Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-11-19
kennebec Pomona GRANGE.

| n regular IHoctIIiS OF kc00eDec POm0-
ma Grange was held with Pittston Grange
Nov l3, Worthy Master E. n. Pinkham
presiding. The fifth degree was conferred
upon class Of four candidates. The
first topic for discussion, "How May a
Grange be of Benefit to Community, .
was opened by DR.. G. NJ. Twitchell BY
promoting the interests of community
where the grange is situated will be q
service. The needs of grange are the
needs of a community. We should appre-
ciate our opportunities. leave doubts
Ne complain of taxes and other burdens
but we should not let them overs hadow
our blessings. The grange stands for i'm
provement. Members should work for 1t
and for fraternity also. Where we do the
grange will be necessity. Cooperation
also; how many are working for it?
Finance is not prime object, sociability !;
$50 halls standing in our State are
memorials Of sociability.
| J. II. Barton spoke Of the social and
literary benefits of the order and the great
| benefit it is to the young. Farmers lack
| confidence in themselves yet there is nc
occupation more elevating We may
acquire knowledge by reading but by
| coming in contact with one another we
| get ideas that are of more value than
scientific reasoning. There is an antip-
| athy to science among farmers but the
grange is overcoming that. Experiments
prove something and communities want
some one to put ideas into practice.
W. p. Anterior said: The grange
benefits US intellectually socially morally
and financially. Libraries in the grange
have direct influence and are a benefit
to old and young What would we be
without social intercourse? We relate our
experiences and successes. We are taught
how to live. If we live up to our instruc-
tons 1t Will be well with us. Co-opera-
tiou is one of our fundamental principles
Mrs. G NJ Twitchell compared the in
lluencc of the grange to web of cloth
bleaching on the grass; we may not
perceive the change that is constantly
going on yet we know what it was and
what it is at present and we are satisfied
with the result.
B. +. Fuller said A church furnishes
a nucleus for its particular line Of work
so does the grange from which cmanates
those principles that will make all within
its scope more elevated and successful.
Advancement finds its center in the
grange.
After dinner the second topic was con
sidered; " Resolved that it Would be More
Profitable for the Farmers of Kennebec
County to Buy Grain and Feed it to Stock,
Thereby Increasing the Amount of Plant
Food on the Farm than to Buy CONNER
cial Fertilizers - J. H. Yeaton advocated
raising the grain fed rather than buying
it. AL grain crops are profitable to raise.
Bro. Yeaton sounded the keynote of sue
cess by saying that he always had paid
for the grain he bought before it left the
store and always got the pay back again
before it left the farm.
J. H. Barton did not believe in buying
commercial fertilizers to keep up the fer
tility of the farm. Can buy cottonseed
meal and bran and make it pay. J. Col
burn said: If you buy grain you are out
just the amount paid for it; raise 1t and
you save it.
DR.. Twitchell: While commercial fer
tilizer has only manurial value grain
has both fertilizing and n feeding value
Cottonseed meal loses only 10 per cent of
its fertilizing value in passing through an
animal. We must know more of the
constituent value of commercial fertile
izers The source Of supply should be
given to farmers. Results obtained are
not enough but quality of product should
also be considered,
Bro. Atherton advocated raising roots |
to supplement the grain crop. Buying
grain is expensive and we should feed it
to such stock as will give the best returns |
The question "What Has Been My Most
Successful Crop the Past Season." was
answered in various ways by those pres
ent Il. c. Gatchell said corn has been
my best crop and potatoes the poorest
Bro. Gray raised ESQ bushels corn the
estimated cost Of which was 90 cents p.r
bushel. He also had good success with
sweet corn for fodder.
Bro, Athcrton acknowledged that pigs
had not been paying crop the past year.
Feeding apples and potatoes to hogs did
not pay. Z n. Pinkbam gave the figures
of cost of keeping and market value of
several hogs that paid handsome profit
even in these days of low prices. Bro.
Knights Of Whitefield, gave q humorous
account Of bis successes and failures.
Bros ]. \. kcnney, T. c. Drummond
and others also spoke upon this subject
Good music was furnished by the
grange choir, and substantial feast was
provided by the ladies Of Pittston grange.
Tits grange has very attractive and
convenient hall ard is one of the Oldest
oranges in the State SECRETARY.
1t is said that one of our Farmingdale
II