VOL. LXV
INDIANAPOLIS, SEPT. 24, 1910.
NO. 39
A GREAT STATE FAIR EXHIBIT.
THK    PURDUE   EDUCATIONAL    EXHIBIT AT LAST    WEEK'S INDIANA   STATE   FAIR.
During the last few years the Indiana State Board of Agriculture has attempted to place the State Fair upon a
high plane and to make it educational
in every respect. A step which they
have taken in this direction and which
is appreciated by the people is the securing of an educational exhibit from
Purdue Experiment Station. The State
Board, provided for the use of Purdue
a large building southwest of the live
stock pavilion. This building was
equipped and placed at the disposal of
the University.
Field Crops.
The exhibit consists of small jars of
the different varieties of wheat, oats,
soy beans and cow peas which are being experimented with on the Purdue
farm. In addition there are mounts
of heads of the leading varieties of
oats and wheat so that the spectator
may associate the character of the
grain with the type of the head.
The department has prepared charts
calling attention to the cause of unsuccessful stands of clover and alfalfa
and suggesting means of correcting
these conditions. Other charts suggest varieties of corn, wheat and oats
which have proved to be good yielders
and the section of the state where best
grown. Another chart has been prepared setting forth the value of the
soy bean in its different phases. Still
others set forth methods of growing
wheat and corn more profitably. In
short, the entire crop rotation is taivrn
up and the cause of failure pointed out
and suggestions made that if followed,
will  contribute largely toward success.
The Dairy Exhibit.
The Dairy Department had its usual
attractive, interesting and instructive
exhibit. The Model Dairy was in
operation from 8 a. m. until 4 p. m.
daily. Milk was separated, cream
churned the the Babcock test operated
mornings and afternoons. The various
makes of cream separators were used.
All operations were explained while in
process. Short talks on the various
phases of economic milk production
were given by members of the Dairy
Department.
Animal Husbandry Exhibit.
The Animal Husbandry exhibit consisted of charts showing data of feeding results obtained during a long series of years at Purdue Experiment
Station and bromides showing some of
the animals used in these experiments.
Six 30x40 inch bromides illustrating
Fancy, Selected, Choice, Good, Medium, Common and Inferior feeders
were lessons to the farmer on the type
of steer to select for his feed lots. This
lesson was further illustrated by bromides showing two steers at the end
of a hundred and sixty day feeding period, during which the steer of inferior
feeding type gained one pound per day
and the steer of choice feeding type
gained 3.44 pounds per day.
The value of using supplements, to
corn in hog feeding was shown by a
series of four bromides showing four
lots of four hogs each fed out at the
Purdue Station. LaOt 1 was fed corn
meal only, and made a total profit of
$3.43; Lot 2 fed a ration of one-half
corn meal and one-half   middlings made
on the horticultural side of the building consisted of several good sized piles
of apples which illustrated graphically
the   results  of  some   of   the   teachings
Jersey  Cow   "Purdue's  Golden  Day."—See Record in Dairy Dept. This Week
a profit of $13.22; Lot 3 fed a ration of
two-thirds corn meal and one-third
soy bean meal, made a profit of $14.66;
and Lot 4 fed five-sixths corn meal and
one-sixth tankage, made a proflt of
$12.10. The results, and the pictures
showing   these   four   comparative   lots
and experiments of the Horticultural
Department. At one table attention is
arrested by the sight of two very unequal heaps of fruit, the size of the
pile representing the proportion in the
orchard between diseased fruit and
sound.   Comparison showed that spray-
Of treating bogus, muck and clay soils
were illustrated by bromides and sacks
of grains. The subject of lime was also
treated and results showing the effect
of an application of lime to the soil
demonstrated. Farmers are demanding information on the handling of
soils and this exhibit answered many
of their questions.
Small Saeed Improvement.
One interesting and attractive feature of the Purdue exhibit was the
demonstration of the results of small
seed improvement work. In this exhibit was displayed collections of weed
seeds, common and noxious weeds,
methods of making purity and germination tests and methods of eradicating weeds on the farm. In connection with this exhibit was a large
stand which displayed in glass frames
more than 40 of the common Indiana
weed3. This stand was continually
surrounded by large numbers of people
who are studying weeds and comparing with them samples which they
brought from the farm. No subject
is of more direct importance to the
farmer than is that of weeds and they
are willing to accept any information
that will aid them in solving this problem.
Rural School Agriculture.
While Purdue has planned the exhibit to assist directly the farmers of
the state, they also planned it to help
Indiana school teachers. They placed
on display several school exhibits
which they are willing to aid the teacher in securing for the schools of the
state. Purdue believes that much can
be done for agriculture through the
rural schools and is willing to aid in
every possible way. Literature of helpfulness to teachers is also furnished to
those who wish it.
THE GREAT STATE FAIR
Twin Jersey heifers in charge of Master Frank N. Owen. These heifers
are pure bred, age 3 y_. months, exactly alike in color and appearance, weight
210 pounds each; owned by Solomon Dixon, Greene County.
of hogs, bore a forceful lesson on the
economy of supplementing corn when
fed to swine. In the sheep division,
the safety and economy of feeding corn
silage to breeding sheep, hot house
lambs, etc.; the efficiency of a clover
hay and mangel maintenance ration for
the flock; and the desirability of the
Shropshire-Rambouillet cross for market lambs, were shown by charts and
bromides.
Horticulture.
One of the most interesting exhibits
ing with lead arsenate reduced the
percentage of worminess to 1.5 per
cent and that curculio on the sprayed
trees injured only 12 per cent of the
apples compared with over 82 per cent
on the unsprayed.
Soil Improvement.
On one side of the Purdue Building
was displayed the work accomplished
with the soils of the state. Here was
shown the different types of Indiana
soils and recommendations for methods  of treating same  made.       Results
OBJECT    LESSONS OF THE     STATE
FAIR    AND    ITS    SPLENDID
MANAGEMENT.
By W. A. Graham.
Last week was one, ideal as regards
nice pleasant weather, great exhibits,
and large attendance at the exposition
of the products of the farm and factory, of this great State. Other States,
too, joined with exhibits of a very
creditable character.
Great object lessons presented themselves to those interested in any one
line of industry or more,that were thoroughly distributed over the large and
beautiful grounds. Large flne hogs
of every breed, cattle of every kind
and of the best of quality, sheep, poultry and wild fowls in great profusion,
and horses great in number and fine
in quality both domestic and imported,
were splendidly represented in great
numbers.
Every exhibit had its admirers, and
all departments had many very enthusiastic in their praises of the great collection of competing things, whether
stock, tools, machines, garden, orchard
or fleld products, dairy apparatus,
and many other useful objects; but the
special thing, and the one that attracted the people the most, was the racing
of the world's most admired animals,
the fleet footed horses, trying to break
Continued on page 9.