Exhibition — Opening Address, 
65 
SHEEP. 
Here the exhibition is large and contains many fine specimens. 
The Merino stands at the head of the list for clothing wool, and 
sho'vvs the marked effects of hundreds of years of careful breeding. 
The Downs excel for mutton, but not for wool, while Cotswolds, 
Leicesters combine combing wool with mutton qualities in a good 
degree. Each breed is adapted to a specific purpose, and shows 
how our domestic animals may be improved by careful breeding by 
experienced breeders of stock, like a Bakewell, a Hammond, and a 
Randall. The benefit of this branch of industry are three fold — 
food, clothing and richness of soil. 
SWINE. 
In no department of domestic animals is the improvement so ap¬ 
parent to the casual observer as here. The long-nosed, long-legged 
flat-sided, prairie rooter, with form and propensities better adapted 
to speed than propensities to fatten and flesh, have given place to 
the fine, round, easily fattened Berkshire and Poland-Ohina of to¬ 
day. The same feed will produce 40 per cent, more money for the 
product when fed to the improved breeds. In a financial point of 
view, swine occupy a high position in the finance of the Western 
farmer and the nation, and their improvement is so much wealth 
added to this industry. 
POULTRY. 
This, at first, may,appear to the casual observer to be of small 
importance; but when we find the aggregate value of this produc¬ 
tion and then consider its importance in domestic economy, we can 
but appreciate the marked improvement that has been made, not 
only in the production of beautiful specimens, but also in usefulness 
and quality. 
AGRICULTURAL HALL. 
Here we find an exhibition of the farm and dairy products of 
Wisconsin that is truly gratifying. Both are excellent in quality 
and abundant in quantity. Wisconsin dairymen may well be proud 
of the high rank that their products have taken in the Centennial 
and in English markets. 
HORTICULTURAL AND FLORAL HALL. 
While our horticultural friends have done much in the produc- 
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