STATE FAIR OF 1860. 
101 
the whole line of vegetables was equally astonishing. Potatoes, large and 
fair, of a dozen sorts—and in piles—carrots, turnips, beets, salsify, the cab¬ 
bage family, egg plants and tomatoes, onions by the bushel, and squashes by 
the ton, were heaped up, upon and under a double circle of tables, in one of 
the largest tents of the Society—leaving but half of one outer table, for honey, 
in good display, butter in numerous packages, and cheese in bulk—a lot of 
the latter still on the wagon that brought it; and one of the cheeses — made 
by J. V. Robbins, near by, weighed only 1,620 lbs.! Glory enough—for one 
County — and creditable to others, and to the whole State, was this show of 
Wisconsin products.. , 
Fruit was in great abundance — and of great variety. Apples leading— 
grapes coming next, in show—about 25 varities of them. Pears in respecta¬ 
ble display—some plums—more, of home growth, than at our State Fair—and 
even fine, well-ripened peaches! — and, of course, specimens of that interest¬ 
ing native fruit, the cranberry, from cultivated vines, and well loaded vines 
they were. Upon the whole—and in grapes, particularly—the Badgers have 
beaten us, this time. 
Among the new features of this Exhibition, the exhibition 
Counties is especially deserving of notice. The prize to 
be awarded—a splendid Banner, worth one hundred dollars, 
offered by citizens of Madison—had the effect to stimulate 
many of the County Societies, to whom the banner was directly 
offered, to vigorous effort, and the result was a spirited com¬ 
petition, though confined at the last to but few of the numer¬ 
ous counties of the State. The presentation of the prize, a 
rich and beautiful work of art, skilfully executed by Messrs. 
Chambers & Dubois, of Chicago, was a pleasant occasion, and 
the remembrance of it will doubtless long be cherished by 
the Banner County. 
The Prizes, consisting of a Silver Pitcher and Silver Goblet, 
awarded by the Committee on Farms, were also presented at 
the same time. 
One other new feature is likewise worthy of mention in this 
connection. Reference is made to the series of valuable Sci¬ 
entific and Practical Lectures, delivered on three of the most 
important evenings of the week in the Capitol. The Society 
was fortunate in securing the services of Drs. Kennicott, Reid 
and Carr for these three several occasions. Their lectures 
were well attended, and gave great satisfaction to the large 
numbers who were present. Outlines of the first two have 
