18 WISCONSEST AGEICULTUEE. 



Believing that tlie business of Sheep and Wool growing was 

 one in which this State was deeply interested, from the peculiar- 

 ly favorable adaptation of both soil and climate to that branch 

 of farming ; the committee appointed a Sheep Shearing Festival, 

 to be held at Whitewater, on the 29th of May last, as a matter 

 of experiment, to test the comparative value of the different 

 breeds of Sheep for profit. The results obtained, and interest 

 manifested, were gratifying in the extreme. A more full re- 

 port will be found in its appropriate place. 



The Annual State Fair was held at Milwaukee on the 4th, 

 5th and 6th of Oct, The exhibition of Agricultural and Mechani- 

 cal Implements, and stock of various kinds, was much larger than 

 at any previous fair. A fine nnd bracing temperature, so pecu- 

 liar to our Wisconsin autumns, animated and revived the spirits 

 of the people, somewhat debilitated from the effects of an ex- 

 cessively hot summer. The strains of martial music, and fine 

 display of the Milwaukee Military and Fire Companies, on re- 

 view, altogether added to the pleasure and enjoyment of the 

 occasion. The presence of the Governor and principal ofiicers 

 of State, with many distinguished citizens of other States, mani- 

 fested that not only the Agriculturist and Mechanic took a 

 deep interest in the prosperity of the Society, but that it 23ervaded 

 all ranks and conditions, whether engaged in agriculture or 

 other pursuits. Another highly gratifying feature attendant 

 upon the fair, was noticeable by the most casual observer, — the 

 entire absence of intoxication. This was attributable mainly to 

 the efforts of Mayor Kilbourn, in prohibiting the sale of 

 liquor in the vicinity, and the total prohibition of its sale with- 

 in the enclosure by the executive committee. 



The results of the fair were in all respects quite gratifying to 

 all concerned, and demonstrated conclusively that such gather- 

 ings can be made, not only highly interesting to the great masses 

 of our sterling and enterprising people, but also highly useful 

 in all respects, in the way of developing the progress, the taste, 

 and skill, of our young but growing State. 



The Executive Committee do not deem it a stretch of the im- 

 agination to assert, that in their opinion, every well conducted 

 State Fair, reckoned in all its bearings, is calculated to add at 



