302 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



DIVlsKtN M.-WOUKS OF AUT, NKKDLKWOUK, EMBROIDERY, ETC. 

 Clasii. 



59 — Paintings and stationary 239 



60 — Dross and onianu'iits 21 



61 — I'laiii iieedlewoik 87 



62 — Em broidery 192 



63 — Crotchet work 85 



64— Hair and sheH work, etc 84 



65 — Pri nting and book-binding 39 



747 



DIVISION N. 

 Miscellaneous 124 



DIVISION O. 



Chi Idren's De par t ment 52 



Total entries 5,249 



The entries have been so large in Division M that it has been suggested that 

 classes 50 and G5 should be placed together as one division, and that all the other 

 classes now in Division M be made into another division. 



In the cattle division the new rule which excluded show cattle from other States 

 from competing in the breeding classes, and permitted them to enter in tlie class for 

 herds worked very satisfactorily, and it is to be hoped that it will be continued for 

 another year. Breeding cattle which furnish the State with the most of stock from 

 which farmers improve their herds, ought not to compete with those animals which 

 have been selected out to prepare as show cattle, and have been fully developed by 

 feeding till they were useless for breeding purposes. In the other classes of live 

 stock the rule works more of an injury to the exhibition, and is not the policy which 

 should govern a great State Society which announces that its Fairs are open to the 

 M'orld. Its constitution declares that any person may become a member for one }'ear 

 by tlie payment of a dollar into its treasury. Its first rule also makes the same 

 announcement. Is it not at least questionable whether all its members are not enti- 

 tled to the same rights as any other member without qualification? Tliis is a sub- 

 ject that evidently requires some consideration. No objection has ever been raised 

 by the exhibitors of horses, sheep, swine or poultry, but yet they are debarred from 

 exhibition by the breeders of other States, for reasons which apply to tiie cattle 

 classes, but not to any other class of live stock. 



The rules relative to the exhibition of horses require revision, and especially that 

 one which demands that a two-year old stallion shall have been used during the sea- 

 son. Here also should be a definite set of rules for the government of the exhibit- 

 ors, and a revision of the classification in connection with classes 16, 18, 19 and 20. 

 There are no premiums offered for teams of draught horses. A large number of 

 Clydesdales, Norman-Percherons and other heavy breeds are now represented in the 

 State, and this addition should be made. A pair of draught horses was shown tlie 

 past reason, and had to be placed among the non-ennumerated entries, the premium 

 awarded it being discretionary. 



It is very evident that the industries of the State have out-grown the premium 

 list. The large number of discretionary awards, and of non-enumerated articles 

 reaching in all 504, indicates that classifications in some of the divisions need exten- 

 sion and a thorough revision, especially if the annual exhibition should be held in 

 this city for another year. In other respects there has been a general satisfaction 

 with it, expressed by the members. 



Tiiere was no feature of the annual exhibition which attracted more attention or 

 more satisfaction than the display of the productions of the more northern counties 

 of the State of Michigan, and known as the Northern Exhibits, We consider that 

 few demonstrations of the progress made by the settlements in the upper part of 

 the Lower Peninsula, by the facilities aflbrded by the extension of railroads, have 

 ever been of more inteiest and pecuniary value to any State than the "Northern 

 Counties Exhibits" at the State Fair of 1S79. This department started and carried 

 out by the railroads themselves, so very happily, and for which the Society is largely 

 indebted to President Webber, has certainly earned the right to be continued, and 

 to become a separate department, which would instruct the members and visitors 

 each year in the growth of our own State, and would also serve to inform the people 

 of other States and countries that there are millions of acres of lands within our bor- 

 ders which are only awaiting settlement to become as rich and prosperous as those 

 sections which have been under cultivation during the past half century. 



