The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-07-22
MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL
EXHIBIT.

hibits in the Agricultural building at
the Trans-Mississippi Exposition.
Grains and cereals are shown in a
handsome position on north side of
the main aisle. This is an imposing
structure, its height exceeding that
of any of the surrounding exhibits,
and its general design and decoration
being of most attractive kind. The
grains and grasses of the state are
utilized in the decoration in man
ner which produces the most effective
results and the arrangement of the
interior. Glass cases of handsome
design are grouped about the interior
and in these are shown the cereals for
which the state is famous. Wheat,
oats, rye, barley, millet, buckwheat,
timothy, clover and other varieties of
seeds are shown in these cases and in
glass jars which are arranged on a
pyramid occupying the center of the
pavilion, A strong showing is made
of No hard wheat. the staple pro.
duction in Minnesota. One entire
side of the pavilion is devoted to a
showing of the numerous varieties Of
flour made in the state. A huge pile
of flour in sacks extends almost to the
roof of the building, and in this pile
are 120 varieties of flour from differ
ent mills. Each of the 400 mills in
the state having a capacity Of over
125 barrels per day has contributed
sack of It's flour, but there was not
sufficient room to display all of them
at one time.
The second exhibit is that Of the
fax and wool industries Of the state.
The showing of the fax industry is in
charge of Mrs. Oscar N. Olberg, of
Albert Lea, MINI. Mrs. Olberg has
acquired national reputation in con
nection with the promotion OF the
fax industry in the United States.
Mrs. Olberg declares that no finer
fax is grown than can be raised in
the sta ties Of Wisconsin, Minnesota,
North and South Dakota and Iowa.
The process of preparing the land,
sowing, pulling" and the subsequent
treatment of the crop is shown by
means of photographs, while the fax
itself is shown in various stages of
preparation, from the first stages to
the finished product. Numerous
samples Of cloth made in the mills in
Minnesota are shown and also several
samples made from fax grown in
Minnesota which was woven by mills
in Massachusetts, and in Ireland
Mrs. Olberg is authority for the
statement that an average crop of fax
yields between $500 and s4O0 per acre,
a return which is little short of phe-
nomenal. The preparation of the
ground before the seed is sown re-
quires more care than the ordinary
crop of grain, but the crop requires
little or no attention until it is ready
for gathering.
The wool exhibit made under the
direction of the Minnesota commits
sion is in charge of w J. Burnett.
manager of the Northwestern Hide
and Fur company Of Minneapolis.
The exhibit is contained in upright
glass cases, the first containing fieeces
from breed Of sheep raised by pro-
minent sheep raiser of Minnesota
which he calls the North Star. The
wool is what is known to the trade as
long medium and is Of very fine
quality. The owner of the sheep
claims that the fleece of the ram on
exhibition weighs twenty-four and a
quarter pounds. In addition to this
breed, there are shown wool from
Shropshire, 'Southdown, Oxford and
Dorset breeds, all Of fine quality and
great weight. Another case contains
fancy blanket made by the North
Star wooden mills of Minneapolis from
Minnesota sheep. The last case in
the line contains a fleece prepared for
the market in the wrong manner, and
near it are photographs showing the
proper manner to fold and roll a fleece
in order to keep 1T in the best con-
dition. One of the attractions of the
wool exhibit is painting designed
by Mr.. Burnett, showing all of the
fur bearing animals of the North
American continent which have any
value. These animals are arranged |
in groups by classes and make most |
instructive collection.
The Minnesota exhibit is in charge |
of G. W. Fields, of Minneapolis, one
of the state commissioners. i