Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-05-25
II. B. PHILLE0. Editor

show respectively the comparative val-
| ue of farm land in this country, the
respective rates of wages paid for farm
labor, the proportion of woodland to
farm area, and the distribution of tho
production Of textile iibres. By
means of charts the average produce
tion per acre OF the country's staples
is shown for each State. Specimens
of soils are arranged in the order Of
their geological formation, comprising
marls, calcareous earths, green sand
and phosphate marls. Then como
phosphate rocks. animal and vegeta-
BILE fertilizers and combination of the
three in manufactured state. The
next feature, the utilization of vege.
table products. is illustrated by means
of specimens beginning with the pro-
duct in its natural state, and proceed
ing through the various stages of man.
ufacture to the finished article. Il
comprises the manufacture of -four,
meal and starch from cereals of su-
gar from cane, beet-root, maple and
sorghum, and exhibits models of the
machinery used in the manufacture Of
these. The fermentation is shown Of
starchy substances from which beer,
ale and porter are made, and also the
distillation of whisky. a model still
and plans of notable American .distill-
cries are exhibited. Then are seen the
fermteu alton and distillation of sugar,
molasses and fruits, resulting in COM
plete set Of samples of American
wines, these, in turn, being distilled
and converted into brandy. The dis
play of the wood growth of the coun-
try is inexhaustive. At the foot Of
the cases stand many hundred sections
of logs, overhead in the case being
specimens of the foliage of their re-
spective trees. Next to Horticultural
Hall and grounds this spot affords the
botanist the greatest delight which the
Centennial can give him. From the
sub-tropical growth of the Gulf and
Southwestern States up to the hardy
conifer8 of Maine and the Northwest
there is not tree of Importance which
is not here represented. The patience
of the curious is sorely taxed in count
ing the rings of old stagers that had
reached the hey-day of their growth
two hundred years before sColumbus
first saw Guanahani, and Of some that
had doubtless sheltered weary aborigo
ines while Louis of France was battling
for the cross in Palestine. Most of
these interesting specimens were OBJ
tained from the Sierra Nevada Noun
tains in California The principal of
those of which accurate statistics can
be given are as follows One of su-
gar pine, It's feet high and 27 feet in
circumference at the base, and 5SS
years old, the section having been made
at diameter of 7 feet inches; one
of soft, white pine, 130 feet high,
% feet in circumference at the base,
and $40 years old, the section having
been made at diameter Of 6 feet 6
inches, and one of red silver fir, 1862
feet high, 80 feet in diameter at the
base, tapering fol- one hundred feet be-
fore the first branch was reached, ano
1872 years old. All these grew on the
Sierra Nevada There is also one Of
twisted pine from the Rocky Noun
tains, 1913 feet high, 22 feet in dame
ter at the base and 297 years old. A
curious exhibit for most folk in the
Middle States is that of the many va
rieties of native oak and the remark
able want of resemblance among them
in regard TO foliage, the tan-bark oak
of California, for instance, having vel
vety, willow shaped leaves, while those
VI Viz ,JaNh Jan vi GuC
Atlantic States are bell-shaped. In
the grain Of the wood, also. the same
wide divergency exists. While the
canon live oak of the Southwest has
smooth bark and fine grain, the post
oak of this region is rugged both in
bark and grain.
The annual meeting of the Centen-
nial Commission occurs shortly, when
new officers and a new executive board
is to be elected It is already whis-
pered that the reelection of General
Hawley to the Presidency is in doubt.
Some little differences exist which have
given rise to this suspicion, and the
name of Orestes Cleveland, first Vice
President, is mentioned by those who
oppose General Hawley The question
of opening the grounds on Sundays is
being vigorously agitated, and strong
movement in favor Of it is headed by
eminent clergymen.