Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-10-14
THE EXHIBIT AT
ILLINOIS STATE FAIR
Over 400, 200 People Admire North
ern Wisconsin Products in
Rusk County Exhibit

The people of Rusk County have
again this fail reason to be proud of
their home, for we return from the
largest state fair in the world with a
blue ribbon given to northern Wiscon-
sin for the best display of grasses, TAX
en- over all states represented at the
Illinois State Fair, all the western
states being represented through its
railways or state departments, many
of the southern as well as North
Dakota, and Canada. All the grasses
were raised in Rusk County. The rest
of the products making up the exhibit
came from Rusk County and Chippewa
County except the potatoes which all
came from Rusk. Though the exhibit
was not as large in extent as some
states and counties, yet in many things
it excelled all others, those most
notable being finest display of sheaf
barley, largest quash, both hubbard
and other kinds. largest apples, finest
greening and wealthy apples, largest
rutabagas, finest potatoes, best dis
play of beans and peas. The notice
the exhibit attracted can best be
illustrated by some of the incidents
that occurred: When we were unpack
ing and arranging the exhibit a delegate
from Oklahoma came to US and kindly
told us that as we. did not come from a
fruit country he would let US have
some apples to set off our exhibit. The
sequel is best explained by an extract
from the delegates letter to his wife
in Oklahoma written few days later:
when | return home | am going to
bring you the finest apples ever saw.
They were raised in northern Wiscon-
sin.
Mr.. Roberts, another delegete from
the same state came with the request
that he might have his sons picture
taken on a Wisconsin squash. Okla
homa had squash of it's own. All day
long such expressions as, 81 did not
think they could raise corn or tobacc o
up there" Just look at those lovely
apples Did you ever see such gfass?, -
what splendid potatoes, - We cannot
raise sush products as those on our
5000 per acre land, were hundreds of
times repeated. We were kept stead
lily explaining and answering questions
on the products of northern Wisconsin
from morning to night until our voices
entirely gave out.
In addition an immense amount of
state literature and many hundreds of
books on Rusk County were given to
people seeking information of northern
Wisconsin.
We were sorry to note that the pre-
vailing idea seemed to be that farm
products could not be raised in north
ern Wisconsin and it is only by getting
it's products before such gatherings of
people that this can be overcome.
Other states are spending thousands,
either through its state departments,
commercial clubs, or land men to get
its advantages before the people, and |
think this exhibit will be an awakening
to the people of northern Wisconsin
that they must bring to the notice of
the public the agricultural possibilities
of the northern half of the state, or let
the tide of immigration drift over to
other states.
The gratitude of the people of the
northern half of the state is again due
Commissioner A. D. Campbell, in the
untiring manner in which he worked on
occasions to bring the advantages be-
fore the people.
Hundreds of thousands of people will
remember the products exhibited under
the banner reading Northern Wis
cOnsin.
Tom FOSTER,
Superintendent of Exhibit.