Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-25

miums-The Races.
The state fair was formally opened
Tuesday. The chilly weather pre-
vailing had a depressing effect upon
early visitors, but as the forenoon ad-
vanced the warmth OF the sun tempered
the winds to the shorn lamb, and made
outdoor work more agreeable.
The poultry exhibit was more than
double the size OF any previous display.
There were nearly 1000 specimens on
exhibition, EN- bracing nearly every kind
of fowl found in this section of the coun-
try.
The fruit exhibit was very large and
fine, equal to that of any pre-
vious year. The Sank County Nursery,
of Baraboo, exhibited 102 varieties of
apples, "A of seedlings, 20 of crabs, 4 of
pears, of plums and 10 of grapes.
William Fox, of Baraboo, showed 45
varieties of grapes. 5 of pears, 8 of
j. kellogg. of GAINESVILLE, showed 80
varieties of apples, 5 of crabs, 6 of
plums and 20 of grapes. E. Wilcox &
Son, of La Crosse. exhibited 20varieties
of standard apples, of seedlings, and
10 of crabs. A. j. Philips, of West
Bend, exhibited Is varieties of standard
apples, 10 Of crabs, and of seedlings.
John Dey, of Appleton, showed Ii vari-
cites ofapples.
Despite the chilling winds people
early began to move toward tho tair
the main exhibit hall and around the
booths was so great that it was diff
cult to move around. The stock
received less attention than on
Tuesday, but all the other exhibits
were surrounded from 10 o'clock until
the races were called in the afternoon.
In the sheep department it was inter-
esting to note that not one exhibit
came from outside of the state. Con-
sidering the comparatively small terri
tory the wool-growlng industry covers
in Wisconsin, the exhibit of sheep was
remarkable. 1t is evident that the
in the state. There we're but two exh1-
bits of Merinos. They were made by
Jones Bros. of HustisGord, and J. II.
Pitcher. of Eagle. The Shropshires, a
comparatively new breed in Wisconsin,
outnumbered all the other coarse wool
sheep exhibited. The Cotswold
came next in number, and the
Southdown last. The latter will
probably always maintain their repu-
tation as the ineht-looking sheep raised.
There were number of magnificent
South0own bucks in the exhibits. E.
Gillett, of Western Union, and Geo.
McKerrow, of Sussex, made the largest
exhibits of Cotswolds, Shropshires and
Oxford Downs. John Long, of Wauke-
sha County, had number of fine Lei
cesters and Shropshires; George Hard
ing, of Waukeshs, exhibited several fine
specimens of the Cotswold. r. II.
Mill, of Palmyra; Charles Collard, of
Edmund, and Chas. T. Hill, of Brook
field, each had good exhibit of coarse
woods.
In the poultry department all availa-
bic space was taken, and some fine ex-
fan-tail pigeon to the bombastic and dig
nifed turkey cock every Individual
fowl seemed TO be aware that it was on
exhibition. The noise was alarming, but
fowl fanciers found the best collection
ever seen in the West. A cage con-
tanning TWO sleek-looking raccoons, and
another with litter of wea-
sells, gave variety to the ex-
hibit, as well as to the noise.
In one exhibit a mild-mannered
gray goose, ntly too old to be either
glddy or pugnacious, shared her stall
with fine looking turkey hen. The big
Buff Cochins, the Plymouth Rock vari-
cites, and the Black Spanish exhibits at
tracteG the most attention, but the game
chickens got their share OF admiration.
The Badger Poultry Yard, of Milwau-
kee; Forgery & Rich, of Plymouth; E.
G. Mansfield, of Johnson's Creek, and
Jones Bros, of Hustisford, made the
largest exhibits.
Not even the fruit exhibit aroused in
to activity weak appetite more than the
display of vegetables in the main hall.
Luscious tomatoes, cabbage, caulihower,
celery, turnips, carrots, onions, corn,
beans, potatoes. and others, "tCo numer-
Gus to mention" were there in all their
appetiZing beauty. One man made an
exhibit of 700 varieties of potatoes.
an inclined shelf SO that one
might count them if he chose
to do SO. Potatoes with red eyes. as if
they bad been out all night; potatoes
with black eyes that could almost dirt;
potatoes with sleepy. dull eyes.
and potatoes with no eyes at
gestive of the oven, fresh but
ter and breakfast appetite. 1t is safe
to say the vegetable department display
has never before been equalled at a
Wisconsin state fair.
More suitable weather for the fair than
the weather clerk deigued to furnish
on the 18th could not be asked. 1t was
nearly perfect, and it was duly appre-
ciated, for there was an immense turn
out At II o'clock there was more than
double the number of people on the
grounds than on the day previous at the
same hour, and up to 2 o'clock every
car and other vehicle going to the
grounds WAS ere Wded.
The fruit exhibit in the Horticultural
Hall deserved and received good deal
of attention. In variety and quality, if
not in size, it was superior to some of the
Oregon and California fruit exhibits
that have been brought on here
in the past few years. The dis
play Of grapes was especially fine. In
five years many new varieties of grapes
have been introduced in Wisconsin,
and all seem to thrive well.
The exhibit of draft horses made on
the track on the 10Th called forth ex-
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