MOORE’S RURAL WEW-YORKER. 
©CT. 34 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT." 
MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
A NATIONAL ILLUSTRATED 
RURAL, LITEItAIII AMI FAMILY KEWSFAPEB. 
D. D. T. MOOKE, 
Founder a.n<l ConduciiiiK Kditor. 
CJ1AS. D. BRAGDON, ANDREW S. FULLEK, 
Ansocitite Kditors, 
HENRY S. RANDALL LL. D., Cortland Village, N. Y., 
Kiur.fii t,r mt Lm t utmiint or Knurr IIvmandby. 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M., Little Falls, N. Y„ 
Editor of the OkfamaiiwT of Da iky Hurbawifey. 
G. A. C. JJARNETT, Publisher. 
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I PUBLICATION OFFICES; 
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House Block,) Rochester, N. Y. 
SATURDAY, OCT, 81, 1S74. 
HARVEST RESULT.-THE OUTLOOK. 
Now that the cereal and other lead Ins staples 
have been harvested over a largo portion of the 
Continent, it is in order to sum up the result, 
t ake a view of tho situation and scan the Rural 
Outlook. After a season’s operations it is al¬ 
ways well fur tho producer to figure and calcu¬ 
late to review the past, and ascert ain his true 
position, as a means of present and future guid¬ 
ance. Indeed, every Rurallst, whatever his 
branch or culture or production, ought to keep 
a set of books as well as the merchant or man¬ 
ufacturer (for Ihe burner Is a manufacturer), 
and post them carefully at least one* A year, if 
not oftener. By so doing lie will know the cost 
of every crop, herd or (lock, and thus (when sold 
or fairly appraised) bo enabled to estimate the 
profit or loss of the year’s operations. 
But what or the Harvest the result of your 
labor and efforts during i he past season ? As a 
whole-taking- the ent ire country into tho ac¬ 
count-staple crop* have produced fully up to 
the average. Though the Fpritig was back¬ 
ward and most discouraging to the husband¬ 
man throughout, a great portton of our ara¬ 
ble territory, the Bummer proved very favor¬ 
able, so that Autumn brought us an abundant 
harvest of tho leading staples. This Is espe¬ 
cially true of New York and several ot her States 
in which the Kubal New-Yorker circulates 
extensively, and wc therefore congratulate our 
readers and soil eulturista generally upon the 
auspicious result. [Fur estimates of yield of 
leading staples, see synopsis of "Crop Returns 
by the Department of Agriculture," on page 292 
of this Issue; also In RURAL of Oct. 17.) In¬ 
deed. considering its cold and unfavorable 
opening, the season has proved most fruitful 
and productive, giving abundant cause for a 
hilarious Harvest Home and fervent Thanks¬ 
giving. 
And yet the picture is not. all rose-colored, for 
prices role low and crops have been so devas¬ 
tated in some regions as to cause suffering 
among the people as stated elsewhere In this 
paper. Still, with limited exceptions, the Ru- 
r a lists of the country have been “blessed In 
basket and in store," and are in a far better 
condition than the people of cities and villages 
—for tens of thousands of the latter are expe¬ 
riencing the sad effect of the panic and hard 
times, and many among them, who have no full 
bins or granaries to resort to, must suffer during 
theensuing Winter. At such a time the Farmer 
above all men, has reason to be grateful for the 
Results of the season’s labors, and to thank 
Heaven that his lines have fallen in pleasant 
(and abundant) places. For him or his class, 
with rare exceptions, the Outlook is encourag¬ 
ing compared with that of other classes, and If 
he ascertains his true condition and manages 
his affairs with Intelligence and wisdom, he 
will annually make progress toward acquiring 
at least a respectable competence If not wealth. 
May not sumo of the long evening# and leisure 
days of the coming season of hibernation be 
profitably emplayed in reviewing the past and 
planning for the future ? 
r> 
FALLACIES 0E LIFE INSURANCE, 
Number XXXI. 
RATES OF PREMIUM. 
Except, perhaps, during the recent brief sea¬ 
son of financial expansion, there has been no 
time since life Insurance began to be practiced, 
when the necessities of Its patrons did not 
plead for a lower rate of premium. The com¬ 
panies have always yielded, sometimes not very 
gracefully or cheerfully, to woll-deflned de¬ 
mands of this Kind, Competition and the de¬ 
sire for business may lie relied upon to compel 
the companies to fix rates as low as consistent 
with safety. They are estopped In this direc¬ 
tion by a rate of mortality which they would 
gladly modify if they could, and have already 
named rates of premium for certain kinds of 
insurance, as low as they dare. That, which 
Justifies the corn plaints and objections of those 
who feel that there la something wrong, but do 
not know what, la not the size or the premiums, 
but the conditions or payment. A whole-life 
policy is accepted because the premium appears 
to be, as Indeed it Usually Is, as low as tho com¬ 
pany dare make it. The payments are contin¬ 
ued a few- years and then ornilted. The pay¬ 
ments are all forfeited with the Insurance, and 
then there ootne* a complaint, t hat. the premium 
was excessive. After incurring the penalties, 
but never by any possibility before, ho recog¬ 
nizes t he Tolly of accepting an obligation to pay 
any premium whatever as long as he iives. The 
premium was low enough for a whole-life In¬ 
surance, but enormously high, perhaps, when 
compared with tho temporary protection it 
purchased. 
The consciousness of having made a bad 
trade,—of having made a bargain and having 
paid the penalty of Infracting it, is not usually 
conducive to serenity of temper, but it certain¬ 
ly furnishes no sufficient excuse for anything 
except greater caution and foresight—which 
are somehow great promoters of “good luck 
next time." The error llesnot in the company's 
assumptions of mortality and compound Inter¬ 
est, but In the policy takers' assumptions of a 
burden greater than he could carry. The com¬ 
pany constructs.a plan upon the assumption 
that the policy holders will, every one, comply 
with their obligation* in regard to payment 
and will remain insured until they die, or until 
the insurance matures in some other way as 
provided. The company can foresee how many 
will die, and when, but not how many will de¬ 
fault. It can tabulate mortality butnot human 
caprice or human necessity, and cannot easily 
provide a soft spot for those who fall out by 
the way. 
The fixing of a level or uniform premium for 
whole-life, or for a long term, does not promote 
the lapsing of policies. It, should he expected 
to promote permanency and satisfaction inas¬ 
much as it fixes the highest price that, can ever 
bo demanded. The man who starts out at the 
age of thirty years, intending to pay $17.60 every 
yoar as long as he needs insurance, is rather 
more likely to continue than if he paid $12.50 
annually during the first ten years and encoun¬ 
tered an abrupt increase of $4 tho second, $15.60 
Hie third, and of $14 the fourth decade, which 
would after all carry his risk no further than 
the age of seventy. Me would naturally prefer 
to pay $17.00 “right along" than to pay $12.50, 
$10.50, $28 and $50 during successive terms <d 
ton years, to say nothing of the enormous theo¬ 
retical premiums thereafter. Yet these term 
premiums are about the lowest that prudent 
companies have yet ventured to offer or appear 
justified in offering. 
No doubt exists that all the present plans of 
insuring are artificial, and that, they might be 
better adapted to bring temporary protection 
within the reach of persons of small means; 
but tho question, “Will it pay?" lies at the 
threshold of this as of other projected enter¬ 
prises. It costs money to start a company- 
money to enlist new policy holders who promise 
to stay in until they die out. Will R costless 
to obtain policy holders who, by taking insur¬ 
ances for short terms, entail the greater ex¬ 
pense of Inducing them to pay a larger price 
for the same insurance ? And if all these things 
entail additional expense, who shall bear it, if 
not, ultimately, t he policy holder? 
There are plans that seek to accommodate 
the insured by accepting monthly and even 
weekly installments of premium, but in every 
case, and in proportion to the frequency of pay¬ 
ment, the charges (or expenses must increase, 
and with the effect to roeke this cost of insur¬ 
ance dearer instead of cheaper. There arc hun¬ 
dreds of adventurers, some of whom know and 
some who do not know the perils of tampering 
with the tables of mortality, who would eagerly 
take advantage of popular prejudice iu favor of 
cheapness, tu folsL delusive schemes upon the 
public. In most of the States their designs are 
forestalled by legal restrictions. Insurance leg¬ 
islation, if It 1ms not proven effective to prevent 
the failure of companies (’educing their pre¬ 
miums from oorroct assumptions, has nipped 
in the bud all possible fallacious enterprises. 
So far as now appears, the prospect of dimin¬ 
ishing the expense of insurance to the policy 
holder lies in releasing him from the penalties 
of forfeiture, either wholly or in such degree 
as may be demonstrably safe and just. 
-♦♦♦- 
Tnp Nebraska State Board of Agriculture has 
distributed 15 farms as premiums for the best 
essay on the natural advantages and resources 
of Nebraska. There were 64 contestants, one of 
whom won two farms. 
RURAL NOTES AND QUERIES. 
The Two “ Garden#*’ on American Horticul¬ 
ture.— The American Garden, in its first Issue 
under the editorship of Mr. HOGO, says: 
Unfortunately for the art of gardening in 
America, the journals are, however, for the 
most part, filled with extracts from foreign 
papers. Tiie practices therein recommended, 
owing to differences of climate and other rea¬ 
sons, are not. adapted to mir necessities, anil 
can only be mode useful by the valuable hints 
and suggestions which they convey to persons 
of ot herwise large experience. On the other 
hand, the articles of home production .ire gen¬ 
erally the work of persons whose reading and 
practice have been too limited to afford the 
qualification* needful for giving instruction. 
Hence, too often, they contain that which is 
empirical and exploded in practice, and not 
unfrequently. lead those who adopt their sug¬ 
gestions lo grievous disappointment. There 
arto in all the eoiinlrv, but four periodicals 
which are devoted exclusively to horticultural 
and floricu I turn I objects, and two of these eou- 
tlne their attention, mainly, to the interests of 
professional men, and have but little circula¬ 
tion in the. larger circle of amateurs. 
The London (England) Garden, edited by Mr. 
Robinson, commenting on the above,says; 
We do not acknowledge the force of these 
observations In full, as much of the horticul¬ 
tural and rural literature of America is remark¬ 
able for complete knowledge oi the subject, 
lucidity and point in i<xnre-sing that knowl¬ 
edge, and not iiufreqiieutlv for an abundance 
of excellent illustrations which make tho writ¬ 
ers’ meaning on every point clear at a glance. 
It. Is well to be modest. Americans are not. 
over modest. Perhaps the American Garden 
would not have been so self-depreciating con¬ 
cerning American horticulturists had not Mr. 
Hogg been English born. Ills own abounding 
knowledge enables him to see clearly the faults 
of those with whom he associates. Nor is his 
critic!,m altogether unjust. We have no fault 
to find with a man who finds fault justly; but 
It is equally just and wise to commend what is 
good. Our courteous London contemporary 
furnishes the justice. He does not forget that 
what horticulturists in this country have learn¬ 
ed has been by “hard knocks," practical ex¬ 
perience, by making mistakes and rectifying 
them. Neither hereditary wisdom nor tradi¬ 
tion nor text books have helped them much. 
What a man has learned here ho has learned by 
paying for bis knowledge in the most exacting 
labor, grievous disappointments, and by the 
closest, observation; and what lie haslearned 
he can tell in the simplest and most direct 
formula of words. It is because the English 
papers contain “valuable hints and sugges¬ 
tions" for our ready-witted, practical men, that 
the papers publish them. We had as soon have 
them, too, as .Mr. Hogg’m rather limited prac¬ 
tical knowledge in matters relating to general 
horticulture; and yet it must not be understood 
that we do not respect our friend’s acquire¬ 
ments nor undervalue them. The beat way in 
which he can show Americans that they know 
little is by proving! o them that he knows more. 
By the way, will our friend Hogg oblige us by 
naming the two periodicals "which confine 
their attention, mainly, to the interests of pro¬ 
fessional men?" and by the way, again, dues 
not the American Garden make the third of 
this class, devoted more especially to com¬ 
mercial horticulture? 
-14« - 
Our I’reiiiiiiniH ure Highly Prized by their 
recipients ail over the country, as frequent 
acknowledgments testify. In most cases our 
friends say the articles received arc “ better 
than they expected," and often dilate upon the 
value of their Premiums. As an instance in 
point. Mr. Neal D. Ford of Gratiot Co., Mich., 
wr itesThe wringer has arrived, and 1 can 
truly . ay that it is a far better article than I 
expected to receive, so in that respect I am 
happily disappointed ; and I believe, Friend 
MOORE, that the Ktupli'e I Vrinycr Co. can in no 
way belter advertise their Wringers than to 
have the Rural New-Yorker distribute them 
as Premiums to its Agent- Friends. Due 
word iu regard to the Wringer, and that is—It 
cannot be beaten by any other company's 
wares that I have t een, and so say all who have 
seen my Wringer. And I can truly add that 
such substantial presents as Friend Moore 
sends out to his agents for their services are 
well worth appreciating." 
-»♦» 
“Keeping Wheat Hack.”—We have been as¬ 
tonished at some of the talk an to the “ right" 
of farmers to keep their wheat out of market. 
U is asserted that it. helps to increase business 
stagnation. Let business stagnate then. Farm¬ 
ers are not fools—though some people write as 
if they were. If they make mistakes sometimes 
other people have no right to throw stones be¬ 
cause of their own infallibility. Jf a farmer 
wants to bold his wheat he lias a right to: if he 
wants to tell, who shall binder, provided he 
finds a market ? Nor is it necessary to defend 
the farmer for exercising his privilege of keep¬ 
ing Ids own, even though stagnation in trade 
re-ults. These people who are so averse to 
stagnation can move wheat If they have the 
money (which is all the farmer wants) to do it 
with and the will to doit. But It is the most 
ludicrous stupidity Lo find fault with the farmer 
just as it would be for the farmer .to find fault 
with the capitalist because he does not advance 
his money and pay more for wheat than he oau 
get lor it again. 
-- 
Suffering in Kansas.— The naked facts, not- • 
withstanding all the efforts on the part of land 
speculators and those who pretend to represent 
the State Pride of Kansas, seem to indicate be¬ 
yond question that the farmers of certain coun¬ 
ties In that State are in n deplorable condition 
and must have help nr suffer greatly, even it 
they do not starve. State pride has not yet re¬ 
lieved them, nor does It seem likely to prevent 
starvation. A correspondent of the Prairie 
Farmer, after detailing the condition of things, 
says:—'“This U not a question affecting the 
comfort of the people alone; unless relieved, 
many of them will die of cold and hunger be¬ 
fore Chrlstmass. Very few can live through 
the winter at home, and many of them are so 
situated they cannot possibly get away." Out- 
side help is evidently required. 
--- »»# 
The Iturnl is Appreciated -Not only by farm¬ 
ers, horticulturists, etc., hut also by profession¬ 
al men and other educated people, among 
whom it lias many ardent friends in cities and 
villages, in various parts nl the Union and 
Canada. Vide this extract from a letter by a 
Clergyman In Essex County, Out., to the Man¬ 
ager of the Rural Purchasing Agency:—“If 
you should see t he Editor of ‘The Rural ' tell 
him 1 am very much pleased with it. It, put 
mo in mind of ’The Field,* which I used to 
receive when I lived In England, and the get-up 
of the paper I consider quite equal to many in 
the (dil country. 1 first saw It at the house of 
one of my parishioners at North Ridge, who I 
believe has taken it from the commencement 
I should very much like to see an article in it 
regarding the fishes of Lake Erie." 
We must draw on Sjbt.'j Green, Prof. Baird 
Or some other proficient Pisiculiurist, for the 
article on fishes. 
The Iturnl'd Accuracy nml Liberality are 
both stiongly testified to in the following note 
from Mr. C. S. Murdock, Proprietor of the Ex¬ 
celsior Club last and the Agent’s Guide, of 
Orleans Co., N. Y. He writes: “ Before com¬ 
mencing the New Year, please allow me to 
extend to you my thanks for your prompt and 
e irrect manner iu filling my orders for sub¬ 
scriptions to the Rural. I believe that in the 
438 names sent to you tho past year not ami- 
take occurred. The Premiums received have 
all given good satisfaction, and of the 300 lead¬ 
ing papers and magazines that I have on my 
list I believe that the Old Rural pays me tho 
best of them all, and I hope to send you a much 
larger list the coining year." 
■ ■ «♦«- 
Patent Office Pnule.— There is a law of Con¬ 
gress prohibiting the soliciting for or giving of 
present# by any officer or clerk In Government 
employ to a superior officer. But they have 
been doing It in the Patent Office. Gen. Leg¬ 
gett, Commissioner of Patents, having resign¬ 
ed (his resignation to take effect Nov. 1) has 
been presented with a silver tea set by his sub¬ 
ordinates. The law is that he and I hose who 
contributed the present shall be “discharged 
from Government employ.” They have not 
been so discharged. Will they bo? This Is the 
conundrum that agitates them now. If not, 
why not ? 
«♦«- 
The Republic, the new Administration daily 
in New York City, has made a good start and is 
apparently destined to achieve success. It is a 
handsome quarto and up to the times in its 
various departments—Political. News, Finan¬ 
cial, &c. Its managers are experienced Jour¬ 
nalists and ought to know how to render their 
new institution popular and permanent. 
-♦♦♦-- 
RURAL BREVITIES. 
“Short-Horn Breeder" should procure Al¬ 
len’s American Short-Horn Herd-Book. It 
will post him thoroughly on pedigrees, etc. 
Thomson of the Lo Roy Gazette still spells 
his name without a p, and yet he is a model 
editor and don’t imbibe, notwithstanding hi* 
“ sign." 
"Subscriber." Skaneatele.H, N. Y., is inform¬ 
ed that the "Little Corporal” is published in 
Chicago, III. The “St. Nicholas" will meet the 
wants of your little girls as well as " the rest of 
the family.” 
Raising cork Is a growing Industry in Cali¬ 
fornia- In several places Iu the State there are 
young artificial forests, three or four years old, 
from which bark can be got thick enough for 
an ordinary cork. 
The exhibitors and employes of the Western 
New York Fair recently made the Secretary, 
William L. Wai i ace, the recipient of u very 
handsome testimonial in the shape of an ele¬ 
gant gold.watch and chain. . 
Tiie number of persons in Kansas whom the 
Governor's message estimates need assistance 
in consequence of the ravages of locust- the 
past season is 15,000. He thinks they ought, to 
have 8 bustiolB ol' wheat pet capita. 
According to the Husbandman Luther S. 
Smith of Chemung Co., N. Y., raised on one 
acre of land, this season, a crop of corn which 
by weight was 242 bushels and 24 pounds, and 
by measure 241 bushels. The variety was the 
common eight-rowed yellow. 
Wii acknowledge a call from Mr. George 
Grant, the founder of Victoria Colony, Ellis 
Co., Kansas. He speaks highly and hopefully 
of his colony and its prospects and of the con¬ 
dition. of the stock there tins fall. Short-Horns 
have fattened wonderfully on the buffalo grass 
of the prairies. 
BUSINESS NOTICES. 
Pianos.— We advise any of our readers who may 
contemplate purchasing a Piano-Forte to write to 
the Arion Piano-Forte Co.. No. 5 E. 14th St., N. Y., 
for one of their Illustrated Circulars; as their instru¬ 
ments are noted for their unequaled tone and great 
durability. 
