164 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
only to be bitched to a post to be looked at, without being 
tested ? 
In Hew York, Ohio, and the superintendent believes in other 
states, a preliminary trial is ordered, at some convenient center 
for all harvesting machines. The results and awards are re¬ 
ported at the subsequent state fair. This feature is strongly 
recommended in our state. It will stimulate competition and 
our farmers will reap the benefit. Let the competition be open 
to all the world, and to every kind of machine and the merit be 
decided on the general result as to cost of machine, draught, 
cost of harvesting a certain amount, etc., etc. Where there is 
no strife there is no glory and no incentive to excel, since 
the poorest stands an equal chance with the best. Let com¬ 
mittees be unknown to the world till the hour of trial, and this 
will prevent ail suspicion of tampering with the judges, who 
should be selected because they are experts, without reference 
to locality or other considerations. This method has been 
adopted by the St. Louis fair board in their management, and 
with the happiest results. Scarcely a complaint is ever heard. 
The amount of premium is not of so much consequence as 
the circumstances connected with its bestowment. 
The conferring of the “ Cross of the Legion of Honor,” on 
Mr. Wood, by the French empire, a mere bauble, intrinsically 
considered, was a more lasting benefit to the recipient, than 
a $10,000 cash premium; not because it came from the hands 
of an emperor, but because of the dignity and impressiveness 
of the circumstances of its presentation. While the superin¬ 
tendent is in no mood to recommend the Society to copy 
from any crowned head, yet the circumstances may afford us a 
lesson both entertaining and profitable. 
The governor of our state is the highest officer of the peo¬ 
ple’s choice. Let suitable emblems be presented by his and other 
official hands, accompanied by proper words of cheer to success¬ 
ful competitors, and there is no doubt the interest of our annual 
fairs would be increased an hundred fold, to say nothing of the 
increase of receipts. 
