The Georgia grange. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1873-1882, November 01, 1873, Page 2, Image 2

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2 For the Georgia Grange.] Digging in the Soil for a Living. Toluca Grange, No. 110. Before Sin, with its train of woes —dis ease, decay and death —-had blighted the hopes of man, the art of tilling the soil was practiced by our father, Adam, as a pastime and healthful recreation. Nox ious weeds, hurting thorns and this tles, unfruitful shmbs, and poisonous vegetation grew not up from the virgin soil in the beautiful garden of Eden, in which man was placed by his Creator, to live forever, in holy estate, with the beautiful Eve for a companion. No destructive winds or scorching simoons, or blighting drouths, had ever visited that land of ambrosial fruits and flow ers of heavenly birth. Nothing was found in that fair paradise unfriendly or hurtful to man, until he, unmindful of the exalted position designed for him by his God, reached forth his hand and plucked the baleful fruit against which God, for the good of man, had placed an injunction, and breathed the warning, “ In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” When man lost his innocency, and knew he was un clothed in the sight of Heaven, the pure and healthful air became poisoned with foul miasmas, and pestilential diseases stalked through the shades of Eden, hunting their defenceless prey — sinful man. Then what had been to him pleasant recreation, became an onerous and painful task. From his brow, where once shown the light of heaven, oozed forth the enervating sweat From heaven he heard the unalterable fiat come, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth, for out of it wast thou taken, aid unto it shalt thou return.” The earth was cursed for man’s sake, and yet the curse may prove a blessing. Agriculture is, therefore, coeval with man and older than woman. Personi fied, this art would stand forth with giant form, towering far above all earthly deities or representatives of hu man devices. With lofty brow bronzed by the suns of sixty muscles of iron and sinews of steel, this giant god stands at the head of the column of human science, and points, with uplifted eye, the sons of Adam to the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Claiming origin directly of God, this silver-haired monarch may justly claim to leal the van of all earthly pursuits. A king, not in name or by virtue of mm’s authority only, but by direct grant from heaven, this conquering monarch calls for no sloth ful or lazy subject to help subdue the earth,and possess il. A king who counts all the earth for his realm, may justly claim the homage of every son of toil I [is scepter is the glittering plow-share; his helmet the canopy of heaven; his shield the warm sun-light; his assis tants the cooling charms from Heaven; his victories t he blooming, fruit fid fields in every land; his crown the approbation of the Father above; his seasons of re joicing, the glad smiles and grateful i offerings from the happy hearts of tin uumbere 1 millions of earth’s well-fed sons and daughters. With a ruler, whose right to reign comes from God, whose realm is all the eirth, whose power is unlimited, whose throne time has never shaken, and whose authority is so gentle ami mild, is it not surprising that men should be found in open rebellion against his gov ernment? What means this skulking behi’d the enemy’s ramparts? this lazy shirking of duty by a faithful sub ject? Sons and d.iught >rs of a noble an e*stry,who felled the forest and fought bravely in the fields for our old gray h ii"ed monarch, have you laid down the implements of warfare.and, recreant to the sacred cause which they espoused a id ent rusted to your care, found refuge in the strong-holds of towns and cities? Where is yonr courage? your boasted strength? Has the d in »n of sloth and idleness possess'd you. and by insidu ous promises of ease and luxury en ticed you from the paths of truth ami virtue? Ah. the fruits of labor are for those who work with untiring energy and unflagging zeal. Friends, do you d >ubt it ? Has agri culture offered you honorable employ ment and remunerative pay in vain? Does not this old veteran pay you as has ever lias been his wont in the days of old? Were our fathers more liberallv KAKGE.-< rewarded in their devotion to his cause? Let us not complain. Suppose we admit that their fields were new, their labor cheap, do wo pos sess nothing to counterbalance these important advantages? Yea, much. We have superior educational advanta ges, and the benefit of a thousand im plements and machines to save labor. Inventive genius has compassed the varied fields of thought in search of more improved implements of warfare. Science has come to our succor, and so armed and equipped the devotees of husbandry, as to make one man cquiv lent to five of a former generation. Again, we have knowledge, and as knowledge is power, we may count our strength as forever on the increase. The chemist has declared in our favor, and by an analysis of different soils has pointed out the proper food for each. To-day the cause of agriculture is resting upon as firm a basis as it ever has. True, hard blows and many of them, are necessary to insure success in unfavorable seasons, but under the guiding providence of the Almighty, victory will surely crown our labors in the end. Brethren, let us have no more desert ers. Lot us drill our laborers, and cut down our expenses by lessenjng our fields. Can we not reasonably expect greater results from smaller acreage, more liberal manuiing, and better cul tivation ? Let us try t> economize, and bring everything to more compact di mensions. And, above all, (and now I have come to the question of interest to every digger in the soil,) let us put our column in lino, and push altogether towards the great ultimatum —victory! Victory over every enemy. Victory over our own petty jealousies and com petitions. Joined as one man, we would be as invulnerable as the Spartan phalanx or the Roman legions. Will we not pursue our calling with oneness of pur pose and unity of interest? Success ful digging surely awaits us, if we prove ourselves worthy of our calling. The attainment of the most profitable re sults from the combination of strength and interests is a reality in the near future, and not a phantom over in the land of Utopia. If we persevere the prize will l;e ours, and then we will oc cupy a place of influence and power in our land. Then we will be able to de fend our old veteran king from the contumely of younger rulers, among men, who, through vampiric qualities, have so long drawn sustenance from his life-blood. We will demand for him the most honorable position in the councils where human interests are subjects of debate. Agriculture shall stand at the head, and demand the homage of every other vocation. And it will be able and worthy to wear the crown —the wreath of victory for which we, the diggers in the soil, are now striving. Brothers, if success should crown our efforts in the noble cause in which we are enlisted, let us remember to give due praise to Him without whoso blessing the earth would be an arid waste, ami al! our labor unprofita ble and vain. Let us, too, cultivate a friendly spirit towards all whom cir cumstances, or the accident of birth, may have placed in different walks of life, and to whom we, according to their views, are somewhat opposed. Let us disabuse their minds of their error this hastily formed opinion—ami bv ■ returning good for former evil, heap coals of lire upon their heads. Thus i we would inculcate and practice that I golden rule, “Do as von would be done by.” Fraternal’.v, yours, J. S. WIMBISH. For the Georgia Grange.] “Fcwtlna Lente*' Hitke Ilante Sloul}. In a very ancient book, called the Bible, we learn that this world was not male in a day, but in seven davs. None of the great discoveries or inven tions of art or science, which have been so valuable to mankind, sprung Min erva-like, full panoplied and ma ture from the brain of man. Espe cially is this true of all revolutions, religious or political. The whisper of grievances, almost stifled at first by intimidation, has thhoed and re-e hoed, finally swell ing into a grand diapason, shaking kingdoms from centre to circumference, and easting to the earth some of the most ancient dynasties. On the other hand, history furnishes instances where grand principles and sublime aspirations have been crushed, and noble efforts made abortive through the inconsider ate haste of tluir votaries. From the experience of the past, let us learn wis dom. These thoughts are suggested bv the absurd demand being heard just now all over the country—“ Why don't the Granges do this, that, or the other thing ?’ A body would suppose the Grangers are omnipotent. Friends and brethren, let us keep cool and organize! The “ Patrons of Hus bandry” are in their infancy as yet. The same summer’s sun that witnessed their birth, has not entered the portals of winter, but the rapidity of their growth foreshadows the Herculean pro portions the Order is destined to as sume. For this infant giant to grapple with its powerful foes, before his strength has matured, would bo sheer nonsense. We would be throttled, and fail to be the champion of right against wrong. In our anxiety to swell our ranks, we have admitted many who belong to the very occupations whose exactions we pro pose to resist. If we can not now eject these, let us keep, hereafter, a vigilant guard over our Order. Place none but farmers on guard! An indiscriminate onslaught upon all other avocations, would be the height of folly. Let us not run a tilt against a wind-mill. We arc iveak, pecuniarily Alas!-too many of us are at present dependent for our rat ions upon the men whom we would depose. Let us, there fore, keep cool, organize and raise pro visions. After this is consummated, we may carefully investigate the work ings of other pursuits, and if we find them hostile to our interest, we will be in a condition to demand reasonable services; and, should they refuse, we can ignore them and force them to do right. Let us be sure not to make matters worse than they are. Don’t “jump out of the pan into the fire.” Peavine, No. 13. For the Georgia Grange.] Oil the Self-Preservation of Our Order. At the August meeting of the State Grange, in the city of Athens, a reso lution was passed requiring the local Granges to reject all applications for membership, unless the “ leading inter est” of the party applying -was that of farming. This resolution was both founded in wisdom and based uwon ne cessity. If carried out fcid in good faith, itUwlll give sfrengfn and permanence to thd organization for the benefit of which it was passed. If dis regarded, either openly or clandestinely, many of the advantages and benefits sought to be gained by the Grangers will never be realized, and at no distant day the “Hand-writing on the wall” will portend disappointment, discord, dissolution. Some affect to regard it as strange that the action of the State Grange, above referred to, was deemed to be either appropriate or necessary. A few outsiders, a portion of whom are quasi farmers, have characterized it as being unjustly suspicious and exceed ingly illiberal. Their competency to advise us in the premises is not ad mitted, and the indispensible qualifica tion of disinterestedness, requisite to entitle their opinions to respect and al low the ermine to rest gracefully upon their shoulders while they sit in judg ment upon our matters, seems to be wanting. Permit us to say that the great ground swell w hich has been so plainly visible of late over a widely extended scope of country, and from which has cropped out the vast multitude of or ganized societies known as Farmers’ Granges, is clearly traceable to griev ' anccs supposed to be founded in wrongs, I and which it is believed can be made the subject of peaceful remedies. It de notes a fi in and mighty resolve on the part 6f the strong-armed and stout ' hearted cultivators of the soil to see,if, I by united effort, they can not break lo >se from the bondage under which they have so long bowed their necks, I and cast off—in a legitimate manner— some of the burdens which have kept them hopelessly performing a tread mill drudgery. There is nothing new in the organi zation of mutual aid societies. Other . professions ami callings have long since banded together for mutual pro tection,an Ito secure th-> benefits of as sociated effort. We have noworl of censure for their action; it meets our approval. So successful have thev been in accomplishing their purposes, that we propose now to illustrate our faith in their wisdom by following the’r example. We have been tardy in tak ing this step; it is in the fiel lof expe riment ; difficulties await us. To over come them, let us be “true to ourselves and we can not be false to anv one.” It may be appropriately suggested hero that no farmer, as such, ever knocks for admittance at the door of a merchahis’ exchange or mechanics’ association. No farmer ever applies for membership in a medical society, or seeks to have his name recorded on the “roll of honor” in a bar association. It should not, therefore, be construed into disrespect by any other creed, craft or calling, if they be requested to follow our our example of modesty and propriety. Failing in this request, let it be understood that we will have a “bar” at the outer door to exclude all intruders,who, from a patronizing kind ness to the ignorant farmers, or from sinister motives of whatever sort, pro pose to enter our ranks and share (to rule or distract) our councils. If we arc successful in this, and fail to ad vance the prosperity and elevate the dignity of our vocation, at all events we will preserve our self-respect, and, perhaps, learned judges, on festive oc casions, will not feel constrained here after to spice witty toasts with the de claration that our debliberations and our actions are controlled by lawyers, or any body else beside ourselves.. Let “ Combination, Consultation and Co operation” be our motto; but let us beware with whom we combine, consult or co-operate. Caluts. For the Georgia Grange.] Market Value of Green Fruits. Believing and hoping that the facts and figures here given will not be with out their good influence with your reading, thinking and enterprising friends, we take the liberty ot placing before them the prices of some of the leading fruits, of the season. We would here state that, with the same care and attention, apples, pears, grapes and other fruits can be as safely and as profitably shipped from Atlanta, or any other point in Georgia, as from the city of New York to Georgia. From a reliable price-list, issued at New York, under date of October 16th, we quote the following : Apples: Mixed lots,State, fall variety, P bbl. §3 00@ 3 50 Selected varieties 3 st)@ 3 75 Golden Sweet 2 50@ 3 00 Pears: Bartlett 4 00® 8 00 Louise Bonne 5 00@ 8 00 Virgalien 10 00 Duchesse 4 00@ 8 09 Seckle 6 09® 12 00 .arivtios 2 50® 4 00 Grapes : Delaware, in small boxes, t’ lb 10® 11 lona Concord •••• 7@ 3 Ocher varieties in like proportion. With the facts here stated, who can affirm that fruit culture can not be made one of the leading, wealth-pro ducing industries of the people of the “ Empire State of the South.” Towhat other department of f irm work can we direct the attention of enlightened men than to the development of the fruit interests of the State, and one which affords so much pleasure, and is so re fining in its character? Men, women ami children may profitably employ their time, talents and best energies in its prosecution. Ih cat a tree, fifty, a. hundred, a thousand trees of the best varieties, and you will never have cause to regret the work and investment. “ Progress.” *. —• For the Georgia Grange.] Public Pleasure Grounds. For the information of yonr young readers, and old ones, als >, perch in ?*, it has occurred to your correspondent to give the name, size and locality of only a few of the many public parks in thecitiesof th? I ni e l States —North, South and West. To the city of Philadelphia, Pa., belongs the honor of having the largest park in the world : 1 and, in the course of a few years, it is i thought, this pleasure ground will equal any i other in eleg meg an 1 attractive features, j Fairmount Park contains about 3,000 acres of land; Hunting Park, 45 acres; Logan Square, 7 acres, 3 roods; Franklin Square, 7 acres, 3 roods; Rittenhouse Square, 0 acres, 3 roods; Washington Square, 0 acres, 2 roods; Inde ! pendence Square, 4 acres, 2 roods ; Jefferson • Square, 2 acres, 2 roods. New Y<>rk City. —Central Park, 862 acres, ■ with so me recent addition-, the batters, o 0 I acre-; Citv Hill Park, 10) acres; Washington I Parade Ground, 9) acres; Union Square, 4 acres; S uvvesant Park, 4 acres; Tompkins’ Square, 10) acres ; Madi.-on Square, 7 acres; St. John’.- Park, 4 acres; Graineray Park, 1) acres. In Brooklyn, Prospect Par*, 550 acres. In Baltimore, Druid Hall Patk, 700 acres, with late additions; Patterson’s Park, "•>) | acres. In Chicago we have the Riv r-.<l - Pleasnr e Grounds, which embrace 1,6!X) acres. Other Chicago p.irk> are Lincoln, 50 acres; Washing ton, 2 3-10; Lake, 40 acres; D xrborn, 1) acres; Lilis, 3 acres ; I mon, 1 < ar?-; JciUr son, 5) acres; Vernon, 4 acres. Embraced in these smaller grounis there are ii irly l_’o acres of land. St. Louis, M >. —Tiie prid ■ and wonder of the West is Shaw’s Gard n, n lich contains 276 ! acre's; Tower Grove Park contains about 2.7 acres. In the fourteen other public ground- in St. L mis th- .e are about 119 acres. • Longworth’s “Garden of Eden,” Cincinnati, contains 156 acres. Hyde Park, England, contains 389 acres. Space will not admit of giving the size of other “ public pleasure grounds,” either in America or Europe. At another time we may furnish additional information on this interest ing “ subject.” Progress. [Note by the Editor. —Our esteemed cor respondent, in his enumeration of some of the leading cities of the world, fo r gets the ex tensive and magnificent City Park of Atlanta, an accumulation of natural and artificial charms, that, to be fully appreciated, must be seen. The only thing necessary for "Progress” to do is to see it, and the appreciation would fol low naturally. Oh, it’s a beauty !] For the Georgia Grange ] Colaparcliee— 46 Where, and What is She ?” As there seems to be grave doubt in the minds of many correspondents of the State Grange, as to the locality, etc., of Colaparchec, we are requested to publish, for their benefit, the follow ing: “Well, Colaparchec is Colaparchec ! HOW SPELLED. Not Colar-parchee—nor ColZar-par chee. Don’t believe in so much collar ing—unless by the arms of our sweet babies. It isn’t Colap-achee either. Those venomous Apachees out West had nothing to do with its christening. It’s an Indian name, though. We con fess to a hankering for Indian nam- except that Americanized Modoc crowd, to-wit: “Scar-faced Charlie” and Captain Jack! Now isn’t that eupho neous ? Colaparchec had two ee’s for | it’s candle appendage. Don’t leave off i one of them —as the name isn’t very i long, and we don’t believe in bob-tails anyway, especially in fly time; and, be sides ail this, it looks lazy in you. WHERE SITUATED. Immediately on the Macon and Western Railroad, running—except when not off from Macon to Atlanta. It is only fifteen miles from the former place by rail —as circumbendibusical as a black snake. It’s streets are not as numerous, nor it’s population so large, as those of London, but the former are quite as extended, lea ling from Macon to Forsyth! We are not in formed as to the motive actuating the “City Fathers” in laying off said thoroughfares upon such a plan of “magnificent distances.” But suppose they intended annexing the above sub urbs, as soon as—they—shall /have ob tained to respectable size. THE PARK. How magnificent; how refreshing and invigorating it is; eleven huge oaks ! It’s principle places of business in Colaparchec are: Ist. The substan tial ami imposing (severely, when filled with Peruvian guano,) freight house, made of stone; how much “polished after the smilitude of a palace,” we can’t say, nor whether hewn from “Italia’s bills or not.” But this does not matter, for it is substantial, and of ample diininsions to fill every want of an enterprising and populous country, except in cotton marketing. Then it is supplemented by a ten acre field, which the railroad magnates generously ten der to planters free of storage. 2d. The magnificent wood-shed, covering all-out-of-doors; but this was blown down by an uncerem inions squall two years ago. There are other business houses in the town, and convenient to the depot, twenty-six feet off. It has an Express office they don’t call it Colaparch 'e, though. On.) thing is enough to apply that name to—but. I “CRAWFORD STATION, M. A W. It. R,” named in honor of an old man by the name of Crawford (soin • people insist on calling that Crawfferd,) who reigned Anno Domini before we were born. The I’ostofii.-e is called Colaparchec, Monroe county, Georgia, and it is at Crawford Station, too eighty feet from the Express office. Colaparcliee Post oflice doesn’t want you to send postal orders payable at her sanctum, but generously allows you tobestow upon it’s small neighbor (Macon) such insignifi cant charities. Colaparchec has a hotel, though,the HIGHTOWER HOUSE, and it feeds high, too. Toby, the pro prietor, avoirdupoises 250 pounds, and all his babies are just like him—not that heavy, you know, but fat. All his dogs are too fat to bark ; his chickens have to be starved one week before they get lean enough tocrow; and, as for pigs, he has one that shames, in utter con tempt, the pictures of those curl-tailed fellows in the primer book. And more over, Hightower’s pig is going t > beat any known pig winning that premium at the fair. Hightower’s Hotel is situated just across the rail roa 1 from the post >ffi ■ •, Co-la-par-chee we mean, and just over eighty-seven cords of crooked wood —“the pursuit of” viands over “difficulty,” you sec! Those havingbusiness, at the Secreta ry’s office, can have from three to five hours from time of arrival of trains from Macon or Atlanta, before return ing to take a “square meal,” but I never did known what kind of a meal that was, unless it was thb kind you could tumble in by the foot. They just take in “day boarders” here —they don’t think Grangers ought to take time to sleep! Now, then, if you can’t tell where Colaparchec is, we hope Jacob’s lean kine may never cease to devour you. Selah! Goggles. . »• — For the Georgia Grange,] Labor-Saving Inventions. THE GRAIN BINDER. Necessity is a sure and certain de veloper. Well has it been said to be the “Mother of Invention.” As the supply of labor went out, invention came in. The world was n?ver before, perhaps, so full of contrivances for the saving of labor, or to lighten toil, as at present. Just think of the little, tiny sowing needle, and what it cost to make it five years ago. Hundreds of men and boys were required in one estab lishment in the manufacture of the wee thing. On the 14th day of June, 1870, a patent was granted Mr. C. O. Crosby, of New Haven, Connecticut, on his model for a machine designed to make steel sewing needles. The invention proved a grand success, and there are now in op eration, in New Haven, eight of Cros by’s machines, turning out about 350,- 000 perfect needles per day. Further still, the machine not only makes the needles, but places them, very orderly, in papers, and delivers them ready for sale, or packing. THE GRAIN BINDER. As another step of genius, we bring to the front, Mr. S. F. Parker, of Dav enport, lowa, who has introduced a wonderful improvement to lighten the toil of the wheat-field. The Davenport Gazette thus describes it: “The Binder is attached to the side of a reaper, the bed of which is traversed by a rake on an endless belt, that carries the grain from before the sickle, when cut, and lays it over on. the binder. This is a concave of sheet iron, in which the grain lies until bound.” It is pro nounced, after repeated trials, a grati fying success. Respecting this im provement, the Gazette adds, “That once in successful use, they will revolu tionize harvest work, and will add mil lions of dollars to the wealth of the nation, in the immense saving they will effect in the cost of securing the grain crops of the West.” Every grain grower should make a note of this in vention, and seek its benefits. More in future. P. Fur the Georgia Grange.] flaisc Your Own Supplies. I am sure that if every member of the Grange in Georgia, would, during the next five years, raise his own i supplies, corn, wheat, barley, oats, , rye, cattle, hogs, sheep, etc., and, at the end of that time, take stock, he would find himself worth twice as much as the man who confined himself to planting nothing but cotton. As a surplus crop, cotton is profitable, but not otherwise. If cotton is made the exclusive crop, bankruptcy will generally follow. If 1 owed, to-day, ten thousand dol lars, I would try hard to pay it with as little delay as possible, but I would continue to raise my own pork, corn, wheat, rye, turnips, potatoes, peas, bar ley, sheep, mules, etc., curtail my ex penses as much as possible, and what cotton I could raise, as a surplus crop, would go towards paying the debt. I earnestly hope that every member of the Grange, who desires the prosper ity of his country, will determine to raise his own supplies —debt or no debt —bond or no bond—guano or no guano. Raising “ all cotton ” is no way to in crease your profits. I have calculated the matter closely, but have never been able to g .*t profit out of exclusive cotton planting. If pork was worth four cents per pound, and beef four cents, I would raise it; if corn was fifty cents and wheat Si 00 per bushel, 1 would raise it ; if any other farm products were as low in price, proportionately, I would raise them notwithstanding, be cause the farmer can only become inde pendent, and advance the prosperity of the country, by raising his own sup plies. I will continue this subject in a succeeding number of The Grange. J. S. Lavender. .