HUSBANDRY, PATRONS OF

also lmown as the Grange, an American organization of farmers. In 1866 the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent one of its agents, O. H, Kelley, to investigate the condition of the farmers in the South. Finding them in an extremely impoverished situation, he attempted to afford them constructive a istance by organizing them, Thus, in 1867, were organized the first ‘granges’ of American Patrons of Husbandry. ve first the progre made was slow, but in 1872 the organization took on a sudden spurt and began spreading all over the country, especially in the Middle West. In 1873 there were 10,000 local granges, and in 1875 the total member shin stood at 1,500,000, The obiect of the order was to secure better economic conditions for the farmers through joint action, and in the endeavor to accomplish this it gradually drifted into politics. In 1892 the organization backed the Populist Party, by a large majority, and when that political party disintegrated, the Grange suffered heavily, its membership dwindling to negligible quantities. During the past few years, since the close of the war against Germany, it has been recovering somewhat. In Washington State the local granges are engaged in a very succe ful co-operative enterprise, jmdown as the Grange Warehouses, Inc.