California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



AGRICULTUEAL AND GRANGE 

 MATTERS IN THE SOUTH. 



Any reliable iutelligencc of the agiioultnral 

 condition of the Southern States we regard 

 ■with interest. California Beams more nearly 

 related, in resources, climate and productions 

 to the South than to the North. The South 

 has depended for success upon gromug arti- 

 cles for export, and California tends to the 

 same direction. The consequence to the 

 South of the one-crop system has been most 

 disastrouF, and her only salvation is to inaug- 

 urate a more diversified system of agriculture, 

 and this her people ars not yet educated up 

 to. They know nothing but cotton, as many 

 of our farmers know nothing but grain, and 

 they purchase from the Northern States the 

 common necessaries of life, which they might 

 with economy produce at home. While di- 

 vided by distance and non-communication 

 they were also subjects of sharpers in the 

 the shape of cotton speculators. The Grange 

 will remedy this matter to a great extent, and 

 in meeting together, discussions upon farming 

 matters will gradually educate the farmers to 

 adopt and follow a diversified and more prac- 

 tical and economical system of agriculture. 



J. W. A. Wright has just written a good 

 letter from the South to the San Francisco 

 Chronicle, on Grange matters in the South, 

 from which we select the following: 



In the Southern States generally, there is 

 no question that the Grange, in its many 

 subordinate and State organizations, is greatly 

 advancing the interests of agriculture by the 

 practical accomplishment of some of its no- 

 blest purposes. Throughout the Southern 

 States more than ten thotisand subordinate 

 Granges — nearly half the number in the 

 United States — are combining all agricultur- 

 ists in all the fraternity and strength of our 

 Order for the protection of those interests of 

 agriculture which are common to every State, 

 regardless of any partisan or sectional differ- 

 ences. 



Not only is their real community of inter- 

 ests more fully disciissed and understood — 

 not only is more complete social enjoyment 

 secured, but the fields are more carefully fer- 

 tilized aud more thoroughly cultivated. The 

 harmouious and sympathetic work of the 

 Grange throughout the Union has given our 

 Southern Virothers generally new-born hopes 

 for "a better day coming." .\ud surely they 

 need that better day as few farmers in the 

 world can need it. The chief business enter- 

 prise into which they have been led by the 

 principles of the Grange is a combined move- 

 ment in Georgia, South Carolina aud Ala- 

 bama, iu which other cotton States will no 

 doubt soon join, for direct shipments of cot- 

 ton to Europe by the Granges. Southern 

 cottou buyers have been paying better prices 

 the past Winter thau formerly. This is no 

 doubt to be accounted for chietiy by two facts 

 — this movement toward direct shijjmeuts and 

 the decreased number of bales raised last ye-ar, 

 the crop of 1871 iu the cottou States being 

 now placed at about 3,000,01)1) bales. This 

 latter fact is also due iu great measure, as is 

 well known, to the Grange work; for South- 

 ern farmers generally adopted the advice given 

 them by the St. Louis meeting of the National 

 Grange, to plant less cotton and more corn. 

 So there is no doubt of the favorable influence 

 of the Grange, directly and indirectly, in se- 

 curing better prices for cotton growers the 

 past season. They have also, as a general 

 rule, been paying less for the transportation 

 of their produce to market, and been receiving 

 greater accommodation from commercial men, 

 many of whom here, as everywhere else, bless 

 the Grange — over the left — with a slight grit- 

 ting of the teeth, while ready to admit that it 



will be a great benefit to farmers, so long as 

 they are true to its purposes and restrain 

 themselves within proper bounds. 



In Alabama, where almost every farmer is 

 a Granger, the State l'"air next October will be 

 conducted under the management of a com- 

 mittee of the State Grange. Premiums are 

 offered which must tend materially to im- 

 provement iu systems of culture. No Ameri- 

 can citizens rejoice more at the growing "era 

 of good feeling," are more patriotic, or more 

 willing to do everything in their i)ower to aid 

 in bridging over, sincerely, etfectually and 

 forever, the "bloody chasm," than are the 

 Grangers o( the South. It is only necessary 

 "to meet them half way." 



As I came through Tennessee, where you 

 know there are now over one thousand sub- 

 ordinate Granges, I met with some prominent 

 members of our Order in that State. They 

 assert that the purposes of the Grange are 

 working out the same benefits for farmers 

 there as in other States. One little special 

 item for which the Grangers have credit there 

 is the securing of a small aud apparently in- 

 siguificaut act of their Legislature last Winter 

 iu the interest of sheep-raising. It is nothing 

 more nor less thau a "dog-law." It fixes a 

 fine of five dollars on one kind of dog, aud 

 one dollar on auother kind. Collectors of the 

 poll-tax are expected to collect the dog-tax. 

 If the owner of a dog refuses to pay the tax 

 the collector is required to kill the dog at ouce. 

 This law and its provisions will go far toward 

 freeing the State from sheep-kilUng dogs, for 

 it will not pay to keep any but good dogs, and 

 if properly enforced it can at least make sheep 

 husbandry profitable. Just such a law is 

 needed in Alabama, Mississippi, Mai'yland 

 and other Southern States, for, beyond ques- 

 tion, there is excellent sheep range in all of 

 them, as well as iu Tennessee. If you say to 

 Southern farmers, "You have fine range, why 

 don t you raise sheep?" they reply, "Too 

 many sheep-killing dogs, and we can't get a 

 dog-law." Strange as it may seem, a dog- 

 law is one of the hardest to have passed iu 

 mau}' States. Legislators have even been 

 known to urge that if they passed a dog-law 

 it would ruin their party. Strange, isn't it? 

 Still it is true. Now in Tennessee the Grang- 

 ers have set an example that should be fol- 

 lowed iu other States. Grange petitions were 

 sent in to the Legislature asking for a dog- 

 law — as much as to say tbe interests of 

 agriculture demand such a law, and we want 

 it regardless of party dift'erences and dangers. 

 Their Legislators, like wise men, heeded the 

 appeal, and, relieved of all anxiety about the 

 dear party, jiassed the law, thus paving the 

 w.ay for a great addition to the agricultunJ 

 resources aud wealth of the State. 



This single instance contains, as it were, in 

 a nutshell, the principle of Grange influence 

 on legislation, state aud national — or a jiart 

 of its political influence, if one chooses to call 

 it so — for, beyond question, the Grange has a 

 political influence for good, and a powerful 

 one, although it does not propose to dabble in 

 partisan politics nor interfere in the least with 

 the party alKliation of its members. 



There are mauj' laws and measures which 

 tend to protect and foster especially our agri- 

 cultural interests. A part of our Grange 

 work is to discuss and find out, iu the har- 

 mony and secresy of the Grange-room, what 

 are such laws aud measures. A\'hen, by com- 

 mon consent, we find such laws and meas- 

 ures clearly aud certainly, it is then the right 

 aud purpose of all Grange members, by joint 

 petitions aud all other legitimate means, to 

 influence our Legislatures aud Congi'ess to 

 pass enactmeuts necessary to secure these gen- 

 eral and evident interests. This seems to be 

 a poiut very much misunderstood in regard 

 to our Grange work. By bearing these facts 

 in mind many acts of the National Grange at 

 its Charleston session can be better under- 

 stood and properly appreciated by some of 

 our members as well as outsiders. 



Little and often fills the purse. 



INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AT 

 PHILADELPHIA, 1876. 



Circular of the Bureau of Agriculture. 



The Centennial Commission, realizing the 

 importauce of the agricultural interests of the 

 United States, and anticipating the demands 

 that will be made for a proper representation 

 in the International Exhibition of 1876, is 

 making ample provision for the accommuda- 

 tion of this department. 



It has been organized as one of the btureaus 

 of administration of the Exhibition, and will 

 comprehend the native and cultivated pro- 

 ducts of the soil, and of objects more directly 

 derived therefrom, agricultural machinery and 

 farm appliances. 



The building, most eligibly located in Fair- 

 mount Park, will cover ten acres. There will 

 be provided, also, ample and suitable accom- 

 modations for the solicitor and display of live 

 stock, which it is intended shall Iw exhibited 

 during the months of Sei)temberand October. 



The Exhibition will open on the 10th of 

 May, 1876, and it is therefore necessary that 

 those who desire to exhibit cereals, forage- 

 plants and tubers should make their prepara- 

 tions during the present season. 



This exhibitiou being international, wUl 

 bring together for comparison the best pro- 

 ducts from every quarter of the globe; hence 

 every effort should be made to give just evi- 

 dence of the capacity of the varied climates, 

 soils, skill in tillage, and the character of the 

 Uve stock of the United States; whilst the 

 mechanical aids to agriculture should exhibit 

 ingenuity, excellence of workmanship, and 

 adaptation to desired ends. The classification 

 will more fully make manifest the arrange- 

 ment and comprehensiveness of this depart- 

 ment. Applications for space should be made 

 as early as practicable, on forms which will be 

 furnished by the Chief of this bureau. 



The prompt co-operation of state, county 

 and other agricultural organizations, as well 

 as of all individuals interested in the practice 

 of rural science, stock-breeding and forestry 

 is earnestly solicited. 



COMMITTEE OP THE CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ON 

 AGBICULTUKE. 



Robert Lowry, N. C. Meeker, 



Lawrence Weldon, Kobert Mallory, 

 Eldridge W. Little, Archibald Cameron, 

 Andrew J. Dufur. 



EESIDENT ADVISORY C0.1I.MITTEE. 



A. L. Kenuedv, M.D., Paschall Morris, 

 Charles R. King, M.D., Wm. B. Roberts, 



John R. Eby, Lewis W^eldin, 



George Blight, William Brice, 



Thaddeus Nonis, George I. Young, 



Chas. L. Sharpless, John I. Bishop. 

 Samuel C. WUletts, 



BcTtNET LaNDBETH, 



Chief of Bureau of Agriculture. 



A. T. GOSHORN, 



Director General. 



LIVE STOCK AT THE CENTENNIAL. 



It is understood that the Centenni.il Com- 

 mission has concluded to have the hve stock 

 display at the International Exhibition, within 

 the months of September and October, 1S7G; 

 the periods devoted to each class and family 

 being fifteen days, aud the division as fol- 

 lows: 



Horses, mules and asses (as one class), 

 from September first to fifteenth. 



Horned cattle (of all varieties), from Sep- 

 tember twentieth to October fifth. 



Sheep, swine and goats (as one class), from 

 October tenth to twenty-fifth. 



Poultry will be exhibited as a permanent 

 and also as a temporary show, the first com- 

 mencing on the opening of the Exhibition, 

 the latter from October twenty-fifth to Novem- 

 ber tenth. 



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