354 STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
exposed to the action of the frosts of winter, it seems to 
“ slack/’ becomes disintegrated, friable and productive. 
Besides wheat, oats, corn, barley, &c., are raised in sufficient 
quantities for home consumption. The marshes produce nat¬ 
ural grass which makes excellent hay, but are fast being improved 
by sowing “ red top,” which readily catches and yields from 
two to three tons of hay per acre. 
Systematic drainage and sub-soil plowing have not been ap¬ 
plied to any extent as yet, but evidently with great advantage 
in those cases where they have been tried. 
Fruit culture has not been prosecuted extensively, although 
almost every farmer has a small orchard started. Under pro¬ 
per cultivation there is no doubt that the land in the immediate 
west side of Lake Winnebago offers peculiar inducements to 
fruit growers, nursery men and horticulturists. The quality of 
the land is excellent, and the situation favorable to drainage, 
while security from frost is absolute from the protection afford¬ 
ed by the lake. The locality seems to be^ well adapted for the 
extensive cultivation of the superior class of hardy grapes, now 
being extensively grown in other parts of the country. Corn 
stands unscathed by frosts, the effects of which can be seen on 
every field back from the lake, and it is not uncommon to see 
green tomatoes even in November. 
Stock raising is carried on to a considerable extent in this 
county, in connection with other branches of farming. The 
importations of the thorough-bred horse “ King of Cymry,” the 
Durham bull “ Menasha Mac,” and South Down sheep, by Capt. 
Mackinnan, of Doty Island, and the herd of Devons belonging 
to Mr. L. A. Stewart, of Butte des Morts, have already pro¬ 
duced permanent effect upon the character of the stock. 
Our wheat crop can hardly be excelled by those of any other 
county. The acre which obtained the premium offered by the 
County Agricultural Society this year, produced 65J bushels 
(by weight.) 
The development of the agricultural capacity of Winnebago 
county has been rapid, and may perhaps be indicated by the 
increase of its population, which, in 1846 was but 732, and in 
