Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-09-23

Of this year has not stunted crops if
one may Judge of the display here made
The field and garden made large and
ereditabIe showing. The asylum farm,
while not in competition afforded OPP
portunity for our people to learn what
is being done there. The variety was
large and fine. There were two indi-
vidual displays made that were 2isl
most creditable and much commented
on. They were by Mrs. J. S. Robson
and Geo. B. Fisher.
Fruit show caught the eye of every
person who passed through fioral hall.
There was a long line of exhibitors.
Adam McLees had 26 varieties, Mrs.
+. w. Alexander %, and Mrs. ID. T..
Buchanan nearly as many. Cookery.
canned fruits, domestic manufactures,
ladies' fine art display were up to the
average, while the paintings were
rather inferior in grade and fewer in
number than many times in the past.
As whole the educational depart
ment made a fine showing. Viroqua' s
domestic science, manual training and
kindergarten exhibit was so extensive
that it attracted more than usual at
tention to the whole educational de-
partment. There were many and cred
liable district and graded school exhi-
bits as well as individuals work. The
demonstration on tables by La Fargo,
Westby and Viroqua grades and pri-
maries were literally and favorably
commented upon.
Mrs, Geo. II. Clark displayed hand
some Mississippi river painting, and
Lars j. Brye had some western scenes.
The floral show was handsome and
refreshing, neatly arranged in pyramid
form in the rotunda of floral hall.
In relics, curiosities and novelties
there were many. Prof. w. z. Col
burn made a display of some of the
personal effects of the first state gov
ernor, Nelson Dewy, among them his
silk hat, diaries in which were recorded
the old governor $ personal day to day
movements and events as they trans
pired. Henry Higgins showed an old
fashioned flint-lock pistol over a hun
dred years old. Hans Severson and
Lawson Brown made display of In
dian arrows and other things. Mrs.
Alexander displayed an Armadillo work
basket she secured while on the Pacific
coast last winter. A Young Paulson
showed violin made by himself. j.
Z. Joyce had a display of horns which
he had mounted and polished. Brown
Music Company used section of the
building in which they displayed musi-
cal wares.
BOWS CORN CONTEST
Nothing in the floral building caused
greater attraction and more interest
than the showing made by thirty-seven
Vernon county boys who exhibited on
the stalk their specimens of corn grown
from seed provided by the experimental
station of our state agricultural college.
Such lot of specimens has not been
shown here ever, all one variety OF
white corn. Every contestant received
a cash premium from the agriculture
society. The first winner, Erman Cass
received $40. Following eight namec
boys graded from 50 to 81 as theil
names appear: Avery Rood, Clarence
Ramsett, Henry LOverud, |. G. Paul.
son, Charlie Powell, Ernest Harris
Thore Sebison, Alvin Powell Follow
/ ing named received one dollar each
Con Buswell, Theodore Robson, Merrill
/ Fish, Silas Erickson, Selmer Peterson,
Pearl Fisher, Chever Fisher, Everett
Shower, Christy Rogstad, Clifton Parr
/ Harold Swain, Bernard Root, FREQ
Reynolds, Thomas Aikens, Selmei
Moseng, Burton Eckhardt, Scott Gun
| ningham, Francis Lieurance, Bert Mil
Ter, Logan Miller. Troy Thompson
Mack Brandon, Willie Sims, Otto Crit
fin, Forest Perkins, Charley Alexard
Carl Fisher. Stanley Upsal.
These young men have taken unusua
interest in making this exhibit credit
able TO the county and state and the!
have done more to arouse interest il
scientific corn culture than any move il
the history of the county.
MACHINERY EXHIBIT
This is feature of the annual fail
that entertains farmers and others
Chas. S. Slack kept in motion a giant
thresher, self-feeder, wind-stacker, pro
| PEELED by big traction engine. 1t il
lustrated modern threshing and labor
saving devices. Mr.. Slack also dis
played variety of gasolene engines
wagons, hay rakes, seeders, plow6
RACKS, etc.
Knudson Brothers exhibited between
thirty and forty different farm tools
wagons, buggies, two makes each Of
gasolene engines, cream separators
manure spreaders, etc, under two large
canvass payilions, and employed two ol
three expert statesmen and demonstra
tors to present the merits of the great
array of goods shown.
Along side of this vast amount ol
agricultural achievement was showr
what was probably the first threshing
machine used in Vernon county. 1t was
purchased by the late pioneer Ananias
Smith, during the fifties and crude
machine it is. The propeling force
was tread power, on which two horses
we're used. The thresher is small
feet square. The straw was run
through between cylinder and back
ground on each of which protruded q
few iron teeth. This pounded out the
grain and straw and it fell upon the
ground in promiscuous heap behind
the machine. The straw and grair
were separated with an ordinary wood
en- rake. The patent marks on thii
machine gave evidence that it wal
made at an early day and the origina
shipping tag was placed on at Albany
New York, by Emery Brothers, to be
taken TO its destination "by steam,
The number Of the machine is 1898
signifying that many others had beer
sent out 10 the primeyal sections ot
the country. There were a few met
on the grounds who had worked abOu
this novel thresher in early days, among
the number being Col. G.. f. Morley
end it is related that this old ''grubber, ,
as it was called, furnished rainy-daJ
occupation for its owner and his help
CRU Mr. Sr0it n had kent the rnachins