The patron of husbandry., 1880-06-26
The grange a school.

There has been so much WIlltel
and re. written, sung and proclaimed
to US from the stage, upon the SUD
iect of education, that upon hrst
thought it would seem that there 10
nothing for us to do but to put IN
practice what we have already
heard, and learned. fold our hands
and be content. Is this truef we
have been taught from childhood
that knowledge is power, or the
comprehension of facts, and their
relations one to another. Have we
proven ell these facts, and do we
understand all that is contained in
our first lesson taught in the
Grange? GA higher and noble
manhood and " omanhood" Nay,
/ think not, we have hardly turned
the first leaf.
AS we look about over this beau
tiful land of ours, do we fully real
ize what has wrought the change
from fifty years ago? Look to day
at our farms and homes: Why
that mower and reaper, instead of
sc7the and sicklef Why that planter
and cultivatof instead of the hoe?
You may say by hard labor we have
earned them; true, but did not our
great. grandfathers toll early and
late, their work seemingly never
done, but their toll did not produce
like machines. SO we see there is
something beside physical labor re
quired to bring about so great a
change.
It Is through study and self-im-
provement by the agriculturists that
has been the Alladin's lamp that
has lighted up his path and directed
the way to all these great improve
ments, which enables him to-day
to take a stand in the foremost ranks
and is. causing all other trades and
professions to render him that re-
| spect which is his due.
In former years the farmer has
been looked upon a mere machine.
plodding along behind his PloPE,
without thought as TO how deep
or shallow it should go TO produce
the best result or the largest yield
to his crops; and as to his analyz-
ing the soil to see what was needed
from a chemical point Of view. that
was unheard of He must ask some
learned professor what he must do
to produce thirty bushels of wheat
| per acre.
Not so now. The farmer thinks.
He has entered this great school,
the Grange, where he is thugh,
that he may and must think and act
for himself, if he would be honored
his in profession, w hich we think the
noblest and best to which man or
woman was every called. For ma
ture is our teacher, and her lessons
are truth, purity, honesty and indus
try-and it is also the oldest on rec
ord, as our first parents were
Grangers. He has also learned the
lesson of self-reliance; he expert
ments and studies his own soil, to
see what it needs; is posted as to the
markets, and ships his own pro-
ducc, without the aid of Mr.. A or
B. These social meetings have
brought out talents which but few
supposes he possessed (both on the
farm and in the house) He has
learned that there is a better way
than taking his butter to the store
and meekly asking what they
will give for it, and what they will
take for their goods. We see the
effects of its teachings in the house,
in the home circle. Our children
may now enjoy advantages equal
in many respects to their city cous-
ins, for at the present Grange prices
| few of us but can own musical in
struments and a we'll filled library
and we each and all have learned
that there is something in store for
the farmer besides unremitting toll,
with soiled and rugged clothes and
to be looked upon as the hod- carri-
ers of earth. Each member of that
family now finds time to enjoy these
| blessings with which they are sur
rounded. They are thinking indie
pendent people. Our farm house
is no longer the place where we
merely eat and sleep, but one which
we adorn with beauty, (if we are
true Grangers) making each mem
Der feel that it is truly "home, sweet
ome."-Mrs. O. p Laird, in
/ Grange Bulletin.