The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-19

once in the town or city he is over.
looked-becomes a cipher.
Why should farmer leeye coun
try neighborhood with which he has
become identified and interestedH
The country society is not what it
ought to be, and this dissatisfied farmer
thinks he will find better by moving to
town.
Now let him stay in his country
home and go to work and help improve
the condition of himself and brother
farmers and make a better society right
at home. Organize them, get better
roads, better schools, better society,
better facilities for doing business,
do more business, encourage smaller
farms and more intensive farming
Don't be selfish.
At q recent farmers institute in New
York, the question was asked, (which
is best for the farmers interest, the
grange or farmers club9"
Mr.. Van Dresser said: 81 believe
the grange is one of the best organiza
tions for the farmer-but if you don't
have one-form a farmers club. Be
sure and have some sort of an organ
ization. You will find it of great bene-
fit to yourselves and your young peo
pie. We ought to use every meaDs in
our power to make our young people
happy and contented on the farm
Take them to the grange, to the club
and the institute. Just go along this
line of progression and you will be sur
-prised at the results that will ensue
Mr.. Litchard said ''The grange has
one advantage over the club-it has a
national organization to back it up,
We have nine of them in Allegheny
county, through which we have in
eleven years saved $45, 600 in fire in
surance premiums. ALI depends on
the farmers, however. You might as
we'll whistle against the wind as to at
tempt to start a grange or a club in
some places. You can distinguish one
Of these townships as soon as you drive
into it-no organization, poor school,
no roads, no telephone; don't want
anything that's going to cost cent p
Let US look at some of the advan-
tages of organization. Where / live
we have q lively grange of los mem
berF; it has existed for twenty five
years and has just celebrated it's quar-
ter centennial with much eclat. This
grange has kept its members from
moving to town. Tt has accumulated
property worth up in the thousands.
It runs very successful fair, that is q
credit to any place. 1t buys and sells
much of the, home produce and sup
plies, ships clover seed to the same
eastern oranges that it buys buckwheat
-four from; buys corn, -four and bran,
ETC., and saves on these articles many
times the cost of maintaining the
grange. This neighborhood encourages
all kinds Of legitimate enterprises and
is alive and full of progress. In the
home neighborhood of this grange
started the county telephone system
that is giving such general satisfaction
with it's $50 miles of wire and 1875
phones. The two schools here reflect
the enterprise generated; State normal
graduates are employed by the year
and each school has q fine library.
Talk about farmers moving to town
for rest, social and intellectual com
panionshipI Why, there is not town
in existence that will compare with the
advantages that can be built up right
at hones as in the case above men,
toned.
With a good organization, for all
lines of CO operation, good schools,
telephones, plenty of good reading,
daily mails, good roads, no saloons,
what on earth need farmer move to
town for7
If his neighborhood hasn't got these,
the best use he can put his head and
hands to is to work them up. The very
labor Of doing this will educate and
give new and better ideas. The future
of this country depends on the condi
tion of the country homes. 81. K,
Smith, Putnam Co., ILL.,, in Farmers
Voice.
OUR FARM GARDEN.