1 
MOORE’S  RURAL  MEW-YORKER 
of  ;v  ^unUist. 
DAILY  RURAL  LITE 
From  the  Diary  of  a  Gentleman  near  f4ew 
York  City. 
RAPID  QROWINQ  CUMBERS  WANTED. 
Eu.  Kdual:  J  uni  abnntcoiiHU-uclifiK  a  latticed 
arcli  over  an  armlot  of  a  jjond,  wliiob  ia  of  ijara* 
bolicHh.apc,  The  bighost  point  of  arch  will  Im 
twcuty-llvo  fwt  above  the  water.  Tbo  arch  will 
be  fifty  feet  long.  I  have  {graded  a  walk  around 
i Ilia  parabolic  at  the  wator'n  edge  and  cighteon 
above  the  water.  This  walk  i»  to  lie  iiicloKod  liy 
the  latticed  arch.  Ontaido  the  arch-lino  1  have 
)»lauUjd  ch'dce  vai-ieticH  of  the  fox  grape,  in  or¬ 
der  to  cover  the  arcli  with  their  foliage.  I  am 
anxioiiH  to  cover  it  with  HOiinithing  tliiu  eoiniiig 
Huniiiior,  hnt,  of  cuui'ho,  it  will  take  two  or  three 
yeara  to  train  the  grape  vincH  all  over  it.  What 
can  1  UHO  teuiiiorarily ?  Will  hops  answer? 
W'ill  “Daily  Uural,”  or  aomo  othoi-  Ituraliwt,  tell 
me  ?  Also  tell  mo  how  to  cultivate  whatsoever  is 
rocomiiieiuled.  -Aoiiauaj^e. 
Apnii !!,— There  are  so  many  tender  rapid¬ 
growing  climbing  plants  in  cultivation  that  it  is 
somowbat  diflieull  to  determine  wliich  would  l>o 
best  for  the  jinriioso  named.  If  you  can  procure 
good,  thrifty  chiiups  of  hop  vine  naitfl,  and  re¬ 
move  without  disturbing  the  ball  of  earth  about 
them,  they  woulil  no  doubt  throw  up  shoots 
strong  ciioiigb  to  eovorthe  arbor  the  first  season. 
Another  advantage  of  employing  Mime  such 
hardy  ijcreiinial  plant  for  the  pm'po**‘*  named, 
would  Isi  the  saving  of  expense  an<l  tJ’oublo  of 
replanting  next  yew  in  ease  the  grape  vines  did 
not  reach  the  desired  size  for  two  or  three  seir- 
sonstocome.  Thecomniou  .Tapauboneysucklo, 
or  the  variegated  leavwl,  are  both  excellent 
plants  for  this  puriiose,  although  not  quite  as 
rapid  growers  as  the  hop  vine.  All  the  culture 
required  is  to  plant  tlioin  in  deep,  rich  soil. 
The  American  Ivy  (AmjKlopifiii  >iuinquefolio)  is 
a  HTiperb  climber,  and  its  brilliant  autumn  tints 
are  nusnrjiassed  in  tlio  w.ay  of  high-coloring. 
For  a  plant  with  large  loaves,  giving  a  dense 
shade,  the  Dutchman’s  ViyMi^AriMoMlia  Siplui) 
has  no  cifual  among  hardy  climbing  pliuite  which 
will  thrive  in  our  Northern  Htktos.  But  trans¬ 
planted  vines  grow  slowly  at  first,  and  wo  fear 
they  would  give  little  shade  the  first  soasoii. 
TENDER  ANNUALS  AND  PERENNIALS. 
Perhaps  you  might  find  some  vino  among  the 
tender  annuals  and  ijoietinials  which  wonkl  an¬ 
swer  bettor  for  that  pnrisiso  than  any  of  fhoso 
named.  The  ornamental  gourds  gi-ow  very  rap¬ 
idly,  tuid,  for  a  novelty,  your  arbor  might  ho 
covered  witli  those  one  season,  If  no  longer.  By 
selecting  a  vai-icty,  or  imj-chasing  a  paraa-  of 
mixed  seed,  you  could  easily  cover  the  arbor  with 
vines  which,  towards  fall,  would  give  a  grand 
display  of  ornamental  fruit. 
The  Madeu'a,  or,  as  sometimes  called.  Migon- 
atto  \im.  i^IiwtHsivgaulhn  Vanf-IJoidefi)  is  a  very 
rapid-growing,  tender  plant,  heailug  siiiall  but 
vci'y  fragrant  flowers.  Tlio  tubers  may  be  found 
at  almost  any  florist,  and,  if  planb^d  in  rich,  light 
soil,  will  throw  up  sbjins  ten  to  twenty  feel  long 
the  lirst  seasou.  Then  wc  have  tho  commou 
Moniiug  (llory  in  its  immmcrabhi  varietios,  and 
the  closely  ailiod  genera,  Ipmnmit,  as  weU  aa 
Trop<vohiuiXf  yVmnfMTyfns  and  Coh<t:a  scnutU^is, 
any  or  all  of  whidi  will  answer  the  purposo  of 
covering  an  arbor  or  trellis. 
SHEARINfi  EVERGREEN  HEDGES. 
April  4.  -  Evergreen  bodges  are  certainly  very 
ornamental,  and  perhaiis  bonelicialin  protecting 
gardens  from  cold  winds.  Bnt  tho  cost  of  tho 
lilants  and  setting  them  out  is  only  a  starting 
point  in  the  w'ay  of  expense,  for  if  a  liedgo  is  to 
he  kept  in  order,  cnltivatiwi  and  annual  prunings 
are  necessary.  I  am  reminded  of  the  cost  of 
pnining  by  a  pain  in  my  right  arm,  caused  by  a 
few  hom-s’  use  of  n  Viig  pair  of  slmars  upon  a 
hemlock  bodge  in  my  garden,  i  feel  proud  of 
this  hedge,  for  it  was  planted  ten  years  ago,  and 
has  been  pruned  annually  Viy  myself.  Of  ouurse 
i  do  not  swing  tho  hedgo-shears  from  morning 
till  night  when  doing  tho  pruning,  still  an  hour 
or  two  at  a  time  affords  me  an  abiuulant  oppor- 
tunity  for  hiarning,  in  a  practical  way,  just  what 
it  costs  in  labor  to  keep  an  evergreen  hedge  in 
order,  'llm  Hemlock  is  really  the  best  of  all  our 
hoidy  native  evergi-cen  for  tins  purpose,  at  least 
it  makes  tho  handsomest  hedge,  on  account  of 
its  deep  green  e.olor.  lioth  summer  and  winter, 
besides  submitting  with  such  good  grace  to  the 
close  shearing  process,  necessary  for  a  neat, 
compact  hedge.  Tho  American  Arbor-Vilte  also 
makes  a  hiitulsomc  hedge,  the  plants  co.st  less 
than  the  hemlock  and  are  less  liable  to  die  when 
transplanled,  hut  tho  foliage  changes  to  a  dirty 
yeUow  in  winter  instead  of  remaining  green. 
Bnt  the  point  1  wish  to  make  is  .this,  don’t  set 
out  evergreens  for  ornammital  Jicdgos  unless  you 
intend  to  give  them  proper  care  afterwards,  for 
ono  allowed  to  take  care  of  itself,  will  irrovc  to  bo 
anytliing  bnt  an  ornament,  after  a  few  years.  It 
is  far  better  to  put  sueh  plants  in  groups,  or  set 
out  singly,  to  grow  up  naturally,  than  to  crowd 
into  long  rows,  where  the  struggle  for  existence 
ends  in  tho  “  siu'vival  of  the  fittest,”  and  these 
are  scarcely  worth  prcservmg. 
DISAPPEARANCE  OF  THE  WHITE  PINE  SCALE. 
For  tho  past  two  or  three  years  all  white  jiiiie 
trees  in  my  gronnds  have  boon  infested  with  a 
kind  of  hark  louse  which  seemed  to  cluak  their 
growth,  and  I  liegan  U>  fiMir  would  eventually 
destroy  them.  ITiew  lice  were  abundant  on  the 
young,  sanootli  bratichira,  and  was  coven’d  with 
a  white,  flacculcnt  down-liko  matter,  soniowhat 
resembling  (altliongh  mneb  smaller  in  size)  Uie 
ranplo  tree  bark-louse  {Lvmuiwmf  aoerivolu. 
Witliout  dose  examination  I  considered  it  tho 
same  HjiecieM  as  described  by  Itr.  Asa  Fithh  in 
the  Transactions  of  tlioN.  Y.  Htate  Ag.  bocioty, 
ISS-I,  under  tlio  namo  of  Fine-Blight  (C’oeews 
J'lHieorfim).  Bnt  whatever  its  true  name  or 
cause  of  apiteai'anco.  the  faetrs  of  its  nlmndanoe 
and  apparent  Injury  t<j  the  trees  were  umnfBtaka- 
hle ;  but.  in  some  unaceoniitahlo  manner,  they 
have  all  disappeared  as  hiifore  a  magician’s  wand. 
1  have  examiiiod  several  hundred  which  were 
badly  infested  without  finding  a  single  spocinieu 
of  tiiu  iHist.  Tho  cause  of  this  sudilen  disaii- 
poarance  is,  of  course,  unknown  to  me,  but  1 
liresumo  some  minute  jiarasitic  eueniy  baa  done 
it. 
I  mention  tho  above  facts  as  an  encouragement 
to  others  who  may  bavo  bocoino  discoiuaged  in 
planting  tlio  white  pine  on  account  of  tho  “pine 
blight,"  for  it  shows  that  such  iiests  froiiueutly 
Lave  natiu'al  enemies,  wliich  do  more  in  keeping 
them  in  check  than  any  ai'titicial  remedies,  how-  j 
ever  skillfully  aud  thoroughly  applied. 
TRADE  IN  AQUATIC  PLANTS. 
I  am  pleased  lo  soo  that  some  of  our  florists  and 
scethnou  arc  luniing  their  attention  tethe  cnltm-o 
of  our  native  aquatic  plants,  such,  for  instance, 
as  the  watoj-  lilies.  It  is  something  out  of  tho 
usual  lino  of  trade  for  om-  soedsmen  to  offer 
seeds  of  Mdwnhium  luU'um,  but  .1  notice  that 
pEiTiR  liE.sngusoN  i»  doing  it  this  season,  and  1 
hope  he  will  be  encouraged  to  continue  in  the 
same  direction  until  all  of  our  most  dosirahle 
water  and  bog  jilants  bcc.omo  gonoridly  known 
and  appreciated.  Another  dealer  in  plants  offers 
tlio  commou  white  w'ater  lily  (Nymplt^ra  oilorata) 
at  the  low  price  of  25c.  each,  sent  by  mail,  which 
ii5  clmai)  enough,  for  one  could  scarcely  afford  to 
go  very  far  for  them  wliile  tliey  can  be  pm-chosod 
at  this  rato. 
'There  aie  liundi-eds  of  ponds  which  now  yk^ld 
nothing  bnt  trogs,  sedges  and  homely  woods, 
which  might  he  transformod  into  beautiful  flowoi' 
gardens  by  employing  tho  more  showy  aqnatio 
plants  lilie  tho  two  mimed  above.  AVliou  oiioo 
stockod  witJi  a  few  roots,  or  seed  throivu  in,  no 
fiu  thor  trouble  or  exponso  noed  be  incurred,  and 
I  will  venturo  to  say  that  the  “water  garden 
will  bo  one  of  the  most  atteactive  spots  on  tho 
farm. 
BEBBIES. 
Ir  is  gonoriiUy  known  by  fniit  growers  that 
otu'  largo  cities  arc  overstocked  with  horrios,  and 
for  years  past  the  prices  retnruod  for  them  have 
not  heou  cousiderod  remunorativo  by  tho  grow¬ 
ers,  yet  hnt  few  take  tho  time  to  investigate  tho 
cause  ot  it,  and  Vicing  somewhat  familiar  with 
tlio  subject,  I  take  the  lilmrty  of  presenting  a 
few  thoughts  in  regard  to  it. 
A  few  years  ago  many  of  our  agricultural 
journals  wore  teeming  with  the  wonderful  suo- 
cess  that  a  few  persons  mot  with  in  growing 
berries  for  market.  This  fired  the  anihition  of 
others  and  they  began  to  grow  them  very  much 
liliC  tliey  would  inil  nut  a  tiro— Uicy  did  not  take 
tin:  time  or  paius  necohsary  to  learn  about  tho 
sod.  the  expense  or  peculiarities  cnnnocte-d  with 
tliese  Kuccosses,  Init  planted  acres  of  snub  land 
as  they  had,  supposing  that  they  would  grow 
with  as  little  muo  as  potatoes  or  grass,  coiise- 
qnently  largo  quantities  of  berries  have  lieen 
throiTTi  on  the  market  totally  unfit  for  tlio  table, 
and  they  liad  to  ho  sold  for  a  mere  trille.  Then 
tliose  moil  exdaimed,  “  Oh,  this  business  won’t 
pay!”  and  T,  for  one,  am  glad  that  it  did  not,  for 
then  they  would  have  been  satisfied  with  pro¬ 
ducing  this  inferior  article. 
Growers  lu'c  apt  to  lose  sight  of  tho  tnic  (pial- 
ity  of  theii’  fruit;  they  handle  their  own,  and 
ticcasionally  tlieir  neighbors,  and  as  it  is  tho  best 
tViey  have  they  think  it  must  sell,  and  even  if  an 
iniporfectioii  is  discovered  in  it  tliey  excuse  it 
and  hoiie  the  buyers  may  overlook  it.  But  that 
is  a  delusion,  for  on  its  arrival  in  market  it  is 
brought  in  diroot  contact  with  a  largo  number 
fjf  crops,  and  the  defect  is  even  more  glaring 
than  at  home,  besides  tlicse  dealers  are  suspi¬ 
cious  of  the  packers,  so  they  examine  critically 
and  thoroughly,  in  order  not  to  bo  deceived ; 
then  they  Imy  to  suit  their  fancy,  taste  or  purse. 
There  is  always  a  demand  for  really  fine  fruit, 
althoiigli  tho  large  quantities  of  imor  fruit  often 
depreciates  its  Talno  and  in  too  many  instaneos 
prevente  the  gooil  fruit  from  being  cxaiiiinod 
and  appreciated,  and  too  often  It  hapjieiis  that 
tho  good  is  Hold  with  tho  jioor  to  induce  the 
buyers  to  take  a  largo  lot,  but  tho  good  is  what 
is  really  sought  for.  VVlien  I  speak  of  good 
fruit.  I  nieiui  hurrios  abovO  tlio  mediiuu  size, 
and  hard  enough  to  bear  a  second  transporta¬ 
tion. 
It  is  sufo  to  say  that  not  onc-fourtli  of  the 
gcKsl  borries  that  come  to  oiu'  market  arc  con¬ 
sumed  boro,  for  such  is  the  demand  from  other 
cities  that  it  is  often  tho  case  that  this  demand 
cannot  lx:  supplied;  but  all  tho  small,  soft,  dirty 
fruit  remains  hero,  and  to  whom  are  we  to  sell 
it?  Thai’s  the  question.  Who  wants  to  eat 
this  quality  of  frml  ?  J  do  not.  Neither  ilo 
you.  But  It  must  l>e  sold,  and  to  tlioso  only  who 
know  nothing  about  good  fruit,  and  who  bxik 
more  at  tho  price  tliey  ]iay  for  it  tliiui  they  do  at 
Its  qnalily.  Here  is  ono  jmuit  that  1  desire  our 
fruit  growers  to  I'eniemls'f— that  consumers  nro 
hocoiuing  iiiuro  cultivated  in  their  tastes  and  de¬ 
mands  every  year  ;  occasionally  they  gut  glimpse 
of  some  fancy  fruit,  or  perchaneo  a  taste  of  it, 
hut  tliat  taste  teaches  them  that  there  is  a  finer 
aud  bolter  ai  ticlo  Uian  they  have.  Vicen  accus¬ 
tomed  lo  ])urcha8o,  siid  they  want  it,  and  if  the . 
price  be  not  nurcasonahlo  they  will  buy  it. 
I’hus  you  call  readily  see  that  as  the  taste  of 
coiiBUiuers  iinprovos  tho  demand  for  poor  fruit 
decrensoB  in  proiKirtion,  and  this  state  of  affairs 
has  led  to  another  worth  noting  by  fruit 
growers.  In  the  early  years  of  fruit  growing 
om-  local  dealers  received  all  the  orders  for  Um 
outside  demand,  consequently  they  too  often 
sent  inferior  fniit,  because  they  h.ad  plenty  of  it, 
aud  oousequontly  inncli  of  this  fruit  perished  on 
the  route,  and  the  rticoivors  wore  unable  lo  koU 
it,  save  at  a  loss,  Tliosc  receivers  thou  adofited 
the  xilan  of  uniting  and  sending  a  person  to  our 
city  to  buy  fniit.  These  men  are  vorj'  careful 
and  particular  in  buying,  taking  only  such  as 
they  know  will  carry  safely  and  prove  profi  table, 
'rhis  iilRii  oporate'd  against  jxior  fruit,  but  tlm 
dealers  were  well  pleased  with  it,  for  they  were 
relieved  from  all  risk  of  loss  from  transporta¬ 
tion,  which  in  some  iiistaucos  proved  to  he  very 
heavy. 
Now,  if  growers  will  only  realize  this  state  of 
affairs  and  haHtem  to  improvo  the  quality  of  tlicir 
fruit,  even  if  (ho  quantity  is  increased,  tlicy 
will  liiid  fruitgrowing  profitable,  for  the  demand 
for  fruit  increases  every  year,  and  growers  luivo 
but  to  produce  tho  article  doniandeil  to  get  a 
good  price  for  it.  Permit  nio  to  cull  theh’  atten¬ 
tion  to  another  point  worth  considering,  and 
that  is.  tho  depreciation  of  small  fruit  from  tho 
time  it  leaves  their  possession  until  it  reaches 
tho  cunsniiieT,  which  depreciation  1  consider 
reaches  from  15  lo  25  per  cent,  on  berries  that 
have  traveled  all  iiiglit  in  a  hut  oar ;  aud  in  vieiN 
of  this  fact  I  would  rosiioctfully  suggest  that  as 
this  iniprovomeut  progresses,  tho  cai  e  and  muii- 
agement  of  it  by  those  coifipauies  who  teansixirt 
it  should  also  he  improved.  They  should  ho 
compelled  to  keep  up  with  the  spiiit  of  iuiprovo- 
mciit  and  mode  I'cspoiisible  lor  all  tho  damage  it 
receives  while  iu  their  jKibSesioii  by  bad  haiuUing. 
I  am  awoj-e  that  these  companies  have  always 
practiced  a  siiecios  of  teiTorisiii  over  their  pa¬ 
trons.  but  it  is  time  that  thoso  men  were  taught 
that  the  people  know  tlieir  rights  and  dare  main¬ 
tain  tlicin.  and  no  more  worthy  subject  can  be 
bronglit  before  every  Grange  in  the  country 
than  this  one.  Tho  Granges  can,  it  they  will, 
control  this  point,  aud  should  do  so  before  an¬ 
other  crop  of  fruit  is  inti'usted  to  their  care. 
New  York,  February.  isTfi.  c.  w.  i. 
currants,  unlike  ino.st  other  kinds  of  fruit,  can 
be  indulged  in  even  Viy  sick  jiersons.  They 
make  tho  very  best  of  jelly,  and  for  preserves 
cannot  be  excelled  (if,  indeed,  equaled,)  by  any 
other  fruit' 
The  Jladison  (Iiid.)  Courier  says  that  tho 
fariiici'H  of  that  section  differ  widely  as  te)  the 
condition  of  tho  fruit  crop.  The  majority, 
however,  couteud  that  it  is  not  materially  in¬ 
jured  by  the  late  cold  snap. 
Insuvaiuc  Jlcjiai-fiufiit. 
FIRE  INSURANCE  FOR  FARMERS. 
IN  FAVOR  OF  BLACK  CURRANTS, 
A  ooBUKKi’oNnENT  of  the  OerniaiiUlwn  Tele- 
gruph  writes  in  favor  of  this  uxeollcnt  hut  miicli- 
noglecte'd  fruit,  douhtloss  the  most  valuable  in 
every  way  of  all  the  ciuTaiits.  He  Ha.yH  :  "My 
opiiiioii  is  that  the  Black  English  or  Black  Na¬ 
ples,  all  tilings  considered,  is  tho  most  jmiflt 
iible.  Blimk  curraiite  liave  with  me  proved  to  ho 
l•lltu•t^ly  tieo  from  disease  or  vermin.  No  hole- 
hore  to  he  used  here.  Thu  black  curmiit  liears 
better  than  the  red  or  wliite  varieties. 
"In  1874  I  grew  from  six  square  rods  ten  bush¬ 
els  of  hhick  curi  aiitfi.  In  1H75  the  same  hushes 
bore  only  three  hiishels.  The  crop  of  1H74  was 
80  vciy  large  as  to  greatly  exhaust  the  hushes, 
which  accoiuits  for  the  light  cro]!  in  1875.  J’ruh- 
nlily  tho  two  years  will  present  a  fair  averugo. 
If  so,  wo  sliall  find  that  at  eiglit  cents  per  quart 
(the  (irice  at  wliieh  they  were  sold)  they  paid  at 
the  rate  of  ^'443.7.3  per  aci-e  .yearly.  Agoodpvoiit 
surely. 
“  Few  people  fancy  the  black  eurrant  at  lir.st : 
hut,  hko  the  tomato,  a  taste  for  them  is  to  ho 
acquired,  and  when  once  acipiired  it  is  never  rc- 
linquislied.  We.  all  know  that  an  awpiired  taste 
is  iiuieli  more  lasting  than  a  natural  one.  Black 
Dike  every  other  kind  of  insiu'ancc,  that  against 
loss  by  lire  is  founded  on  the  law  of  average.  For, 
though  it  is  in  the  nature  of  things  in  the  high¬ 
est  degree  uncertain  what  house  will  burn,  the 
proportion  of  losses  out  of  a  considerable  num- 
hor  may  he  jiredie.ted  with  hilerahlo  accuracy — 
that  is,  if  the  risks  are  carefully  selected,  if  they 
are  so  far  apart  that  a  lire  oiieurring  in  one  of 
them  will  not  involve  the  ilestructiou  of  all.  For 
many  yeoi-s  this  averiige  was  jiretty  well  pre¬ 
served,  hut  of  late  it  has  not  been  as  coii.staiit. 
Great  ixiiillagr.ations  have  occurred,  from  time  to 
time,  sweeping  whole  cities  out  of  existence  in  a 
few  hours.  The  effect  of  these  great  fires  is  to 
utterly  iteHUoy  aud  banki  iipt  the  insurnnee  com¬ 
panies.  especially  those  that  habitually  insure 
large  amounts  upon  closely  contiguous  iiriqierty. 
Such  companies  rarely  ilo  an  exclusively  city 
business.  They  are  always  glad  to  inaiuc  dwell¬ 
ing-houses  and  fann  property,  if  such  business 
can  be  obtained ;  but  this  kind  of  Imsiness  is 
necessarily  scattered,  and  to  get  enough  of  it  re¬ 
quires  time,  iiationcc,  mid  a  dual  of  aiduous 
labor.  They  desire  dwelling  and  farm  risks  ho- 
causo  the.y  are  profitable.  They  are  far  apart : 
one  does  not  sot  fire  to  another.  Farniors  are 
too  honest  to  set  fire  to  their  property  for  the 
sake  of  the  insurance,  besides  their  jiroperty 
does  not  change  its  value  rapidly,  so  as  to  offer 
inducemonts  to  incendiarism.  (kinscqucntl.v 
nearly  every  company  has  a  share  of  this  kind  of 
liusincHS,  and  would  like  to  have  more  of  it. 
When  a  great  fire  bankrupts  a  scoi  o  or  so  of  the 
companies,  tho  owners  of  dwelling  aud  det.achcd 
jiroperty  aie  the  j.riiicipal  suffi'i'evs.  They  nec¬ 
essarily  lose  their  money  and  insurance,  and 
must  pay  premiums  again  for  the  protection 
they  have  ^>st.  And  this  hardship  it;  not  less 
severe  because  it  has  no  compciisiition  whatever. 
The  company  had  put  them  and  the  crowded 
city  risks  into  part  nership  as  mutual  insiiraiice. 
The  partnor.shi|i  has  turned  out  badly.  Both 
parties  have  lost  money.  The  city  party  whoso 
projierty  is  burned  and  jiaid  for,  if  the  company 
can  pay,  loses  soniotliing,  but  the  coiintrymau 
loses  all  his  share  in  this  mutual  Viusiness.  Iu 
fact,  it  was  a  b.id  bargain  from  the  hegiiming 
for  the  owners  of  dctaolnsl  and  farm  property. 
They  I'un  the  greater  risk  of  loss,  not  of  burn¬ 
ing.  bnt  of  spending  their  money  for  nothing. 
No  amount  of  biu-iiings  among  thuir  jirojicrty 
could  haultrilpt  the  com]>aiiy,  hut  they  stand  iu 
continued  and  uuavuuhiblo  danger  of  losing  their 
(ircmiuuis  and  insuranco  b.v  a  coiiflagratiou 
among  tho  city  risks. 
Countey  and  village  people  wore  very  slow  to 
learn  that  this  kind  of  entanglement  was  worth 
avoiding,  if  possible..  But  it  was  not  at  ono 
time  possible.  No  one  could  tell  what  sort  of 
husiiicss  a  company  did  ni  tho  great  cities, 
wlictlicr  it  had  crowded  a  great  deal  of  business 
into  one  city  block  or  had  distrihutod  as  much  to 
a  dozen  cities.  Thero  was  really  no  moans  of 
knowing  which  of  theso  lliiugs  a  conijjany  ha<l 
done,  though  one  of  Ihciii  involved  min  in  caso 
of  a  gi'oat  lii'c.  There  was,  however,  a  means  of 
avoiding  danger  by  bisurmg  w  ith  companies  that 
did  no  city  business,  but  confinod  thcii  in8ur.auce 
to  farm  oi'  dctuelied  <lwelluig  property.  The 
eoiiipanios  spcimiii/.itig  tliis  class  of  business  and 
that  were  managcil  prudently  ainl  skiUfully  mot 
witli  ail  assured  suci'css  from  the  outset.  Fronii- 
nent  luinuig  these  coiupauies  is  tho  AyricnllHral. 
JiiKuraiwi’  CoiitiifUiy  'jf  W'utrrlou'n.  ,Y.  1 .,  one 
Ilf  tho  pioiieui's  of  that  kind  of  biisiuoss,  and  en¬ 
tirely  one  of  the  worth  Lost,  best  and  most  relia¬ 
ble.  It  has  accumulated  assets  to  the  umoinit  of 
more  than  a  million  of  money  (.fl, (1.5.8,040).  has 
an  income  of  more  than  half  a  million  (■'?.541.r)70) 
a  year,  and  has  a  clear  surplus,  over  all  liubih- 
tiss,  of  $.337,237.  Theso  figures  imlicate  a  very 
high  degree  of  prosjiiii  ity.  'J’hey  were  not  srul- 
denly  ai-liievcd  by  insuring  a  few  dungcnuis 
risks  for  a  high  premiuiii,  hut  by  the  patient, 
]in  iiistak  ing  and  ski  1 1  fill  la  hi  'V  of  years.  Its  risks 
lu-e  not  onlv  scattered  over  a  vast  extent  of 
ceimtry,  but  are  all  conqiaratively  sinnll,  the 
largest  not  much  cxceeiling  live  ihousaiul  dol- 
Isrs.  This  di.sposition  of  if.s  risks  makes  tho 
“Agricultural  of  Watertown"  saler  than  anv 
company,  whatever  its  c.apitiU.  that  does  a  mixed 
business.  Ditinitely  safer  fortlm  furim  r,  aud  as 
such  wo  heartily  conmieiid  it. 
