EXHIBITION OF 1874. 
OPENING ADDRESS. 
BY ELI STILSON, PRESIDENT. 
Members of the State Agricultural Society and Fellow-Citizens: 
We are convened here to-day for the purpose of preparing for, 
and formally opening the twenty-first general exhibition of the 
Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. The object and aim of the 
State Agricultural Society, and of these general exhibitions, will 
require but little explanation from me at this time. Their influ¬ 
ence has been felt in every locality of the state. Every city, vil¬ 
lage, farm and hamlet have felt more or less of the salutary lessons 
that these exhibitions have taught. Look at the stalls filled with 
noble and powerful horses, some adapted for the road and for speed, 
others for draft, and yet others for general purposes. The stalls 
are filled to overflowing with improved breeds of cattle. 
The breeding and raising of thorough-bred cattle has become an 
important branch of agriculture in this as well as several adjoining- 
states, or, in fact, nearly all the Western states. And when we con¬ 
sider the immense cattle product of the West, this improvement 
must add millions of dollars yearly to the wealth of the country. 
Nor have the bleating flocks been overlooked in this grand inarch 
of improvement. The sheep pens filled to their utmost capacity 
with the finest breeds of sheep, so well adapted to the varied pur¬ 
poses for which they were bred, are convincing proof of the success 
that has attended this branch of our live stock department. 
The swine ^department has kept pace with the other departments 
of live-stock. The importance of this department will be fully re¬ 
alized when we remember what an important part this product holds 
in the sales of live-stock in the city of Chicago. Even the chicken- 
department has assumed an importance and shown a measure of im- 
