THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FARMING. 249 



also unite and form a county or district grange. It is the 

 strongest order, numerically speaking, in the United States. 

 It was created for the benefit of the farmer and his family, 

 and receives into its membership the farmer's wife and his 

 children who have attained the age of fourteen years. It is 

 the most practical example of organization and co-operation 

 that I know of; therefore I introduce it here, and commend 

 it to your consideration. In fact, I could not do otherwise 

 and develop the subject, for it is the only means thus far 

 devised by which farmers unknown to each other can co- 

 operate in the three ways named : locally, by sections, and 

 nationally ; and co-operation in agriculture, to be perfect, 

 must embrace them all. It is a grand order, comprehensive 

 in its conception, lofty in its aims, noble in its perceptions 

 and wonderfully successful in its achievements. Wherever 

 it locates it brings the aid of organization to its members, 

 and offers them its own distinctive business helpj It pos- 

 sesses its own banks, fruit exchanges, fire and life insurance 

 companies, grain elevators and warehouses, co-operative 

 stores, purchasing agents, and systematized trading arrange- 

 ments, and thus exemplifies the idea of a farmer minding 

 his own business, by giving him the facilities for so doing. 



The incumbent of the chair of as^riculture of the Storrs 

 Agricultural School of Connecticut, Professor Chamberlain, 

 writes me under a recent date, and speaks of the Grange 

 as having but " one purpose, of lifting agriculturists, and 

 throu2:h them asTriculture, out of their and its des^radation, 

 and up to a level with other industries, honored as they are 

 by the name of profession." This earnest man and careful 

 thinker concludes his letter with these words: "You will 

 think, perhaps, that I am too radical. Let me tell you that 

 I believe in the Grange as the only hope of our New Eng- 

 land agriculture. Hence my radicalism." If my friend is 

 right, if that is true, would I be justified in omitting to 

 present the Grange to you as the strongest business consid- 

 eration of the day, the light in which I regard it? 



To m}'' mind, the strongest point in favor of organization 

 is the effect upon the individual. It develops the mind, 

 sharpens the perceptions and quickens the intellect, and to 

 a certain extent makes the person a disciplined one. We 



