©ORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
A NATIONAL ILLUSTRATED 
ELIKAI., LITEKAliV AN# FAMILY NNffSPAPEE. 
B. B. T. MOORE, 
Founder and Conducting Editor. 
CHAS. D. BRAGDON, ANDREW 6. FULLER, 
Auitoeiute Kditor*. 
HENRY S. RANDALL LL. D., Cortland Village, N. Y., 
Editor or tiik 1J«vaktm«kt or $H»r Uo»ii*nh*t. 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M., Little Falls, N. Y., 
Editor of the Dkpakimknt of Daisy Humahdey. 
G. A. C. IIAItNKTT, Publisher. 
TERMS FOR 1875, IN ADVANCE, 
INCLUDING TOSTAUK, WHICH PUBLISHERS PREPAY. 
Single Copy, $2.(16 per Year. To Club*; Five Cop¬ 
ies, und one copy free t" Agent or velior up of Club, 
forSlo.lOs s. v. n Copies, anil one free. lor 8)7.20; Ten 
Copies,and one free, J2l.Vi-r.nly 62.16 per copy. The 
above rate;. / nchuln ii'ixt" (wbieli vre shall be obliged 
to prepay after Jim. 1, I'iV.'i, under the new law.) to 
any part nf the I.'nlted btute*. ami the American 
postag' on all copies mailed to Canada. On papers 
mailed to Kurooe, by steamer, the postage will be SO 
ccnlaextra nrffl.Mlin all. Drafts, lh-Ht-Ofllce Money 
Orders and Registered Letters may be mailed at our 
risk. t3f~ Liberal Premiums to all Club Agents who 
do not take free copies. Rptmimon .Numbers, Show- 
Bills, &e., sent free._ 
ADVERTISING RATES: 
Inside, l lth and 1 til pages (Agate np:u3e).60c. per line. 
•• lath page.-.:“fi 
Outside or lust page.. — ...I.'JU 
Fifty per rent. «x i ra for unusual display. 
Special NoUets, loaded, by count.I.2A 
Business “ •• ...,V5S .. 
Discount on 4 insertions. PI per ct.; 8 ins., 15 per ct.; 
13 ins., 20 per ct.; 26 ins., 25 per ct.; 02 Ins., per ct. 
C2f“ No advertisement Inserted for less than $3. 
PUBLICATION OFFICES: 
No. 78 Duane Street, New York City, and No. 67 
East Main St., (Darrow's Bookstore, Osburn 
House Block,) Rochester, N. Y. 
j^S3©SB*S 
**&-■ Lnl 
Company. 
-Etna. 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10, 1S74. 
“THHILD RUR4T STILL AHEAD! 
THE NEW POSTACE LAW, 
And a Liberal Offer to All our Readers, 
THE TIME FOIC ACTION! 
TnE Rural New-Yorker, ns will ho seen by 
announcement on last pane, promises to more 
than maintain its pre-eminence, during the en¬ 
suing year, the first of its second quarter of ;i 
century. Having made ample arrange incuts 
therefor, wo are enabled to t hus early announce 
our purpose to render i he Rural for 1875 every 
way worthy the Increased confidence and sup¬ 
port of its myriad of friends, and the tens of 
thousands of Ruralists and others whoso best 
interests it ardently seeks In promote. We 
intend <P. V.) to furnish a paper which will 
alike please and benefit old friends and induce 
thousands of strangers to become Its ardent 
admirers and substantial supporters, lo ac¬ 
complish this wo desire and now bespeak the 
kind offices—the friendly words and nets—of 
every reader in making known the character 
and objects c.r a journal designed to enhance 
' the welfare of individuals, families and com¬ 
munities. No paper in the land has more or 
warmer friends, wo verily believe—such a host 
of earnest and inlluentlal Agent-Friends and 
if each and nil who can do so will make an 
early effort in its behalf. “The Olt> Rural," as 
it is now familiarly called by many, will excel 
itself during the year ensuing. 
POSTAGE FREE TO EARLY SUBSCRIBERS. 
A recent act of Congress renders it necessary 
for Publishers to prepay postage upon all papers 
after J an. 1,1875.and hence, instead of subscrib¬ 
ers paying 30 cents per annum at. their respect¬ 
ive pest offices as heretofore, their postage will 
■ he prepaid hy-us and will bo 5 cents leas per year 
—thus really making a reduction in the cost of 
the Rural, beside saving mpeh trouble to its 
subscribers. But, though postage is added to 
our rates for 1876, as published above, we 
propose to be liberal to all who renew or 
subscribe for the Rural previous to Dec. 1, 
ensuing, by taking subscriptions for next year 
at the old rates—*3-50 per single yearly copy, 
or $2 in club 3 of ten or more. This is giv¬ 
ing each subscriber the postage for J875 free, 
which is quito an item in these times, and 
ought, to induce thousands of our readers to 
remit within tho ti ms speeiloi. One cogent 
reason for Mm off w is to get in a portion of our 
subscriptions before the busy season, so that 
we can place ilie names in type for mailing 
machine, and have a “good ready - ’ for the New 
Year. Now, good friends, coma on ! 
Now Kncliuui. 
New Jersey.. 
.New York. 
North America . ... 
Northwestern.. 
Dean Mmuid. 
Phieuix.. 
Piedmont A. Arlington.. 5.IWL0T4 
Security..... 12,772, Old 
Union Central. 1.635,976 
Union Mutual. ttjgMN 
United suit os. 7 ,mm,hoi 
Wan Plug ton ... 7,MO 
Homeopathic (2 years).. 408,(58 
Life Association (do.).. 4,90-1,312 
rTUP TN^TTR ANflT! tainnoent and elevation—of its readers. There i 
LUL lI'toUivAiN'j . js a trjflc r]Jffer( , DCe ln price between a first- ’ 
vv class and asecond-hand newspaper, but in this, 
as in m<i»t cases, the luM ta the cheapest , even i f 
, , ,. n f the former costs double the latter. Indeed, 
books and periodicals are the last things in , 
he . JLj . which people should attempt *0 economize in > 
y reticent. Whatever s of famJ , Se8 ol1gM , especially : 
illy drawn instrument, is d t , qtu dUy of the reading matterthey 
i stipulations ami condi- regaru we „„ an ti4» nr the nrire 
could not, bv any possi- Procure, far more than its quant,ty or the price 
bly oracular 11 Intended nt wilich ,l is f inished. _ 
ge that play of the Imag- ' *** 
profitable speoulatlon in Don’t Always Write About the C.oinirx l — 
of the contract makes a why? Because a great majority of on r readers 
I’lte company signs and live In the country and know vastly more about 
jsiUc facts - farts Of more it than the city people who send us articles 
is and Intensity; hnt In a entitled “In tho Country,’’“A Trip to the 
,u-ly only it condescends Country,” " Pleasures of the Country," and all 
” in the matter of pro?- that sort of thing. Many correspondents think 
11 gross I oils, like those of that because ours is a “ rural" paper It must, he 
, “always come higher.” filled with matter pertaining to the country— 
i costly affairs, and too ©van Its stories, sketches ami poomswhereas 
be exercised in accepting the truth is that country people like to hear 
, “ thirty per cent, off for about tho city, the ocean, and other things 
■r the figure. It will not with which they are not familiar. They know 
rmises that the company all about, rural life and pigs and poultry, and, 
will do as much. In time, wo opine, prefer to read what will convey novel 
ir has done, or that future ideas and information. Of course we desire 
hose or the past. There practical matter for departments devoted to 
ompanies a great diversity Rural Affairs, hut we pray those who write on 
oentage of dividend* j>aid literary and mb < ellaueuus topics to remember 
1, during a long period, that variety 16 the spice of life, and that the 
in one per cent, to more readers of the rural can appreciate other than 
descriptions, scenes and episodes In country 
iment of thoso items of life. Send nuch screeds t6 city papers, or such 
! dividends paid, could he as circulate mainly in cities, and give the Rural 
So Impartial justice to all Press wliat you know about town life, or ir.al- 
•eral reasons. Many com- tert connected therewith—for is it not true that 
idends until several years city people like to hear about what they see 
re received. Others have little of, the country, and t’tcc versa. In regard 
mounts of paid-up insur- to ruralists? 
lends arc paid but no pre- - 
Income from that source .pi,,, night Talk -Is tills by the RnralRouth- 
he head of interest, while ©rner:—“ Brother Patrons, Farmers, Planter# 
lalizc peculiar plans that. Oimionere, Seedsmen, Florists, Nurserymen, 
f profits until the end of a gtock and Poultry Raisers, and our readers In 
general:—We solicit you to oorrespond with 
, which compares the pre- hr, giving us your experience and views. Wc 
dividends paid during * want all to feel that they are just as much In¬ 
is, can he. regarded only as tercsted ln this magazine as the proprietors 
cly, tho dividend experl- ar „. it is only by mutual exchange of thought 
illy the dividend-paying ant j experience that an agricultural paper ran 
>m panics appearing in it: | )c made of value to Its fullest extent. AH of 
Premiums you see or practice something every day that 
n-tarived. Dividends. lT.ct. would bo of great value to others ; let us have 
* , S?S ijlm it, and help us make our magazine what we in- 
. >u.35.v 30.IF.0 3.05 tend It shall bo—the best over published. 
’. 10 38 . We have occasionally madenimllar requests 
■ Z j’S7 , 50l 6 "uo 972 T«0 during the past twenty-live years, and not al- 
.' (ifi'sta'.KU U,32ti!s68 82’,70 ways in vain. And we now adopt the above, 
' -’iriHer ish wishing every reader of the Rural Nf.w- 
LiHitqtSi 'J.ih Yorker engaged or specially interested in any 
‘ ,H'u2 branch of rural production to consider it a 
; L3(i'v®r 17.50 personal matter-an appeal to contribute new 
. 4.800.008 W23-7® H.oi f( .. H discoveries, and the results of observa- 
■ ftSSS IS.S S:<? to thoso P»scs, for .ho 
• 0-ri.t.g LiwjB ’!•« benefit of the great brotherhood of American 
lQjjusM) 2!i,iau;.';is 2»t09 soil cultivators. 
. 48,110,058 18.287.149 27.82 -ex*- 
. 1,920.0(2 287,680 14.97 „ _ „ , 
. 21,8.30,680 4.337,183 19.41 Write ns Weil a» You Talk.—Many a farmer 
' 44 WT 54 7 545*?48 18 3? who can talk well-most intelligently and oor- 
1 lllpJtCnr, VsliW 8.72 rnctly—about his various crops, animals, etc., 
■ l lmm i'f, 797 m 31 Ir thinks bo “cannot write for the proas.” A 
: UJOOAH :.!iiJL53i 24 20 mistake. It is only necessary to write ns well 
,1 ’S as you Oflon talk-or t» you would in writ ing a 
‘ V.535,9?8 ’ 93’,‘KI fi.7K letter to a friend on the same subject. People 
■ ^’Mi’Soi urn ml) 1 I 49 " ho suppose It is necessary to get on stilts and 
1 7,4i4\9wi 'h7?/'Iv ti vs use big dictionary words to write for a paper. 
’ AtS&'lvl, are in error—for the most simple and direct 
. 4,.K)),5U 1 *. .1 way la the best. Adopt the suggestion, send 
lalrnod to be precisely, but jjjcrej-ult of your observation and experi- 
corrcot, and may contain enc0 _. U id especially of experiments—and our 
rijurious to deserving com- roa[lera will soon learn that you know how to 
. , write for publication. 
FALLACIES OF LIFE INSURANCE, 
Number XXV. 
Though the agent is nearly always prolific of 
promises in regard to the amount of dividends, 
the policy Is invariably reticent. Whatever is 
pledged by that carefully drawn instrument, is 
prudently hedged with stipulations and condi¬ 
tions. Some of them could not, br any possi¬ 
bility, bo more plausibly oracular If Intended 
to license and encourage that play of the Imag¬ 
ination, which sees a profitable speculation in 
that which the letter of the contract makes a 
losing Investment. The company signs and 
seals only the most prosaic facts farts of more 
than Cokctown dryness and intensity; hnt In a 
parole way and vicariously only it condescends 
to “drop Into poetry” in the matter of pros¬ 
pective profits. The digressions, like t hose of 
tho literary Mr. WeciO, “always come higher.” 
Agents' promises arc costly affairs, and too 
much caution cannot be exercised In accepting 
them at par. Perhaps “ thirty per cent, off for 
cash” would be nearer the figure. It will not 
do to trust to the promises that the company 
presenting its claims will do as much. In time, 
as some other exemplar has done, or that future 
dividends w HI equal those of the past. 'There 
is among the various companies a great diversity 
in this respect, the percentage of dividends paid 
to premiums received, during a long period, 
varying from less than one per esut. to mon¬ 
th an thirty. 
No tabular arrangement of thoso items of 
premium receipts and dividends paid, could be 
po constructed as to do impartial justire to all 
the companies, forsnvoral reasons. Many com¬ 
panies do not pay dividends until several years 
after the premium - ' are received. Others have 
largo numbers and amounts of paid-up Insur¬ 
ances, on which dividends arc paid but no pre- 
miwn* received, tlio Income from that source 
being entered under the head of Interest, while 
other companies specialize peculiar plans that, 
defer the payments of profits until the end of a 
stipulated period. 
The appended table, which compares the pre¬ 
miums roccivod and dividends paid during a 
period of twelve years, can be regarded only as 
Indicating, proxlmatcly, the dividend experi¬ 
ences and inferentially the dividend-paying 
capabilities of the companies appearing in it: 
Premiums 
.*89,511,031) 
American Popular. 1,098,098 
A tlan tie. 9st.3,i5 
Berkshire..,..... 3,MM,s05 
Brooklyn.. 4,495,444 
( barter Oak. 27,188,461 
Connecticut General.... 1,537.. 51 
Uonnactleut Mutual — fi6,S45,KH 
Continental. 111.862.935 
Bquitable. 45,084„#J4 
Germania. Hj.tl-'baM 
Globe...... .... 8,333.113 
Guardian. 10,138.9)9 
Home (New York). 7,802,855 
John Hancock. 4.800.068 
Knickerbocker... 24,191.872 
Manhattan. 1 M ,, 1,123 
Massachusetts Mutual.. 9,ii4,8.>r» 
Me t ro poll ta .. S,(fi'n,«38 
Mutual (New York). 102.988,960 
Mutual Benefit . 48,110,65a 
National (Vermont). 1,920,0(2 
.. 21,830,580 
.. 2,H29,MXI 
.. 44,849,754 
.. 11, (It), 115 
.. 17.485,014 
.. 5,042.584 
.. 17,700,234 
$4,879,652 
151,055 
30,ONO 
378,057 
400,,’*1 
DJ>25.951 
110,972 
18,3203558 
1.140.878 
7.488.397 
t,046,161 
585,738 
1.303 897 
072,079 
2,807 A’9 
2,58?.0( r 4 
1,108,002 
267,287 
29,804,’23f» 
18,287.149 
287,6M(i 
4,237)188 
10X.:117 
7,M5,I48 
998.430 
2,638,1*3 
1,579,707 
8.814,529 
443,437 
1.770.878 
93,’*1 
2,227,801 
1,0*1,870 
877,8(7 
15,547 
l«l,49i 
This tabic is not claimed to be precisely, but 
only substantially, correct, and may contain 
inadvertent errors injurious to deserving com¬ 
panies. 
Caution is necessary in using inferences from 
the percentages given. Dividends are not now 
cast by percentages of premiums paid, and an 
endowment, policy accepted with the expecta¬ 
tion of receiving tho percentage indicated in 
the table, would breed disappointment. An 
annual payment whole-life policy would prob¬ 
ably fare better, and draw a dividend actually 
greater in amount, and perhaps four times os 
large in comparison with the investment of 
premium. 
As before observed, these figures are not re¬ 
liable as a guide for the- future, and will be 
serviceable only in checking exuberant prom¬ 
ises and fancy flights. The only infallible guide 
In this matter is that furnished by the text of a 
colored preacher:— 11 Blessed :u-e they who ex¬ 
peat nothin’, for t/ir|/ will not be disappointed.” 
—-- 
RURAL NOTES AND QUERIES. 
“ The Best i» Always the Cheapest.”—Oc¬ 
casionally, not often, an Agent writes us that 
if the RcrtAi. was furnished at a less price 
it would “ take” bet ter. Yes, it probably would 
among people whodo not know' tho difference 
between a cheap reprint of a daily or other 
paper, or one edited with scissors, and a jour¬ 
nal flllod with reading matter and engravings 
prepared expressly for its readers. People who 
want a second-hand or inferior article—a Steer¬ 
age instead of a cabin passage-should take tho 
cheap l?) weeklies, by all means. They will have 
the cheap if not prntita do pleasure of perusing 
1 1 at was first prepared for and sold to another 
class of ruadvrs—a hush or rehash of meats 
served at the first, table. Other and more sen¬ 
sible folk, prefer a paper, like the Rural Ni.w- 
Yokkeii, which is edited and published exclu¬ 
sively lor the benefit—the instruction, enter- 
The Husbandman is the title of a new quarto 
weekly hailing from KHnira.N. Y. It is pub¬ 
lished at $1,50 per year by “ The Husbandman 
Association,” of which CflAS. IIelleu is Presi¬ 
dent, and edited by W. A. Armstrong, Secre¬ 
tary of New York State Orange. No. 1 Vol. 1, 
dated Aug. 28, is a fine-looking sheet, and con¬ 
tains much matter relative 10 the Patrons of 
Husbandry, to whose interests the paper Is 
mainly devoted. The Husbandman is evidently 
a sincere laborer in a noble cause, and we wish 
it abundant success —hoping (while fearing 
otherwise) that the anticipations of its pro¬ 
jectors may be fully realized. 
-**«- 
Maryland Watermelon*.—An exchange is re¬ 
sponsible for a very positive item on the qual¬ 
ity and production at Watermelons. Among 
other things it says:—“It is not perhaps gen¬ 
erally knowm that Maryland watermelons are, 
by produce dealers, considered the best in the 
country, and that there are more melons in 
Anne Arundel County alone than in any otbor 
county in the United States. This year there 
arc over 3,500 acres planted in that county, and 
it is estimated that an acre of ground will pro¬ 
duce. 1,000 good, marketable melons, and if this 
Is the case. Anno Arundel County will alone 
produce 3,500,000 melons. 
“ Give Me the Old Hural Yeti” exclaims a 
long-time subscriber who has tried many pa¬ 
pers. Ho adds that, the Rural is now better 
than for years past, and wants us to “ beat its 
best record, next year.” That s just what wo 
propose to do, and if old friends and new sec¬ 
ond our efforts the “Oll»” Rural— the pioneer 
in its peculiar and Important sphere of journal- 
ism—will (D. V.) make a record in 1875 which 
will eclipse its former history and distance all 
imitators in either title, style or contents. 
-- 
How He Prevent* Hard Times. A member 
of the Society for the Prevention of Hard 
Times has already subscribed for the Rural 
for 1875. He says that hy wearing out his last 
year’s clothes, abstaining from smoking and 
“ liquid stimulants.” attending to hi* own bus¬ 
iness personally—and letting all outside matter 
“slide,” lie is making times easy and can afford 
to lake and pay for more periodicals for him¬ 
self and family than ever before. It is needless 
to add that his candidate for the Presidency Is 
General Prosperity. 
-- - - 
American Institute Fair.—The 43d annual 
exhibition of the American Institute was for¬ 
mally opened ln the Rink building, corner of 
Third avenue and Sixty*thlrd st., New York, 
on tho 8th inst., with an address by Hon. N. 
C. Ely, President of the Board of Malingers. 
About 700 exhibitors are represented in the 
Fair, and it is stated that some 300 more appli¬ 
cations had been refused for want of space in 
the building. Tho Fair will continue open for 
several weekB. 
Take the Hurnl to the Fair*!—Yes, please 
take a copy of the Rural— say this or some old 
number to the Fair, show it to your friends 
and ask them to subscribe, or at least to try 
it for tho remainder of this year - tho Trial Trip 
only costing fifty cents. You can easily get. a 
club of from five to twenty or more trial sub¬ 
scribers, If not annuals. Try It! 
— --- 
RURAL BREVITIES. 
Great crop of hay in California this year. 
The Nebraska Farmer has suspended publi¬ 
cation. 
TilBRR were 20,500 packages of fruit shipped 
from Benton Harbor, Mich., on « pt. -d. 
Virginia has had the most discouraging to¬ 
bacco crop she has had In a great many years. 
The Michigan Fish Commissioners recently 
deposited 80,1.4X1 young shad in the Shiawassee 
River. 
The California sheep are treated with a bath 
or sulphur and lime dissolved in water as a cure 
for the scab. 
The Grangers of Montgomery Co., Ind., have 
organized a manufacturing association with a 
1 capital of *100,000. 
In Canada tho silver beet is being raised as a 
green crop to plow under for manure and is 
said to be excellent. 
At the Messrs. Lesleys’ sale at Wateringbury, 
England, a young calf sired by an American 
’ hull brought. *10,000. 
Plows with wrought Iron or steel beams 
weighing only 30 pounds are manufactured by a 
i Western Plow Company. 
The vintage of California this season will, it 
- is estimated, amount t«> 10,IKK),000 gallons, 
x against 4,000,000 in 1873 and 3,500,000 in 1873. 
1 The Department, of Agriculture at Washing¬ 
ton, ha i Information of the Increase of tho com 
area 2,IKK),000 acres, or six per cent, over lust 
year. 
California has reclaimed a vast area of 
■ overflowed lands, which are now yielding im- 
, mouse crops. They w ere tide lands, of uo value 
L before. 
I The yield of peppermint in St. Joseph Cu„ 
> Mich., Is not more than half a cron. It is esti- 
. mated this year at 8,000 pounds. Dry weather 
1 is tlio cause. 
Tabitua, a valuable racer, was ruined at a 
• hurdle race in Prospect Park, last week— hav- 
t j tl g h e r leg broken by a fall, which seriously in- 
l jured her rider. 
There is a currant hush at Rochester, N. II., 
r which, though growing among the branches of 
an elm 80 feet from tho ground, bus borne well 
(or more than a dozen years. 
Many people who have never taken the Ru¬ 
ral arc trying t he Trial Trip. Reader, advise 
1 your neighbors who like to read your paper to 
try how good 1 hey would feel to read their own. 
i California farmers are urged to turn their 
attention more to tho cultivation of cotton and 
" tobacco than to that of wheat. In Colusa Cj.. 
- Andrew Rutland experts to net $50 an acre from 
1 , his cotton. 
SrnsciuBK for the Rural for 1875 at once, or 
I before Dec. i. You will thus not only save the 
o postage on the year’s numbers, but secure a 
paper the perusal of which will save you many 
y times its cost. 
Simon Dickerson of Marion, Livingston Co., 
Mich., recently inresbod 118 bushels of wheal 
which grew upon two acres of ground: and 
William Htealman of Genoa, raised 307 bush¬ 
els upon six acres. 
In answer to inquiries of S. L. of Norwich, N- 
Y. and W. T. It. of Broome County, as to a good 
farrugrial-mill, we refer them to Advertisement 
of W. L. lioyer & Bro., of Philadelphia, who are 
a trustworthy firm to deal with. 
The Toledo Historical Society has been pre¬ 
sented with a little, completely-formed egg, 
which was found inside tho yolk Of a hou s egg. 
It is nearly an inch long, of the usual shape, and 
the shell which Is hard, is formed. 
As soon us the first shower has laid the dust 
the season for painting wili be fairly inaugu¬ 
rated, apropos of widen we advise our readers 
to examine the Advertisement of the Averin 
Chemical Paint Co. on another page. 
A FAST trotter has turned up at Karlville, III., 
in the person of a horse of unknown pedigree, 
named Observer, who has already accomplished 
his 2: 28. His owner a farmer, iu not tooweU- 
to-do circumstances, has refused *10,1X4) m 
cash. 
Mr. George Jerome, one of the Fisli Com¬ 
missioners of Michigan, declares that every aero 
of water, ir properly cultivated, is equal in 
food-producing value to an acre ot land, anu 
that, the present food supply from water is equal 
to 5,750,000 cattle of an average weight of 7 W 
pounds. 
