The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-11-05
A Suggestion.

a Suggestion.
Editor Patron: | do not belong
to the Grange, my occupation pre-
cIudes my becoming mem Der.
But from its first organization |
have felt deep interest IN its pros
perity and a desire to promote its
welfare and usefulness in whatever
way an outsider can. [ hope, there
fore, that [ shall not be thought m
pertinent in suggesting a way by
which the Oranges in the South
can profit each other, and extend
the usefulness OF their organ, The
PATRON OF HUsBANDRY.
We hear much of cooperation
and indeed this is the cornerstone,
the keystone, and the capstone of
the Grange. Let Patrons cooper
ate to present monthly statement
of the condition of agriculture in
their several sections. [ suggest
this method: At each monthly meet
ing of the Grange let the Secretary
be required to prepare on q postal
card statement Of the progress OF
agricultural operations, condition
of crops and prospective or actual
yield, &c, 10 that vicinity-each
in its appropriate season-and mail
10 THE PATRON OF HUsBANDRY.
Let Mr.. Worthington publish these
from week to Wcek, as received, in
columns devoted to that purpose.
We sh 0uld then have from the be-
ginning to the end Of the year,
statistics Of the crops which future
dealers and spectators could not be
suspected of manipulating. L be-
lieve that such feature of TIE
PATRON would run its circulation
up to $4,000 copies, for thousands
''outsjde the gales would seek it
for this information, than which
none could be more entertaining or
profitable to readers of all classes
and occupations.
| would prefer that these commu
nications should be made officially.
as requested. but when there is 20
Grange in the vicinity or the
Grange refuses or fails to act, let
some live Patron or even non-affili
ating farmer, volunteer TO make&the
statement once a month. Let it be
brief-such as can be conveniently
written on a postal card
Promising that the correspond
ence shall begin on the first of De-
cember, [ suggest the following
topics, each to be attended to at
its proper time: Average yield of
cotton and corn per acre; yield as
compared with last year; cause Of
shortage; yield OF peas and pota
toes; are crops all gathered? has
much bay, fodder, and other rough
age been saved? have much rye.
wheat, turnips, &C., been sown? the
condition of rice, sugar and sor-
ghum crops; the condition of live
stock; the amount Of acorns and
other wild food for stock: financial
condition OF farmers; food prospects
foT coming year; labor, scarce or
abundant; average rental Of lands
per acre in money, and the share if
paid In kind; terms, where Iaborers
work on shares and where they
work for wages; preparations for
new crop, increased or diminished
acreage as compared with previous
year; fresh lands brought into cul
tivation; new farms opened; emf
grafton and immigration; spring
oats sowed; pitching-of crops; rea-
tive proportion of lands in cotton
and corn, increased or diminished
acreage of each as compared with
previous year; fertilizers used, COM
mercial or home made; improved
agricultural implements used; the
seasons-temperat rains, winds,
moisture, and frosts-their effect
on the crops; fruit prospects; side
cfops-potatoes, peas, sorghum, &C.
garden crops Noxious insects
damage caused by them Heath
of men and beasts. Monthly pro-
gress Of crops of all kinds, from
termination to gathering Yield
per acre. Per cent. increase or
decrease as compared with crops Of
1880-the census year.
As there is no Grange in this,
Sumner county, [ volunteer state
mont. Cotton, average per acre
one-third of bale; decrease, az
compared with 1880, one~third;
damaged by drouth and caterpilars;
poor stands; crop will all be gath
cred by Novem Der 10 Corn, seven
bushels per acre; short one half;
damaged by spring floods and sum-
mer drouth; full crops in some
neighborhoods; June planting best
yield, in some places twenty bushels
per acre; crop best in the southwest
ton 10 truth in every article and in |
everv line Of business, and in ali |
business to give the customers all