STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 569 



Class 54. — Entries, 51 ; first premiums, 19; second. 11. 



Class 55. — Entries, 92; first premiums, 43; discretionary, 9; 



Class 56. — Entries, 93; first premiums, 20; second, 10; Discretionary, 11. 



Class 57. — Entries, 38: first premiums. 15; second, 9; third, 1. 



Class 58. — Entries. 8; first premiums, 2: second, 1. 



Tlie exhibition in classes 50. 55, and 56 were very gratifying botli in extent and 

 quality of work. In class 50 all the contributors except five were from Jackson. In 

 this class the Society is specially indebted to the citizens of Jackson for their enter- 

 prise and public spirit in filling" this department with first-class work. And espec- 

 ially is it under obligations to Mrs. Hayden. Mrs. and Miss McXaughton. Miss Titus, 

 Miss Hashrook, Mrs. Eggleston. Miss Kate Robinson, Mr. A. O. Revenaugh. Mr. M. 

 Gilbert, Mr. R. M. McQueen, and Mr. Z. S. ISIoore of Jackson, and Mrs. John Peabody 

 of Hanover, for the interest they took in the exhibition, and the value of their sev- 

 eral contributions to this class. 



Classes 55 and 56 were also largely filled from Jackson and vicinity. In these 

 classes we are under special obligation to Mrs. Merriman for eftcient aid in superin- 

 tending, classifying, and arranging the articles in these departments, and to Miss 

 Nellie'0'Brien,*Mrs. E. B. Griffiths. Miss Kate Griffiths, Mrs. Hayden, Miss Livermore, 

 and Miss Fletcher, for the acceptable manner in which they discharged the difficult 

 task of awarding the premiums in these classes. 



The other classes were not as well represented as they have been at former fairs. 



Respectfully submitted. 



J. G. RAMSDELL, 

 Supei'intendent in charge. 



DIVISION L. 



To the Execulice Committee of the Michigan State Agricultural Society : 



Gentlemen: — In the miscellaneous department there were but thirty entries, em- 

 bracing a variety of ;.rticles that in my opinion might appropriately be classed in 

 other departments. These articles were scattered through all tiie halls; indeed they 

 might be found, if found at all, in almost every department on the grounds, entailing 

 a large amount of labor and some vexation on the part of the comniitteo and the Su- 

 perintendent in searching them out. Some articles entered at the last fair were not 

 found at all by the committee. I would earnestly recommend that this department 

 be omitted from tlie premium list for the coming year. A large share of the articles 

 enumerated in the list may very appropriately be placed in the department of manu- 

 factured goods, some in machinery hall, some with the farm implements, a few, per- 

 haps, in iirt hall, while trained goats might be classed with tlie animal show. I would 

 also recommend that no premium be oflered on super-phosphates or other artificial 

 manures, unless some method of testing them bj"- chemical analysis can be adopted, as 

 it is utterly impossible for any committee to decide correctly upon their merits with- 

 out such test. 



J. Q. A. BURRIXGTOX, Superintendent. 



DIVISION M-CENTENNIAL. 



To the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society of Michigan : 



Gentlemen: — The superintendent of the historical and centennial department of 

 the late annual fair of this Societj-, would respectfully submit the following report : 



This department being a new feature of the fair — but very appropriate!}' introduced 

 in commemoration of tliis centennial year — much effort became necessary, on the part 

 of the superintendent and the committee who Avere given charge of the same, in 

 looking up, and securing for exhibition even a fev: of the thousands of relics, ancient 

 and curious, that are scattered through our State, many of whicli have a very inter- 

 esting history, and all illustrating as no icords can, the manners, customs, domestic 

 economy, style of prosecuting the various industries, and some of them the valor and 

 heroism, and the privations and trials connected with our country's earh" history. 

 There are also vast numbers of Indian relics, which if collected and preserved, as they 

 should be, will form the great unwritten volume, in wliich the generations that come 

 after us will read the liLstory of the savage life and customs of numerous tribes, 

 composing a once mighty race, — soon to become extinct forever, — that for many ages 

 roamed through the vast forests, and hunted the beasts of game — no wilder than they 

 — over the unbroken prairie, now occupied by the thronged cities and the happy 

 rural homes of the teeming millions, that, with all the aids that education, culture, 

 and Christianity can give, are pushing civilizatious march across a continent. 



72 ' 



