LEAD AND ZINC.

In 1824, the lead ore in the southwestern part of Wisconsin began to attract attention. From 1826 to 1830, there was a great rush of miners to this region, somewhat like the Pike's Peak excitement at a later date. The lead-producing region of Wisconsin covers an area of about 2,200 square miles, and embraces parts of Grant, Iowa and La Fayette counties. Between 1829 and 1839, the production of lead increased from 5,000 to 10,000 tons. After the latter year it rose rapidly, and attained its maximum in 1845, when it reached nearly 25,000 tons. Since that time the production has decreased, although still carried on to a considerable extent. The sulphate and carbonate of zinc abound in great quantities with the lead of southwest Wisconsin. Owing to the difficulty of working this class of oręs, it was formerly allowed to accumulate about the mouths of the mines. Within a few years past, metallurgic processes have been so greatly improved, that the zinc ores have been largely utilized. At La Salle, in the state of Illinois, there are three establishments for smelting zinc ores. There is also one at Peru, Ill. To smelt zinc ores economically, they are taken where cheap fuel is available. Hence, the location of these works in the vicinity of coal mines. The works mentioned made in 1875, from ores mostly taken from Wisconsin, 7,510 tons of zinc. These metals are, therefore, important elements in the commerce of Wisconsin.

IRON.

The iron ores of Wisconsin occur in immense beds in several localities, and are destined to prove of great value. From their product in 1863, there were 3,735 tons of pig iron received at Milwaukee; in 1865, 4,785 tons; in 1868, 10,890 tons. Of the latter amount, 4,648 tons were from the iron mines at Mayville. There were shipped from Milwaukee, in 1868, 6,361 tons of pig iron. There were also received 2,500 tons of ore from the Dodge county ore beds. During 1869, the ore beds at Iron Ridge were developed to a considerable extent, and two large blast furnaces constructed in Milwaukee, at which place there were 4,695 tons of ore received, and 2,059 tons were shipped to Chicago and Wyandotte. In 1870, 112,060 tons of iron ore were received at Milwaukee, 95,000 tons of which were from Iron Ridge, and 17,060 tons from Escanaba and Marquette, in Michigan. The total product of the mines at Iron Ridge in 1871 was 82,284 tons. The Milwaukee iron company received by lake, in the same year, 28,094 tons of Marquette iron ore to mix with the former in making railroad iron. In 1872, there were received from Iron Ridge 85,245 tons of ore, and 5,620 tons of pig iron. Much of the metal made by the Wisconsin iron company in 1872 was shipped to St. Louis, to mix with the iron made from Missouri ore.

The following table shows the production of pig iron in Wisconsin, for 1872, 1873 and 1874, in tons:

The Milwaukee iron company, during the year 1872, entered into the manufacture of merchant iron it having been demonstrated that the raw material could be reduced there cheaper than elsewhere. The Minerva furnace company built also during the same year one of the most compact and complete iron furnaces to be found any where in the country. During the year 1873, the iron, with most other material interests, became seriously prostrated, so that the total receipts of ore in Milwaukee in 1874 amounted to only 31,993 tons, against 69,418 in 1873, and 85,245 tons in 1872. There were made in Milwaukee in 1874, 29,680 tons of railroad iron. In 1875, 58,868 tons of ore were received at Milwaukee, showing a revival of the trade in an increase of 19,786 tons over the previous year. The operation of the works at Bay View having suspended, the receipts of ore in 1876, at Milwaukee, were less than during any year since 1869, being only 31,119 tons, of which amount only 5,488 tons were from Iron Ridge, and the total shipments were only 498 tons..

LUMBER.

The business of lumbering holds an important rank in the commerce of the state. For many years the ceaseless hum of the saw and the stroke of the ax have been heard in all our great forests. The northern portion of the state is characterized by evergreen trees, principally pine; the southern, by hard-woods. There are exceptional localities, but this is a correct statement of the general distribution. I think that, geologically speaking, the evergreens belong to the primitive and sandstone regions, and the hard wood to the limestone and clay formations. Northern Wisconsin, so called, embraces that portion of the state north of forty-five degrees, and possesses nearly all the valuable pine forests. The most thoroughly developed portion of this region is that lying along the streams entering into Green bay and Lake Michigan, and bordering on the Wisconsin river and other streams entering into the Mississippi. Most of the pine in the immediate vicinity of these streams has been cut off well toward their sources; still, there are vast tracts covered with dense forests, not accessible from streams suitable for log-driving purposes. The building of railroads into these forests will alone give a market value to a large portion of the pine timber there growing. It is well, perhaps, that this is so, for at the present rate of consumption, but a few years will elapse before these noble forests will be totally destroyed. Most of the lumber manufactured on the rivers was formerly taken to a market by being floated down the streams in rafts. Now, the railroads are transporting large quantities, taking it directly from the mills and unloading it at interior points in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, and some of it in eastern cities. From five to eight thousand men are employed in the pineries in felling the trees, sawing them into logs of suitable length, and hauling them to the mills and streams during every winter in times of fair prices and favorable seasons. The amount of lumber sawed in 1860, as carefully estimated, was 355,055,155 feet. The amount of shingles made was 2,272,061, and no account was made of the immense number of logs floated out of the state, for manufacture into lumber elsewhere. The amount of logs cut in the winter of 1873 and 1874 was 987,000,000 feet. In 1876 and 1877 the Black river furnished 188,344,464 feet. The Chippewa, 90,000,000; the Red Cedar, 57,0co,000. There passed through Beef Slough 129,384,000 feet of logs. Hon. A. H. Eaton, for fourteen years receiver of the United States land office at Stevens Point, estimated the acreage of pine lands in his district at 2,000,000, and, taking his own district as the basis, he estimated the whole state at 8,000,000 acres. Reckoning this at 5,000 feet to the acre, the aggregate pine timber of the state would be 40,000,000,000 feet. The log product annually amounts to an immense sum. In 1876, 1,172,611,823 feet were cut. This is about the average annual draft that is made on the pine lands. There seems to be no remedy for the

wholesale destruction of our pine forests, except the one alluded to, the difficulty of transportation, and this will probably save a portion of them for a long time in the future. At the rate of consumption for twenty years past, we can estimate that fifty years would see northern Wisconsin denuded of its pine forests; but our lumber product has reached its maximum, and will probably decrease in the coming years as the distance to be hauled to navigable streams increases. In the mean time lumber, shingles and lath will form an important factor in our commerce, both state and inter-state, and will contribute millions to the wealth of our citizens.

GRAIN.

Up to 1841, no grain was exported from Wisconsin to be used as food; but, from the time of its first settlement in 1836 to 1840, the supply of bread stuffs from abroad, upon which the people depended, was gradually diminished by the substitution of home products. In the winter of 1840 and 1841, E. D. Holton, of Milwaukee, purchased a small cargo of wheat (about 4,000 bushels), and in the spring of 1841, shipped it to Buffalo. This was the beginning of a traffic that has grown to immense proportions, and, since that time, wheat has formed the basis of the commerce and prosperity of the state, until the city of Milwaukee has become the greatest primary wheat mart of the world.

The following table gives the exports of flour and grain from Milwaukee for thirty-two years, commencing in 1845:

Up to 1856, the shipments were almost wholly of Wisconsin products; but with the completion of lines of railroad from Milwaukee to the Mississippi river, the commerce of Wisconsin became so interwoven with that of Iowa and Minnesota, that the data furnished by the transportation companies, give us no definite figures relating to the products of our own state.

DAIRY PRODUCTS.

Wisconsin is becoming largely interested in the dairy business. Its numerous springs, streams, and natural adaptability to grass, make it a fine grazing country, and stock thrives remarkably well. Within a few years, cheese-factories have become numerous, and their owners are meeting with excellent success. Wisconsin cheese is bringing the highest price in the markets, and much of it is shipped to England. Butter is also made of a superior quality, and is extensively exported. At the rate of progress made during the last few years, Wisconsin will soon take rank with the leading cheese and butter producing states. The counties most largely interested in dairying, are Kenosha, Walworth, Racine, Rock, Green, Waukesha, Winnebago, Sheboygan, Jefferson and Dodge. According to estimates by experienced dairymen, the manufacture of butter was 22,473,000 pounds in 1870; 50,130,000 in 1876; of cheese, 1,591,000 pounds in 1870, as against 17,000,000 in 1876, which will convey a fair idea of the increase of dairy production. The receipts of cheese in Chicago during 1876, were 23,780,000 pounds, against 12,000,000 in 1875; and the receipts of butter were 35,384,184, against 30,248,247 pounds in 1875. It is estimated that fully one-half of these receipts were from Wisconsin. The receipts of butter in Milwaukee were, in 1870, 3,779,114 pounds; in 1875, 6,625,863; in 1876, 8,938,137 pounds; of cheese, 5,721,279 pounds in 1875, and 7,055,573 in 1876. Cheese is not mentioned in the trade and commerce reports of Milwaukee until 1873, when it is spoken of as a new and rapidly increasing commodity in the productions of 'the state.

PORK AND Beef.

Improved breeds, both of swine and cattle, have been introduced into the state during a few years past. The grade of stock has been rapidly bettered, and stock raisers generally are striving with commendable zeal to ival each other in raising the finest of animals for use and the market.

The following table shows the receipts of live hogs and beef cattle at Milwaukee for thirteen years:

The following table shows the movement of hog products and beef from Milwaukee since 1862.

The culture of hops, as an article af commerce, received but little attention prior to 1860. In 1865, 2,864 bales only were shipped from Milwaukee. In addition, a large amount was used by the brewers throughout the state. In 1866, the amount exported was increased, and 5,774 bales were shipped to eastern markets. The price, from forty-five to fifty-five cents per pound, stimulated production, and the article became one of the staple products of the counties of Sauk, Columbia, Adams and Juneau, besides being largely cultivated in parts of some other counties. In 1867, 26,562 bales were received at Milwaukee, and the prices ranged from fifty to seventy cents per pound. The estimated crop of the state for 1867 was 35,000 bales, and brought over $4,200,000. In 1868, not less than 60,000 bales were grown in the state. The crop everywhere was a large one, and in Wisconsin so very large that an over-supply was anticipated. But few, however, were prepared for the decline in prices, that far exceeded the worst apprehensions of those interested. The first sales were made at twenty-five to thirty-five cents per pound, and the prices were reluctantly accepted by the growers. The price continued to decline until the article was unsalable and unavailable in the market. Probably the average price did not exceed ten cents per pound. Notwithstanding the severe check which hop-growing received in 1868, by the unprofitable result, growers were not discouraged, and the crop of 1869 was a large one. So much of the crop of 1868 remained in the hands of the growers, that it is impossible to estimate that of 1869. The new crop sold for from ten to fifteen cents, and the old for from three to five cents per pound. Hop-cultivation received a check from over-production in 1868, from which it did not

A large proportion of the yards were plowed under in 1870. The crop of 1869 was much of it marketed during 1870, at a price of about two and one-half to three and onehalf cents per pound, while that of 1870 brought ten to twelve and a half cents. During the year 1871, a great advance in the price, caused by the partial failure of the crop in some of the eastern states, and the decrease in price causing a decrease in production, what was left over of the crop of 1870 more than doubled in value before the new reached the market. The latter opened at thirty cents, and steadily rose to fifty and fifty-five for prime