and ready
market for the clip. But the statistics of Iowa show that the rearing of
hogs is a more prominent industry than any of these. The agricultural
fairs that are held at the county-seats in August or September every
year serve to display the growth of these and other industries and the
development of the resources of the country, as well as the advance in
material comfort. The fair-ground is generally a smooth plat of ground
several acres in extent just outside the city limits, and besides the
race-track and wooden "amphitheatre" there are sheds for cattle, stalls
for horses, pens for hogs and sheep and poultry, a large open shed for
the exhibition of agricultural machinery and implements, a long wooden
building--usually called "Farmers' Hall"--where fruits, grain and
vegetables are displayed, and another, called "Floral Hall," where there
is a motley display consisting of flowering plants and cut flowers,
needlework, embroidery, pieced bed-quilts, silk chair-cushions and
sofa-pillows, jellies, preserves, jams, butter, cake, bread--the
handiwork of women. There is generally a crowd of women from the country
around these exhibits, examining them and bestowing friendly comment or
criticism.

The fair which is held here every year affords a good opportunity for a
study of the bucolic character. Farm-wagons, full of men, women and
children, come in from the country early in the morning, and by eleven
o'clock the halls are crowded with red-faced and dusty sightseers, who
elbow their way good-humoredly from one attractive exhibit to another,
and gaze with open eyes and mouth and loud and frequent comment. At noon
they retire to their wagons or the shade of the buildings to eat their
dinner, which they have brought from home in a large basket, and there
is a great flourish of fried chicken legs and wings and a generous
display of pies, pickles and ginger-bread. The young men and half-grown
boys have scorned the slow progress of the farm-wagons, and have come
into town early on horseback. They have looked forward to this occasion
for months, and perhaps have bought a suit of "store clothes" in honor
of it. They have already seen the various exhibits, and now that the
dinner-hour has arrived they seek refreshment--not from the family
dinner-basket, but from some of the various eating-stands temporarily
erected on the grounds--and buy pop-beer, roasted peanuts and candy of
the vendors, who understand the art of extracting m