wages in France from 1855 to 1865 was 20 per 
cent., and was increasing until the beginning 
of tbe war. The general rise in the price of 
agricult ural labor in Germany Is from 50 to 100 
per cent, in 20 years; in one part <>f Rhenish 
Prussia the Increase was 200 per cent, in 30 
years, and in another 200 per cent. In ten years. 
tat. Life Insurance Company, the manner in 
which it has. In the above instance, been pre¬ 
sented and misrepresented, is creditable neither 
to the company, the agent, nor to the intelli¬ 
gence of those who accept It In lieu of other 
policies. The only plausible excuse we can see 
for such a plan and such an offer Is, that the 
decay of the company, since Mr. Lawrenob’8 
death, renders such a resort necessary to Its ex¬ 
istence as a life Insurance company. This the 
company will scarcely admit, nor la it tbe pur¬ 
pose of this article to charge, but only to warn 
the policy holders and others that a “Conti¬ 
nental Policy” is a term policy at nearly whole- 
life rates, with dividends upon a sort of Tontine 
plan, and not, as has been represented, in any 
sense an endowment assurance. 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT 
A NATION AT. ILLUSTRATED 
Capitalist* Alarmed and Withdrawing their 
Capital from the West. —A few days since there 
appeared in the financial article of the New 
York Times, the following paragraph, of the 
significance of which we need not speak. It 
requires no comment: 
Advices received by an eminent bank firm 
show I hat a serious awakening atnnng the 
Grangers is imminent, and that they are be¬ 
ginning to view with some apprehension the 
strong hostile feeling their policy has evoked 
in the center of Eastern capital. It is a tact, 
that a number of leading houses in Canada and 
the East have communicated with some of the 
heaviest, firms in Milwaukee, inviting them to 
close their accounts, and signify their intention 
to withdraw their Interests from ail sections in 
which t he Grange sentiment is 80 overwhelm¬ 
ing. They say they do not propose to subject, 
theinrelvea to the risks of bt!sliu«s under such 
arbitrary and even coercive restrictions and 
influences. It was also reported that the As- 
tors, Muses Taylor, and others, leading New 
York capitalists, have decided to withhold all 
contemplated investments, and withdraw their 
existing interests from the danger of such con¬ 
trol. ft is very evident that In the event, of any 
further aggressive movement against capital 
in the West, the East is prepared to resort to 
very extreme measures against the States h<» 
influenced, both as means of self-protecliou 
and retaliation,” 
Founder and Conducting Editor. 
CHAS. D. BRAGD0N, ANDREW S. FULLER, 
.Associate Editors. 
HENRY S. RANDALL LL, D., Corlland Village, N. Y., 
Editob or th* Dwautvkkt o» Shkhp Hbmahus.1t. 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M.. Little Falls, N. Y., 
Department of Dairy Husbandry. 
Editor of thk 
RURAL NOTES AND OTJERIES 
.Make and Send II* Nate* of Experiment*, 
Ac .—Though tills is a very busy season with 
soil cultivators, we trust our renders will not 
omit to observe closely and make notes of such 
matters within their experience as ought to be 
published for the benefit of others. All exper¬ 
iments ought especially to he carefully observ¬ 
ed. and ihu results communicated to tbe Agri¬ 
cultural Press. Every marked success Is Im¬ 
portant, and even failures should be given to 
the public, as they often prove Instructive. It 
is an easy mat ter, even for those unaccustomed 
to writing for the press, to jot down the Tacts 
in regard to any crop or experiment, and we 
urge farmers to devote a little time and atten¬ 
tion thereto—not forgetting to give us the data, 
at least, whenever any valuable results arc at¬ 
tained. ThlB request is not made of our regular 
or occasional correspondents only, but of others 
also—of the hundreds among our readers who 
are close observers, and frequently trying ex¬ 
periments In modes of culture, with new varie¬ 
ties of grains, seeds, etc. These are the people 
who ought to assist In editing the Agricultural 
journals; and that Journal which gives the 
most facts, hints and suggestions from such a 
source -from farmers of close observation and 
practical experience—will prove the most val¬ 
uable to its readers and the country—will do 
roost to help make the fortune of the people 
and the country. In this last we wish the 
Rural, to excel, and tborefore request, our 
friends to take notes of all important items in 
their experience and send us the same for pub¬ 
lication. 
TERMS, IN ADVANCE: 
NubHci’iptioii.—Single Copy. 12.50 per Year. To 
Clubs:—Five Copies, anti one copy free to Agent or 
getter up of Club, for >12.50 { Seven Copies, a»d one 
free, for till; Ten Copies, and one free, $26—only *2 
per copy. As we are obliged to prepay the American 
postage on papers mailed to loretgn countries. Twenty 
Cents should be added to above rates for each yearly 
copy mailed to Canada, and One Dollar per copy to 
Em ope. Drafts, Po*t-omce Money Orders a nd Regis¬ 
tered Letters nuiy be mailed at our risk. 11F* Liberal 
lions In a very few years. Competition led to 
laige dividends and lavish expenditures; money 
was abundant and was used so freely to obtain 
business that, many companies imprudently dis¬ 
counted their future resources. The sequent 
era of contraction was naturally characterized 
by an opposite course of procedure. Expenses 
were not always cut down to a proportion cor¬ 
responding to the company's necessities, but 
dividends were. 
It was easy to maintain the integrity of the 
reserve fund while money came rolling in, but 
not so easy when the flow ceased and turned in 
the other direction. Then ensued a struggle 
for mere existence, which at least a scoie of 
companies yielded to upon more or less dis¬ 
graceful conditions. Those that remained after 
the storm passed found their liabilities grow¬ 
ing at a rale which rendered one of twocourses 
unavoidable—to increase their Income or di¬ 
minish their liabilities. They could do the lat¬ 
ter by promoting lapses, or both by tbe prevail¬ 
ing trick of exchanging old policies having a 
heavy liability attached for a new policy with 
almost none at all. A notable specl dlzer of 
this device is the Continental lute Insur¬ 
ance Company of New York, organized eight 
years since by Mr. Justus Lawrence, and con¬ 
ducted by him with extraordinary ability tip to 
the time of his death. This event appears to 
mark the turning point of its prosperity. The 
year preceding was characterized by an increase 
of policies, partly by the reinsurance of other 
companies to the number of nearly throe thou¬ 
sand, witli n corresponding growth of assets, 
and an addition to tbe reserve fund of nearly 
thirty-four percent, of the year's income. The 
resuits of the business of 1873 were in sad con¬ 
trast witli the company’s usual experiences. 
Instead of an increase of policies and insur¬ 
ance there was a marked aud unexpected dim¬ 
inution of both—in fact a loss of six hundred 
and forty-eight policies and nearly three mil¬ 
lions of Insurance. 
The CONTINENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY 
put In force about 45,0211 policies, and lost 0,008; 
increased the amount of premium notes held 
as assets nearly $230,000; added to the reserve 
fund 24 instead of 34 per cent , of income; spent 
70 instead of 00 per cent, of Income; paid a 
smaller dividend by nearly $87,000, mid paid 
$13,500 more in salaries. These are by no means 
Indications of prosperity, aud It la probable 
that they were recognized as being full of sig¬ 
nificance. A wise manager would scarcely fail 
to discover In them urgent reasons for retrench¬ 
ment and recuperation, and this probably ac¬ 
counts for the movement, now In progress. The 
Continental Lin: Isuhanck Company has 
heretofore issued whole-life policies, on which 
it has promised rather than paid large divi¬ 
dends. It now proposes to specialize a new 
plan, dulihed the “ Continental Plan" (what¬ 
ever that may be), on which dividends are pro¬ 
posed to be paid every five years. 8u far as ap¬ 
pears this Is really a term plan, insuring life for, 
say, twenty years only, but calling for a pre¬ 
mium only slightly less than the usual partici¬ 
pating premium, and about as much greater 
than stock rates for whole lire. It Is also a 
Tontine arrangement in respec; to profits, &o., 
but without any pre-eminent advantages over 
other Tontine plans. Tbe double object ap¬ 
pears to be, to avoid paying animal dividends 
and to enable the company to get rid of un¬ 
healthy risks at the end of a term, for t here does 
uot seem to be any clause in the contract obli¬ 
gating the company to continue the insurance 
beyond the term. Possibly the Continental 
Life Insurance Company has another and 
less worthy object in endeavoriug to substitute 
this new arrangement for its old policies. An 
old member, who has been insured long enough 
to have a paid-up policy in this company, has 
been approached by one of its agents, who rep¬ 
resented this new policy to be an endowment 
insurance, payable at i lie end of Jlfteeu years, 
and offering, evidently by the company's special 
instructions, to pay a small sum of money— 
about one-fourth the real value, and a portion 
of the remainder to apply on the future annual 
payments, the company retaining it until due. 
Fortunately the old gentleman consulted an 
expert who advised him to reject the offer; but 
how mauy hundreds are there who would have 
been deceived by the representation that this 
mere term policy, an expensive one at that, was 
really and truly an endowment. 
Takenin connection with the carefully hedged 
“ examples of probable profits,” and the temp¬ 
tation to misrepresent a “ fifteen-year policy ” 
to be an endowment payable in fifteen years, 
the newly re-invented plan of the Continen- 
ADVERTISING RATE8 : 
Inside. Htli and l.>th pages! Agate space).R0c. per line, 
•• 18th page.i-70 m 
Outside or Iasi page.v^r'V 1 ' 00 
Ftftv per rent, ex l t a for unusual display. 
Special Notice*, leaded, by count.!.»;> „ 
Business ’ .I™ „ 
Heading ... . 
Discount on 4 insertions. 10 per et.; 8 lus.. 15 per et.; 
13 ins.. 3.1 per et.; Hi ins., 25 per cl..; 62 in*.. 83H per ct. 
J 3 y~ No advertisement Inserted for less than $3. 
Thr Department of Agriculture anil Kwiiir, 
—It Is true that in localities in the West hogs 
are dying off at a fearful rate. Some of them 
die of whut is called hog cholera, and others ol 
a nameless disease by somo supposed to be tri¬ 
china. Hut all the knowledge coucerniug ting 
cholera is mainly empirical. This disease has 
cost this country millions of dollars. It would 
seem that the tax payers could as well affo.nl to 
pay for its scientific Investigation by the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture as for old or worthier* 
seeds for distribution to Congressional con¬ 
stituents. It has been suggested that such a 
commission be appointed. Of course we are 
quite as willing $10,000 of the people’s money 
should he thus utilized us wasted in the dis¬ 
semination of Worthless seeds to people who 
are abundantly able to pay for them. Hut Is 
there any hope that the Department w ill do 
anylhlug of the son V Wo fear not! 
PUBLICATION OFFICES: 
78 Duane Street, New York City, and No. 67 
East Main St., (Darrow’s Bookstore, Osburn 
House Block,) Rochester, N. Y. 
Swine Dying in Soiiilicrn Illinois.—There *ro 
alarming reports of fatality to hogs in Ran¬ 
dolph, Jackson and adjoining Counties iu Illi¬ 
nois. A letter reports the cholera fearful 
among them, sparing few along the line of de¬ 
vastation. In Randolph County the disease is 
believed by some to he trichina, and the writer 
says:—“If it is trichina, there is not so much 
danger to be apprehended from the use of the 
pork as though it were some other loathsome 
disease. Trichina can he killed by cooking, 
while other affections cannot even bo reached 
by fire." This is a comforting view, to be surol 
The inference is that the writer hopes the dis¬ 
ease is trichina because it "can be killed by 
cooking!” Who does this Sucker suppose will 
care to cook It? Do they pack up their hogs 
dying of trichina in Southern Illinois and send 
them East lo be cooked? 
Another Man Wanting Advice.—J. G. BECK¬ 
ER, Westchester Co., N. Y., writes that, he “ in¬ 
tends to adopt a farm life In the near future,” 
and asks our “ views on the difference in 
places where would you advise a young man 
with a capital say of $1,500 to $1,800 to go? I’ve 
had some experience In farming, &c.; also 
think 40 to 60 acres enough to make an inde¬ 
pendent living off of. I read your paper every 
week.” Jf Mr. Becker reads the Rural New- 
Yorker every week lie has seen our answer to 
similar inquiries, and we would change them 
In no respect In his case. Why “go"anywhere? 
Why not stop in Westchester county? There 
is no locality but has its drawbacks as well as 
its peculiar advantages. A young man who is 
willing to work, has intelligence, practical 
knowledge,is economical and honest, can make 
a good living and accumulate property almost 
anywhere. More depends upon the man than 
the locality. We know of no locality where a 
man may not fall; we know of few where he 
may not succeed if he is made of the right ma¬ 
terial. Our correspondent does not tell us to 
what branch of farming ho designs to apply 
himself. Without knowing that, specific ad¬ 
vice cannot be given. 
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1874. 
SKIES BRIGHT FOR FARMERS! 
THE ANTICIPATED RETURN Of GENERAL PROSPERITY 
Yes, taking the whole country into the ac¬ 
count—East and West, North and South—tbe 
producers of staple crops, and farm products 
generally,have reason to rejoice and take cour¬ 
age, for their Bkies are bright, and brightening. 
Notwithstanding the very backward and other¬ 
wise uiipropitious Bpring, the promised seed 
time was vouchsafed, and now comes an abun¬ 
dant grain harvest, wit.li t he prospect of a pro¬ 
lific yield of most other cropg. In many sections 
where the wheat crop has been a comparative 
failure for years, it is this season superior in 
quantity and quality. The crop of Western 
New York is a notable Instance in point, as it 
compares favorably with the average of old 
times, when a yield of forty bushels per acre 
was not uncommon. From other wheat-grow¬ 
ing regions reports are unusually favorable. 
The California crop will be enormous, some 
accounts putting the surplus for exportation as 
high as twelve million bushels! The California 
Senal or who, some twenty years ago stated that 
its agricultural lands were next to worthless, 
was mistaken, for to-day the real gold mines of 
the State are its wheat fields. 
But the prospect is a I in OB t equally good for 
other staple crops, so that instead of famine, 
as some feared in the Spring, the indications 
are that plenty will abound. Another encour- 
aging, sky-brightening feature for farmers, Is 
that, although the yield of most leading staples 
will probably prove considerably above the 
average taking the production of the whole 
countl'y into the account—there is a fair pros¬ 
pect of good, remunerative prices. For, as we 
stated two weeks ago (alluding to an article 
then published under the heading of “Great 
Britain’s Imports of Wheat”), “the figures 
show that not only the United States but most 
foreign countries which export to Great Britain 
must lie short of stock, and hence the prospect 
is that prices will remain comparatively firm.” 
But even if pric es rule lower, the largeness of 
the crop will make amends for any reduction 
of price, so that the growers ol cereals and 
other staples (as well as most dairymen, stock 
raisers, graziers, etc.,) are likely to be amply 
remunerated for the seasou's labor. 
The present outlook is certainly encouraging 
for American farmers, and we congratulate 
them upon existing facts and favorable pros¬ 
pects aud probabilities. Though a financial 
simoom has just swept over the land, ruining 
thousands engaged iu commercial pursuits, 
and seriously affecting others, our soil cultiva¬ 
tors are in a prosperous condition, and if ail 
classes shall exercise proper Industry and 
economy, the reoplo and Country will ere 
long be prepared for the triumphant return of 
the candidate we recently nominated for the 
Pt,-?si deucy — Geneilal Prosperity. 
Give the Boys Good Tool*.— Yes, Mr. Farmer, 
whether father or employer, give the boys good 
tools and implements, especially if you wish 
them to “ work with a will.” Do not, we pray 
you, give them the poorest hoes, rakes, etc., 
and then expect them to keep up with able- 
bodied men. That is not a " fair shake." On 
the contrary, encourage the boys by giving them 
the best implements, thus aiding their strength 
and stimulating their ambition. You will uot 
only be the gainer by acting upon this hint, but 
the boys will be rendered happier by the consid¬ 
eration bestowed. 
Tlie Great Glover Holler Trial Ended.—J. C. 
Blbdsai.l of South Bend, lad., is the inventor 
of the machine for thresliiug and cleaning clo¬ 
ver seed ready for market. When his machines 
were first put on the market t here was a great 
demand for them as soon as ibeir merits be¬ 
came known to Western clover seed producers. 
This attracted the attention of other manufac¬ 
turers, who proceeded to use Ills invention. 
They tried to preventthe renewal of his patent, 
of tbe benefit of which they had robbed him. 
Then he brought suit against certain firms who 
had been backing them and other interested 
manufacturers equally liable to prosecution. 
After several postponements, the t rial came to 
a final hearing June fid, and a final decision was 
given June30by Judge Swayne, whoconllrmed 
all the claims or Mr. Birdsall and entered a 
perpetual injunction against the defendants. 
Tbe suits were against Angus McDonald & 
Co. and the Ashland Machine Co. for $100,000 
damages. But there are several other firms 
equally liable, and it is highly probable they 
wi 11 gladly settle with Mr. Birdsall on his own 
terms. We rejoice when right triumphs—espe¬ 
cially when those rights belong to an inventor. 
"Go for” the WitiI*, Tliailcs aud Hushes — 
Aye, go tor their extermination “on sight,” 
wherever found—whether io yard, garden, field, 
fence corners or on the roadside. Don’t let 
them get the start in any place. Weeds and 
thistles are great pests and nuisances anywhere 
ou the premises, and if permitted to go to seed 
will soon overrun your section, not only injur¬ 
ing your own farm hut those of your neighbors. 
The best way is to destroy them in time, before 
they can ripen and multiply. 
Postage on Third-Class Mailer.—The United 
States Mail for July says " Remember, that 
oue cent per two oouces or fraction thereof is 
now t he legal rate of postage on all third-class 
matter, and that the limit of weight on pack¬ 
ages of samples and merchandise has been 
extended to four pounds.” It may be added 
that this class Includes seeds, cuttings, plants, 
bulbs, roots, cions, fruits, minerals, entomolog¬ 
ical specimens, books, etc. 
Advance In the Wage* of Agricultural La¬ 
borer* Iu Europe.— Mr. Cliff Leslie, a politi¬ 
cal economist of Great Britain, has a paper in 
tbe Fortnightly Review based upon statistics 
and facts collected from the leading economi¬ 
cal authorities of Europe, which go to show 
i)iat. the present uprising of agricultural labor¬ 
ers iu England is but a part of a general move¬ 
ment that has for some years been sweeping 
over the Continent. He asserts that farm wages 
in Belgium, which have been rising for 20ycars, 
recently rose at a bound from 50 cents to 75 
cents per day. The ayerage rise of agricultural 
RURAL BREVITIES 
A. B. Crandell, Agricultural Editor of the 
New York Tribune, is in the West, taking a 
vacation. 
Western exchanges speak of severe drouth 
In Ohio aud of dry and extremely hot weather 
in other Western States. Here showers are 
very frequent. 
Wic call attention of our readers to the Semi- 
Annual Statement of the Travelers Insurance 
Company ou another page, which shows sur¬ 
plus as regards policy-holders of $968,442.68. 
