The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-09-04
Columbia Grange.


The gdlar meeting of the Columbis
Grange, last Tuesday, was decidedly
one of the most interesting ever held
There was not large attendance but
the interest evinced by those present
in the success of the great principles O.
the order, was cheering indeed. That
which makes the meetings so pleasant
and we might say, profitable, is an en-
tire absence of everything that might
tend to create discord. It is a meeting
of the friends of common cause, in
social Intercourse, and harmony should
as it does, prevail. Although the
beautiful maidens and worthy matrons
rarely avail themselves of the privilege
ofjoining the brothers in the discussion
of any of the questions pertaining
to the household, and farm, and
of which they are familiar, vet theil
very presence creates a hallOwed in
tiuence, the grange could not, and will
not, do without. In the course of the
meeting many valuable ideas were ad-
vanced, the result of the experience Of
the members, upon their farms, which
should have been heard by every
farmer in the State. Mr.. r. Z. Ledbet>
ter, gave his experience in the use OF
the Drain Tile. To experiment he had
used the Tile, such as are sold, also the
rock, the plank and rail, and he was
more than compensated, indeed it paid
him better than any Investment he had
made upon his farm. The experiment
was made in a piece of ground that had
for years been under water, and to~Qay
he had upon it afieid OF corn that will
yield II barrels to the acre, and is ad-
mired by every one who has seen it.
The ground is loose and free from the
coarse grass that is generally found in
these calamus beds.
7 fl l.
what he meant by calamus beds. He
knew that lands on 14eiper's creek had
been greatly improved by ditching, but
had never seen the Drain Tile used.
Mr.. Ledbetter said that the brother
had no doubt carried calamus in his
pocket when boy, and he would in
form him that it grows only i'll low,
marShy land, which is constantly wet,
and the low bottoms are so sour that it
pOisons any vegetable planted in it.
DR.. A. 7. BOyQ said that it was a
mistake to suppose that these swampy
bottoms were sour and poisonous. The
reason they do not produce the cereals is
that they are cold-the water must be
removed by drainage, then heat will
enter the soil and create fermentation.
Mr. Ledbetter said that corn planted
in rich bottom lands will not take as
much root as that planted on upland.
One man can cut ditch 211 feet deep
so or 90 yards, in day.
Mr.. Ledbetter consented to address
the grange at its next meeting, upon
the cultivation OF wheat.
The next regular meeting of the
grange is Tuesday Sept. 18th, at which
time collation. will be spread by the
members. DIR. Boyd will have present
a sample of honey raised by him.
The hour of meeting hereafter, is
changed to 10 A. NJ.
On the first Tuesday in October DIR.
Boyd has consented to address the
grange upon the subject of bee culture,
subject upon which he is Thoroughly
cOnversant.
Persons not members of the order,
desiring to be present at these two adj
dresses, will be admitted, by making
known their wishes.
It was the sense of thu grange that
they will support the man for Repre-
sentative and Floater, who will use
their efforts to repeal the 10 per cent
law, regulate the unequal rates OF trans
portatiOn, and who are opposed to King
Alcohol.
There were several members present
from other oranges. The singing was
excellent.