46 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
by tlie present method, promptly settled all doubts on this 
point. The exhibitors in this department are so almost invar¬ 
iably manufacturers for the market that the opportunity to ad¬ 
vertise their machines and. implement through the medium of 
the state fair, without danger of being damaged by an injudicious 
report of a committee, was esteemed by them as of more value 
than the premium, should they each be so fortunate, now and 
then, as to get one. 
In the department of manufactures, a number of changes 
were made, none of which, however, were of sufficient impor¬ 
tance to render their publication in these Transactions impor¬ 
tant. In the class of carriages, etc., the generosity and enter¬ 
prise of Messrs. Pierce and Whaling enabled the society to of¬ 
fer the following special premiums on farm wagons: 
Best farm wagon, $50. 
Second best, $25. 
Limited to the States of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. 
This second offer of the above-named gentlemen making an 
aggregate on plows and wagons of $150, laid the society un¬ 
der new obligations, which were duly acknowledged. 
In the department of fine arts, the premiums were largely 
increased in number and importance, and the list was made 
still more attractive to the youthful artist by the following 
handsome offer of Mrs. Alexander Mitchell, to whose great 
liberality in granting the loan of many valuable works of art 
and in favoring the superintendent with her counsel and co¬ 
operation in many ways, the gratifying success of this depart¬ 
ment in 1870 was so largely due: 
Best Original Drawing (from nature) by person under 20 years, Silver Medal. 
Judges —To be supplied. 
When the board entered upon the old battle ground of Divi¬ 
sion D, which, since the abolishment of that other farce, the 
“ plowing match,” bad been almost wholly given up to ladies’ 
riding, base ball, and other displays and performances of like 
character, the spirit of revolution was manifest in more than 
one countenance. 
“These things afforded innocent amusement for the people 
