TRANSACTIONS. 
ANNUAL REPORT. 
To His Excellency WILLIAM R. TAYLOR, 
Governor of Wisconsin: 
Sir: —Compared with the the last five years, there has been, the 
past season, general prosperity among those engaged in the varied 
branches of agriculture, except the growers of wheat. The season 
was unfavorable for the production of this cereal throughout the 
state, and in many localities the chinch-bug entirely destroyed the 
crop. If this total destruction shall drive the farmers in these un¬ 
favorable districts to other branches of agriculture, and other and 
better systems of culture, then their temporary loss may in the end 
prove a blessing. Much depression exists in business in the large 
wheat-growing districts, and must continue throughout the year. 
All other products of the state except wheat, have been a full average 
3 T ield, and commanded remunerative prices. 
The organization of societies for the promotion of the dairy in¬ 
terests, and the inauguration of dairy boards of trade has developed 
a system of marketing cheese and butter products which has been 
a great improvement, and has stimulated this branch of farming in 
a high degree. Market days have been instituted which have practi¬ 
cally brought the purchaser to the door of the producer. Systems 
of business are constantly advancing; trade is intellectualized, and 
prices in the Eastern markets in dairy products are now largely gov¬ 
erned by the trade in the interior towns. This fact should cause 
other leading branches of farming to co-operate for the sale of their 
