The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-12-13
THE GRANGER CHEF.
L cIs"nal Appearance and Character OF the
Founder of the Changers.

From tAcsNCw York Trlbune.l
Mr. Saunders, the founder Of the order OF
the Patrons Of lIusbandry, Is desc 'ibcd as a
/ genial, unostentatiOuS sensible ScOtchman
! He is upward Of 60 years of age, a man OF
large frame, something above medium
height with grey hair, a beard almost white
and, although his complexion is rather dark
he has the lghtest blue eyes ever saw-eyes
which would delight the transccndcntal
/ Alcott, who believes that the bluc-cycd Will
! inhclit the earth. He has high and some.
what rctreating forehead, nose which
! cyinccS strength of character and . rather
sober expression of COuntcnanCC, rs a man of
/ thought rather than of a man who is con.
trolled by his feelings His bearing it such
1 that he ELECTS good will from others; those
who are associated with him holding him in
profound and even tender regard,
Mr. Saunders came to this country in 1S4T
Prior to that time he had been engaged in
horticulture and anG agricultural pursuits in
and about London, where he also organized
several societies of persons engaged in OCcu-
p&tiOns similar to his own. Forscveral years
past he had been, as he is at present, the
superintendent of the gardens of the depart
mcnt OF agriculture, and the beauty Of the
gardens, considering the brief period they
have been in existence certainly does credit
TO his skill and taste.
The order Of the Patrons Of fIusbaudrg was
first conceived in his mind some seven wears
ago. The grand objects he had in view were
general improvement in husbandrv, the pro
motion OF the welfare and happiness of those
engaged in agriculture and kindred persuits
and the increase consequent upon these Of
general wealth and prosperity Of the country.
He had observed that the popular modes of
treating an interest in husbandry, and of
securing diffusion of knowledge with view
TO its application to the increase of the pro
ducts Of the soil, were imperfect and wholly
inadequate. He saw that, for the welfare of
the great producing masses of tho country,
and for the efficiency in their labOrs, two
thinS were cssental-cducaion especially
instruction in relation to the best methods of
production, and unity o.. action and thSc two
essentials he kept and still keeps steadily in
view.
Having settled upon the ends to be ac-
compllShcd, he spent two ycarS-lS6j ana
lSGG-in corresponding with the principal
agriculturstS of this country and Great
Britain, with the view of Interesting them in
this project. Referring to his correspondence
then and since, which has been very extensive
he assured me that in it all he had never made
use O! tranked envelope, although the
tran6cd envelopes of the agricultural bureau
we're always AT his ulSpOSal. Al length, alter
much labor and preparation, in December,
1861, the first grange was organized in this
city, consisting of agricuturists from various
states Of the Union. Soon attcrward the
secretary Of this first grange, while on visit
to hi, friends in Minnesota, organized the
second grange, and during the five years
following societies were formed to consider
able number in various states. But the
progress Of the movement was slow, and the
founder met with numerous discOuragcmcnts
Many oranges diSbauded, failing to realize
the great advantages that had been held out
to them, and he was obliged to urge the 9th
crS by, letter, to hold on, assuring them that
considerable results could not be counted on
until the movement had become extensive
but that when it did once get under way, they
would, to use his phrase, "do II big business :
Eleven months ago there were but 1,10OI
oranges in the whole country 1t was then
that the movement took sudden forward |
start, and it has since grown with Il rapidity
astounding to Mr. Saunders, and to everybody !
else. There are now over s, 500 oranges in all
the states, and they are increasing by the |
hundreds weekly. There are over $500 in |
Iowa alone. In Pennsylvania, % oranges
were formed not long ago, the result OF an
agents labors there Tor few weeks. Speak
ing oi this rapid growth. Mr. Saunders re-
marked that the thing was now beyond his
control and that he could do little else than
sit still, and observe It's course Still he re
ceivcs IA large mail daily from all parts of the
country, and he has numerous calls from
people interested in the movement. The
reported membership is nearly 100000