The Hickman courier., 1873-07-05
The Oranges of the Patrons of Hus-
bandry.

The idea of the order of the ''pa-
irons of husbandry" was originally
borrowed from an association which for
many years had maintained feeble
existence in a community of Scotch
farmers in North Carolina. The OBJ
iect of this Scotch society, so far as can
be asoertained, appear to have been the
purchase of all needed supplies from
first hands and at wholesale rates, and
be cultivation of more intimate social
relations among its members that IS,
it was a secret cooperative, industrial,
and social association among those al
ready allied by mutual work and inter
est and sympathy. 1t was meagre IN
number. and narrow in influence, to a
degree that the fact of its existence
was known beyond the limits OF the
little community affected by its instl-
tutions. Nor was it until the spring OF
1873 that the idea of these Scotch far
mers first began to be mooted abroad,
and become known to the people of the
west. During the previous winter, Mr..
O. II. Kelley of Itasca, Mimi, and a
dozen other leading agriculturists OF
the west, happening together in Wash
ington, held frequent interviews IN re-
lation to the interests of the farming
population of the great west. 1t was at
this time and place that the farmers
movement first suggested itself to their
minds. upon learning of the character
and operation of the little Scotch so
cietv in North Carolina, whence sprung
the agricultural revolution in its pres
\ erlt shape. At once the idea was seized
upon, and adapted to meet the purpo-
ses of a national organization. Early
in the year 1868 a grange" was or
ganized at Itasca, MINI, under the su
pervision of Mr. Kelley. This was tht
first grange organization IN the United
States, except the organic germ II
North Carolina Another grange was
speedily organized at Newton, Jasper
county, 10. and in n short time thIrC
entered upon a feeble existence a
Waukon, Allamakee county, 10. Here
and there in various parts of the west
and northwest, other oranges were or
ganized from time to time; but TIM
movement had not yet taken firm root
and its existence was still precarlous
At the end of 1871, the order had beel
introduced into Iowa, Minnesota, WIS
consin and Illinois; but, up to tn
close of the year 1871, its entire mum
Der in the four states named is estlma
ted at not over seventy-fve thousand.
Quickened by new impulse, am
strengthened by a powerful vitality, 1t
progress within the past twelve months
beginning with the year, has been no
less than wonderful. From its wea
army of seventy-five thousand, 1t
claimed that, in the same four states
its membership has swelled to the NOR
formidable number of fom hundre
and fifty thousand, and is constantly IL
creasing with the same rapid vigor. A
the same time, the order has been II
, troduced into a large proportion OF th
! remaining states, and some OF the ten
: ritories, and Is extending not only
the north and west, but also the sout
= and east. 1t is this prodigious growtl
4 rapid advance, and general diffusio
2 throughout the country that gives tn
, deepest significance to this movemen
= In Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi an
= particularly in Georgia, the agricultl
S raj classes ale organizing oranges wit
l the same avidity which characterize
S the movement in the northwest. Alt
e gether it is found in active operation {
! the present time in twenty states, tN
0 or three territories, and in the Can
: das.-Old and NetO.