CATTLE AND HORSE INSURANCE. 
Of all the improvements that have been brought under the 
consideration of the British farmer within the last half century, 
Insurance is one of the most important. Its advantageous appli- 
cation, in cases of loss from incendiary and accidental fires, has 
been experienced and gratefully acknowledged by thousands. 
While these influences, however, have been operating to his 
advantage — while human ingenuity has been taxing its powers to 
the utmost in order to relieve him from the pressure of the times 
— while intelligence of every kind has been brought to bear on his 
interests — is it not somewhat strange that until the last few years 
no plan has been devised for carrying on that grand desideratum, 
the INSURANCE of Horses and Cattle] 
The farmer, to a considerable degree, can provide himself against 
the uncertainty of human life ; he can protect himself against the 
ravages of fire, and partially against the blighting agency of the 
elements ; but in other respects he has been found altogether un- 
provided for and unprotected. Disease may spread through his 
stock, and his losses may reduce him to the verge of ruin, and still 
he has no protection, no fund on which he may fall back — no 
insurance office to which he may look for substantial restitution. 
In France societies for the insurance of cattle have long been 
in existence. In Belgium they are equally popular. In many 
parts of Germany they are flourishing ; in Prussia and in some 
other countries they are upheld by legislative protection ; in 
England no such society had ever been dreamed of until within 
a comparatively short time ; and then some of the dreadful diseases 
that ravaged our country began to appear. Then came societies 
for the protection of the farmer against particular diseases — the 
pleuropneumonia fearfully standing at their head — associations on 
a large scale — well digested in detail — having the benefit of the 
past experience of other countries, and conducted by men of 
known respectability and practical talent. Such has been the 
gradual improvement that has taken place. 
To this has followed the improvement of the horse, far more 
rapid and assured than either of the others, and far more evidently 
involved with the noblest interests of our country. 
We mean not the recurrence of various diseases with regard to 
which the farmer may, as usual, apply to the veterinary surgeon, 
but, principally or entirely, those dreadfully devastating maladies 
by which, occasionally, whole flocks and herds have been at one 
fell swoop carried away. 
In entering into our subject we inquire, 
