The display of bread, cake, jellies and preserves was not as good as usual. The secretary of the state fair has permission to purchase some glass cases to preserve these things from dust, and also from the fingers of tasters. Ladies, bring on your cakes; they shall be taken care of. The exhibition of cereals was good. We had many samples of choice wheat, oats, barley and corn, the produce of numerous growers. Our old friends, Pilgrim, Wood, Smith and others exhibited choice samples of cereals, each striving to outdo the other. This is exactly right, gentlemen; come again. The exhibition of the vegetable kingdom was just grand. No southern state can beat it. It surprised many that saw it, that such vegetables could be grown in Wisconsin. The Experimental Farm made an excellent showing, both of cereals and vegetables, but did not compete for any premium. By the by, do the farmers of Wisconsin understand the motive of this Experimental Farm? I fear not. If I understand it at all, it is not to override, intimidate or discourage farmers in making experiments, but rather to encourage them, or rather, gentlemen, to do it for you, and, like the storm signal, give you notice of all failures and successes of all their experiments of new seeds and cereals; and if you will condescend to be forewarned, would saye some from losing their crops. I well remember, in 1856, the experiments with the Fultz and Clawson wheat, also with the Bohemian Hulless oats, selling at ten dollars per bushel, pronounced by this very Experimental Farm to be worthless. Many who did not believe this I have no doubt found it true to their cost. I do not believe that the Experimental Farm pays its expenses. No experimental farm can pay, because they are subject to many failures. They do not expect it to make money, but they do expect that the rock that splits their ship shall serve as a beacon to warn others not to run upon the same rock. In conclusion, I desire to offer my sincere thanks to all the exhibitors of the agricultural department for the kindness and courtesy I have received from all for several years, not even having one unpleasant word from anyone. I shall be glad to see you all again. By W. W. FIELD, SUPERINTENDENT. GENTLEMEN: Having been appointed superintendent of the fine art department for 1879, it becomes my duty, and it is with pleasure that I herewith hand you a brief report of the success which attended this branch of the fair, with some suggestions which I think of importance to coming exhibitions. A fine display of White sewing machines were exhibited by Messrs. Boley & Ruste, of Madison. The Howe, American and Wardwell were also represented. The works of art were numerous, and many of them of a highly meritorious character. The principal exhibitors of paintings in oil from nature, also marine and still life in oil, were Jas. R. Stuart, Madison; Mr. W. P. Stowe, Janesville; Miss Martha McClure, Baraboo; Miss Della Barr, Trempealeau; Mrs. D. T. Newton and Mrs. E. M. Newton, Verona. N. A. Greenbank, of Madison, made a highly creditable display of bird paintings and game and still life in water colors. J. C. Haight, of Madison, also exhibited choice specimens of still life in water colors. A beautiful piece of china painting was exhibited by Mrs. W. H. Hiner, of Fond du Lac, and a magnificent collection of china painting by Mrs. E. Coleman, of the same city. Fine specimens of oil and water color painting on silk, were shown by N. A. Greenbank, J. W. Gross and James E. Burgess, of Madison. Miss Ida Mann, of Madison, had on exhibition paintings on wood panel, and in water colors, which attracted much attention for their real beauty and merit. Miss W. H. Simmons, of Brooklyn, showed some very fine specimens of India ink, water color and oil photographs. Beautiful steel engravings were exhibited by Mrs. Fanny Vilas and Mrs. J. E. Williams, of Madison. A. L. Dahl, of Madison, made a choice display of stereoscopic views of Wisconsin natural scenery. Exhibits in the class of needle, shell and wax work were very numerous, and equal if not superior in merit to former years. I would suggest the propriety of transferring a part, or all, of class 48, domestic manufactures, to the fine art department. I would also recommend that a larger number of premiums be offered, especially in classes 50, works of art, and 51, needle, shell and wax work, and that all second premiums in these classes be stricken out. DEPARTMENT H.-MACHINERY. BY H. A. TENNEY, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT. The following is a list of exhibitors, and number and kind of machines, devices and articles exhibited in division H., class 37, of the state agricultural exhibit for the year 1879, to wit: By Stout & Davis, of Albion, an improved road scraper. F. R. Lyon, Stoughton, improved self-adjustable rotary washer. No. 4 self-raking reaper and mower - Champion. Merrell, Beaty & Mathew, Independence, Iowa, feed steamer. Boorman & Dudley, Waterloo, Climax wind-mill. W. A. Wood harvester and self binder. W. A. Wood chain rake reaper. W. A. Wood sweep rake senior reaper. W. A. Wood enclosed gear mower. W. A. Wood moving attachment. W. A. Wood feed grinding mill, by horse, steam or wind power. McSherry drill. McSherry broadcast seeder. Fuller & Johnson, Madison Waupun fanning mill. Monitor corn plow. Vandevere corn planter. Vandevere corn planter and dropper attachment, new style. Wood beam stubble plows, 3 varieties; iron beam plows, 3 sizes. Self-dumping hay rake. Hand rake. Two stubble and sod plows; one prairie breaker. Draw beam walking cultivator. Scotch harrow. Freedman harrow. McDonald harrow. Met. frame sulky plow with friction attachment. Johnson & Field, Racine Racine fanning mill. Farm and warehouse fanning mill. F. C. Curtis, Rocky Run, Storer wind mill. Edward Hanson, Madison, Eclipse clothes reel. Firmin, Billings & Noe, Madison, assorted lot of plows and improved fixtures. Chilled Plow Co., Racine, Seaman improved chilled plows. Harris Harrison, Stoughton, Rutland farm gate. Vaughn & Co., Jefferson, Buchanan sulky corn cultivator. Williams' combined reaper and mower. American Grinding Mill Co., Chicago, Ill. Feedmill for horse power. Feedmill for steam or horse power. Appleton Manufacturing Co., Appleton Broadcast seeder. Farm gate. Wm. Schwandler, Appleton, Wisconsin improved double acting gate roller. J. R. Davis, Sun Prairie, portable sectional roof for grain or hay stacks, etc. Thos. Erdahl, Madison, self-binder reaper. Van Brunt & Barber, Horicon, sulky horse rake. A. S. Baker, Evansville Monitor wind mills. Monitor iron pumps. A. A. Abbott & Co., Chicago, self-dumping sulky hay rake. Canton monitor self-propelling engine; water and coal tank Improved separator; improved harvester and binder; improved reaper; improved mower. John Lamont, Madison Prairie Queen breaker. Deere stubble plow. Minneapolis reaper and mower. Gorham corn cultivator. Thompson corn cultivator. Faust's hay loader. Perry's hay tedder. Lamont farm wagon. Gilpin sulky plow, breaker and sod attachment. Brown sulky plow. Moline sulky plow. Deere rotary drop corn planter. Deere spring cultivator. Superior force feed seeder. Superior force feed drill. Thomas' sulky rake. Keystone sulky rake. |