The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-06
The Grange and Farm.

The Grange and Farm.
Dodge county Patrons are building
an elevator for the oranges.
Mr.. Joseph Goar, of Rice county
sowed clover seed on the unbroken sod
in the sloughs on his farm, after drain
ing them slightly. The seed took root
finely and he has now excellent clover
pasture land.
We attended an open meeting of
Chester grange, P. of H., in Olmsted
county, on the evening of the 25th ult.
There were but few present, but they
had an interesting time, and made
arrangements for festival on the 9th
Of October. Like all other oranges this
has been effected by the busy season
and other depressing circumstances, and
now two Of its l;vest membership. and
Mrs. John Elliott-are going to with
draw, as they intend removing to Iowa.
Still the members are not respondent,
and their arrangements for the festival
prove that their faith and attachment to
the Order is undated.
The secretary Of the Indiana State
Grange writes to the Patrons Helper,
that those who have tried to use the
Order for selfish purposes, having been
disappointed, care now busy trying to
circulate the idea that the Ocrder of Pat
rons Of Husbandry is fast going out of
existence, and will be short lived in
stitution. I can say from the facts and
evidence before me, such is not the case,
neither in this or other States. In States
that have organized since this they are
moving more cautiously and working
zeatously, and acknowledge substantial
benefits, while the States first organized
are becoming more permanently estab-
lished and boasting Of the advantages
of the Order
During our recent absence from home
we stopped at the house Of friend in
the country. The adult members Of the
family proper are al! enthusiastic Pat
rons, and have contributed largely to
make their local grange success. We
inquired how the society was prosper
ing, and this is the story they told:
cit is almost impossible for US to get
up good meeting now, not because our
neighhors have lost faith in the Order,
but for several other reasons. First,
the attendance Of the lady members is
essential to make the regular meetings
attractive and interesting. During the
summer season, and especially in har-
vest and threshing, when farmers keep
a number Of hired hands, the women
folks have 50 much to do that they are
too tired to attend meetings or even do
the family sewing. Hence, after the
busy time has passed, their domestic
duties still crowd them so closely that
it is only during few months annually
that they have leisure generally to de-
vote to the grange.
"Asain, our grange was persuaded
to invest largely in the business of the
county agency. A heavy debt was con-
tracted by the agent, and lot Of un-
saleable machinery was left on his
hands. We are now called upon to pay
t;le debt. To be sure this debt does
not equal the aggregate saving to the
members from reduced prices Of ma
ehinery which they have been able to
secure through the establishment Of the
agency, but we all feel now that the
saving might have been secured by con-
ceutrating our trade in the hands of a
single dealer, and that We would, in
that case, have been spared all loss Of
course, it seems hard for US to pay this
debt, and with many this reluctance is
sufficiently influential to weaken their
interest in the Order. With all it tends
to dampen their zeal.
"Another depressing influence springs