Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1874 — The Advantages of Organization. [ARTICLE]

The Advantages of Organization.

Aside from something of a purification in the politics of the country by holding officials and parties to a more strict accountability, and aside from their influence in neutralizing the efforts of monopolies and rings in transportation and trade, the organization of Granges and clubs among the farmers of the country ■will secure to them enduring advantages of the greatest moment. There has been altogether too great a 'willingness among farmers to let what seemed to be “ well enough” alone; too universal a disposition to do as their fathers did; and too great an aversion to abandon old prac- 1 tices and inaugurate new ones. This has not been the result of a lack of enterprise among them as a class, for, on the contrary, taking all things into consideration, there is scarcely any class of our population which has given evidence of more enterprise than that portion engaged in agricultural pursuits. But it has been the natural and almost inevitable result of the profession in which they are engaged. tte farmer’s work is upon the farm, and he has small opportunity of making himself familiar with the practice of those of his own profession residing at a distance; and when he hears of something new he is deterred from giving jt a trial, since a mistake made at seeding time is a mistake for the whole season, and cannot be remedied in a day or an hour, as in mechanics and kindred pursuits. In the shops, the constant shifting of workmen from one to another very soon makes a whole class of artisans acquainted with an® improved practice or implement which has been aevised by one of their number; while among the farmers, with their observations restricted in the main to their own neighborhoods, new modes of cultivation and improvements in machinery and in the various industries of the farm are made known very slowly tothose whom they chiefly concern, and are necessarily not adopted with the same rapidity as similar improvements affecting other industries, though it must be said to their credit that the American farmers have not been slow to seize upon and utilize everything promising to be an improvement when once fairly brought to their notice.

There have been for a long time farmers’organizations in various portions of the country, having for their object the discussion of agricultural questions, the dissemination or information concerning agricultural pursuits, and the encouragement of more thorough, scientific and economical modes of farm management. They have, however, while accomplishing a great deal of good, heretofore failed in a large measure to reach the great mass of the farming population. They seemed to lack the elements necessary to arrest and 1U the public attention, or to interest the class to whose ranks they belonged. The Grange organization and the clubs and other organizations now securing such a large membership among the farmers seem to exert a magnetism which was absent in the old-time associations. There is something about them which not only attracts the attention of all farmer* of all grades and conditions, but which ib also sufficient to fill them with an absorbing interest, and a wonderful enthusiasm and earnestness in ti»e business In hand. For the first time in the history of American agriculture they provide the means by which the farmers can be brought together in large anmbms « fanners, and we have no fear that this hold will be broken. And whattver shape these organizations ultimately

assume, there can be no question that the constant and close association of farmers will give them opportunities of ascertaining and comparing each other's expew ence, of making themselves acquainted with the practice of their neighbors and contrasting it and its results with theft own, and of making themselves acquainted with the reasons, the whys and wherefores of this thing and that, which they have never enjoyed before. Information disseminated in this way is more satisfactory than when thrown out in books and papers; for no matter how far an essay may be elaborated, no matter how able and experienced the author or how valuable and thorough its information, there still remain many questions which a practical man would like to ask, and many points which still need explanation. And perhaps these are the very ones which, renaming unexplained, prevent the public from grasping ttafe full measure of many of the grand scientific discoveries of the age relating to agriculture. In the Grange and club-room all these points can and will be discussed, and the wheat winnowed out which would otherwise be lost amid the chaff. The idea of looking after his interests, and that something is to be gained by doing so, is a good one. And we have no fear that the American farmer, once thoroughly inoculated with this idea, will limit its application to any one direction. What he gains in one quarter will simply encourage him to seek the same results by the same means in other quarters. And how to gain cheaper transportation, how to obtain the cheapest supplies, and how to obtain the largest price for his produce will stimulate him to the study of that other problem of how to increase the commercial production of the farm and how to secure the largest returns from the capital and labor which it involves. Improved methods of agriculture, a more judicious selection of products, and a more advantageous mode of disposing of them will surely be the result. And when it comes to the consideration of the economy of the farm—how it can be best managed and its products disposed of to the best advantage—no intelligent farmer will long close his eyes to the advantages which a more careful attention to live stock matters will bring him. Of course all farms cannot be devoted to live stock exclusively—such would not be practicable even it it were desirable—but, never theless, it can and should be made one of the leading features of every farm which cannot, from its situation, be devoted- to special and highly-remunerative crops. The rough produce of the farm should all be consumed upon it and transformed into those animal products which yield the largest returns. Thus the corn and the hay and the roots will net the most money; and while putting money into the- pockets of the farmers, the stock will be providing sufficient manure to in sure remunerative crops of the finer and more valuable cereals and other products. Likewise, no intelligent farmer will long close his eyes to the economy ot infusing into his stock the blood of the improved races. The earlier maturity, the higher feeding properties, and the more valuable commercial qualities are points which an observant farmer, on the look-out for his own interest, will not be slow to grasp. A very large proportion of them already understand this matter, but are so circumstanced that they are not able to avail themselves of it. The bringing of these intelligent farmers together affords, however, opportunities for co-operation in this particular which should not be neglected. We are confident that one of the results of this great upheaval among the farmers will be the foundation of associations to introduce improved stock in neighborhoods where, though the apathy or poverty of individuals, they would not otherwise be introduced for years to come. In these and other kindred ways the Granges, aside from all other considerations, will quietly secure an amelioration of the condition of the agricultural population to an extent of which no one can now foresee the value. —National Live Stock Journal.