PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 1 
MOORE'S RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
A NATIONAL ILLUSTRATED 
[IDEAL, LITUARY AND FAMILY HKWSPAPEE. 
I». ». T. MOORE, 
Kouuder and Conduotinijj Kditor# 
CHAS. D. BRAGDON, ANDREW S. FULLER, 
A«»octitU.o Ktlitorw. 
HENRY S. RANDALL LL, D., Cortland Village, N. Y,, 
Editob of tub Pifaiitmkm u» Shup I)C»»*KMtV. 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M., Little Falls, N. Y., 
Editob or tub Dbpabtmkkt or Daibt Husbandby. 
G. A. C. BARNETT, Publisher. 
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SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1874. 
NEW SEMI-ANNUAL VOLUME. 
Vol. XXX of Moore's Rural begins this 
week. Reader, here is the initial number—and 
may each of the Twenty-Six to com prise the 
Volume prove worthy of both perusal and ap¬ 
proval. Starting on the Ever-GlorlooB Fourth, 
we hope, with a good send-off, to complete a 
successful voyage ip time for the festivities of 
the Holidays, and to wish everybody “A Happy 
New Year.” During tire intervening period we 
anticipate the kind co-operation of Agents, 
Contributors, Correspondents, &o., who can do 
much toward supplying passengers, (subscrib¬ 
ers,) cargo, (contributions,) and so forth. Mean¬ 
time, or now, please see Publisher’s Notices on 
page 20, while we make our bow aud proceed. 
FOE PRESIDENT, GEN. PE0SPEEITY, 
Without derogating from the claims or 
qualifications of any other candidate that may 
be named, we hereby nominate General 
Prosperity for the Presidency of these re¬ 
united States, and pledge ourselves to do what 
we may to secure hia election. The People can 
elect the candidate thus early proposed—the 
first in the field—by manifesting proper Pluck, 
Perseverance, Industry and Economy. In the 
present state of the country, certainly, nothing 
is more desirable than the return of the once 
prevailing and always popular General named, 
who Is now abroad for an indefinite period, and 
his Inauguration would prove a blessing to the 
People, the Country, and indeed to “ all the 
world and the rest of mankind.” 
There are many ways—none of them demor¬ 
alizing, corrupt or expensive—In which to aid 
the good cause, and bring the canvass to a suc¬ 
cessful issue. The first is by well-directed In¬ 
dustry-good, honest Work— In Field, Garden. 
Shop, Factory, Counting-House; indeed, as¬ 
siduity and diligence are necessary wherever 
labor and skill are required for either produc¬ 
tion or the transaction of any legitimate busi¬ 
ness. There must be fewer drones and more 
workers in every hive in order to secure the 
consummation so devoutly wished for—the 
triumphant return of our candidate. 
The fact is—and it is a fact patent to every 
intelligent citizen of this Republic—that, to 
recover from the Panic and reinstate Prosper¬ 
ity, we must work more, and practice yreater 
economy, than heretofore. In brief, wo must, 
cam and produce more, and spend leas, than 
during the past decade. As a rulo we are aware 
that the great majority of our readers—who 
are mostly rurulists—are neither lazy nor ex¬ 
travagant. On the contrary their industry and 
frugality nrs proverbial—the exceptions only 
proving the rule. But the idleness, luxury and 
extravagance which followed the war affected 
all classes to a greater or less extent, and 
consequently the late panic seriously crippled 
thousands of soil cultivators who ought to be 
in independent circumstances to-day—out of 
debt, with farms unincumbered instead of 
mortgaged, and money at Interest. This class 
of farmers- those who have itnluJgod In out¬ 
side speculations, neglecting the personal su¬ 
pervision of, or labor on, their farms, saying 
“Go, Boys,” instead of “Come, Boys,” when 
work was to be done—have “missed it," de¬ 
cidedly. They, as well os those In other kinds 
of business who have neglected tbclr callings 
and gone after false gods will best promote 
their own interests, v, bile subserving those of 
the people and country at largo, by joining the 
groat, army which proposes to work diligently 
and harmoniously for the return from abroad 
of the candidate we desire to inaugurate— 
General Prosperity. 
—An old-time friend at our elbow—to whom 
wc have just read the above, and who has him¬ 
self experienced severe adversity—says we are 
right In our nomination for the Presidency, 
and gives it as his unqualified opinion that 
thousands will flock to our standard and help 
elect the popular and much-desired nominee of 
the l\'A/pk'x Prosperity Party. He avers that Re¬ 
trenchment, Economy and well-directed Labor 
will surely bring about results that will restore 
the Country to Prosperity and Independence, 
so that pauperi~m, crime and suffering will be 
greatly diminished. We trust Rural readers 
generally are of like opinion, and will unite In 
“a long pull, a strong pull and a pull all-to- 
gethor” in favor of a candidate whose success 
will promote the best interests of the People 
of the entire Republic. 
-♦♦♦■- 
FALLACIES OF LIFE INSUBAKOE-XIV. 
In respect to their methods and processes, 
life and fire Insurance are almost wholly dis¬ 
similar. The idea that there is some affinity 
between them bus always been a fruitful source 
of misapprehension. The holder of a fire policy 
of one thousand dollars is uctually Insured by 
the company just that sura,—whereas the holder 
of a life policy is never insured the full amount, 
but always Insures himself more or loss, accord¬ 
ing to the terms and conditions of the insur¬ 
ance. With the exception of simple term In¬ 
surance, covering the risk or death during a 
few years only, all the various forms of life 
insurance are alike in one respect'—that of re¬ 
quiring a premium that pays the losses of the 
current year and contributes to a deposit or 
reserve fund That Is either wholly or in part 
l be stakes of ft wager of persistent, payment of 
premium. In every form of policy t he policy 
holder insures himself in an increasing propor¬ 
tion until he wholly Insures himself at the time 
his policy matures. 
By referring to the table given in a former 
article, U wjll be observed that a man Insured 
a thousand dollars at the age of thirty-five, and 
obligating himself to pay a premium of $26.88 
annually during life, deposits with the com¬ 
pany and thereby Insures hlmseir $11.48 the 
first year, $23.84 the second, $38.00 the third, 
$48.26 the fourth, $01.34 the fifth, $71.86 the 
sixth, $88.84 the seventh, $103.29 the eighth, 
$118.16 the ninth, and $138.40 the tenth. The 
company insures the difference between these 
deposits and one thousand dollars, assessing 
the premiums In equitable proportion, but— 
always charging $0.51 for expenses, whether 
they insure $088.52 the first year or only $860.50 
the tenth. In fact, If he lives to be ninety-nine 
they will tax him Just as heavily for expenses, 
though they do not Insure him a penny's worth. 
He contributes the same to expenses whether 
insured $988.62 or nothing whatever: the longer 
he stays in the more he insures himself with 
his own money, aud—the longer he stays in the 
more it will cost him to get out. 
Suppose he takes, instead, an endowment 
policy payable to himself at the end of ten 
years, or to his family In case of previous death, 
and pays $105.68 anuually during that term. In 
this as in the other policy the premium pro¬ 
vides for three distinct things, expenses, in¬ 
surance proper and deposits, which, with in¬ 
terests, will amount to one thousand dollars at 
the end of ton years. These items are, the first 
year, $20.50 for expenses, $8.22 for insurance 
and $76.81 deposited with the company. This 
deposit with iuterest will amount to $70.00 by 
the end of the year, so that, having thus much 
of the policy holder’s money in hand to pay his 
own claim with In case he dies during the first 
year, the company risks und insures only$920.10. 
The Items of expense, contribution to others’ 
losses, deposits, self insurance and company's 
insurance, for each year, are: 
Year. 
Expenses. 
Paid to¬ 
wards 
losses. 
Annual 
deposit. 
“ Deposit 
or seif in¬ 
surance. 
Company 
risk or in¬ 
surances. 
1 
$20.50 
$8.22 
1 
$70.81 
$79.00 
i $920.10 
2 
20.50 
7.03 
77.40 
168.00 
836.40 
3 
20.50 
0.97 
78.00 
251.81 
748.69 
4 
20.50 
fi 20 
78.77 
341.30 
650..0 
5 
20.50 
6.40 
70.57 
439.79 
500.21 
6 
20.50 
4.57 
80.40 
541.06 
458.94 
7 
20.50 
3.00 
81.43 
647.40 
352.00 
8 
20.60 
2.52 
82.41 
759.JO 
240.90 
9 
20.60 
1.84 
83. fill 
870.51 
123.49 
in 
20.50 
.00 
85.03 
1000.00 
.00 
The first year he pays $20.50 towards expenses, 
$8.22 for $020.10 insurance, and insures himself 
$79.90. At the end of five years he has on de¬ 
posit $541.06 and ft insured only 8458.94, yet he 
pays $20.50 towards expenses, or twice as much 
as at first in proportion to the actual insurance 
ho purchases; and the tenth year he pays the 
same for expenses, though the company has on 
hand of his money enough to pay his policy in 
case he died. This is one of the—ah I—anom¬ 
alies of life insurance which requires explana¬ 
tion. The premium $8.23 Insures $920 the first 
year. This small premium is loaded for ex¬ 
pense:; $20.50, equal to four hundred per cent. 
—ten times as much as is usual in other kinds 
of insurance. If this is not ao, what part of 
$20.60 does the company charge for the custody 
of a permanent deposit of $76.80 that cannot be 
withdrawn for ten years, and for the use of 
which they allow but four per cent.? Any 
savings bank would do it gratis, If indeed some¬ 
thing like $15 might not be paid down for the 
privilege of keeping it. 
The repayment of surplus premium in the 
form of dividends may to some degree com¬ 
pensate for what appears to be a waste of 
money, but the policy holder has no guaranty 
of any dividends whatever. These premiums 
are made upon the assumption that as much as 
four per cent. Interest will be realized upon in¬ 
vestments. Had the premium been computed 
ai >ix per cent., only $12.55 would have been re¬ 
quired for expenses, $8.12 for Insurance aud 
$08.60 to be deposited, the first year, which 
would be a trifle better as an investment, but 
leaves the regular assessment for expenses as 
inexcusable as before. 
When it is a condition of the policy* contract 
that no portion of these annual deposits can be 
withdrawn until the maturity of the policy, 
and that the rate of interest allowed is far 
below that realized upon as safe if not far safer 
investments, this sort of insurance docs not 
promise to be profitable to the policy holder 
For obvious reasons costly endowment policies 
are very profitable to the company, which re¬ 
ceives as a bank large annual deposits at a low* 
rate of Interest and realizes In various ways 
a very high rate, and is besides paid a heavy 
bonus, either for their services as a bank of 
deposit or for doing a very small amount of in¬ 
surance. The policy holders feci that there is 
something wrong In this, which accounts for 
the rapid decline of the popularity of this Kfnd 
of policy. There can nevor bo a revival until 
the company separates between its dual func¬ 
tions as an Insurance company and as a savings 
bank, and competes in the latter capacity* with 
the ordinary savings bank in the liberality of 
its terms. 
--- 
THE SEASON OF GROWTH. 
This Is the season of growth. It is a most 
Important one to the farmer. Wc do not pro¬ 
pose to give him an impertinent homily upon 
the importance of thorough and careful cul¬ 
ture. Our object Is a different one. It Is the 
season of grow th for himself. Ho should grow 
as the trees, shrubs and plants do. They should 
aid his growth. Ills eyes should be open. It 
is the season for the closest observation aud 
study. Not a tree or plant but will repay look¬ 
ing all And ho should see. what lie looks at. 
It should teach him something. There should 
some fact become fixed in Ills mind with each 
observation. Every bird that sings and Insect 
that flutters in his path Bhould attract his at¬ 
tention and his thought. It will be promptly 
answered that the farmer and fruit grower has 
no time for these iffiservatious. But he may 
have time if lie takes it. He will find that 
habit of observation, if once established, will 
not interfere with his work. The plants which 
springs up and thrive under his cultivation are 
important integers in this sum of observation 
and growth. Daily life should add to dally 
growth tn the knowledge of everything about 
us that ministers to our comfort or profit. Too 
much practical, technical and critical knowl¬ 
edge of the habits, growth, natural history aud 
functions of plants cannot be obtained by the 
man whose prosperity is dependent upon their 
successful production. These objects should 
be as well known as the alphabet—as easily- 
read at the different stages of growth, aud their 
condition as surely interpreted. 
This may all and doubtless will, to many, 
seem entirely Utopian—the vagaries of an Ed¬ 
itor who sits in bis easy oliatr amljknowe noth¬ 
ing practically of the exacting requirements of 
daily life on the farm. But the Editor who 
writes these words docs know practically of the 
drudgery and exacting duties, in detail, of farm 
life; and he also knows how much of that load 
of drudgery and the burthen of detail. Is lifted 
off the shoulders by an absorbing interest in the 
phenomena and theif lessons, by which the 
farmer is constantly surrounded. Now* is the 
time for harvesting the material for growth in 
knowledge—for study and investigation during 
the longer evenings and leisure moments that 
may hereafter be deveted to study. Now is the 
time to gather and record facts—to store the 
memory with observed phenomena that shall 
stimulate inquiry aud investigation hereafter. 
This is the kind of growth we urge upon the 
farmer for hid own and bis children’s future 
profit and pleasure. This is the season for such 
growth. 
-- 
RURAL NOTES AND QUERIES. 
The Reciprocity Treaty with Canada, which 
has been sent to the Senate for confirmation by 
the President, is receiving a good deal of atten¬ 
tion from those representing affected interests. 
The coal, salt, lumber and wool interests, espe¬ 
cially, of this country are protesting against 
the adoption of this treaty, and with very good 
reason. The argument most used in favor of 
its adoption is that during a term of years our 
exports to Canada have been but $200,000,000, 
while our imports during the same period have 
reached $250,000,000. If it had not been profit¬ 
able for us, as well as the Canadians, to have 
Imported from them to this extent, wo should 
not have imported. The same argument would 
open our ports free to the world. Besides, if 
we are to get so good a bargain and ir the Can¬ 
adians have prospered as represented since tho 
abrogation of the treaty, wby has nearly every 
year found her in Washington by her represen¬ 
tatives trying to patch up a new treaty? We 
do not object to Canada thriving; and if ner 
prosperity rivals and transcends our own we 
shall rejoice; but she does not help us to pay 
our debts faster nor In any wise by seonringtho 
adoption of this reoipocrity treaty that we can 
perceive. She is a foreign country. She has no 
sympathy with our form of government, and is 
no more entitled to such reciprocity* than En¬ 
gland, Fiance, Germany or any other country 
with which we have quite as intimate commer¬ 
cial relations. 
The “ Rural Purchasing Agency” is rapidly- 
becoming a chartered institution. The Mana¬ 
ger, Mr. Redding, is in frequent racoipt of 
complimentary acknowledgments from those 
who have had dealings with the Agency. 
Among other letters before us wo note one from 
the Secretary of a prominent Grange of Patrons 
of Husbandry on Long Island, proposing to 
consign to tho Agency the crop of potutoes 
now being grown by its members. An Allegany 
Co. dairyman, Mr. L. W. Lewis, having sent 
Mr. Redding a consignment of butter and re¬ 
ceived prompt returns, writes “ Your remit¬ 
tance of the 8th Inst, rec’d all right, and am 
satisfied therewith. To-day ship two more tubs 
of butter to you by express. Hope you will do 
as well with that. Quick sales aud prompt re¬ 
turns arc what l like." And hero is a note from 
Major I. W. Biugus of West Macodon, N. Y„ 
the originator and for over twenty years the 
successful manager of tho “ Rural Empire 
Club," (and who once sent us a single remit¬ 
tance of $1,000 for subscriptions to ye Rural,) 
which says“ Thought I had acknowledged 
the receipt of the goods. 1 am pleased to say 
they were received In good order and very 
promptly—prices, quality und everything, en¬ 
tirely satisfactory, except the charge for your 
own services, which teas too little.'' 
--- 
A Fine Hanging Basket—The one sent us, a 
few day s ago, by Messrs. Long Bros., Florists, 
&c„ of Buffalo, N. Y. Though they say It la 
ordinary In quality, having at no time received 
special attention, and being selected from their 
regular stock of the season—some five thousand 
in number—we consider it extra,as it embraces 
some very choice plants. We also acknowledge 
the receipt of a copy of “Long Bros’. Home 
Florist. Illustrated, 1874,” the edition of which 
Is now exhausted, but that Tor 1875 will, we are 
assured, be superior, especially in useful, prac¬ 
tical and original articles on Floriculture, Ru¬ 
ral Art, &c. 
The Chemists of the United States propose 
holding a meeting August 1, 1874, to celebrate 
as the Centennial of Chemistry, 1774 having 
been rendered memorable as a year of great 
chemical activity and discovery; audit is pro¬ 
posed to date the foundation of modern chem¬ 
ical science from that year. Salem, Mass., has 
been named as the place for holding the meet¬ 
ing; but at this writing it is not fully deter¬ 
mined where it will be held, 
--*•-»-♦- 
RURAL BREVITIES. 
P. T. Quinn sailed for Europe June 27th. 
California reports a promise of a good hop 
crop, though the season of danger to it has not 
yet arrived. 
Mr. Willard sends us notes on the recent 
Butler Convention at Indianapolis, which we 
shall publish next week. 
“ Practical Dairy* Husbandry” (see our book 
list) will give Mrs. Martha Upson much in¬ 
formation, in dairy matters, that will profit her. 
W. S. rsnot advised to keep out of politics 
:u the sense of neglecting political duties, but 
is advised not to make politics and place-seek¬ 
ing a profession. 
Young Farmer Is advised to buy “ How* 
Plants Grow" (see our book list) for the infor¬ 
mation he desires. It will help him in the ob¬ 
servations he is making, 
James S. Jackson is not advised to pay $5 
nor even five cents for a “secret whereby the 
sex of a calf can be controlled." If there is 
such a “ secret" it has not yet been told. 
S. P. C. is informed that condensed season 
items, giving conditions of crops, local prices, 
price of staple farm products, price of land and 
labor, are always acceptable and profitable. 
Mrs. W. N. Scott should know that if her 
youngest son is not strong enough to work on 
a farm, he should be kept there until he it. It 
is the best place to build up a weak constitu¬ 
tion; ami professional worn involving hard 
mental effort is the best place to use up the 
strongest. 
“Alderney ” asks us to inform him where 
he will be able to procure a young Alderney 
bull calf, thoroughbred, from four to six 
months old, and what would be the probable 
cost of such an animal. We cannot auswer. 
We know of plenty of breeders of Jersey or 
Alderney cattle, but we do not know whether 
they have such animals for saie or not, and 
probably shall uot unless they advertise the fact. 
B0SINESS NOTICES. 
Use the Eureka Machine Twist and Eureka But¬ 
ton Hole Twist. They will give perfect satisfaction. 
