The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-07-26
From the .SxrfcuIfuraI College.


From Our Own Correspondent.
The predictions of the MsteoroIogists that
this would be warm season, has been fully
realized, and no one is desirous OF seeing it
repeated. The first five days Of last week are
days long to he remembered. While we were
all too badly effected by the heat to learn our
lessons well, every paper was full of accounts
OF deaths from excessive heat which, in ordi-
nary times would have attracted more general
attention, A thousand people dying in one
day, from any uncomfortable cause, like food
an earthquake or storm is always appalling.
But here II Gaze OF thousands dying from
just such cause-uncontrolable-a people
giving it only passing notice. For four days
the Thermometer ssood above 97o where the
sunnever strikes 1t. At o'clock, on Wednes-
day, il marked 100 10 f., and at O'Clock, $50
f. Harvest hands went under the bush one
after another Ike geese to the pond. The
work on the farm was crowding 60 that the
boss wouldn't excuse, and the lessons we're
not shortened, and altogether we thought for
the fret time that we would prefer vacation
to study in warm weather.
The wheat in this vicinity is mostly cut and
some of it secured 1t is found that the Claw r.
son and Asiatic viii give the best yield and
best quality of gram. The farm has field Of
23jG acres of the beso wheat in Ingham county.
1t has three acres Of the poorest, too, think
and unfortunately this lee next TO the road
ana is good coughing stock. 1t is on ground
that two years ago was flooded with water and
has been sown to wheat, merely for the pur-
pose of seeding, and since the gram was sown
1t has been cut to pieces in putting in
thorough system Of till drainage. Wheat will
be grown there yet, that viii not be laughed al.
Many farmers are threshing from the field
with the steam threshe-s. Insurance COM
panies are insuring against fire by the use OF
steam threshers. for one dollar, which certainly
makes it safe for the farmers, and, they claim,
much cheaper.
Last Friday we visited the grange store OF
Lansing IN company with. Prof. Ingersoll, TO
zee what they had and how it is run. We
found they had a little Of every thing IN the |
line Of farmers implements, hardware, grocer |
les and provisions. The capital is furnished
BY selling shares Of from eto 25 dolars The |
money so invested receives per cent. interest, !
per annum, and any profits above this are
divided in dividends among the patrons OF the |
store, each receiving dividend proportional to
The amount CT trading they do during the year.
They claim to have very efficient manager
who is paid a salary and s. per cent OF the
o-oats to give him an interest in the business.
Of course they buy only auch things as they
Anow that the stockholders want. Il is still
doubtful whether store Of this kind can be
made success. Our regular dealers could
,crbtess do as well, and probably better, by
he men who trade at 60 operative stores If
hey could always get cash down as such stores
must. doubt very much if any common store
{ paying more than 6 per cent. on the capital
invested. Certain it is that il cooperative
stores can be made success, they have not
yet reached perfection. A cooperation through
he grange made their plaster cost them so
,ents more ton, am informed by one of its
members. than dealers sold it for and made
mail margin. Doubtless the grange move
nent had some good effects in securing fair
md equitable adjustment of prices, but surely
leaers at present are not getting unfair pro-
its, but are the farmers. friends. This has
.lwsys seemed to us the secondary object OF
he grange the primary object being to secure
more general ard refined social character il.
arm life.