it was in there just the same. That is the way these con- demned animals are being charged up against you. You pay for them, only you do not realize it so much as if it were a direct charge. The method of ante-mortem inspection is considerably different in different localities. In Kansas City, the inspectors are sta- tioned in the stock yards, and whenever an animal is suspected of being in a condition to render it unfit for food, it is tagged, but the animal proceeds with the balance of the herd of cattle or swine to the slaughtering house which has made the purchase, and is slaught- ered there, and the remittance is accordingly, whether it is passed or condemned. Practically the same system obtains in St. Joe and Omaha, although at these two places, they have an inspector ap- pointed by, I think the Exchange and the packers jointly, who also tag the cattle and hogs. At these two places the government inspect- ors make out a report, giving the number of tagged and the reason for condemnation of the animal, and that is posted in the Exchange where every one can see whether the animal was in fact condemned or not. At Chicago, the system is very different. We have our inspectors in the yards, who inspect and tag, but through an agreement with the Exchange — I suppose you are familiar with this — these animals are then slaughtered at one particular place, and they are there inspected both by the Federal Government and the State Inspectors, and the remittance is made by the representa- tive of the Exchange to the respective commission firms. A great deal of complaint has reached the department from va- rious sources with reference to this system in vogue in Chicago, and that was one of" the reasons which brought me out here, to determine the feeling of the shippers with reference to the system in pi;actice at that point. So far as I am aware, there is no complaint in either of the large packing centers with reference to the disposal of their ante-mortem condemned animals. In the matter of meat inspection the government has gone as far as it can in that direction. It has no authority to extend the inspec- tion beyond that which is subject to interstate commerce. When an inspection is inaugurated in an establishment, all the animals pre- pared in that place are subject to the same inspection, whether for inter-state sale or export. But the government cannot go into a town like Des Mbines and establish inspection, that is, doing a sitrictly business within the state; and it is this inspection which EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 139 must be conducted by states or cities, in order to perfect the system of inspection which will protect the consumer. It seems rather ridic- ulous for the national government to inspect about five-eighths of the animals slaughtered, unless the other three-eighths are also inspected by equally competent inspectors. It is absolutely neces- sary that either cities or states take up this work and complete what the Federal Grovernment is unable to do. The department has assisted, as far as possible, in eradicating tuberculosis, and in one way, has assisted by the free distribution of tuberculin to various state and city officials. It has not been given general distribution, because it was thought better, that those desir- ing it should obtain it from their local officials. It has been alleged that tuberculin will produce tuberculosis in animals that are injected with it. I do not presume any of you are of that opinion. I may briefly state how it is prepared. The bacillus of human tu- berculosis is taken, and with it bouillon or other media is infected. This is called a culture. The bacilli grow on the top of this fluid, looking like a mould. It is kept in retorts at a certain temperature, and when it reaches a certain degree of development it is shaken up and all sterilized, completely killing any bacilli which may be pres- ent. In addition it is filtered through very fiiie porcelain filters, and this main product which is filtered out is then the tuberculin which is injected into the cattle. If they are tubercular, it will give a definite true elevation of temperature, with the exception that in advanced stages of tuberculosis, they frequently give no reaction at all; there often, however, is a sub-normal temperature. So you see, there is no. possibility for cattle obtaining tuberculosis in this manner. In the eradication of tuberculosis there is one important fact, which all of you who are so unfortunate as to have infected cattle, should bear in mind. It is the height of folly to go to the expense of destroying your diseased animals, without you thoroughly disinfect all the premises with which they may have come in contact. We have demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a very large number of bacillis are passed, with infected animals, to the hogs that follow them and in this way readily con- tract tuberculosis. This accounts in a very large measure for the very large amount of tuberculosis in hogs, particularly in corn dis- tricts, where it is a general practice for the hogs to follow the cattle. Once tuberculosis is eradicated from the cattle herds, it will be very speedily eradicated of its own accord from hogs. This disease is really more prevalent in certain kinds of our cattle than most 140 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. people imagine. Recently an exporter of high grade cattle, or, pure blooded cattle, to Argentina, required us, on account of the laws of Argentina to test these cattle that he was to ship. He bought those cattle subject to the test, and in every instance they were out of fine herds, and 50 per cent of these cattle reacted with the tuberculin test. To use his own words, the best cattle reacted. In recent work among dairy herds we found 18 per cent of the cows affected. In some instances this amounted to 100 per cent ; in others, none, and in some very low, but the average per cent was 18. These dairy men had their cattle tested under an agreement with the department, that they would, in consideration of the free test, if they reacted but didn't present any visible signs, or physical signs, either segregate them and pasteurize the milk from them, in the event of their having calves, the calves to be immediately re- moved, and those that showed physical signs of tuberculosis were to be slaughtered; that was one of the provisions. They did this of their own accord to rid themselves of the disease, and because they did not want to sell milk from such cattle to people. There has been quite an effort or agitation recently among a num- ber of breeders of high bred cattle, to establish free herds ; that is, herds that were absolutely known to be free from tuberculosis and guaranteed as such. I trust that such measures may be started, because it is only right, that any one who is selling high grade stock to go into a herd of some other man, it should be healthy. This disease has been underestimated ; it is one which has not developed very rapidly, as a rule, and the outward signs, for a long time are so slight, or often do not exist at all, so that unless one is very careful, animals may be diseased, and one not be aware of it In addition to this, we have been devoting a great deal of attention to the enforcement of the 28-hour law — that is the ordinary name for the law, although its provision allow an extension for 36 hours upon written request of the shipper. A number of convictions have been had under this law, and other prosecutions are to follow. It is thought, that by vigorous enforcement of this law, railroads would give better service in transporting to market. I believe it has improved the situation some, but has not accomplished what was expected, and it may be it would be better if a minimum rate of speed be required by the railroads in transporting live stock. This certainly would be a very humane thing. In long shipments the stock has to be loaded too often in reaching the markets. We have a great deal of work which would be of interest to you, directly, in the way of the live stock industry. Our quarantine measures require careful inspection. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 141 Much has been done in the way of dealing with and studying the manufacture of different kinds of cheese which have been made and brought in, as also our domestic cheese, as to the different ways and conditions under which it is kept in storage. In animal husbandry, we have varied experiences in cattle breed- ing, horse breeding, poultry and swine breeding, and sheep breed- ing. This is done in connection with the experiment stations of the different states. We have also constantly studied the different problems with reference to diseases .and the cause of diseases, the best methods of eradicating them, where it is possible. Out Tick eradication in the south has caused a great deal of work and been of great benefit, as far as it has been carried out. These ticks, while conveyors of dis- ease to northern cattle, are also very injurious to cattle in these southern countries. They become so numerous, they are a pest; they are blood suckers ; they deplete the animal so that in many sec- tions of the south cattle raising cannot be pursued to advantage. We have been at this work two years. The last Congress gave us $150,000; the previous one had given us $83,500, and up to date, something like 80,000 square miles has been eradicated and freed from the tick. The President : I would suggest that some of our people here are very much interested in this problem, and would no doubt like to ask some questions along the line of inspection. So I will invite "a few minutes discussion. A Member : I came here to see our Railroad Commissioners, and secure information on a proposition touched upon by the speaker. I ship in and out from the farm frequently and come in contact with the law that is called the 28-hour law. My experience has been, in shipping from Omaha to Chicago, if the railroad company exceeds the 28 hours, the conductor will come to the shipper and demand that the shipper sign an agreement releasing the railroad company from responsibility in holding the stock over and beyond 28 hours. On this point I would like to ask for information. Who is held responsible for the care and feeding and the damage to this stock, is it the shipper or the railroad company? Our Railroad Commissioners can give me no information on this point. Dr. Melvin: The law provides that live stock shall not be re- tained in cars without food, water and rest to exceed 28 hours, except in case the shipper, having made a written request to the railroad company, the time can be extended to 36 hours. Another provision is that sheep are not required to be unloaded in the night 142 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. time, but will be hauled to the first unloading point during daylight. As to who is responsible for the feed and care of the stock, it is the railroad ; it is in their possession, and if the stock does not receive food, water and rest while in their possession, they are responsible. If the owner does not take care of it, they must. Question: Who pays the bill? Dr. Melvin : I presume the shipper. Question : Do I understand you that Chicago has a different inspection on suspected animals than other markets? Dr. IMelvin: If I said that, I conveyed the wrong impression. I did not mean the inspection was different ; the manner of dispos- ing of the tagged animals is different ; the inspection itself is practi- cally the same, made at the scales at the time the animals are weighed. At Chicago it is made after the animals are weighed ; at other centers it is made before the animals are weighed. But the subsequent handling is different. At Chicago the animals are con- trolled by the state and live stock exchange, I believe, jointly; at any rate, the animals are slaughtered in one particular slaughter house under the supervision of the state inspectors, and the prod- ucts are disposed of by the representative for the Live Stock Ex- change, who remits to the various commission firms. Question : Then the exchanges at the other markets have noth- ing to do with the product after they are slaughtered? Dr. Melvin : Absolutely nothing. The animals go to the various slaughter houses that have bought the balance of the cattle or hogs, as the case may be, and their returns are made accordingly as to whether the animals were passed or condemned. A Member: I suppose you were familiar with the dispute be- tween the packers and the commission men at Chicago. At the time that quarrel was going on, the impression was quite general that a man shipping cattle had no assurance that healthy animals might not be condemned. It seems to me you would render a serv- ice to our people here by informing them whether there is any cliance for the shipper suffering because of unjust condemnation? Dr. Melvin : The inspection and disposal of any condemned ani- mals in the packing houses where we have inspection, is absolutely in the hands of the federal authorities, federal inspectors. They have no object whatever in discriminating in any way. To avoid any discrimination, it would be a very simple proposition for each shipper to tag his animals. As I understand this subject of inspec- EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 143 tion was to be confined to she-cattle ; that would eliminate a very large proportion of those slaughtered. Those she-cattle could have been tagged by the shipper, and in the event any of them had been condemned by the packing houses, the inspector in charge would post in the exchange a list of those tags, and the numbers or initi- als, whatever was placed on them, showing the cause for which they were condemned, in whole or in part — and it would have been absolutely above board ; every one could have seen exactly whether his animals were condemned or not; if the number wasn't on the board, he would know they were not condemned. The President : I would like to ask if there is any reason why the same system in vogue at the other markets and centers, in regard to disposing of these sdspected animals, should not be in vogue in Chicago also. Dr. Melvin: No reason I know of. I suppose some one has a reason. Question: You mean to say the Federal Government has no reason for not putting that system in effect? Dr. Melvin : No, sir ; none whatever. Question: Is it necessary, in shipping cattle from one state to another to have them inspected? Dr. ]\Ielvin : It is in some states. Question: In shipping from Iowa to Minnesota? Dr. Melvin : In shipping from Iowa to Minnesota, so far as the Federal Government is concerned, there would be no permit re- quired, but the shipment of animals affected with contagious dis- eases or inoeculable diseases, is absolutely prohibited by law, and they couldn't be shipped under permit or any other way. This holds, with the exception of southern cattle, which are shipped and marketed for slaughter. A Member: I have had some experience with hogs in the last three or four months in our neighborhood. A disease broke out they called cholera and of course, different medicine men were on hand to sell their medicine. I had a veterinary come in and open one of them up and he found the trouble to be with their lungs. He also went across the road to another farmer and opened three in that yard that died that morning. The man took the balance and went to Chicago; they went straight. How do you account for that? 144 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Dr. JVIelvin : It is a question whether these animals were con- demned or not. There may have been some condemned and some passed. We find in some instances, particularly when they are shipping small hogs ; in some instances there will be from 90 to 100 per cent condemned when they get into the packing house. This statement I have shows that during the past fiscal year there were 4,506 hogs condemned for hog cholera; so there have been a good many practicing the same thing. A Member: We had another case, just about a year ago. A man loaded up his hogs and brought them into our town; on the road two of them died; they were thrown out of the wagon. He hauled the rest in and sold them to a butcher, and in the meantime he brought in another load and sold them to the shipper. When the shipper went to load those hogs, he noticed them staggering ; the bank was closed in the meantime, too late to pay at the bank, and so in the meantime he called and took a veterinary do^vn there, and there had three more died, and two or three more were sick. He notified this party that he would have to bum them up or bury them. Well, the party refused to do it. In the meantime there were eight of those left, but they were diseased, you could see that by their appearance, and from the way they acted. The shipper didn 't want to get into a lawsuit, and held those hogs three or four days and shipped them into Chicago. I saw the bill myself when it came back for those hogs and they went through. Dr. Melvin : I don 't know where thej'' were killed in Chicago, I am sure. Question: I understand, they could have been condemned and the shipper knew nothing about if? Dr. Melvin : He says the shipper received his pay for them. If he received the market value for them, the packer must have stood the loss. QuESTiOjs' : What is the practical method of disinfection in case of tuberculosis as to pastures? Dr. Melvin : Practically nothing. The bacilli soon dies in the sun and air. Nature itself would soon disinfect it. Question: If a cow is heavy with calf, isn't it the case they would react sometimes when they wouldn't otherwise? Dr. ]\Ielvin : Yes, sir ; we have found that to be true in a very large number of tests made. There were about three per cent really mistakes, that were made on account of advanced pregnancy. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 145 where the udder would be inflamed, and conditions of that sort ap- pear; but generally, if the veterinary is careful, he can discover the causes in these cases. Question: Isn't it also true that a cow in heat will react? Dr. Melvin : In some instances, that is one of the causes. Question: That would make it quite dangerous for a feeder to have his cattle inspected? Dr. ^Ielvin : No, he could defer the time in these particular instances and have it done at a later period, or if the test has been made, have them re-tested in the course of six or eight weeks. A Member : We had a breeder sell a young bull to go to South America ; he was tested and reacted ; a j^ear after that he was tested and passed all right. What was the cause of that ? Dr. ]\Ielvin : I w^ouldn 't be able to state. There may have been some local condition which caused the reaction in the first place : or, it might be the test wasn't carefully applied, or something of that sort. The President : I expect we had l)etter close this discussion for the present. I am sure we have all appreciated the remarks of Dr. Melvin and the information he has given us along this line. It no doubt has been very beneficial, many points having been brought out that some of us were no doubt not familiar with. The President : The next number on our program this evening is the ''Transportation Problems Affecting Iowa Agriculture," by Clifford Thorne, Washington, Iowa. Most of our people have heard of Clifi:ord Thorne. He made a record at the state house last spring, before the Iowa Railroad Com. missioners, in securing a reduction of freight rates on live stock in this state, of 18 per cent. We are glad for the record this young man has made, and I am glad to have the privilege of introducing him to you tonight. TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS AFFECTING IOWA AGRICULTI^RE. CLIFFORD THORN, WASHINGTON, IOWA. Mr. President: This is a pleasure, to have the opportunity I have this evening, and I suppose, of course, that pleasure will be all mine — like the gentleman who was requested to attend the funeral of his mother-in-law. 10 146 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The agricultural interests of this state, and the Iowa interests, are synonymous terms. At the last census the total value of farm property in this state amounted to over one billion eight hundred million dollars ; that was an increase of 66 per cent over the census ten years before, which was an increase of 50 per cent over the census returns of the decade previously. The last census returns showed the gross value of aU your agricultural products in this state, exceeded any other state in this Nation. This evening I am talking to representatives of the most impor- tant industry in the greatest agricultural state in America. My topic concerns the most widely discussed question of the day, the railroad problem. Just at this time we must keep in mind the tale of "The Goose and the Golden Egg" — during these financial troubles — and remembering that, let us consider some of the phases of our subject. The farmer occupies a peculiar relation toward the railroads. Why do you differ from other shippers? Simply, because of the character of your business. A reduction in the rates on dry goods or dressed meats, increases traffic of that character. When a man- ufacturing establishment is seeking and negotiating for a location, or new business, one of the first things the officer does, is to inves- tigate the condition of freight rates. If he can succeed in impress- ing the proper railroad official that lower rates mean more busi- ness, the factory gets a reduction. When you are negotiating for the purchase of a farm, do you investigate and find out what the rates are? Under ordinary circumstances, you do not do so. The average railroad official knows that any particular farm will pro- duce practically the same tonnage, whether Tom Jones or Nancy Hanks owns it. Another difference between the factory and the farm is, that the factory usually controls a larger amount of products under a single management. The average Iowa farm in 1900, turned out $1,598 worth of products; while the average Iowa factory turned out $11,108 worth of products. The average Illinois factory turned out 32,839 worth of products. The factory that produces products amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, is the one that has the greatest effect on freight rates. Again, a factory can locate at strategic points. It generally lo- cates at a junction of two or more railroads. A farm is generally on one or a few roads, or some distance away from a road. Another difference between the factory and the farm is, that the factory can change its location, if the roads do not give favorable rates; it can pick up and move to some favored locality, and it EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART III. 147 generally gets the cost of removal paid by those interested in the new location. The farm cannot change its location. These differences between the factory and the farmer have had a remarkable effect on the freight rates in this section of the country. We are confronted with the fact that there are no natural laws of business which protect the farmer in regard to railroad matters. Practically every reduction that has been brought about on farm products during the past generation, has been done by government interference. Is it strange that the pioneer steps in all these move- ments for government regulation should originate wdth the farmer? It is the natural place for them to originate. And now, while you are interested, let us take a general survey of the situation, and see what problems still confront us. You have heard a great deal about rebates lately; that topic has attracted wide attention. A few years ago, a member of the Inter- state Commerce Commission, an attorney for the Cattle Raisers Association, and the governor of a great state, and several other gentlemen who command public esteem, testified before a Congres- sional Committee, that the Elkins law had destroyed all rebating. But scarcely had the sound of their voices died away, when expos- ures in New York and Wisconsin disclosed the fact that rebates amounting into the millions of dollars were still being given and received annually. While this is a great question, to my mind, there is a far greater one. I am told that the railroads are discriminating in the furnishing of cars in the state of Iowa. I know that the farmer located at the junction of two or more lines can obtain his cars much easier than the man upon a single road. When a shipper delays a car several days, he pays damages by the day. When the railroad delays the shipper several weeks by the failure to furnish cars, causing a loss of hundreds of dollars to the shipper, the railroad pays nothing. This situation is outrageous and must be rectified; and important as that question is, yet to my mind, there is still a greater one. A few months ago a prominent candidate for President of the United States, a member of the Supreme Court of the United States, and several United States Senators came out in published statements, that in their judgments the railroads of this country were not over-capitalized as a w'hole. Those gentlemen have won the confidence of the public. If their statements are correct, there is absolutely no use to make a valuation of all the railroads of the United States by the government. If their statements are not cor- rect, they should be among the first to retract them, because, the 148 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. American people have made up their minds they do not propose to pay interest on watered stock. The President himself has ex- pressed that view — that "the public will not tolerate efforts to make them pay dividends on watered stock. ' ' Public interest justi- fies us in demanding to know the authorities for the statements made by these honorable gentlemen, that American railroads are not over-capitalized. Your first question is : are there any author- ities ? Not such an authority as the honorable member of the Supreme Court who sits in his office in Washington, D. C, and makes a valuation of all the railroads in the country at one huge guess. I am informed that at the present time a gentleman is em- ployed in making a valuation of all our railroads. Immediately after his task is finished he is to be given the presidency of a large eastern railroad ; and when that report comes out, it ^vill be heralded all over this country, notwithstanding his unquestioned bias. Are there any investigations actually made, of the valuations of the railroads that are unprejudiced; made by men who have gone out into the fields and obtained the real facts as they are? Yes, there are some already made. A few years ago the Texas Commission made an exhaustive investigation, and they found that the railroads in that state were capitalized at more than double their actual value. Last year the legislature of Minnesota appointed a committee to make a similar investigation. Their report shows that the railroads in that state are capitalized from 15 per cent to 400 per cent more than their actual value. One of the railroads was capitalized at five times its value, and the president of that road testified, that in some of their stock there "was what might be called water." Until we find out the actual value of railroads, how are we going to determine reasonable rates'? Even though we show the rates that the Iowa people pay are higher than those paid by the people of Illinois and Missouri how do you know the latter are not too high? Until you find out the valuation of the railroads, you are merely scratching the surface of the railroad problem. Great and important as the matter of over-capitalization is, to my mind there is still a greater one. Let us consider the matter of rates for a few minutes. Railroads are built to make money, and the way they make most of the mone.y is out of freight rates. They are sellers of transportation ; you are buyers. I have a simple business proposition I want to make which I think you will accept, no matter which side of the controversy you are on. It is this: It is to the interest of the railroads to charge just as high rates as they can, provided these rates will not interfere seriously EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 149 with business activity ; on the other hand, it is to the interest of the public generally to obtain this service for the lowest rates which do not seriously interfere with railroad activity. Here you have a plain, clear-cut conflict of interests. There is no use trying to dodge it or get around it. It seems to me that is the situation of the buyer and seller over and over again. The seller wants to get as much as he can, and the buyer wants to pay as little as he can. It is to their interest to have high rates ; to your interest to have low rates. Now, what has been the course of the history of freight rates on your farm products ? You people are interested in farms ; you have to get your product to market. If I were able to show you that you have been paying for the past seventeen years, from 30 to 50 per cent more than the Illinois farmer who lives on the same railroad, the same distance from Chicago, in the same territor^^ to get your cattle to market, wouldn 't that be something concrete and tangible 1 These matters are of importance. They affect the amount of money in circulation in our state ; they affect farm values. Let us ap- proach the question of freight rates from a purely business stand- point, leaving out all questions of general morality and politics. During the past fifteen or twenty years there has been a great many reductions on all freight rates in the country. This has been made possible ©n account of larger engines, larger cars, stronger road-beds, and general equipment. For the figures you may ex- amine the Inter-state Commerce reports and the Illinois reports on the average revenue per ton hauled. This average in the state of Illinois was 24 per cent higher in 1891 than it was in 1906. In the United States there was a 22 per cent decrease from 1890 to 1905 on all traffic. In group 6, that is the Iowa group, there has been a decrease of 25 per cent. So we have the figures ranging from 22 to 25 per cent decrease on the revenue of all tons hauled a mile in Illinois, in group 6, and in the United States. What is the situation as to your farm products'? A careful examination of the schedules in force in the state of Iowa, from Januarv' 1, 1890, to January 1, 1907, shows, that there has been absolutely no decrease upon wheat, flour, millet, flax seed, corn, barley and other grain and mill stuffs; horses, mules, cattle, calves and sheep. You are principally interested in live stock — but I want to say there was a small decrease in hogs along in 1893, and just about the same time there was an increase in cattle and sheep. This increase was made on the quiet. There is no record of any consultation whatever. Our commission, with the assistance of some learned railroad officials, when they made out the schedule 150 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. per hundred pounds, in place of the rates per car, divided the former rates by the minimum weight of the car load, instead of the average weight of the car load. It was cleverly done. I desire to heartily congratulate the shrewd officials of the railroads who manipulated the deal. Over in Illinois, when a similar change was attempted, there was an elaborate hearing held, and I hardly need add, 200 stock men were present and numerous railroads were represented, and the live stock interests of the state were amply protected. Our present commission, after a lapse of fifteen years corrected that error the past spring. I don't know upon whose shoulders to lay the blame. You have heard it said that in the state of Iowa the rates are lower than those of other states. Don't let anybody fool you by a comparison of schedules. The railroads in this state charge the full amount allowed by the maximum schedule. In Illinois more than half the traffic is carried on rates below the state schedule. The same is true in Missouri. You may also have heard that the Iowa classification is the lowest in the west. If you have lived in another state, you would have heard quite a different story. In that connection I want to read a brief sentence contained in an answer made by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, in a' case heard in Illinois last year, which is as follows : " It is admitted as a general fact that the classification of Illinois averages lower than any other classification in the Mississippi Valley." This statement was made over the signature of the officials of the road. Let us take some concrete illustrations concerning rates, that might interest you. I have placed them in the form of a table, as follows : RATES ON FRESH MEATS— BEEF, LAMB, VEAL, VENISON AND PORK LOINS. Under the State Distance Schedule of in Miles. Iowa. Illinois. 100 $32.00 $30.00 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 6 per cent 200 46.00 39.20 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 17 per cent 300 60.00 45.20 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 32 per cent RATES ON FRESH FRUITS— GRAPES, PEACHES, PEARS AND PLUMS Under the State Distance Schedule of in Miles. Iowa. Illinois. 100 $32.00 $23.40 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 36 per cent 200 46.00 30.00 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 51 per cent 300 60.00 34.00 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 76 per cent EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 151 RATES ON APPLES— (Green, by Carloads.) Under the State Distance Schedule of in Miles. Iowa. Illinois. 100 $16.80 $16.00 200 28.40 20.80 300 40.00 24.20 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 5 per cent Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 36 per cent Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 65 per cent Distance in Miles. 100 200 300 RATES ON LIVE POULTRY. Under the State Schedule of Iowa. Illinois. '$24.00 $23.40 39.20 31.00 50.00 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 2 per cent Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 22 per cent 34.00 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 47 per cent RATES ON FRESH BERRIES— (In Boxes or Crates.) Distance in Miles. 100 200 300 Under the State Schedule of Iowa. Illinois. $32.00 $24.00 46.00 31.20 ■ 60.00 36.00 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 33 per cent Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 47 per cent Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 65 per cent In handling berries, berry boxes become a necessity. RATES ON BERRY BOXES AND CRATES — (Nested in Crates or Bundles.) Under the State Distance Schedule of in Miles. Iowa. Illinois. 100 $32.00 $14.00 200 46.00 18.80 300 60.00 22.00 Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 128 per cent Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 144 per cent Iowa rate exceeds Illinois rate 172 per cent I might go on and give you hundreds of other comparisons, but what would be the use? There are thousands of rates in effect in this state. Last year President Stickney, in his address before you, estimated that if there was a rate for every town in the United States on every commodity hauled, there would be three trillion five hundred million rates in effect. What would be of value is simply this: an accurate statement as to the average revenue, the average rate on all eommodities hauled in this state. The nearest approach to this is what we call the average revenue per ton mile. I find, if the report of your Railroad Commissioners is correct, that the average revenue for every ton hauled a mile in this state is 79 per cent higher than in Illinois. Perhaps you say, conditions are different in Iowa and Illinois. Yes, that is true. But does 152 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the difference in conditions justify such an enormous variance as that? And in connection with this I want to refer to the Iowa group of states, group 6, composed of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, that part of the Dakotas east of the ]\Iissouri River, that part of Missouri north of the ^Missouri River, and that part of Michigan north of Lake Michigan. These states are substantially similar. I find, in 1905, the average distance haul for a ton in Iowa was longer than it was in the Iowa group of states; yet, notwith- standing that fact, I find the average revenue on every ton hauled in Iowa, was 31 per cent greater than in the Iowa group of states. The last report we have from the Inter-state Commerce Commission for group 6 is for the year 1905. Let us consider the Iowa report for the year 1906. We find the average revenue for every ton hauled a mile in this state is 54 per cent higher than the average revenue for every ton hauled a mile in the Iowa group of states. These facts are appalling. For fear that the accuracy of my statement may be questioned I refer you to the 28th report of the Iowa Commission, pp. 100-101 ; 29th la. Com. Rep., pp. 98-99 ; 36th 111. Railroad & Warehouse Commission Report, page 149 ; and the 18th Annual Report, of I. C. C, pp. 70 and 98. Notwithstanding this situation in regard to the freight rates on Iowa farm products, I do not consider that the most important problem which concerns the Iowa agricultural interests at this moment; there is a still greater one. You have heard a great deal about honesty lately— and some people claim these exposures we have had have hurt business. I am not surprised at this. If one of these great big wads of concen- trated .juicy rottenness gets a puncture, it is not strange that an odor arises. Yet, after all is said and done, I do not believe the average railroad official is any more dishonest than the average politician who talks about him. The matter of honesty or dishon- esty is not peculiar to the railroad business. Of course, I don't think we should trust our railroad officials any more than we do our bank officials. I believe we should have their books examined peri- odically by experts. But there is no issue here ; there is no disagree- ment between you and them. They agree that they ought to be honest, and, I believe, after an investigation you would find that railroad men are just as honest as you are. In nine cases out of ten they are doing precisely what you would do if you were in their shoes and had their brains. But there is a far greater question, far more perplexing and pro- found. If the issue is not rebates, not discrimination, not exces- sive rates, not over-capitalization, what is it? Would you please tell EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 153 me what is the cause of these bad sores, these cancerous growths on our industrial life? Now, while we are digging down deep into all the filth and mire we have uncovered the past few years, let us get down to the cause, if we can. It may hurt some, but in the long run it is best. If one of your children should develop a persistent hacking cough, would 3^ou be content to give it an occasional dose of soothing syrup ? No ; you would want to get to the seat of the trouble and remove the cause, if you could. A few months ago I was walking down one of your streets with a representative of one of our large western railroads, and in the course of our conversation, I happened to make the remark, that there would probably be considerable rate legislation during the next few years. His reply was terse and to the point. He said: "That will all blow over in three or four years ; these things come and go in bunches, like the measles." That remark presents the gravest problem. Why is it that nothing is accomplished except in the midst of a wide-spread agitation ? The same thing that is happen- ing to-day happened away back in the Grange times, and it hap- pened again in the 80 's; and if my friend's prophecy is true, it won't happen very much longer now, but will come back some time later. Why is it that nothing can be accomplished except in times of agitation ? Where is the defect in our present system ? At present there are two agencies you resort to to protect your interests ; one is the voluntary association, and the other your railroad commissions. Voluntary associations are splendid ; they have done some magni- ficent work; their mission is fully vindicated by the work of the Com Belt Meat Producers' Association. The efforts of a voluntary association which seeks to act for vast numbers, is generally spasmodic in its activity. While interest is intense, men will join ; they will attend meetings a few times and pay a few dollars, and then they will let their membership lapse. You are all acquainted with that situation in your various com- munities. It is unfortunate, but it is human nature. Then is it just to let the burden rest upon the few? Nine-tenths of the farmers leave this matter to the state. We are organized into what we call a government. They think it is the place of the state and national government to correct and care for such things. Why is it nothing is done except by agitation ? Agitation is un- desirable ; it unsettles business, makes panics and financial troubles right along, year after year. I could never pose as a reformer. Reform is better than standing still; but progress from year to year is better than reform. 154 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. Now, while interest is keen, can we not devise some way, some method, some means that will help to protect our interests after the agitation has passed away? Where is the defect in our present methods? I believe the commission system has proven a success as a tribunal for the determination of causes brought before it by outsiders. But I say deliberately, that I believe the commission system has proven a failure in its capacity to take the initiative on behalf of the public ; and this failure can be ascribed with prac- tical certainty to the fact that we place too big a task upon our commissions. We empower them and expect them to hear eases brought before them, and we also empower and expect them to take the initiative on behalf of the state in beginning proceedings and carrying them on. In other words, we expect our commissions to be judges, and jurors and witnesses and attorneys, all rolled into lone — an absurd combination, wholly eontrarj^ to the entire spirit of Anglo-Saxon legal history; almost certain to prove a failure. And the natural result has been that these commissions have gravi- tated into judicial tribunals, or semi-judicial tribunals — many peo- ple object to the word judicial when speaking about railroad com- missions. Your present statute provides for your commission to take initia- tory steps, just as though complaint had been filed. But where have your important cases originated? The work accomplished in the 80 's did not originate with the commission; the work done when Governor Larrabee was at the State House did not originate with the commission. The work done last year in Illinois, when they effected a ten per cent reduction on practically all freight rates in that state, did not originate with the commission ; it was commenced and prosecuted to the finish by, outside sources. The express rate case now pending before your commission was practi- cally ordered by the legislature. Your commissioners have author- ity over passenger fares; the reduction in passenger rates was not effected by your commission. As I said before, this authority giv- ing the commission initiatory power is practically a dead letter in this state as well as elsewhere. Last year, when they reformed the inter-state commerce act, they specifically excepted that provision, and at the present time the Inter-state Commerce Commission has no jurisdiction to fix rates in the absence of a complaint. Gentlemen, you have elected your tribunal to hear and determine the case, where are your Avitnesses and your counsel ? It is to your interest to have low rates; to the railroad's interest to have high rates. How do you protect your interests ; how do they protect theirs? Here are a couple of paper bound pamphlets. In these EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III, 155 two volumes there are rates on from one to eight different com- modities, between over a thousand towns in Texas and neighboring states, and several thousand towns elsewhere in the country. In other words, we have in these two books several million rates. They have been agreed to by over two hundred railroads ; they are issued under the supervision of one man, Mr. Geo. W. Cahill, of St. Louis, Mo. Millions of rates on two hundred railroads under the general supervision of one man. I give you this as a simple illustration of the enormous organization which the roads in the southwest have effected. They are organized, and you are not. Each railroad has employes and counsel in every county and state which it traverses ; each railroad has representatives on committees, rate experts and rate clerks by the hundred ; they have freight traffic managers, gen- eral freight agents, etc., etc. — vast complicated machines, working in perfect unison, put together and operated by master hands at organization. The railroad interests to-day are protected by the keenest brains that money can hire. How are you protecting your interests? Did you ever investigate whether the charges you are paying are reasonable or not? When you go to buy a horse or sell a farm, you will stand and dicker and quibble by the hour, and you have been kno\^Ti to waste considerable time and nervous energy with the assessor, but when it comes to the paying of a billion dol- lars or so every year in freight rates, you, in connection with the majority of other shippers, sit around like bumps on a log and let the other fellow charge whatever he wants to. Why? Simply because, what is everybody's business is nobody's business. Do not blame the railroads for protecting their interests. The railroad officials who fails to look after the interests entrusted to him, should get his walking papers. All I desire to say to you is, that we are a bunch of big fools if we do not protect our interests. You should have rate experts just as competent and well equipped as the railroads have. There should be a transportation bureau supported by the state and responsible to the state for its work. These bureaus should make constant investigations; they should make annual reports, giving information of practical and concrete value to the shipping, manufacturing and producing interests of your state. They should give us comparisons of rates and condi- tions constantly. The Federal Government should have similar bureaus. The exposures of the past few years merely serve as eye- openers, and the lesson that we should learn is, that we must pro- vide ourselves with the facilities that will prevent the recurrence 'of these evils. Unless you take definite steps with this object in view, you will witness the same course of events which followed the 156 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Granger days, the same course of events that followed the days when Larrabee was Governor, the same course of events my friend, the railroad representative prophesied would occur. Don't deceive yourselves with the idea that you can take additional steps with ease ; they will be opposed and bitterly opposed by the very men who you would naturally expect to oppose them — the industry of which we are speaking. It is the most vast, the most complicated organi- zation that ever existed on God 's footstool. These railroads build up and tear down cities and states. At the time of the last census, the gross value of the railroads and their equipment in this country was greater than the combined value of all the live stock, all the farm implements and machinery, all the manufacturing tools and machinery, all the gold and silver bullion in this country, added to the total capital of our national banks. In 1905 the gross earnings and income above operating expenses of the railroads was greater than all the gold and silver, corn, wheat, lead and copper produced in the country. The gross earnings were four times greater than the combined customs and internal revenue of the United States government. It would take more gold than there is gold coin and bullion in circulation, together with that in the national treasury to pay the net earnings and income of the American railways for one year — and this colossal industry has been built up within the lives of many of those whom you pass on the streets. Our fathers who framed this government, never dreamed of this vast industry. We have not been studying government regulation, tariffs, banks and colonies for centuries and centuries. "We have just began the study of the regulation of these railroads. This is the greatest subject that you men of this generation have to deal with. With this stupendous task, we are but babes and sucklings. We have not learned the alphabet as yet, and there are many who are determined we shall not learn this alphabet. The vast magnitude and importance of this railroad industry justifies a department of our government second to none in the nation. It should be supplied with a force as large or larger than any other department of our government ; it should unquestionably be represented in the cabinet ; it should have branch offices in every large trade center in the United States. We have tax ferrets and revenue collectors and bank examiners by the hundred, but our freight bill is a greater tax to-day than all those put together. We should go at this railroad question, not like a mob, from time to time, reducing rates because we can, but we should build up a comprehensive, well organized system under which we can act intelligently. Until such means are provided we shall have to EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 157 depend solely on these voluntary assoeiations and their magnificent work. Meetings should be held everywhere in the towns and ham- lets. You should receive the support of the public press, notwith- standing the pressure which will be brought upon the editors to prevent this. Up to the present time, neither in the state or nation, have there been any additional material facilities provided above what we had in this state for the last thirty years ; facilities which experience has demonstrated are insufficient. The greatest transportation problem that confronts the agricul- tural interests of the present day, is not rebates, not discrimination, nor over-capitalization. The question before you is, how can you provide these facilities that will protect your interests in future years? You may not be able to get back millions of dollars that should have stayed on these Iowa farms, but we can save them in future years. It is well to loek the barn door, sometimes after the horse is stolen, that is, if you have another horse. If you of this generation have the genius and the foresight to grapple this tremendous question, and get things down to a prac- tical working basis, well and good; if you fail to do this, the expe- rience of the past forty years in the middle western states proves that your success will be temporary. If you fail to do this, the agitation will blow over, and public interest will die down, and we will go to sleep for another generation or so ; twenty years later we may wake up and we may not. It is up to you. The President : We have with us tonight a gentleman, while his name does not appear on the program, who represents an organiza- tion which at one time, in the state of Iowa, was very prominent; an organization which at least is remembered by our older members, and perhaps by some of the younger members — the days of the Grange in Iowa. I have the pleasure of introducing to you tonight the head lecturer of the National Grange, ^Ir. G. W. F. Gond, of New Jersey, who will address you for a few moments. ADDRESS. G. W. GOND, NEW JERSEY. Mr. President and Fellow Farmers of Iowa: I realize full well that you have listened to two able addresses this evening, and what I would have to say, perhaps, might be wearing on your nerves. Per- haps it might be well for me to say at the outset, so that no one may begin to wonder when the end will come, that what I may have to say will be brief, realizing, as I do, that I could hardly get IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. started on this great subject of organization, without occupying too much of your time this evening. The last speaker has given you some very good ideas of what you are needing in the great state of Iowa; he has ahnost made a good Grange speech, and he has pointed out the absolute necessity of something being done to right the wrongs of which he has spoken. The way we have been righting wrongs in the east, has been through organization, through organized effort. You are here representing a great industry; you are doing a great good among your people ; you are here for the purpose of pro- tecting, as it were, j^our interests. You are an organization, local in character, and you have done a great work; but suppose you had been an organization national in character, such as has been referred to by the gentleman who preceded me, as the Grange movement 25 or 30 years ago, in your state. I want to say to you, while the Grange movement might be presumed to be a dead letter to-day, for your own information, I want to say, that the Grange movement is more alive to-day than it was ever in its history — they have pro- duced results, accomplished things, in the past ten or fifteen years that Avould have been impo'ssible to accomplish without this great organization. I come to you, gentlemen, not as one who has been educated in college, or prepared for any special line of work; I come to you as a farmer of the state of New Jersey, who lives on and operates his own farm. I come here as one who has had some little experience in organizing the farmers of New Jersey, and in the state of Iowa, where I have spent some time in the past year. It was a great pleasure to me to talk to the farmers of your state, and the satisfaction of it all was, that I did not find a farmer but who agreed with me. It is true that some of them could still see the Grange skeleton ; their mistakes were f esh in the memory of those who could recall some of those mistakes. I want to say to you, the Grange of to-day is a conservative force. We are working carefully to uplift the American farmer, whether in Iowa or the eastern states. We are not antagonistic to any other industry ; we are at work, fighting for a square deal; we are working for the alleviation of the American farmer; and the past few years have demonstrated that we had to have some organization in order to control some of the conditions existing with which we are con- fronted. We have been enabled in the state of New Jersey to do things no one realized it was possible to do, in the way of securing legislation which has been a great advantage to the farmers of our state. Pardon me if I shall for the moment illustrate one practical EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PAET III. 159 demonstration in our state. In 1896 the electric railways of our state were beginning to prepare themselves to carry light freight and express packages. After some of them had got their equip- ments and received their cars, the legislature happened to be in session — and in the twinkle of an eye, there was a bill passed pro- hibiting electric railways from carrying freight. We were weak at that time in our state; we had less than 2,000 members in our organization. Two years ago, some of our members began to real- ize the fact that our rights had been taken away from us. We pre- pared a bill through the organization repealing the act of 1896 and giving us what rightfully belonged to us. Some of my friends said: "What is the matter with you; do you have any idea you can get that measure passed through this legislature, that has been practically elected and controlled by the railroads of the state ? " I said: "It won't do any harm to try; it is only asking for some- thing along the line of fairness and justice and equity of what the people demand, whether farmer or business man; it is for the greatest good to the greatest number." We prepared our bill and had it introduced in the senate. It was referred to the committee on railroads and canals — a pretty tough proposition. We had a hearing — had sent word to some of the subordinate granges to be there — it was impossible for me to be there at the time. The rail- way people were there and they defeated them. They telephoned me, and I sent word back to stick to it and have another hearing, and for two of our members to go to Atlantic City, the home of the chairman of that committee, and tell him that there is an organiza- tion back of this movement, and asked one of them to come and see me. The result of this movement was, that the gentleman got busy, taking notice of his constituents. We prepared telegrams and sent them to the hundred subordinate lodges, and we prepared a letter to follow the telegrams, that there was to be a hearing, and by twelve o'clock we had over two hundred farmers, their wives and boys present at the state house — ^we had become organized; we had a set of resolutions passed by the various agricultural societies, whose executive conunittees had called them in special session, and all these resolutions were in line with the bill which was prepared. At three o'clock we marched 200 strong into the senate chamber. You should have seen the members of the legislature of the state of New Jersey sitting up and taking notice. "What is the trouble with these rubes; what are they doing here — they were there mak- ing a strenuous effort to secure the passage of the Trolley Freight Bill. The result was, when we entered the senate chamber, we filled it. Our representatives had a list of names of those who were 160 IOWA DEPAIJTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. to speak for the bill. It was my privilege to be the first one to speak, and others followed me. Then after a while, one of the honorable gentlemen said, that he thought the railroads should have a chance to have a hearing, and they finally called out the name of Judge Collins, and the arguments were carried on for some time. Finally the gentleman, who had told me the week before that the bill would go to sleep at his desk, told me that it looked to him as though there had been some effort put forth and that the result of the hearing would be that it would be reported favorably. The result was the bill was passed in the senate and also in the house. If I had time I could go into detail about the various measures before congress, Grange measures. It was a Grange measure which first gave us the right for a department of agriculture, presided over by a Secretary of Agriculture. When this measure first went before congress it was laughed at. It was the Grange that secured the rural mail delivery. The Inter-state Commerce Commission is another creature of the Grange. What are you going to do about these great problems confronting you ? You want an organization of national character. Our inter- ests are identical. The Grange is working along the lines to uplift the American farmer; it has been working for the parcels post, postal savings banks, improvements of public highways, and a num- ber of other measures have been taken up and looked after by the legislative committee of the Grange. There is no important matter before congress but what they consult with the national committee of the Grange, realizing, as they do, they are the only organization that has stood the test of time. I want tQ say to you, for your own benefit, that at the present time this great national organization has a membership of approx- imately one million people, scattered over thirty states of the Union. You should have seen the demonstration in the city of Hartford, where over thirty thousand were present. I should have been glad to have welcomed you to my own state, in Atlantic City, where nearly one thousand members gathered in annual session, and the various questions discussed here were taken up. We are laying our plans, whereby we may create an increased growing sentiment among our people. We are endeavoring to wake up the farmers to a realization of the importance of their interests, so that they can be everlastinglj^ at it 365 days in the year, as we are working. In the little state of New Jersey we have 119 subordinate Granges. If the state of Iowa was as well organized as we are accordingly, EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK -PART III. 161 you could take up any question, as if one man, and you could ac- complish things. This is why the National Grange has made such a record in the past few years. They have received recognition and responded in the various conferences and congresses during the past years. These are only a few illustrations of what may be done, by organization. Our whole purpose is continual work along con- servative lines, building up and creating public sentiment, crystal- lizing it so that it will become fixed and that it may demonstrate the power there is in organization along conservative lines. I agree with my friend who said that it is our fault as farmers — we growl about this being done and that not done — what have we done to help the matter? Some one may have written a postal card to their representative in congress or state legislature. My fellow farmers, the work we are doing is to build up American agriculture, not at the expense of any other industry ; we want all other industries to prosper, but simply want to have a share in this prosperity. It is not our intention to have this movement slumber in the great state of Iowa; it is our intention and policy to spend our efforts, time and money in this state, and see if the greatest agricul- tural state in the Union can be organized. ( Adjournment. ) 11 162 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. PART IV PROCEEDINGS STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION. December 11, 1907. The State Agricultural Convention convened in the rooms of the Department of Agriculture at 9 :30 o'clock Wednesday morning, December 11th, with President Cameron in the chair. The meeting was called to order and the president appointed the following committees : Committee on Credentials: L. H. Pickard of Shelby county, E. J. Curtin of Winneshiek county and T. W. Purcell of Franklin county. Committee on Resolutions : C. W. Hoffman of Decatur county, H. S. Martin of Hardin county and A. L. Denio of Buena Vista county. Vice-President Brown was called to the chair and the president made the following address : PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. C. E. CA3IEK0N, ALTA, lA. We are again assembled in annual convention in the interests of the Department of Agriculture of Iowa. It becomes our business at this meeting to review the work of the last year and to prepare for the work for the year to come. In reviewing the work of the last year I will leave that largely with our able and efficient secretary, Mr. Simpson, as he has the data of all the business for the year in his report. I can but feel proud as a member of the directory of the Depart- ment of Agriculture for the great fair of 1907. The Iowa State Fair is the greatest agricultural fair held in the world, speaking from a strictly agricultural standpoint. There are fairs that have larger gate receipt; there are fairs that have larger gross receipts, but in exhibits that come directly from the farm, Iowa is in a class by herself; and of all the fairs I have visited there is none where the people are more interested in the products of the farm than the people of Iowa. 164 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. I wish to mention a few of tlie entries in the different de- partments of the fair for 1907: Horses 1,132, cattle 1,146, sheep 586, hogs 2,264. The increase in all departments this year was about twenty per cent over any year in the past, but in our gross re- ceipts of the fair of 1907 we fell short about $6,000 of the banner year of 1906. We think we can account for that — the weather man did not treat us just right, as we had three rainy days, and the new adjust- ment in passenger rates of an advance of one cent per mile for the round trip I am satisfied cut the Iowa State Fair fifteen to twenty per cent of the gross receipts. The people of Iowa are proud of their state fair and they are loyal to it by their attendance. I am glad to see the friendly feeling that has been manifested toward it by the mem- bers of the legislature in the last few years. I know they feel a sense of pride when they visit the fair and see the magnificent equipment they have provided for showing to the world what Iowa can produce, and I hope they will continue this good work until our equipment is equal to our exhibits. New improvements have been built on the grounds the last year as follows: Swine pavilion, horse barn, water works and electric light plant. There are several needed improvements that I could recommend for the coming year, but as our means are limited I will not take the time to enumerate them, as they are beyond our reach this year. But there is one important improvement that I would recommend, and that is the building of an administration building for the convenience of all the exhibitors. We have our new and up-to-date horse barns, cattle barns and swine pavilion, but no place for the convenience of the public and the exhibitors. If we had an administration building, standing where the secretary and treasurer's office now stands, large enough to accom- modate all the superintendents of the different departments, people who have business with the various departments would find them all in one building. As the offices now are, located all over the grounds, exhibi- ors do not become acquainted, as they do not come in contact with each other, but with this new building it would be the Mecca of the fair. There is one thing which I wish to congratulate the people of Des Moines, especially the Commercial Club and the Greater Des Moines Committee, for their interest in the fair the last year and taking care of the outside people who visited the fair by appointing committees to see that they had a place to stay and giving any information they desired. The stand the fair has taken the last few years in keeping out objec- tionable shows and other undesirable features has had the approval of the press and the people generally. It has been the object of the fair management to bring the standard higher, and I am satisfied they have accomplished a great work in this line, as the reputation of the Iowa State Fair stands today at the top for clean fairs. We must provide amuse- ment features for the fair, for it takes all classes of people to make a fair. We do not aim to provide any amusement feature to take away any interest from the exhibits. We have no amusement program in the mornings, which gives the people a chance to visit all the departments of the fair and by 1:30 in the afternoon they are tired and want a rest, and it has become second nature to wend their way to the grand stand EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 165 to rest and be amused for the afternoon, and I am sure they feel better than if they tramped all day around the grounds and at night feel so tired they want to go home. But unfortunately we have not grand stand room to accommodate more than fifty per cent of the people who want to take this rest and enjoyment, and I hope some day to see a grand stand that will be in keeping with the fair and the demands of the people. The President : We will now listen to the report of the secre- tary, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson : I desire to say a few words with reference to an article published in a certain newspaper of the state (it is not nec- essary to give the name, as no one but its editor takes it seriously) during the past summer. In the article the editor seemed to take delight in abusing members of the board, and calling on them for financial report, which he stated had never been made. In making such a statement he displayed his ignorance, or for reasons, known only to himself, maliciously desired to misrepresent the department. If he was at all conversant with the facts, he would have known that at each annual meeting a statement of the receipts and disbursements for the previous year has always been made by the secretary to the convention. This statement is published in the annual Iowa Year Book of Agriculture, the official publication of the department. He would also know that the law provides for a finance committee, appointed by the state Executive Council, to make a yearly examination of the Department of Agriculture, pre- vious to each annual meeting. This statement is published in the proceedings of the Executive Council. He would also know that the State Executive Council has regularly in its employ an expert accountant whose duties are to annually examine the accounts of the various state departments. No further comment is necessary except to state that the Year Books are for free distribution, as well as the proceedings of the State Executive Council, and may be had for the asking. SECRETARY'S REPORT. I have the pleasure to present my annual report as secretary of the Iowa State Board of Agriculture to the State Agricultural convention. The farmers of Iowa have much to be thankful for, notwithstanding the harvests have been less bountiful the past season than for 1906. While the yield of almost all farm corps was lessened by a most un- favorable crop season, first too dry and then too wet, this was over- come to a certain extent by increased prices. The currency flurry has had its effect on the live stock market, which will of necessity further 166 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. reduce the price of all farm products; this condition, however, will im- prove within a short time. There is no real cause for worry or uneasi- ness on the part of the farmer, as he is better able to withstand the present situation than other business interests. The prices received at the farm sales the past two months and the strength of the country- banks is evidence of the faith of the farmer in the future. In this report we will touch only upon the affairs of the State Board of Agriculture, as managers of the State Fair and Exposition, its finances to the close of the fiscal year, November 30th, the county and district fairs and the farmers' institutes. The Fifty-Third Annual Iowa State Fair and Exposition was suc- cessful in all departments. The number and educational value of exhibits was never before equalled, and showed a large increase over previous years. Ninety of the ninety-nine counties in the state were represented by exhibits in the various departments, supplemented by exhibits from twenty different states, and one foreign country. The exhibitors in the several departments number close to fifteen hundred, about three hundred being duplicates, or having exhibits in more than one department, thus reducing the actual number of individual exhibitors to a few less than twelve hundred. Four thousand cash prizes, aggregating in round num- bers $28,000.00 cash, were awarded in the various departments other than for speed, giving an average of about $32.00 to each exhibitor. The indi- vidual amounts received by the various exhibitors varied from $1.00 to $750.00, the smaller amount being generally in the children's and the larger in the stock departments. To show the number of exhibitors and entries in the various departments the following table is given: Department Number of Exhibitors Number of Entries Horses Cattle Swine Sheep , Poultry Agriculture Farm implements and machinery Pantry and apiary Dairy Horticulture Floriculture Art, needle and childrens' Total 84 97 267 28 86 108 299 114 112 29 22 235 1,481 1,132 1,146 2,264 586 1,378 1,021 1,417 112 489 281 2,493 12,319 You will notice that one-third of the entire number of exhibitors were in the stock departments, and eighty per cent of the stock exhibitors were from Iowa. A glance at the awards will show that the Iowa breeder received his full share of the prizes. This speaks well for the breeders of Iowa when you consider that only the stock from the herds of the more prominent breeders of other states will venture into the ring at the annual Iowa show. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 167 Forty-two Short-Horn breeders from eight different states entered 305 animals. A few years ago this list in itself would have been con- sidered an excellent show. The total number of individual cattle entered was 805, with 1,146 entries; horses, 472, with 1,132 entries; 3,000 hogs, and about 450 sheep, giving a grand total of over 4,700 animals listed for entry in the four live stock departments. As live stock is one of the chief sources of wealth for the Iowa farmer, it is the hub around which our fair must be built to give it sta- bility. The managing board of the fair has given due cognizance to this fact by so arranging the prize list that the best stock exhibit may be brought out. About seventy per cent of all cash premiums is paid out in the four stock and the poultry departments, amounting the past sea- son to over $18,000.00. Nor must one lose sight of the farm implement exhibit. This year the show covered about forty acres, and was made by about three hundred exhibitors. Inquiry of the exhibitors in this department will convince you of the interest taken in their exhibits by the visitors. Special effort has been made by the management to interest the boys and girls. For the past four years a scholarship of $200.00 cash has been given for a boys' judging contest at the fair. This was augmented this year by a second prize of $100.00 and a third of $75.00 cash pre- mium; in addition, a cooking contest for girls was inaugurated with a scholarship of $100.00 for first prize, $50.00 for second and $25.00 for third. A lively interest was taken in both these contests; in the former, thirty-eight of Iowa's best boys took part, and in the latter, ten girls. Some half dozen students now at the State College at Ames have received as- sistance through their ability to win one of these coveted prizes in the past. The amusements were of the same high standard that has char- acterized this department in the past. The attendance shows a slight decrease from 1906 — about nine per cent. This was nothing more and indeed much less than could be rea- sonably expected with a twenty-five per cent increase in railway rates and unfavorable weather during the week, there being rain on three of the five days. While the decrease in attendance was only about nine per cent, the loss on number of passengers brought in by the various railway companies was from twenty to thirty per cent (one road re- ported an increased traffic). This brings out very clearly one point, viz., that the visitor is slowly beginning to realize that it is an utter impossibility to cover the ground, to any degree of satisfaction, in one day, he therefore maKes his plans to spend two or more days at the fair. This, and the fact that the city people are awakening to the fact that the Iowa State Fair and Exposition is more than a pumpkin show, accounts for the small percentage in decreased attendance as compared with the larger f)ercentage of decrease of visitors brought in by the railroads. While the receipts from the ticket sales show a correspond- ing decrease, the receipts from other sources were slightly larger, leav- ing a net decrease of only about six per cent in the total receipts of the fair over 1906. 168 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The attendance is naturally limited to Iowa, although one sees many visitors from other states who are attracted by the large and varied exhibit. The state fair is recognized as an important educational force and is the most effective advertisng medium that the state possesses. The fame of the annual stock show at the Iowa State Pair has gone broadcast throughout the United States and Canada. It is second only to the great international show held annually at Chicago, and as a breeders' show for the four classes of live stock, viz., horses, cattle, swine and sheep, has no equal. The imperative need today in Iowa is for a thorough and concerted effort on the part of all for a greater knowledge in the methods of more intensive farming, followed with a well conducted and systematic cam- paign of advertising that will show and prove to the world the almost unlimited resources of our soil, not surpassed by any agricultural lands the world over. For many, many years all our lands have been utilized for farming purposes. This being true, there is no other alternative but for the coming young man or renter to seek new fields, as he has not been properly educated to the methods of more intensive farming. Prove to him that it is possible to produce on eighty acres what his father or grandfather produced on one hundred and sixty and see how quickly he will accept the opportunity to make his future home in Iowa. The average size of the Iowa farm at the last census was 156 acres; it should be less than this. Then again, with the smaller farm the great problem of help is practically solved. The trite saying, "all is not gold that glitters," can well be applied to much of the literature giv- ing glowing accounts of the great possibilities for farming in the semi- arid regions. Thousands of dollars are expended annually in advertising cheaper lands to attract the young man from the Iowa farm. Let us do a little advertising at home, not especially to attract those from the east, west, north or south, but to demonstrate more emphatically to our own people that by the application of more scientific and intensive farm- ing their condition will be bettered by remaining in Iowa. The loioa State Fair and Exposition is the best possible medium, through which the resources and great possibilities of our state may be advertised, for it is here, as at no other place, one may see from year to year what improve- ment is actually taking place. The work of improving the fair grounds is constantly being carried on. During the last year some substantial improvements were made. Chief among these was the new hog barn and show pavilion, erected at a cost of $77,000.00. This building is well put up, being of brick and steel, with cement floor in all of the pens. Its construction is open, thus insuring the best light and ventilation. The extreme dimensions of the barn are 35Bx522 feet, built in the shape of the letter "E"; the show pavilion is 113x200 feet; this makes a combined area of over three acres under roof, two and one-half acres in the barn and one-half in the show building. There are 1,156 pens, each 6x7 in size. The maximum capacity of the barn is over 3,000 hogs, and at this there were many dis- appointments this year, by breeders not being able to secure pens and therefore unable to bring their show hogs. There is a tendency with some of the breeders to occupy too many pens with sale hogs. While CO S CO ^ p-^s p9 P; ■^3 o o o »5 O ■<) o c Ms D cy p. p a 170 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. selling is one of the most potent factors in encouraging the breeder to bring his show stuff to the Iowa fair, the fundamental purpose of the institution is to stimulate pure breeding and to show its results; there- fore, the more breeders we can have represented the more beneficial the show will be. A system of water distribution was installed, connecting with the Des Moines water company's main at Thirtieth street. Six and eight inch mains were laid and twenty-four fire hydrants put in, which not only guarantees ample water supply for the future, but also affords splendid fire protection. About $11,600.00 was expended for this improve- ment. During the week of the fair the Des Moines fire department main- tains a sub-station on the grounds. An electric light and power plant was partially installed at an expense of $12,000.00. The necessity for maintaining a plant for this purpose arises by reason of the management having been unable to get the Edison Light company of this city to furnish the current for the neces- sary light and power. First section of the proposed new Horse Barn at the lows State Fair and Exposition grounds, erected 1907. The first section of the proposed horse barn was erected at a cost of about $10,500.00. New walks, streets and other minor improvements were made, bringing the total amount expended for improvements the past season up to over $116,000 .,00; $41,000.00 of this amount being avail- able from the state fair surplus, $75,000.00 appropriated by the last general assembly for the hog barn. During the past six years the management has put on improvements to the amount of $140,000.00 out of the receipts of the fair. The surplus, if any, is always used for bettering the exposition grounds. This money has been judiciously expended, and where most needed. The people of Iowa, especially those who attend the fair, may feel sure that all the EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 171 money they expend for tickets will be used; that not needed for current expenses and premiums, in building up the institutions and adding to its permanence and utility. Three hundred thousand dollars in round numbers, has been used in bettering the facilities and grounds the last six years. The finances of the department are in excellent condition, as the re- port of the finance committee appointed by the executive council, will show. There is now in the treasury substantially $35,000.00 — $15,000.00 in the reserve fund and $20,000.00 in the working fund. The total re- ceipts from all sources at this year's fair was $104,356.75, being about six per cent less than the receipts for 1906 ($6,000.00 in actual figures). To show the constant and rapid growth of the institution, the receipts, cash premiums paid, improvements made, and the condition of the treasury at the close of each fiscal year is given for the past six years: '§s Improvements 1 m o a i en a> cc fc-O ■M t^ a a-- l4 ■3 a (U CS^ t»a >.o tf o 03 « d t» (HO "cSO 1902.. 1903* . 1904. . 1905. . 1906.. 1907*. i 63,084 59,838 66,138 84,121 110,929 104.356 S21,736 23,813 24,691 28,730 31,703 35,504 47,000 $ 37,000 $ 25,936 17,855 12,640 11,963 30,035 41,391 75,000 $159,000 $139,820 $ 62,936 17,855 59,640 11,963 30,035 116,391 $30,372 28,963 29,657 39,976 50,294 35,327 * Rainy week. It will be seen that the management has kept well within its re- sources in the expenditure of funds. In fact each year, at the first board meeting, a reserve fund of $15,000.00 is set aside for the next season to guard against any deficit and to guarantee the payment of premiums. We would also call your attention to the increased amount paid out in premiums each year. The aggregate increase paid for this purpose in the past four years has been about $48,000.00. This is in accord with the policy of the board — to increase the amount of cash premiums by a more extensive classification of the prize lists as the revenue from our fair receipts grows, keeping in mind that the Iowa State Fair and Exposition is not maintained for any pecuniary profit but for the prac- tical information received through an inspection of the exhibits. A complete statement, giving in detail the receipts and expenditures of the department for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1907, will be appended and made a part of this report. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. There were two less institutes reporting and receiving the state aid for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, than for the preceding year. Seventy-eight of the ninety-nine counties reported as having held insti- 172 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. tutes, and received the state aid through the state auditor's office to the amount of $5,566.50. Agricultural and domestic short courses were held in two or three counties, which are not recognized by the state auditor as regular institutes under the Iowa statute. Through the co-opera- tion of the extension department of the State College at Ames several additional counties will hold short courses the coming winter. Through this department of the college a great deal of assistance has been rendered the county farmers' institutes of Iowa. To encourage a better corn ex- hibit at the farmers' institutes the fair management included a class in last year's prize list for county exhibits of corn made in the name of the county by the farmers' institute. The prize was a cash offering of $200.00, divided into five premiums — one hundred, fifty, twenty-five, fifteen and ten dollars. These prizes were paid to the officers of the institutes winning, and are to be used in cash offerings on com at their next institute meeting. The Polk county institute was first in this class, Dallas county second, Story county third, Mahaska county fourth and Warren county fifth. COUNTY AND DISTRICT FAIRS FOR 1907. Eighty-nine county and district societies reported holding fairs the past year and received the state aid to the amount of $16,932.00. This is an increase of five over the number reporting in 1906. The compara- tive financial statement will show a slight increase of average receipts, balance on hand at the close of the year, and value of property. On the other hand, it will also show a slight decrease in the average amount paid out for premiums and present indebtedness. The total amount paid out for premiums this year for eighty-six of the eighty-nine fairs re- porting (three statements not being available at the time this report was prepared) was $57,567.00, as against $59,961.00 in 1906 for the eighty-four societies reporting. The total value of fair ground property is listed at $514,496.00, as against $496,702.00 for 1906; and a total in- debtedness of $100,007.00 as against $lOo,507.00. The average value of property is given at $5,982.00, as against !t>5,913.00 for 1906. The aver- age indebtedness is $1,163.00 and for 1906, $1,232.00. The following eight fairs paid out over one thousand dollars each in premiums: I.Union district, Muscatine county $1,515.00 2. Marshall county 1,416.00 3. Clinton district, Clinton county 1,239.00 4. Clinton county 1,122.00 5. Cass county 1,037.00 6. Henry county 1,013.00 7. Kossuth county 1,011.00 8. Columbus Junction district, Louisa county 1,006.00 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 173 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT. BECEIPTS AKD DISBURSEMENTS FOE THE FISCAL YEAE ENDING NOV. 30, 1907. RECEIPTS. Cash balance on hand Dec. 1, 1906 $ 50,294.87 From collections by superintendent of fair grounds.? 2,227.68 From state appropriation for swine barn 75,000.00 From state appropriation for insurance 1,000.00 From fees, division of horse breeding 2,092.50 From interest 1,132.16 $ 81,452.34 By receipts from 1907 State Fair exposition — From rental of space. Exposition building $ 2,107.50 From rental of space, Machinery Department. . . . 1,184.50 From rental of space, Dairy Department 693.37 From rental of space, Agricultural Department. . 263.28 From rental of stalls. Horse Department 616.00 From rental of stalls. Cattle Department 987.00 From rental of pens. Swine Department 1,175.00 From rental of pens and coops. Sheep and Poultry Departments 302.10 From rental of light and power 321.00 From sale of concessions 13,973.75 From advertising in premium list 431.00 From forage 3,548.05 From entry fees, speed department 4,350.80 From exhibitors' tickets 2,340.00 From Am. Short-Horn Ass'n special premiums. . 750.00 From Am. Hereford Ass'n special premiums 479.61 From sale of tickets 70,544.90 From miscellaneous sources, by secretary 288.89 $104,356.75 Total receipts $236,103.96 DISBURSEMENTS. To expense warrants paid — Issue of 1906 and former years $ 79.68 Issue of 1907 165,142.09 $165,221.77 To premium warrants paid — Issue of 1906 and former years $ 152.50 Issue of 1907 35,401.79 35,554.29 Total cash balance in treasury, Nov. 30, 1907 35,327.90 Total disbursements $236,103.96 174 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SUMMAET. To cash balance Nov. 30, 1907 $ 35,327.90 Unpaid expense warrants: Issue of 1906 and former years $' 35.00 Issue of 1907 7.19 $ 42.19 Unpaid premium warrants: Issue of 1906 and former years $ 31.00 Issue of 1907 103.00 $ 134.00 Total unpaid warrants 176.19 To credit profit and loss $ 35,151.71 SUMMARY BECEIPTS AND DISBUESEMENTS OF IOWA STATE FAIR, OF 1907. To total receipts $104,356.75 To total disbursements account — 1907 fair $79,151.99 To net profit, 1907 fair 25,204.76 $104,356.75 STATEMENT OF EXPENSE AND PREMIUM WARRANTS ISSUED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, DEC. 1, 1906, TO NOV. 30, 1907. Improvements and repairs — Swine barn $77,166.86 Water distribution system 11,599.96 Electric light and power plant 11,922.45 First section of horse barn 10,327.73 Fencing 324.37 Streets 712.01 Walks 718.14 Removing old swine barns 529.22 Miscellaneous improvements — Painting $201.81 Turn stiles 299.94 Sewer 219.26 Closets 113.65 Entrances 106.90 Salary assistant foreman of improvements. 154.12 Furniture 58.41 Map of grounds 37.41 Judges' stand 54.00 Lumber 553.77 Hardware 377.99 Other building material 150.10 • Pay roll, emergency horse barns 447.32 Miscellaneous improvements and material. 453.63 $ 3,158.31 $116,459.05 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART^IV. 175 Expenses other than for improvements of fair of 1907 — Insurance $ 1,653.41 Fair ground maintenance 1,735.03 * Expenses of committee on investigation of feeds, seeds, etc 420.92 1906 bills paid in 1907 258.33 Expense of winter meeting 527.68 Clerk hire 300.00 Miscellaneous office expense 147.66 5,043.03 Expenses of 1907 fair — Postage 548.00 Advertising 4,769.85 Meetings of executive committee 748.90 Meetings of special committee 785.56 Expenses telegraph and telephone 331.98 Printing 1,621.90 Attractions 12,035.15 Board meeting 298.20 Clerk hire 2,016.15 Expenses privilege department , 525.03 Expenses forage department 3,310.16 Expenses light department 606.88 Expenses president's department 90.00 Expenses ticket department 321.50 Expenses police department 1,430.00 Expenses treasurer's department 1,001.60 Expenses gate department 1,598.50 Expenses speed department 427.10 Expenses horse department 711.25 Expenses cattle department 701.00 Expenses swine department 600.45 Expenses sheep and poultry department.. 342.20 Expenses machinery department 354.45 Expenses agricultural department 549.75 Expenses dairy department 260.45 Expenses horticultural department 128.50 Expenses floricultural department 72.50 Expenses art and needle department .... 563.80 Expenses judging contest 95.20 Expenses rest cottage 50.45 Expenses auditing committee 61.80 176 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Miscellaneous expenses — Flower beds $353.41 Track work 241.25 Stationery and other office supplies 111.02 Transportation 125.00 Scavenger work 197.70 Expenses special exhibits 137.70 Decorations 430.70 Water rental 122.86 Rental of tents , 312.05 Ribbons and badges 480.44 Merchandise 461.18 Admissions refunded 29.25 Sup't of grounds pay roll for labor, team work, etc 3,686.38 $ 6,688.94 $43,647.20 Premium awards, 1907 — On horses $4,567.00 On cattle 8,359.00 On swine 2,565.00 On sheep 1,892.00 On poultry 883.00 On agricultural products 2,745.50 On pantry products 711.00 On dairy products 615.99 On horticultural products 945.50 On floricultural products 881.80 On art and needle work 1,782.00 On scolarships 500.00 On winter corn premiums 332.00 On speed 8,725.00 $35,504.79 $ 79,151.99 Total $200,654.07 Respectfully submitted, J. C. SIMPSON, Secretary. Iowa Department of Agriculture. The President: Next in order is the report of the Treasurer. To the Board of Directors of the Iowa State Board of Agriculture: EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 177 REPORT OF TREASURER. Gentlemen: — Herewith please find report of your treasurer for the year 1907: Receipts Disbursements Cash on hand $ 50,294.87 Expense warrants $165,221.77 Gate receipts 55,010.25 Premium warrants 35.554.29 Amphitheater receipts 5,144.75 Balance 35,327.90 Bleachers receipts 526.65 Quarterstretch receipts 913.50 Evening receipts 952.25 Evening amphitheater receipts ... 4,961.75 Reserved seat receipts 1,631.75 Campers' tickets 1,404.00 Superintendent of privileges 13,973.75 Superintendent of agriculture 263.28 Superintendent of swine 1,173.00 Superintendent of sheep and poultry 302.10 Superintendent of horses 616.00 Superintendent of fine arts 2,107.50 Superintendent of dairy 693.37 Superintendent of grounds 2,227.68 Superintendent of electric light. .. 321.00 Superintendent of cattle 989.00 Superintendent of machinery 1,184.50 Secretary 91,413.01 Total $236,103.96 Total $236,103.96 Balance on hand December 1,1907. 35,327.90 Respectfully submitted, G. D. Ellyson, Treasurer. This is to certify that G. D. Ellyson had on deposit as treasurer of the State Board of Agriculture at the close of business December 1st, 1907, $15,000.00 in a savings account and $20,327.90 on open account, making a total of thirty-five thousand, three hundred and twenty-seven dollars and ninety cents ($35,327.90). D. F. Witter, Vice President. REPORT OF AUDITING COMMITTEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE YEAR 1907. Des Moines, Iowa, December 11, 1907. To His Excellency, Hon. Albert B. Cummins, Governor: In compliance with the instructions of the executive council we, as a committee, duly appointed to examine the books of the Department of Agriculture, for the year 1907, as provided by Section 1657-Q, supplement to the Code of 1897, beg leave to report that we have examined the ac- counts of the sources from which money received came into its treasury, and the vouchers and warrants of its expenditures, a detailed account of same being attached and made a part of this report. Your committee find that no warrants have been drawn except on duly authenticated vouchers, which are on file, duly numbered with warrant number. We also commend the secretary of this department for the efficiency of the system of bookkeeping in vogue in his office, and the accuracy of his accounts with the treasurer of said department. A. H. Grissell, C. W. Hoffman, J. C. Flenniken, Committee. 12 178 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 179 Statistical Information With Reference to Improvements at the State Fair and Exposition Park Together With a Comparative Financial Statement For Several Years. MONEY EXPENDED FOR IMPROVEMENTS UPON THE STATE FAIR GROUNDS IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. From special appropriations by the legislature: In the year 1902, for stock pavillion S 37,000.00 In the year 1904, for agricultural building 47,000.00 In the year 1907, for swine barn 75,000.00 Total $159,000.00-$159,000.00 From receipts of the state fair: In the year 1900 $ 8,115.59 In the year 1901 13,378. 73 In the year 1902 26,457.12 In the year 1903 17,855.77 In the year 1904 12,641. 11 In the year 1905 11,963.09 In the year 1906 30,035.33 In the year 1907 41,459.05 Total $161,935.79-$161.935.7B Total amount expended for improvements in eight years. Reserve or emergency fund created within the past six years 8320,935.79 15,000.00— 15,000.00 Total §176,935. 79-8335,939. 79 STATEMENT OF AMOUNTS PAID FOR PREMIUMS IN 1907. 1906, 1905, 1901 AND 1896 On What Account 1907 1905 1901 1896 Horses Cattle Swine Poultry Sheep All other premiums. Speed ,567, ,359 ,565, 883, ,892 ,523, ,725, Totals 1535,504.79 $31,703.94 $28,556.89 | $19, 203. 84 $16,194.79 $ 3,672.00 $ 2,941.00 8,133.00 2,525.00 904.00 1,456.00 7,801.44 7,212.50 7,274.00 2,179.00 731.50 1,496.00 6,790.39 7,145.00 $ 1,548.90 S 1,133.10 4,786.80 i 2,285.10 1,133.10 569.25 867.60 5,548.19 4,750.00 952.20 I 917.55 5,533.91 5,372.93 Increase In 1907 over 1906. Increase in 1907 over 1905. Increase in 1907 over 1901. Increase in 1907 over 1896. .S 3,800.78— 12i per cent . 6,949.83— 24 per cent . 16,300.88— 85 per cent . 19,309.73-120 per cent 180 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE IOWA STATE DEPARTMENT Showing Receipts and Disbursements of Iowa State Fair and Other Sources and Profit of Fair for Each Year Receipts ss ctf (-1 03 o V > 4) O a*" O ctf sag Si o 2 +j 0) fl^ O V >• H $ 116.79 $ 36,622.10 8 7,000.00! 28,616.55 34,244.93 $12,000. 00 30,372.251 15,000.00 28,963.111 15,000.00 29,657.23 39,976.34 50,294.87 15,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 W, 712. 91 63,084.71 59.838.56 66,100.36 84,786.25 110,929.85 104,356.75 1,000.00 38,000.00 1,000.00: 48,000.00' 1,000.00 1,000.00 76,000.00 6,710.22 2,753.82 3,037.06 3,140.79 2,622.03 2,840.92 3,717.16 5,452.34 50.332.32$ 50,449.11 54,466.73! 83,083.28 104,121.77 63,979.35 116,722.39 88,627.17 115,647.01 185,809.09 138,366.70 94.351.60 145,685.50 118,284.40 155,623.35 236,103.96 S 539,809.39 $ 173,000.00,$ 23,564.12 $ 729,373.51 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IV. 181 AGRICULTURE FOR YEARS OF 1896, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 AND 1906. jenditures. Together With Amount Expended for Improvements, Repairs, etc., and Net. he Years Named. Disbursements Profits of Fair s 3 l^'O il 05 Is o c "^ ,^? ^ CO t- go's ttrt 0) 1 Disburse- ments other than for fair o a CO 1^ Previous year's bus- ihess or outstand'g warrants "(3 o ■a a cS o 1 o S 4) O 05 a o Q, « ,404.29 $ 15,351.06 13,925.87 20,073.34 21.989.56 28,485.42 34,408.62 40,315.60 43,647.20 $ 7,471.95 13, .378. 73 63,457.12 17,855.77 59,641.11 11,963.09 30,035.33 116,459.05 $*14,019.88S 53,247.28$ 152.84 2,313.44 48,821.87, 34,244.93 2,608.69 107,875.46; 30,372.25 1,704.83 65,363.291 28,963.11 3,195.43 116,013 64^ 29,657.23 3,345.27 78,447.87i 39,976.34 3,385.87 105,440.74! 50,294.87 5,043.03 200,654. 07j 35,327.90 S 53,400.12 S .Sfi.«22 lo's ai.8n7..S5S i 81 ,203.83 ,736.31 ,813.13 ,691.68 ,730.89 ,703.94 ,504.79 $ 16.48 118.99 25.20 14.63 139.81 112.26 176.19 83,083.28 138,366.70 94,351.60 145,685.50 118,284.40 155,623.35 236,103.96 50,712.91 63,084.71 59,838.56 66,100.36 84,786.25 110,929.85 104,356.75 33,129.70 41,809.65 45,802.69 53,177.10 63,139.51 72,459.39 79,151.99 17,58 21,27 14,03 12,82 21,64 38,47 25,20 ,384.57l$202,S45.61 8312,790.20 $ 21,546.56 8722.616.94 ■Overdraft of 1895 for $2,798.17. 182 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. The President : Gentlemen, it affords me great pleasure to pre- sent to yon this morning- for an address upon ' ' The State Fair : Its Economic and Educational Value," a gentleman who has been con- nected with the State Fair of Minnesota for the last fifteen years, and for the last twelve years has been its secretary, and now is dean of the Minnesota College of Agriculture, and I feel he comes to you with experience on this subject. I present to you Mr. E. W. Eandall, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. Randall: While listening to the reports of your treasurer and secretary this morning I was reminded of a family I once knew that lived out in Stevens county, Minnesota, one of the prairie counties of that state. This was a number of years ago, before our worthy president or anyone else found it necessary to caution us against race suicide. In this particular family there were fourteen children. One of the little girls, while visiting at the house of a neighbor, was asked how many brothers and sisters she had. She answered, "I don't know; I have not been home since day before yesterday." It occurred to me that it would be unsafe for the visitor to attempt to tell anything about the growth of your State Fair. It is interesting of course to remember, as your treasurer just reminded you, that but a few years ago you had a deficiency to contend with ; that such a condition has been eliminated and you now have a surplus; that there seems to be money in the treasury. It is gratifying also that this growth has been gradual, and there- fore is substantial — a kind of growth that will continue and which will lead you to expect the same rate of increase in the future. With your permission, I will use manuscript this morning, and in doing that I hope to fare better than the clergyman I once heard of. It seems that two Presbyterian ministers exchanged pulpits. One of the ministers was very anxious to know whether he pleased the brother's congregation, and after the sermon he asked one of the elders how he liked the sermon. The elder was rather silent, but finally admitted that there were three things about the sermon which he did not like. The minister, of course, was somewhat per- plexed, but finally asked what the objections were. The elder says, "You read it." The minister braced up a little and said he was sorry that was an objection, but that it was his custom, his own people were used to it, and he hoped they would overlook that part of it, and asked what further objection he had to the sermon. The elder says, "You didn't read it well." Of course the minister was a good deal disappointed, but finally mustered up courage for the third objection, when the elder said, "It wasn't worth the readin'." EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 183 THE STATE FAIR— ITS ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL VALUE E. W. RANDALL, DEAN MINNESOTA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. The state fair is constantly growing in usefulness and popularity. Most of the states of the Union have a fair and a number of those states not supplied are planning to organize, locate and promote such a fair in the near future. In some of the states the organization and care of the fair is left largely to private initiative but usually the enterprise is of a public character and is promoted, financed, officered and man- aged under state direction. Usually sites are well chosen, with reference to centers of population and transportation facilities, improvements are carefully made and the management is good. The fairs as a rule are succeeding. The reports of the state fairs for the last dozen years will show an almost unbroken record of growth and success. The largest and most useful fairs of today will be found in the states of Iowa, Min- nesota, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana and Texas. The well managed state fair places mile-posts along the pathway of progress and is valuable to the historian. Get a bird's-eye view of the grounds and exhibits of any state fair of fifty years ago. You will find eight-horsepower threshing machines, small plows and crude corn, hay and other kinds of farm machinery. Compare this with a view of the exhibits at any of the state fairs of today and you will have at a glance a better idea than many printed pages will be able to give. Fairs measure and mark eras of development. The state fair provides object lessons upon the resources of the state in which it is held. No one can visit your own state fair without learning of Iowa's magnificent agricultural and live stock possibilities, her coal, her manufactures, her commerce and her transportation facil- ities. Your fair is a success in portraying the resources of your state. In like manner any other state fair, if successful, will portray the re- sources of the people who have promoted it. The ingenuity, enterprise and energy of people is indicated in a state fair. Decadent, non-progressive communities, states or nations do not organize or hold fairs or expositions. Those lethargic people who are satisfied with mere existence and content with whatever is, have no heed of exhibitions, but where there is industry, intelligence, a spirit of progress and abounding life and energy, fairs will continue to grow in numbers and usefulness. The holding of a good fair in any state means that there are resources worthy of general attention and a peo- ple who know how to improve and utilize them. Fairs have educational value. It is conceded that a man, woman or child will learn more of practical and lasting value at a fair in a day than can possibly be learned elsewhere in the same length of time. A fair with an attendance of 200,000 in a week gives more days of instruc- 184 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. tion than a school with an average attendance of 1,000 per day running nine months of the year. Compare the cost of maintaining such a school with the amount usually expended by a state for its fair, and the fair becomes a paragon of cheapness as well as utility. The state re- ceives no better returns for any of the money spent for education than for that invested in the fairs. But few people realize the high relative position which a properly conducted fair should occupy among educational institutions. State fairs provide holidays for the people. State fair week should be known as the holiday week of the year. There is a beneficial mingling of the people. Prejudices between city and country disappear and a feeling of mutual interest and respect takes their place. Acquaintance is greatly extended. All classes of people need respite from labor. Fairs are particularly beneficial to country people in this respect for their opportunities for recreation are not numerous. Since the days of free rural delivery and telephones farm homes are not isolated as they once were, but the need of such an outing as a fair affords will always exist and can hardly be overestimated. An institution which causes a con- siderable proportion of the people of the state to take a holiday once a year and spend a few days enjoyably, in study, in observing and touch- ing elbows with their fellows and in wholesome recreation is worth while for this reason alone. State fairs stimulate and encourage all lines of production. Well managed fairs reach and benefit all avenues of industrial life. There is no home, farm, factory or commercial enterprise that is not benefited, directly or indirectly. No farmer can examine the agricultural, horti- cultural, dairy and other products without feeling an impulse to make the results of bis own labor equal as far as possible to that which he is inspecting. It is not too much to claim that farm methods are better and that crops of grain, corn, vegetables, fruits, etc., are increased from year to year because of the comprehensive exhibits made annually at the fairs are broadened in their scope and others become fittingly repre- and study the best types of all the breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and swine as shown at the fairs and again look with complete complacency upon a lot of scrub stock at home. Initial steps toward improvement are sure to be taken and the aggregate influence of the fairs in the up- building of the live stock of the country is beyond computation. As fairs are are broadened in their scope and others become fittingly repre- sented in the exhibits, there are the same benefits for the miner, in- ventor, manufacturer or other producer as for the farmer or stock- man. In stimulating industry, fairs are exerting an ever widening influ- ence. State fairs broaden and improve markets. The general exhibition of any article of merit increases popular knowledge and demand for it and enhances price accordingly. A few years ago butter frequently sold for six to ten cents per pound. Not half as much butter was made then as now. Today creameries and good home dairies can hardly keep up with their orders and good prices are the rule. Production and price have both doubled. Improved quality is the prime reason for this wonderful change, but the steady exhibition at the fairs of the best EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IV. 185 butter made with the machinery used in making it has been a positive influence, not only in inducing everybody to make good butter, but in calling general attention to the improved article and in creating a larger demand for it and at a much higher price. Let any new and useful article appear among the exhibits at a large fair and almost immediately there is a demand for it that will tax the capacity of its manufacturers. In no way can producers improve their markets with so little expenditure of time and money as in making suitable exhibits at state fairs. State and other fairs are of large incidental value to the cities in which they are held. The advantage in having a city overflowing with visitors during the week of a fair is large. Hotels and restaurants are taxed to their capacity and merchants are busy caring for the sudden influx of customers. These advantages, it should be remembered, are in- cidental and not primary and should be given but little attention in planning the work of a fair. They are constant, however, and are of suflBcient importance to warrant calling upon the favored city for a larger need of support, in case of need, than should be expected from one more distant, realizing only a general benefit from the fair. These inci- dental advantages s-hould never be permitted to loom large in the vision of fair managers or obscure the real purposes for which fairs should be held. Give the primary objects of a fair as much attention as possible; secondary ones will care for themselves. There should be a worthy purpose in every fair. There must be a beneficial object in view. Those who undertake the management of a fair, without well defined ideas of the substantial value of such an insti- tution, thinking only of adding another department to the political ma- chinery of the state or the creation of places for impecunious politicians, will meet with speedy disappointment. Loftier aims than these must be the rule. State fair managers should have an abiding faith in the utility of their work; they should feel that each annual exhibition has practical educational value to every one of their thousands of visitors, and vigor and earnestness will then characterize their every action. There should be a purpose even in the amusements. The races should be so planned and conducted as to encourage the breeding of better and more useful horses, and the athletic features should be so arranged as to stimulate the physical development of the people in the same manner as did the Olympian games for the inhabitants of ancient Greece. For a state fair there should be state management. Private enter- prise is insufficient. Public spirited citizens will not make sacrifices of time and money, nor will newspapers lend their unstinted aid, if, after success is achieved, there are stockholders to be benefited by a division of profits. If, however, the grounds, buildings, equipment and moneys belong to the state; if the institution be conducted solely for the general good and not in any way for personal advancement, and if, when the fairs are run at a profit, it is known that surplus funds will be used for betterments or set aside for increased premiums and a general expan- sion of the various departments, the co-operation of press and people may be depended upon and permanent success may be expected. The management must be characterized by intelligence, frankness and integrity. Men placed in charge must not only know the needs, pur- 186 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. poses and objects of the institution placed under their care, but the people of the state, who own it and in whose interest it should be managed, must be taken into their confidence. Any concealment of any of the features of management will engender suspicion which in time will re- sult in loss of interest and the ultimate failure of the fair. There must not be even a suggestion of anything covered up, for the slightest sus- picion of any wrong doing will cause the institution to suffer. Not only must the managers of a fair be competent and honest, but they must be industrious. Each member of the managing board should be in charge of a department, one in which he is interested and one for the management of which he should be held responsible. He should give personal attention to all the details of his department, and be willing to give the necessary time, thought and labor to make it successful. There are no places for drones. Those connected with fairs who are disposed to regard their duties and responsibilities lightly and whose principal efforts are expended in the distribution of passes among their acquaintances and finding jobs, or at least places on the pay roll for their friends, should be given other employment at the earliest possible op- portunity. They may be royal good fellows, but they are worth nothing to a fair. The exhibition should always be comprehensive. Those planning it should have the clearest possible conception of all the resources, in- dustries, and products interested and each should be fully represented. Manufactures, transportation, commerce, art, science — all should have a place, and the products of the mines and forests should be included. Products of the field, garden, and orchard and dairy should be lavishly shown and live stock exhibits should be complete in all departments. The various departments should receive evenly balanced attention; a few of them should not have unusual effort put upon them to the neglect and detriment of the others. The various departments when combined in one grand exhibition should have such magnitude, variety and interest as to challenge the attention of visitors and prove an inspiration and educa- tion for all of them. Give little heed to the man who speaks or writes of the decadence of state fairs. There is as much interest in them as ever and their field of usefulness is in no way circumscribed. Make the Institution worthy of the hearty co-operation, interest and support of the press and people and you will find it a more potent influence than ever in the advancement of material interests. Its utility is unquestioned. It presents an illumined record of development from year to year and portends what is to be. In this great nation are many great states — great in domain and accomplishment and possibly greater still in more abundant resources and future development. Fairs are heralds of these conditions. A comprehensive fair also interprets a state to each resi- dent thereof, creating within him a keener appreciation of home and all that home implies and gives a new inspiration to the farmer, the mer- chant, the manufacturer and those in other walks of life, suggesting loftier achievements in education and in the evolution of industrial conditions. Every worthy enterprise is given a new impetus. The spirit of a fair Is one of optimism, of hope, and of promise. It points ever forward. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IV. 187 The President : ' ' The State Fair and Exposition, ' ' by the Hon. John Cownie, will be the next address. Mr. Cownie : As you are no doubt aware, the business in which I am now" engaged requires me to travel a great deal over the state. Our state institutions are widely scattered, and I am thus afforded an opportunity of seeing the methods that the farmers practice in agriculture in different parts of the state. I had supposed when I was at home on my own farm in Iowa county, that I had seen some of the worst work done on farms that possibly could be done, but when I travel throughout the state, I am inclined to believe that we were about as good farmers in Iowa county as can be found any- where. It was my good fortune to pass forty years of my life on a farm in Iowa county surrounded by men who had been taught agri- culture in Scotland and England, and there was always a rivalry as to who would do the work best. We had plowing contests every year, and I know if I Avere to tell some of the farmers of Iowa of the work done there, not only at contests, but all the time, they would scarcely believe it. When one goes about the state and takes notice of the poor plowing done and the poorly built, tumbled down fences on almost every hand, it certainly brings to one's mind the need of better training of our farmers. We now and then find men in our state institutions who clearly show their thorough train- ing in farming. We have had a man at one of the hospitals for the insane that turned off work equal to that of any farmer in the state of Iowa. He is insane, but he can plow. A few years ago we had a man at the state penitentiary — he never would tell me where he came from, but I am satisfied he came from England — and that man planted thirty-five acres of potatoes and I would take an oath there wasn't one inch of variation in the furrows all the way through. I was early taught to carry a rule with me to measure the width of my furrows. I was told to plow nine inches deep, and my father used to stick the rule down and if there was the slightest variation, he would say, ' ' Now, Johnnie, you 'aint getting that deep enough; this furrow here is not wide enough." Now that is the training I got in the work, and naturally I like to see work done that way yet. THE IOWA STATE FAIR AND EXPOSITION. BY JOHN COWNIE. While we all recognize the almost marvelous growth of Iowa as an agricultural state and the progress that has been made in developing our material resources, it is particularly gratifying to know that the State 188 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Agricultural Society has kept pace with the general prosperity and was never stronger financially or in the confidence of the people than it is today. The annual exhibits of live stock, consisting of the choicest animals of the respective breeds that can be found, has done more to create an interest in the improvement of farm animals than all other agencies combined. The magnificent exhibits of farm implements and machines have en- abled the dealer and the farmer to see for themselves the large and varied lines of all the leading manufacturers, that without a fair of this kind would have been known to but a few. In poultry, dairying and horticulture everything possible has been done to educate the people to higher standards, and that success has crowned the efforts is abundantly attested by the place Iowa now holds among her sister states. In the amusement department of the fair new attractions ar* being constantly sought after and while still encouraging the fullest exhibits of live stock, dairying, horticulture, farm implements, and machinery of all kinds used on the farm, would it not be well to add some new features? I do not mean to make new departments merely for the novelty, but to add something that would be of lasting benefit to the farmers of Iowa. With this end in view I desire to offer a few suggestions in regard to some new features that would at least be of interest to the young men on the farms of Iowa, many of their fathers no doubt being convinced in their own minds that there is little for them to learn in regard to practical work on the farm that they do not already know. One feature that would prove of immense benefit would be a plowing contest every year, not for the benefit of manufacturers of plows, but to test the skill of the plowman. I am aware that many will say, "I know all about plowing, having spent my life on a farm." But let me tell you that the chances are that you never saw a well plowed field in your life and with all your experience, if you were to apply for a position on a farm where agriculture is a science, the chances are that if put to work with a plow you would not be allowed to go across the field a second time. As I travel over the state and see the farmers "plowing around the field" with the breastworks thrown up against the fences, or the huge ridge at the commencement of a land, with a ditch at the finish, with miniature hills and valleys, following each other as fast as the plow will make them, I often wonder how long it will take for the farmers of Iowa to learn that agriculture is a science. As plowing is now done on the great majority of farms, a townsman who has perhaps never seen a plow can do as good work as the man who has been plowing all his life. Is such a condition creditable to the farmers of Iowa, and does it not belittle the high calling of a farmer that he cannot do his work with the skill of an ordinary mechanic? It requires years of patient application to become an expert carpenter, blacksmith or shoemaker, and it requires just as careful training of the hand and eye to become a good plowman. Let those who have seen plowing done in a proper manner tell of the beginning of a land with the plow without the semblance of a ridge, and EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IV. 189 that could scarcely be detected, of the straight furrows of a uniform depth and width, the surface of the plowed ground so even and uniform that a straight edge would touch every furrow when laid across the plowed ground. By all means let us have a plowing contest at our state fair, offering a good premium, not to the manufacturers of plows, but to the plowman, and the young farmers of Iowa will then see that agriculture is a science, and that it requires as much ability and skill to do the work on a farm in a proper manner as it does in any of the learned professions. No wonder our young men are leaving the farms; there is no incentive for them to remain and follow in the ruts made by their fathers. The young men of today are aspiring and they see nothing in farm work that offers an opportunity for advancement, the most ignorant hired man doing his work about as well as his employer. This condition should no longer exist and we should strive by every means in our power to raise the quality of the work upon our farms to such a high standard that our young men would see in farm life the greatest opportunities to show their skill and make them proud of the high calling of a farmer. Fence building — even the digging of post holes in a scientific manner — is something that few farmers can do. The setting of the post, the brac- ing of the end posts, the stretching of the wire, would make an excellent subject for a contest at our state fair. Everyone who has the least con- ception of a straight line and a well built fence will agree with me that the greater part of our fences are far from being a credit to their owners. The loss from injury to live stock every year is a serious matter, and the greater part of this loss would be prevented by fences properly erected and kept in good repair. The stacking of grain in such manner that the stacks would shed rain as well as the best shingle roof would be an object lesson to the farmers of Iowa, who evidently for a lack of knowledge in the art of stacking — for it is an art — follow the pernicious custom of threshing from the shock. The losses that have been sustained by allowing grain to stand in the field waiting for the threshing machine would, if prevented by proper and prompt stacking after the grain was harvested, in a few years pay and discharge in full every mortgage on every farm in Iowa. Let the fair management raise some small grain, and offer a premium for the best erected stack at the next fair, and thus create an interest in this all important worli. And what can I say of the hay and the straw stacks to be seen in Iowa — heaps of hay and straw thrown together without skill, built in such manner that the wind and the rain are invited to come in, and make themselves at home, with all the hospitality possible accorded, and the wind and the rain accept the invitation so generously extended and do go in, and not only go in, but also take possession, and the loss to the farmers of Iowa every year from this cause is incalculable. Here is one more attraction that could be added to the state fair, a con- test in stacking hay or straw, a liberal premium to be given to the one who builds the most artistic stack, and proves after heavy rains that it is absolutely water-proof. 190 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Is it any wonder that the farmers' sons are leaving the farms and seeking opportunities to test their slvill, their energy, their perse- verance and their ability to surmount obstacles, in competition with the young men raised in our towns and cities, and it must be said that the farmer's boy, trained to early rising, hard work, with a virtuous life and an earnestness and ambition that overcomes all obstacles, as a rule soon distances his competitor in the race. I offer these suggestions to the fair management, not because I desire to criticise the farmers of Iowa in their work on the farm, for having striven all my adult life to elevate and ennoble the calling of a farmer, by striving with all my might to do all the work on a farm in the best and most scientific manner, I would fain have my fellow farmers feel the same thrill of pleasure that I have felt when performing with my own hands the work of the farm and creating a thing of utility and beauty that people passing on the highway would stop and admire. But it will not only require the approval of the fair management to add these valuable attractions to our next exposition, of the best that our farms produce. We must have the hearty co-operation of the newspapers of the state, for without them to incite an interest among the farmers in this new departure, this getting out of the ruts, this effort to prove that modern agriculture is one of the fine arts, would fall flat and be an utter failure. But I depend upon the press of Iowa to champion every good cause, and one that will advance the agricultural interests of our state as noth- ing else will do, would undoubtedly receive the most cordial support of the editors and proprietors of the newspapers of the state. I remember well, when as a member of the state fair directors, calling late one night on Mr. R. P. Clarkson, editor of the Register, in an endeavor to secure his aid in bringing the state fair to the favorable attention of the people of the state. Unfortunately some things had occurred that aroused Mr. Clarkson's antagonism to one of the offlcers and the Register was far from friendly to the State Agricultural Society. In the editor's sanctum we talked over the matter for hours and at two o'clock in the morning, when I at last felt that I had accomplished my purpose, and was about to take my leave, this grand man of the most sterling integrity and unswerving devotion to the best interests of our state, grasped me by the hand, saying, "Mr. Cownie, the columns of the Register are open to you to advance the interests of the farmers of Iowa, and I will see that everything you send will appear in the Register and I will co- operate with you as far as I am able to build up the state fair." At that time my name, as also the names of the other officers of the fair association, were on notes held by a Des Moines bank for about twenty thousand dollars, private citizens carrying an indebtedness, and responsible for its payment while stewards in charge of the property of the state. That night, or rather morning, I went to the hotel with a lighter heart than I had had for many a day, assured that with the help of the press we could pay all expenses, discharge every obligation, principal and inter- est, and put the state fair on a solid foundation. Knowing as I did the financial difficulties that beset the officers of the society, myself included, EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 191 and realizing that the dawn was approaching, is it any wonder that in my heart of hearts I re verve the memory of Richard P. Clarkson? The other Des Moines newspapers heartilj' co-operated with the fair management, doing everything in their power to bring the fair out of the financial difiiculties that had beset it for years, and I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without expressing my heartfelt thanks not only to the editors of the Des Moines newspapers, but also to the editors through- out the state, for their hearty co-operation in that critical period in the affairs of the agricultural society. To bring the attention of the people of the state to the fact that a great state fair and exposition was to be held we wrote a letter to nearly every editor in Iowa, asking if they would include with one of their newspaper issues a supplement that we proposed to have printed, lauding the fair in the highest terms and inviting all the people of Iowa to attend. We received the most favorable responses to our request and we negoti- ated with the Western Newspaper Union for two hundred and fifty thou- sand printed sheets, newspaper size, to which order an additional hundred thousand was afterwards added, when we had ascertained that that num- ber would be required to supply the demand. Shortly after all the supplements had been issued we received a com- munication from the then postmaster general stating that we were violat- ing the postal rules in thus sending supplements to local newspapers to be mailed without payment of postage and asking us to desist from such infraction of the postal laws. To me the duty was assigned to reply to the postmaster general's courteous letter and I humbly apologized in be- half of the society, promising that we would desist, which we did, but three hundred and fifty thousand supplements to Iowa newspapers had been distributed among the people of our state. Now mark the result. The attendance and receipts were large be- yond our most sanguine expectations, and we were enabled to pay all the expenses of the fair and wipe out every dollar of indebtedness, principal and interest, and from that day to this the ofl&cers of the State Agri- cultural Society have not been required to pledge their personal credit for the debts of a state institution. Not only the oflBcers of the fair, but also the people of the state owe a debt of gratitude they never can repay to the editors of Iowa for their aid at a time w^hen the fate of the fair was trembling in the balance. The officers were getting uneasy at being called upon year after year to assume the obligations of an institution in which they had no more interest than any other citizen of the state, except that by the votes of their con- stituents they had been chosen to assume the responsibility of managing an institution that the best people of the state believed would conduce in no small degree in developing the agricultural resources of the state. Threats were openly made by the directors to tender their resignation each year when new notes had to be signed for money borrowed at the banks to make up the deficit in the receipts. The first duty required of me after being elected a director of the Iowa State Agricultural Society was to sign my name to notes aggregating twenty thousand dollars, and I am frank to confess that when signing my name with men of whose financial ability I was ignorant, the cold chills 192 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ran up my back and my hand trembled as I thought of the price I was paying for the honor of being a director of the Iowa state fair. But as I look back to those days of trial and final victory I esteem it as one of the most gratifying periods of my life that I served as di- rector, vice president and president of the Iowa State Agricultural Society and only severed my connection with it when it was out of debt and the foundation laid for future prosperity. All this is ancient history, well known to the former oflBcers of the so- ciety, and I only refer to it as showing that it requires united effort and hearty co-operation of the press of the state to insure a successful State Fair. The well conducted modern newspaper molds in no small degree public opinion, and he who thinks that a great enterprise can be success- fully conducted without the aid of the press has yet much to learn. Unfortunately for the fair there was some antagonism manifested to- wards the management the present year by some of the newspapers of the state, their proprietors no doubt believing that they were entitled to some more compensation for their work in behalf of the fair than ad- mission at the gate, a privilege that many are unable to accept. On the other hand the fair is a state institution, entirely different from a private enterprise, or a corporation, where the profits are to accrue to the in- dividual or the firm. No matter how great the receipts of the fair may be over the expenses, no director of the society receives more than $4.00 per day, all the profits going to the betterment of the grounds, the title to which is in the State of Iowa. Since the fair has been financially successful, great improvements have been made by the erection of new buildings, the legislature having made generous appropriations for this purpose, and these appropriations have been supplemented by the surplus left, after paying the legitimate expenses of the fair. If the State Agricultural Society had been required to pay in the past for all the complimentary notices it has received at the hands of the press it would have long since ceased to exist, and it is questionable if it could even now exist and pay even a fraction of the values it re- ceives from the press of the state. The Iowa Fair and Exposition is a state institution, its chief aim and purpose being to advance the agricultural resources of the state, and in doing so every farmer who attends these annual fairs must be stupid in- deed if he does not profit by something he has seen. To get the necessary information in regard to the fair the farmer must depend upon the enterprise of the newspapers and largely to those that are published locally, so that, in fact, he is the one that secures the greatest profit by the timely publication in his home paper of the attrac- tions offered by the state fair. And as a subscriber to a newspaper he has a right to expect that he will be kept duly informed of what is going on in his own state. When the legislature is in session he wants to know what the lawmakers are doing and the enterprising newspaper will keep him informed. In like manner he desires to know of the new attractions at the state fair, and if the suggestions made in this paper are adopted by the fair management it is only by giving them the widest publicity that they can be made a success. And I do not believe that there is a single editor of a newspaper in Iowa who will willingly withhold from his EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PAET IV. 193 readers anything that he believes will conduce to more scientific methods in performing the necessary labor on a farm. In behalf of the young farmers of this state, who are willing and anxious to get out of the old ruts, who realize that agriculture is a science and that skill and faithful application will be as well rewarded on the farm as in the business world, I appeal to the fair management to add new attractions such as I have indicated. I have referred to the young men leaving the farm and I do not blame them, for myself I would not stay one day on a farm if I could not do work with my hands in which I could take a pardonable pride and realize that farm labor was something more than drudgery that could be per- formed without skill or previous training. To you, gentlemen of the State Fair management, who are looking for attractions that are novel and attractive, I would commend the sugges- tions in this paper. And in thus affording an opportunity to the young farmers of Iowa to see for themselves that there is both science and art in farm labor well performed and in the rivalry that will be encouraged, and the interest that will be created from year to year, you will have the hearty co-operation of the press of Iowa and the best wishes of the good people of our state. The President : This will close onr program for this morning. I want to call your attention to the fact that delegates should leave their credentials at the desk. We will stand adjourned until two o'clock P. M. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. Convention met at 1:30 P. M. pursuant to adjournment, with President Cameron in the chair. The Committee on Credentials submitted the following report, and on motion of the chairman the report was adopted : REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS. Gentlemen: We, the Committee on Credentials, report the attached list duly elected and entitled to vote in this convention. E. J. CURTIN, T. W. PURCELL, L. H. PiCKARD, C&mmittee. DELEGATES FROM COUNTY AND DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. Buena Vista County Agricultural Society A. L. Denio, Alta Calhoun County Agricultural Society C. G. Koskey, Manson Cass County Agricultural Society E. F. Berg, Atlantic 13 194 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Massena District Fair Association D. P. Hogan, Massena Cerro Gordo County, Northern Iowa Agricultural Society G. H. Purdy, Mason City Strawberry Point District Agricultural Society J. C. Flenniken, Strawberry Point Clinton District Fair Association J. 0. Shaft, Shaffton Crawford County Agricultural Society Thos. Rae, Arion Davis 'County Agricultural Society J. M. Lain Floyd County Agricultural Society John R. Waller, Rockford Franklin County Agricultural Society Floyd Gillett, Hampton Grundy County Agricultural Society H. N. Dilly, Grundy Center Guthrie County Agricultural Society A. H. Grissell, Guthrie Center Hancock County Agricultural Society Jas. L. Manuel, Britt Hardin County Agricultural Society H. S. Martin, Eldora Henry County Agricultural Society O. N. Knight, Mt. Pleasant Iowa County Agricultural Society Alex McLennan, Marengo Victor District Agricultural Society J. P. Boiling, Victor Jackson County Agricultural Society Ed Phillips, Maquoketa What Cheer District Agricultural Society F. H. Beeman, What Cheer Kossuth County Agricultural Society A. R. Corey, Wesley Louisa County Agricultural Society E. Colton, Columbus City Columbus Junction District Fair Association T. H. Grubb, Columbus Junction Lyon County Fair and Agricultural Association. .A. S. Wold, Rock Rapids Madison County Agricultural Society Elmer Orris, Winterset Marshall County Fair Association J. B. Clausen, Marshalltown Eden District Agricultural Society H. G. Buck, Rhodes Mitchell County Agricultural Society W. H. H. Gable, Osage Monona County Fair Association John Sundeberg, Whiting Union District Agricultural Society J. A. Peters, West Liberty Poweshiek County Central Agricultural Society Jas. Nowak, Malcom Sac. County Agricultural Society Phil Schaller, Sac City Shelby County Agricultural Society L. H. Pickard, Harlan Sioux County Agricultural Society J. F. Morris, Ireton Creston District Fair Association W. W. Morrow, Afton Forest City Park and Fair Association V. A. Jones, Forest City Winneshiek County Agricultural Society E. J. Curtin, Decorah Wright County Agricultural Society Sam Nelson, Clarion DELEGATES FROM COUNTIES IN WHICH NO FAIRS WERE RE- PORTED FOR THE YEAR 1907. Clarke County J. L. Long, Osceola Dallas County Chas. Rhinehart, Dallas Center Decatur County G. W. Hoffman, Leon Greene County Albert Head, Jefferson Ida County D. M. Hester, Ida Grove Montgomery County W. S. Ellis, Red Oak Polk County Lew Burnett, Des Moines EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 195 Ringgold County F. E. Sheldon, Mt. Ayr Washington County D. J. Palmer, Washington DELEGATES FROM COUNTY FARMERS' INSTITUTES. Adair County A. C. Savage, Adair Buena Vista County S. R. Haines, Storm Lake Calhoun County Henry Parsons, Rockwell City Cerro Gordo County D. McArthur, Mason City Clinton County E. C. Forest, Miles Dallas County Geo. M. Fox, Dallas Center Dickinson County J. H. Gregory, Spirit Lake Emmet County H. W. Woods, Estherville Franklin County T. W. Purcell, Hampton Guthrie County S- J- Read, Guthrie Center Hancock County John Schwab, Corwith Ida County A. C. Garner, Ida Grove Madison County T.J. Hudson, Winterset Mahaska County F. F. Everett, Lacey Marion County George Simpson, Knoxville Marshall County E. M. Wentworth, State Center Mitchell County W. Harvey Richards, Osage Monona County O. J. Baston, Whiting Monroe County E. B. Morris, Albia Polk County W. B. Ashby, Grimes O'Brien County D. L. Packham, Paullina Sac County Harry Baxter, Sac City Story County W\ P. George, Ames Warren County E. B. Igo, Indianola Winnebago County Eugene Secor, Forest City Wright County F. A. Thayer, Dows DELEGATES FROM OTHER SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS. State Historical Society Wesley Greene, Davenport IOWA STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. Ex-officio. State Dairy and Food Commissioner H. R. Wright, Des Moines State Veterinarian Dr. P. 0. Koto, Forest City Officers. President C. E. Cameron, Alta Vice President W. C. Brown, Clarion Treasurer G. D. Ellyson, Des Moines Secretary J. C. Simpson, Des Moines 196 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. District Members. First District R. S. Jolinston, Columbus Junction Second District C. W. Phillips, Maquoketa Third District E. M. Reeves, Waverly Fourth District R. T. St. John, Riceville Fifth District S. B. Packard, Marshalltown Sixth District T. C. Lego, What Cheer Seventh District C. F. Curtiss, Ames Eighth District John Ledgerwood, Leon Ninth District M. McDonald, Bayard Tenth District O. A. Olson, Forest City Eleventh District H. L. Pike, Whiting Mr. President: The convention will now proceed to the election of the following officers of the State Board of Agriculture: President. Vice President. Member from the First District. Member from the Third District. Member from the Fifth District. Member from the Seventh District. Member from the Ninth District. Member from the Eleventh District. The President named as tellers: T. C. Legoe of Keokuk county, Wm. Clarke of Marshall county and John McMullan of Pocahontas county. Vice-President Brown toolv the chair and called for nominations for president. Mr. Haines of Buena Vista county placed in nomi- nation for president, Mr. C. E. Cameron to succeed himself. Mr. Grissell seconded the motion and moved that the secretary be in- structed to cast the entire vote of the convention for ]Mr. Cameron. Seconded by Mr. Schaller of Sac county. Motion prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote and Mr. Cameron was declared duly elected President of the State Board of Agriculture for the ensuing year. President Cameron again took the chair and called for nomina- tions for Vice-President. Mr. T. W. Purcell of Franklin county placed in nomination Mr. W. C. Brown of Wright county to succeed himself and moved that the secretary be instructed to cast the entire vote of the convention for IMr. Brown. Seconded by Mr. St. John. Motion prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote, and Mr. Brown was declared duly elected Vice-President of the State Board of Agriculture for the ensuing year; Mr. D. J. Palmer of Washington county placed in nomination for member of the board of the First District Mr. R. S. Johnston of Louisa county to succeed himself, and moved if there were no EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IV. 197 further nominations that the secretary be instructed to cast the entire vote of the convention for Mr. Johnston. Seconded by Mr. Legoe. Motion prevailed. Secretary so cast the vote, and Mr. Johnston was declared duly elected member of the Board from the First District for the term of two years. Mr. Van Houten of Taylor county placed in nomination for mem- ber of the Board from the Third District, Mr. E. M. Reeves of Bremer county to succeed himself. Mr. McDonald seconded the nomination and moved if there were no other nominations that the rule be suspended and the secretary instructed to cast the entire vote of the convention for Mr. Reeves. Motion prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote, and Mr. Reeves was declared duly elected member of the Board from the Third District for the term of two years. Mr. Classen of Marshall county nominated Mr. S. B. Packard of Marshall county to succeed himself as member of the Board from the Third District. Mr. Buck of Marshall seconded the motion, and moved that the rule be susended and the secretary instructed to cast the entire vote of the convention for Mr. Packard. Seconded by Mr. St. John. Motion prevailed. The secretary so cast the vote, and ]\Ir. Packard was declared duly elected member of the Board from the Fifth District for the term of two years. Mr. Wentworth of Story county placed in nomination for member of the Board from the Seventh District, Mr. C. F. Curtiss of Story county to succeed himself. Mr. Grissell of Guthrie county seconded the nomination and moved that the secretary be instructed to cast the entire vote of the convention for Mr. Curtiss. Motion pre- vailed. The secretary so cast the vote, and Mr. Curtiss was de- clared duly elected member of the Board from the Seventh District for the term of two years. Mr. John Cownie nominated Mr. M. McDonald of Guthrie county to succeed himself as member of the Board from the Ninth District. Seconded by Mr. Schaller of Sac county, who moved that the rules be suspended and the secretary instructed to cast the entire vote of the convention for Mr. McDonald. ^Motion prevailed. The secre- tary so cast the vote, and Mr. ^McDonald was declared duly elected member of the Board from the Ninth District for the term of two years.. Mr. Easton of Ida county nominated ^Ir. H. L. Pike of Monona county to succeed himself as member of the Board from the Elev- enth District. Mr. Sundberg of Ida county seconded the motion and moved that the nomination be made unanimous and the secretary instructed to cast the entire vote of the convention for Mr. Pike. 198 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Motion prevailed. The secretarj^ so east the vote, and ^Ir. Pike was declared duly elected member of the Board from the Eleventh Dis- trict for the term of two years. The Committee on Resolutions submitted the following report. Mr. Denio moved that the report be adopted, which was seconded by Mr. Purcell. Motion prevailed. REPORT OF COMMITTEE OS RESOLUTIONS. Your Committee on Resolutions respectfully report the following: The large attendance at this meeting indicates the continued interest that the farmers of Iowa have in agriculture, horticulture, etc. The exhibit of corn and the extensive exhibit of fruit speaks in the highest terms of the productive qualities of the soil of Iowa and this con- vention extends to the officers and directors of the State Board of Agri- culture thanks for the program arranged for this meeting. The ofScers and directors of the State Board of Agriculture are espe- cially commended for their efforts in securing the large inci-ease in exhibits and the great success of the Iowa State Fair and Exposition of 1907. This was accomplished only by extraordinary efforts of the oflBcers in working for the success of each department. Had the weather been fa- vorable we believe the fair of 1907 would have been the greatest one ever held in the United States. We hereby extend our thanks to the State Board of Agriculture for its efforts in securing the enactment of the law for the prevention of adulteration and misbranding of condimental stock foods and commercial feeding stuffs and the regulating of sales of agricultural seeds, and in se- curing the passage of other laws in the interest of agriculture. We extend our hearty thanks to the speakers who have appeared on the program, and are especially grateful to Mr. E. W. Randall of Minne- sota for his presence at the Iowa agricultui'al convention. Whereas, The present accommodations provided for the various de- partments on the State Fair Grounds are inadequate for the transaction of the business in the proper manner, as well as being extremely in- convenient for all exhibitors and patrons of the fair; therefore, be it Resolved, That we earnestly recommend the erection of a suitable Administration Building of sufficient capacity for the convenient use of all the officers and superintendents, at the earliest possible moment. Respectfully submitted, C. W. Hoffman, H. S. Martin, A. L. Denio, Committee on Resolutions. There being no further business, on motion the convention ad- journed sine die. PART V. SYNOPSIS OF PROCEEDINGS OF STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS, 1907. EXECUTIVE COMBIITTEE MEETING. January 16, 17 and 18, 1907. Committee met on call of the president with all members present. The matter of vaudeville attractions for the State Fair of 1907 was considered but the closing of contracts was deferred until a later meeting. Bonds of the secretary and treasurer were presented and ap- proved Arrangements were made whereby the treasurer, G. D. Ellyson, agreed to pay, through the I\Iarquardt Savings Bank, four per cent interest on the $15,000.00 reserve fund and two per cent on the daily balance of the State Fair funds. Secretary notified the committee that the Greater Des Moines committee had deeded to the state the strip of land known as the Redhead Tract, lying between the south line of the Fair Grounds and the Rock Island switch. Architect 0. 0. Smith presented plans and estimates on an amphitheater and a hog barn, and the committee decided to recom- mend to the General Assembly that the appropriation for such buildings be made in the following amounts: $75,000.00 for a riS9) 200 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. steel constructed amphitheater and $75,000.00 for a hog barn and show pavillion. Secretary was instructed to have such bills prepared and introduced at the earliest possible date. Mr. A. L. Denio, Superintendent of the Speed Department, met with the committee and the speed program for 1907 was made out. The matter of fakir and novelty stands in the Agricultural build- ing was discussed and the committee agreed to abolish such con- sessions in that building. Bills to the amount of $776.72 were approved and the secretary instructed to issue warrants in payment thereof. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. February 20, 21, 22 and 23, 1907. Committee met on call of president with all members present; also the following members of the Board, R. S. Johnston of the First District, C. W. Phillips of the Second District, R. T. St. John of the Fourth District, John Ledgerwood of the Eighth Dis- trict, and 0. A. Olson of the Tenth District, also A. L. Denio, Super, intendent of the Speed Department. Mr. G. W. Bissell, the engineer employed by the board to plan a new electric lighting system, submitted a report. Action was postponed until a later meeting when a more extensive report would be submitted. Secretary presented a com classification for the Fair of 1907, also a revision of the classification for county exhibits, all of which was approved and adopted by the committee and the members present. Claims to the amount of $655.89, for which warrants had been issued since the last meeting, were approved. Members of the auditing committee being present, all bills on file were passed upon and secretary authorized to issue warrants in payment thereof. Secretary presented a classification for Suffolk Punch horses as submitted by the superintendent of the horse department, C. F. Curtiss, which was approved and ordered printed in the premium list. The executive committee, together with the other members of the board present and some men prominent in the swine breeding industry, appeared before the Senate Appropriation committee and were given a hearing on Senate File No. 94, relative to the improvements on the State Fair Grounds. The same gentlemen EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 201 appeared before the House Appropriations committee the follow- ing day in regard to the same matter. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. March 19, 20 and 21, 1907. Committee met on call of president with all members present. Representatives of a number of advertising manufacturers were present and the committee placed orders for advertising matter for the State Fair. The matter of amusements and vaudeville attractions for the State Fair was considered and contracts were closed for the follow- ing: Innes' Orchestral Band, several vaudeville acts, and the pyrotechnic show "Vesuvius" produced by the Pain Pyrotechnic Company of New York. Mr. G. W. Bissell, the electrical engineer employed to devise a new electric light system for the fair grounds, was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a plant, such plant not to exceed an estimated cost of $10,000. The Secretary was authorized as follows : To have the architect prepare a sketch of the floor plan for the proposed new horse barns. To purchase woven wire fence sufficient to fence the land recently secured as an addition to the fair grounds. To instruct the architects to complete plans and specifications for the proposed hog barn and show pavilion. MEETING OF STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. April 5, 1907. Board met on call of the Executive Committee and on roll call the following members were found to be present : Cameron, Brown, Simpson, Johnston, Phillips, Reeves, St. John, Packard, Legoe, Curtiss, Ledgerwood, McDonald, Olson and Pike. The object of the meeting was to consider plans and specifications and authorize the letting of contract for the construction of the hog barn and show pavilion for which the general assembly appro- priated $75,000, also to authorize the letting of contracts for the horse bam, etc. On motion the following resolution was adopted r Resolved, That the board approve the plans for the hog bam and show pavilion submitted by Smith, "VVetherell & Gage, and that the 202 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. executive committee be and they are hereby authorized and in- structed to advertise for bids for the erection of the hog barn and show pavilion provided for by the appropriation of $75,000 granted by the Thirty-second General Assembly, and be it further Resolved, That they are hereby authorized and instructed to award contract to the lowest responsible bidder, limiting the total amount of the cost of construction, including architects' fees, to the appropriation granted for this purpose. The board on motion approved the general plan of the horse barn and authorized the executive committee, together with the Superintendent of the Horse Department, to have plans and speci- fications prepared by the architects and when completed to advertise for bids and award contract for the erection of same. On motion the salary of the Superintendent of Grounds was fixed at $1,000 per year, with the proviso that $100 additional be paid during the year 1907. Mr. G. W. Bissell submitted a report on the proposed electric light system and on motion of Mr. Johnston the executive committee was instructed and authorized as follows : To finish plans and speci- fications for the electric light plant and when same were ready to advertise for bids and award contracts, limiting the cost to $10,000. The president appointed the following Committee on Per Diem and i\Iileage : Mr. Johnston, 'Sir. Olson and Mr. Reeves. The Committee on Per Diem and ^Mileage reported as follows and on motion of ^Ir. Pike the report was adopted : Q « C. E. Cameron 3 $4.00 W. C. Brown 3 4.00 R. S. Johnston 3 4.00 C. W. Phillips 3 4.00 E. M. Reeves 3 4.00 R. T. St. John 3 4.00 S. B. Packard 3 4.00 T. C. Legoe 3 4.00 C. F. Curtiss 3 4.00 Jno. Ledgerwood 3 4.00 M. McDonald 3 4.00 O. A. Olson 3 4.00 H. L. Pike 3 4.00 < 12 140 < $14.00 $26.00 12 102 10.20 22.20 12 158 15.80 27.80 12 12.00 12 123 12.30 24.30 12 195 19.50 31.50 12 58 5.80 17.80 12 100 10.00 22.00 12 39 3.90 15.90 12 87 8.70 20.70 12 65 6.50 18.50 12 155 15.50 27.50 12 200 3. JOH H. Rei A. Ol 20.00 32.00 R. i E. I 0. $298.20 NSTON, SVES, SON, Committee. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 203 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. April 6, 1907. Committee met with all members present. Committee visited the Fair Grounds and the secretary was in- structed to authorize the Superintendent of Grounds to make the following improvements and repairs: To rebuild the south line of fence so as to include the track of land known as the Redhead Tract recently deeded to the state. To take down the old cattle shed south of cattle barn No. 10 and 13. To have the street south of the new brick dining halls graded and lay a cement sidewalk twelve feet in width along the south side of this building. To make a ditch for the construction of the water way running back of the brick dining halls. To rebuild the fence along the south side of the clover field and to make any necessary repairs of fences on the east portion of the grounds. To remove the Rock Island entrance south to the new line of fence. To complete the curbing around the triangular piece of ground north and east of the secretary's office and have same filled ready for planting. To change the course of the storm water sewer near the south en- trance, running the same farther south so that it would not come under the proposed location for the new horse barn. Secretary was authorized to close contracts with the Iowa State Letters Carriers' Band and Graham's Orchestra for engagement at the State Fair of 1907. Committee named April 24th as the date on which to receive bids for the erection and completion of the electric light plant as per the plans and specifications furnished by Mr. G. W. Bissell. Secretary was instructed to let contract for grading in connection with the new swine barn and show pavilion as per the plans and specifications shown by the architects, and if in his opinion the bids received were unreasonable, to instruct the Superintendent of Grounds to proceed with the grading at once. MINUTES IN VACATION. April 13, 1907. As per the authority and instructions of the Executive Com- mittee secretary open bids received for grading in connection with 204 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the hog bam and show pavilion. Only two bids were received, and after consulting the architects and the Superintendent of Grounds, contract was awarded to Smith & Day of Des Moines for $1,500, work to be completed within four weeks from the date of signing contract. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. April 24, 1907. Committee met as per previous agreement with all members present, also Mr. G. W. Bissell. Bids for the construction of the electric light plant were opened and the following contracts awarded : One 200 H-P engine, $1,670, Ball Engine Co. of Chicago; one 125 K. W. generator and switch- board, $1,669, Fort Wayne Electric Company of Fort Wayne, Ind. ; forty arc lamps, $15.80 each, Western Electric Co. of Chicago ; two 72" 16 ft. boilers, $2,195, allowing $520 as part payment on above price for engine and boiler in the old light plant and the boiler and pump in the pumping station, Globe Machinery & Supply Company of Des Moines. At the solicitation of the Greater Des ]\Ioines Committee, the Executive Committee agreed to allow the use of the grounds during a week or ten days in June, 1908, for the national meeting of the Dunkard church, providing the first named committee would bear all expense for preparing the grounds, the operation of the electric light plant, closets, pay for the water used, provide proper fire and police protection and leave the grounds in as good condition as they were at the beginning of the meeting, the State Board of Agriculture to be at no expense whatever in the matter. Secretary was authorized and instructed to purchase two addi- tional turnstiles. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. May 1, 1907. Committee met with all members present, also board member R. S. Johnston. Object of the meeting was to open bids for the construction of the swine bam and show pavilion and the following contracts were let: General contract, $38,235, J. B. McGorrisk of Des Moines; structural iron work, $29,300, Des ]\Ioines Bridge & Iron Works of EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART V. 205 Des Moines; sewer and catch basins, $1,490, King-Lambert Com- pany of Des Moines. Committee named May 20th the date for receiving bids for erec- tion of the horse barn. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. May 20, 1907. Committee met as per previous arrangement to receive bids for the erection of the horse barn, with all members present, also board member C. F. Curtiss. Only two bids were received and contract was awarded to Chas. Weitz' Sons for $9,651.03. Committee decided to retain the old boiler and engine in the electric light plant, having an option on same for thirty days at $200. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. June 5, 1907. Committee met with all members present. Bids were opened for the construction of the electric light and power house and the foun- dation for the boilers and engines. The bid of Chas. Weitz' Sons for $2,853.56 was accepted and architects instructed to draw up contract with Mr. Weitz as per bid. On the recommendation of ^Ir. G. W. Bissell, the proposition of the Globe ^Machinery & Supply Company to erect the smoke stack and do whatever work necessar\^ in connecting up the boilers and engines in the power house, for $260, was accepted and Secretary instructed to draw contract in accordance with such proposition. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. July 3, 1907. Committee met with all members present. Business of a general character was transacted and committee visited the Fair Grounds to inspect the improvements under way. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. July 12, 1907. Committee met with the President and Secretary present. Secretary presented an offer from W. W. Potts for laying cement floor in the pens of the new swine barn, amounting to approximately 206 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. $2,900, and contract was entered into with Mr. Potts for this work. Contract for cement walk in front of brick dining halls was let to Mr. Potts. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. August 6, 1907. Committee met with all members present, and business of a gen- eral character in connection with the fair was transacted. MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. August 23, 1907. Board met at the president's office on the Fair Grounds at eight o'clock p. m. with the following members present: Cameron, Bro'^\Ti, Simpson, Johnston, Reeves, St. John, Packard, Legoe, Ledgerwood, McDonald, Olson, Pike and EUyson. General business pertaining to the opening of the fair was transacted. MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. August 29, 1907. Board met at the president's office at the Fair Grounds with the following members present: Cameron, Brown, Simpson, Johnston, Phillips, Reeves, St. John, Packard, Ledgerwood, McDonald and Olson. The purpose of the meeting was to agree upon a settlement with Roy Knabenshue, owner of the airship which had been engaged as an attraction and which was destroj'ed by fire on Wednesday night of the fair, and such settlement was agreed upon. On motion the board adjourned. MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. August 31, 1907. Board met at the president's office on the Fair Grounds, at nine o'clock a. m. with the following members present: Cameron, Brown, Simpson, Ellyson, Johnston, Reeves, St. John, Packard, Legoe, Led- gerwood, McDonald, Olson and Pike. The following pay rolls were presented and allowed : Floriculture department, $72.50, presented by J. C. Simpson. Horticultural department, $35.00, presented by E. M. Reeves. EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V. 207 Treasurer's department, $808.30, presented by G. D. Ellyson. Police department, $1,217.50, presented by M. McDonald. Cattle department, $623.20, presented by S. B. Packard. Horse department, $557.55, presented by J. C. Simpson. Swine department, $457.85, presented by R. S. Johnston. Privilege department, $249.03, presented by W. C. Brown. Machinery department, $245.75, presented by John Ledgerwood. Art department, $451.50, presented by T. G. Legoe. President's department, $12.00, presented by J. C. Simpson. Speed department, $296.30, presented by J. C. Simpson. Ticket department, $233.00, presented by J. C. Simpson. Forage department, $317.00, presented by J. C. Simpson. Secretary's department, $405.25, presented by J. C. Simpson. Sheep and poultry departments, $189.70, presented by H. L. Pike. Gate department, $1,475.00, presented by Mr. Olson. Agricultural department, $446.25, presented by R. T. St. John. Grounds, $91.69, presented by J. C. Simpson. Dairy department, $212.45, presented b> J. C. Simpson. The president appointed as Committee on Per Diem and Mileage, Mes.srs. Johnston. Olson and Ledgerwood. Several small bills of a general nature were presented and al- lowed by the board. Committee on Per Diem and Mileage submitted the following re- port and on motion same was adopted : Committee on per diem and mileage reported as follows: « (S ^^ ■- Bo Q K <: S < H C.E.Cameron 19 4.00 76.00 140 14.00 90.00 W. C. Brown 37 4.00 148.00 102 10.20 158.20 R.S.Johnston 19 4.00 76.00 158 15.80 91.80 C. W. Phillips 19 4.00 76.00 76.00 E.M.Reeves 18 4.00 72.00 125 12.50 84.50 R. T. St. John 21 4.00 84.00 135 19.50 103.50 S. B. Packard.. 18 4.00 72.00 58 5.80 77.80 T. C. Legoe 20 4.00 80.00 100 10.00 90.00 Chas. F. Curtiss 19 4.00 76.00 37 3.70 79.70 John Ledgerwood 25 4.00 100.00 87 8.70 108.70 M. McDonald 19 4.00 76.00 65 6.50 82.50 O.A.Olson 19 4.00 76.00 155 15.50 91.50 H.L.Pike 20 4.00 80.00 200 20.00 100.00 R. S. Johnston, 0. A. Ol.sox. John Ledgerwood, Committee. On motion of Mr. Packard the board adjourned. 208 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. EXECUTIVE AND AUDITING COIklMITTEE MEETING. September 19 and 20, 1907. Executive committee met with all members present for the pur- pose of making final settlement with contractors for the swine bam, horse barn, electric light and power house and the machinery in- stalled in same. Secretan^ was instructed to issue warrants in payment of the balances shown, as follows : J. B. McGorrisk, general contractor, for swine barn: Total amount of contract $38,235.30 For extra lumber 869.18 Total $39,104.48 $39,104.48 Previously paid $28,020.40 By credits 275.00 $28,295.40 $28,295.40 Balance due $10,809.08 Des Moines Bridge & Iron company. Contract for structural iron work. Total amount of contract $29,300.00 Previously paid 28,500.00 Balance due $ 800.00 King-Lambert company. Contract for sewer. Amount of contract $ 1,490.00 Extras 67.20 Total " $ 1,557.20 $ 1,557.20 Previously paid 696.58 Balance due $ 860.62 Due architects: Swine barn, 4 per cent of $74,395.80 Horse barn, 4 per cent of 9,651.03 Power station, 4 per cent of 3, 300. .56 Four per cent of $87,347.39 $ 3,493.89 Previously paid 2,456.29 Balance due $ 1,037.60 Chas. Weitz Sons., contract for horse barn: Amount of contract $ 9,651.03 Extras 31.50 Total $ 9,682.53 $ 9,682.53 Previously paid 7,651.03 Balance due $ 2,031.50 EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART V. 209 Chas. Weitz Sons, contract for electric light and power station: Amount of building contract $ 2,853.56 Addition 447.00 Total $ 3,300.56 $ 3,300.56 Previously paid $ 2,805.48 Credit by deduction 144.77 Total $ 2,950.25 $ 2,950.25 Balance due $ 350.31 Secretary was also instructed to issue warrants in payment of all bills audited by the Auditing committee. The matter of insurance on fair grounds buildings was consid- ered and Secretary was instructed to place general form insurance for three years upon the following buildings : the new horse barn, the swine bam and the show pavilion, and the electric light and power house and equipment. The Auditing committee met with members Legoe and Johnston present. Committee examined and audited all bills on file in the secretary's office to date. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. September 30, October 1, 1907. Committee met on call of the president with all members present. Business of a general character was transacted and program pre- pared for the winter meeting. MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. December 12, 1907. Board met at the office of the secretary at 9 :30 a. m., Wednesday, December 12th. Meeting was called to order by the president and the following members responded to roll call: Cameron, Brown, Simpson, Johnston, Phillips, Reeves, St. John, Packard, Curtiss, Ledgerwood, McDonald, Olson, Pike and Wright. H. L. Bosquet, Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court, administered the oath of office to the following newly elected members : Cameron, Brown, Johnston, Reeves, Packard, Curtiss, McDonald and Pike. On motion the board proceeded to the election of secretary and treasurer. 14 210 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr, Johnston moved that J. C. Simpson be elected secretary for the ensuing year, at a salary of eighteen hundred dollars ($1,800) per annum. Seconded by Mr. St. John. Motion was made unani- mous and Mr. Simpson declared elected secretary for the ensuing year. ]Mr. Olson nominated for treasurer G. S. Gilbertson. IMr. Ledger- wood seconded the nomination and moved that same be made unanimous and the secretary instructed to cast the vote of the board for Sir. Gilbertson. Motion prevailed and Mr. Gilbertson was de- clared elected treasurer for the ensuing year. ]\Ir. Packard offered the following resolution and moved its adoption ; seconded by Mr. Curtiss : "Resolved, That the bond of the treasurer be fixed at seventy- five thousand dollars ($75,000), subject to the approval of the executive committee, and be it further "Resolved, That the salary of the treasurer shall be one hundred dollars ($100) per annum." Motion prevailed. Mr. McDonald moved that Jas. H. Deemer be elected superin- tendent of fair grounds for the ensuing year at a salary of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per annum. Seconded by Mr. St. John. Motion prevailed. On motion of Mv. Legoe, seconded by Mr. McDonald, the follow- ing marshals for the State Fair of 1908 were elected : T. D. Doke, Bloomfield; C. M. Akes, Leon; Carl Shields, Af ton ; and T. J. Hud- son, Winterset. Secretary read the report of the Executive committee, reviewing in detail the work of the said committee during the past year and the improvements made. A schedule of estimated receipts and expenditures for the year 1908 and suggestions for new improve- ments Avere presented. The report in full is on file in the record book of the department. Secretary read the resignation of J. R. Sage,