Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-08
THE PATRONS OF HUsBANDRY

La the West and South this order is al
ready great success, and if managed with
skill and prudence there can be no doubt
that it will be of great advantage to the
farmers OF those sections. In New England
it has as yet no foothold except in Vermont,
where it has been introduced mainly through
the publicity its aims and principles have
obtained in the columns of the YER
MONT FARMER. As yet, even in this state,
it can only be said to be on trial, and the
way in which the eight or nine oranges al
ready organized are managed during the
coming winter will probably determine
whether the order will spread here and in
the adjoining states, or fail and die out.
1t will thus be seen that a great response
biity rests upon the friends of this institu-
ton in Vermont to make strong effort nO'o,
to demonstrate its advantages before the
public, and thus secure confidence in the eff
cheney and value of their proposed operations.
1t is of vastly greater Importance that the
oranges already in existence shall be made
efficient in all their departments Of useful
ness, than that new oranges should be estab-
lished. Let the State Grange and the sub
ordinate bodies work as they can and ought
to, for their own and the general good through
the coming winter, and there need be no
anxiety about the spread Of the order. The
call for deputies to institute new oranges will
exceed the supply.
! We would like to call the attention of the
Patrons in Vermont to the fact, which too
many of them seem disposed to overlook,
that the function of the Grange as a pur-
chasing body, though useful, is not the most
! important one, and will not alone maintain
the vitality of the organization. Neither is
the mere admission of members, or what is
called the work" Of the order of such impor.
! lance as to exclude the social advantages
which the meetings should give to the mem
! bers and their families. Still less should
the work" be allowed to take the place OF, or
interfere with, regular aud frequent meetings
for the discussion Of agricultural topics. The
"Circou Mountain Grange replaces, mainly,
the old "Passumpsic Farmers Club" yet so
far, it has afforded but little in the way in
which the Club was most useful which
made it, in fact, one Of the best Clubs in the
state,--we mean its discussions and papers
on subjects of vital interest to its members
and the whole circle OF reading and improv.
ing farmers.
While We should by no means advise the
rejection Of new applicants for membership
in the oranges, provided they be the right
sort of men, we feel that we are demonstra-
ting our good will to the order when we sug-
gest to them that an increase, either Of oranges
or members, is not now Of one-tenth the i'm
portance that an active aud efficient cam
paign with their present force would be-.
The people are waiting TO sec it this new
tangled arrangement is going to be really
good for anything. 1t is on trial with the
public. This is fact that it will not do to
overlook We commend that fact and its
natural deductions to the careful considera.
ton Of every member Of the order who wants
to see it thrive and attain to usefulness and
influence.