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. .
