Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-01-07


Patrons of NeW Hampshire State Grange:
Again we have assembled in annual ses-
sion to perform the various duties devOlving
upon us rs members OF the state grange.
We extend the lraternal hand of friend
ship, not only TO those well known rs hus-
bandmen and mntrons, but also to many
new and welcome co-workcrs in the broad
fields of our order.
We are not unmindful of the cares, trials,
RnXictics, labors and successes of those who
have been the earliest laborers within our
gates. aud we humbly trust thai with
stronger convictions of duty and with more
determined effort, we may attain to higher
and more lasting prosperity. We recognize
III the overriding hand OF Providence our
guide and our support in adversely and
prosperity. On the 23I day of December,
1873 the New Hampshire state grange was
organized with seventeen subordinate
oranges. and to-day we include within our
jurisdiction seventy-two subordinate gram
ges.
With limited area we can never expect
such great and rapid progress MS has marked
the successes OF some of our Western and
Southern sister state oranges still we can
build our structure 80 well that no enemies
may prevail against us. Large numbers do
not always constitute strength, and, with
many leaders and various counsel the most
pOWtfiui ioICtc ttistutektUttu utIu tuhtt
weak, while small and wcli-chosen band,
with single objects in view and with prudent
and wise leadership, may accomplish great
and noble results.
The lofty mountains, the rocky hllsides
the narrow valleys aud the thin soil of New
England may he objects of contempt and lie
risInn among those who nre favored with
rolling prairios, broad PLAINS, fertile and
deep soils, yet we have much to sustain and
encourage us. When the winters snow
covers the ground with white mantle, the
| laborer and the maid. the husbandman and
| the matron may. within our gates, mingle
in social equality, may enjoy the harvest
feast, the pleasant converse or the social
| dnnCe; and when the warm sun Of spring
dissolves the snow and enriches the barren
earth, the farmer is well prepared to loosen
| the soil, to further enrich II with suitable
| fertilizers, and Ia plant the seed with the as
surancc Of n fruitful harvest.
With ready markets, almost at our doors,
we may never fail of remuncrative prices,
| and, with prudence and foresight with
| economy and fair dealing, we may husband
our resources so rs to he able to relieve with
| our small contributions the distresses of our
| fellow man, when the drouths of summer
| render the fertile fields barren, when the
rivers overflow their banks aud cover with
water their broad valleys, when the locusts
come rs u cloud and utterly destroy the
| RlOWluE CIOpSs uHi Nucu lut lults
supreme in the cities OF the land. Let us be
| thankful that we can sustain life, provide
for n day OF want, support the various insti-
| tutlons of learning, of religion and of social
| organization in our midst, and have some
thing left to freely give to tho needy and suf-
| fering of our race; aud when we send out
our young men and maidens to preside in
the school-houSe, college, pulpit, Office and
by the tireside, may 1t be done, not with
pride aud vain glory, but with an honest de.
sire TO benefit and elevate mankind.
| While We continue to cherish and main
tain the public school house, we may never
fear that our emigrants will como back to
reproach us that they were sent out unpre-
pared to compete with their fellow men in
that noble emulation to deserve rather than
to win applause.
In tho early growth of our order much
was said and written in reference 10 oui
| aims and objects.
Some have presumed that the material
| benefit was the one great end in view; Others
have claimed that II wns TO educate Oul
members. and still others that the socin
feature and the iraternal bond oiunion wer,
the objects sought. When we examine thes'
several claims we find that there eau he ne
harmony between the material and the So
cial, the educational and the fIaternal IL
business matters the main purpose is to pur
chase In the cheapest, and to sell IN tho
dearest markets of the world; aud the oil,
axiom "that there is no friendship in trade,
is always IN force. Thus the man who !
building up business to enrich himself ha
no OccnsiOn to cultivate the social relations
except so lar rs mny he necessary to draw
customers to his place of business, hut whe
we minge in friendly and social intercourse
we leave behind the farm, the pulpit, III
shop and the Office
In education, we find tho great object 1
to improve and enlarge the mind L. lear
to see quickly, to judge carefully aud to dc
eide correctly; but on the other hand Will
influenced by iraternal feelings. we are 10,
to conciliaie our friends, to forgive our enc
mics and to smooth the rough and uneve
pathways OF life.
We hold that the social feature and the frf
ternnl bond Of union should be cherishe
and upheld in the grange.
Having these objects in view we can nevt
fail of accomplishing much that we desir,
They are the strOngholds of our order, OF
refuge in distress and u sure defense again
all our fOes.
8 1t is often urged that the farmers can b,
come physicians, lawyers, traders, banker
editors and manufacturers, and thus nbOlis
: all these (as some contend) useless excre
!, cences on the body polite. The avenues
4 all these professions are opeE to farmers
well MS to others, and we often see tho farmer
son taking rank second to none IN some prt
fessiOn eOngenlal TO his tastes. There Is on
good reason why there should always be "
ried professions In the fact that no one,
this short life. can hardly master sing
profession. When the science of agricultul
has been fully mastered, the varieties of sol
understood, the requirements Of each mac
known and the plants suitable for each sc
and climate selected with unfailing ski
when life is extended to antodiluvian age
then may we hops to be able to qualify on
III EatsN hn snIi CHI he.
and the pulpit and still maintain our pos
l. ton US agrlculturisls. There seems to be
Z. business but agriculture in which the farm