Iliarj)  of  a  pluralist. 
DAILY  RURAL  LIFE 
From  the  Diary  of  a  Oentleman  near  New 
York  City. 
AMONO  THE  OERANIUMS. 
7>#'c.  29. — It  may  bo  riitlicr  curly  to  commence 
making  pi-cpurutionH  for  propagating  l>eddiug- 
ont  planUi  for  next  Hiiniinm’,  atill  I  can  hardly  re-  i 
Bist  the  lcm|)tation  of  making  a  few  cuttingH  oc-  , 
caHioiiiilly  when  I  find  th«nn  in  jiropcr  condition.  , 
In  looking  ever  my  geraniums  to-day  I  find  they  ^ 
have  made  BuOiciont  now  growth  to  yield  a 
goodly  nntiiher  of  enttinga,  and  thoHO  have  been  ' 
taken  off  and  put  uito  poaifionH  whioh  w’ill  prob-  , 
ably  iu'^nro  tho  production  of  rootH  tlioreon,  I  ; 
have  jirocurod  Imt  few  now  sortH,  being  pretty  ‘ 
well  Hatinflod  with  tho  boat  of  tho  old,  or  thoHC 
fully  toHbxL  Bt;:<idos,  ono  <iamiot  alw'aya  dotor- 
luino  tho  moritH  of  a  variety  npon  nhort  ac- 
rpiaintancf^,  and  a  year  or  two  of  exporionco  may  I 
make  n.n  revorno  first  opinions.  | 
Por  instance,  when  1  first  obtained  Ln  Nip'i'  I 
and  Iricil  to  mako  it  blnoni  in  the  bouse.  I  was  I 
voiy  much  disappoinU-d.  beeimse  the  flowers 
would  not  open,  most  of  them  drying  up  and 
diopjiing  olT  in  a  half  -  developed  htaU*.  'J’lic 
flow'ers  were  very  double  and  of  a  dark,  rich,  j 
purplish,  maroon  color,  quite  distinct  from  any 
oilier  variety  of  its  class,  hence  very  desirable  at 
that  time;  imt  the  bad  habit  of  not  o]»eniiig 
freely  more  than  counterbalanced  thes<-  mt'ril.s. 
But  in  tho  following  spring  a  miml)er  of  jilaiil.s 
were  set  out  in  the  garden,  where  they  liloomed 
profusely  (luring  tlio  entire  mimnier.  and  tho 
flowers  openod  as  fi’cely  as  other  donblo  sort-s, 
consequently  I  ])ut  this  varudy  down  as  an  ex¬ 
cellent  hedding-ont  sort.  I'lii  poor  for  house  cul¬ 
ture.  DruU  is  another  double? 
I  variety  wliich  may  bo  classwl  as  first-rat*?  iu  every 
respect,  blooming  freely  in  the  bou.se  us  well  as 
wlion  bedded  out.  'J'ho  flow(!rs  are  very  double 
and  of  a  clear,  light,  claret  color,  and  of  good 
size  and  form.  Add  to  the  alxivo  Muric  1a‘- 
mahui,  a  sjjhmdid  double  pink  varieiy,  /nid 
L'Amm^  Ti-rrihle,  mth  As  orange-soarh-t  flowers, 
and  one  gets  the  ensim  of  fin*  two  dozen  or 
more  sorts  offered  by  onr  florists.  A  goiwi  piu'c 
wliito,  double  variety  is  much  needed,  but  tlioso 
hcretoforo  offereil  as  such  arc  the  prsacsl  kind 
of  ti'ash  and  not  one  of  them  worth  eultivaljug. 
Anmng  the  Ninglt?  flowering  Naiii.-ties  there  is 
scarcely  any  end  of  the  really  good  ones,  ami  flic 
novice  in  tliosc  nuitters  need  liave  liltle  fear  of  i 
being  disappointed  in  making  selcctious  from 
any  late  list  of  cluaicc  sorts,  "llio  list  of  oriia- 
mcnial-leavcd  sorts  is  also  cpiite  large,  hut  out/- 
sido  of  tho  oi’dinary  hr(?nze  and  silvcr-h'aved 
Boi-ts  represenlt^d  by  Beauty  of  Canderdale.  Jlrs. 
Bollock  and  Uloimtuin  of  Snow,  there  are  a  few 
nniquo  and  very  deskable  varieties.  Among  tho 
be.st  and  most  distinct  I  Avould  name  the  follow¬ 
ing  : 
DiMinc-fion. — Tiiis  i.s  a  rrsnaikable  novelty ;  the 
leaves  nro  of  uietllnm  size,  of  a  dark,  rich,  green 
color,  and  neiirly  circular  in  fm-m.  the  ( dges 
co.arsely  s(!n‘ato.  a  nanow  and  almost  black 
hand  i!xtonding  the  entire  circumference,  near 
the  ni.argin. 
Jfappi/  ThoU'^ht. — This  is  apparently  a  seedling 
of  some  common  groon-leaved  sort,  hut  instead  ] 
of  showing  a  zone  oi'  edge  of  a  different  color,  as  • 
usual  when  variegatiou  appears  among  gorani-  i 
urns,  there  is  a  hu  ge,  yellovvish-whitc  blotch  at 
tho  base  of  the  leaf,  this  c(?lor  frequently  ex¬ 
tending  down  the  entire  length  of  the  leaf  stalk 
or  petiole.  'J'liie  variety  exhibits  ono  of  those 
wonderful  fiaeaUs  of  nature  which  jirompts  us  to 
ask— Wh.at  next  ? 
IteiwuUUuiiy .  —  Leave.s  round,  with  smooth 
edges,  bright  grix'ii  color,  but,  ns  the  name  im¬ 
plies,  linely  netted  or  veined  witli  yellow,  the 
lines  Ixing  about  one -fortieth  of  an  ineh  hi 
dianieler, 
i  There  .are  also  other  .sorts  dcsorving  a  ]'laca:  in 
this  list  (4'  •*  enriositios.'  hut  the  above  will  give 
an  idea  of  w  hat  our  florists  are  doing  in  tills  line. 
THE  SMILAX  AS  A  WINOOW  PLANT. 
Dec.  30.— Tlie  Myrsiphyltnh)  m^parngobU-si. 
comiiionly  known  as  Kuiilax,  is  oig;  of  tlie  pict- 
tiest  little  diuibiug  plants  with  w  hich  I  am  uc- 
qiiainted.  There  are  no  large  and  showy  leaves 
or  gaudy-col(?retl  flowers  to  attract  attoiition.  but 
everything  alx>u(.  tlie  plant,  from  its  long,  bIcii-  I 
der,  grass-lik(!  stem  to  its  small,  delicate,  fra-  | 
grant,  white  flowers,  are  the  very  per  feet  ion  of 
grace  and  neatness. 
The  roofs,  being  small,  require  hut  little  pot- 
room  or  Hoil.  atid  tho  vines  shoot  up  rapidly, 
cliiigiiig  to  any  slight  support  given  in  the  foiui 
of  twine,  wire  or  trellis.  I'laut.s  are  easily  pro¬ 
duced  from  seed,  or  they  can  be  had  very 
cheaply  of  almost  any  ilorist.  1  do  not  tliinktlie 
merits  of  this  neat  little  climbing  plant  arc  as 
fully  npirrceiatcd  .as  they  deserve  by  those  who 
take  delight  in  cultivatuig  window  plants,  as  it 
is  especially  adapted  to  this  pmqioso.  IMiile  a 
majority  of  plants  of  a  similar  habit  become 
large,  coarse  and  cumbersome  when  fully  devel¬ 
oped,  the  Smilax  never  reaches  such  a  stage,  but 
is  always  liglit  and  graceful,  no  matter  bow 
strong  and  vigfwous  the  growth.  It  is  exten¬ 
sively  ciiltivatesl  by  our  ll(?rists,  tho  gentler  sex 
being  theii-  principal  customers,  for  Smilax  en¬ 
ters  largely  into  those  “little  uothings'*  wliich 
add  so  imicli  to  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  llual 
touches  of  a  lady’s  toilet.  Although  the  vine 
appears  to  ho  very  doheate  and  fragile,  it  is 
quite  the  reverse,  for  the  Mkaiis  aia*  almost  as 
tough  as  itam  wire,  and  tho  loaves  remain  fresh, 
without  wilting,  a  long  time  after  tlie  twigs  are 
sepai  ated  from  the  paiout  plant,  oven  in  a  warm 
and  dry  atmosiihere,  henoe  the  siK*cial  adapta¬ 
bility  to  the  puqKis(*  named.  New  Year’s  l^ay 
being  now  at  band,  I  am  reminded  of  the  merits 
of  ftmilax  by  some  liints  from  tlio  women  folk 
that  my  own  planta  would  suffer  demolition  to- 
moiTow. 
WANTED -A  JOURNAL  OF  FORESTRY. 
I  would  lilic  to  see  published  iu  tliis  country 
a  journal  exclusively  devoted  to  Forestry.  Tliis 
is  a  field  which  as  yet  has  scarcely  lieen  invaded 
by  scicntille  or  practical  laborers,  still  the 
wiiolo  subject  of  forestry  is  oue  of  vast  impor- 
tam’O  to  the  country.  It  is  not  enough  to  know 
exactly  how  many  s(s?cies  of  oaks  or  muifles  we 
poHsess,  or  how  to  projiagato  tlieni  most  expo 
ditiously.  but  we  need  more  six-eifie  infoniiation 
than  has  yet  been  given  us  in  everything  con¬ 
nected  w'itli  (his  subject.  Wc*  are  bill  from 
time  to  time  that  forests  Itavo  a  wonderful  ef¬ 
fect  upon  climate,  increasing  or  decreasing  rain 
falls,  blit  tlie  arguments  offered  pro  and  con  are 
foundisl  nminly  iqion  llieories. 
We  stand  in  need  of  a  more  tborougli  knowl¬ 
edge  of  tlio  geographical  distrilmtion  of  sijecies, 
wbioli  conld  scarcely  fail  to  reaeli  practieal  re¬ 
sults  in  pointing  out  the  adaptation  of  certain 
kinds  to  certain  eUmate.s  and  soils.  We  know  as 
yet  scarcely  anything  of  the  valuable  properties 
of  om-  native  forest  ti'ees.  It  is  true  tlnit  our 
mcehanics  have  liad  some  exiK'rienec  iu  the  u.so 
of  the  different  Juiids  of  tinilH'i-  in  their  various 
(M'onpatioio*.  and  so  liave  tlu!  taniuss,  dyer.s  and 
paper  makers,  hut  all  the  iiivesligatioiis  made  iu 
these  direxflions  liave  been  voiy  Huix<rficial. 
Tlio  geologist,  clieiuist,  botanist,  ornithologist 
and  entomologist  all  have,  or  should  have,  a  spe¬ 
cial  Beientiflc  interest  in  tliis  subject,  as  well  as 
the  agriculturist  and  artisan.  tJur  hoi-ticultiu'al 
and  agricultural  journals  devote  more  or  less 
spuee  to  forest  liUtralnri*.  but  tho  treatmenl  of 
tlie  various  Viranchos  of  the  Huhject  imist  necos- 
sai'ily  ho  restriclod  to  verj’  narrow  llmtt>  uuder 
such  circumstoiiccs,  and  hence  tin-  want  of  a  jKi- 
I’iochcal  spociall}'  devoted  to  foresti'y  in  all  its 
ramifications.  Berliaps  the  time  has  not  arrived 
foi'  BiKih  a  joiu'iial,  but  tlie  need  of  it  is  none 
the  leas  obvion.s. 
Iirliolitultural, 
PLANT  MOVEMENTS. 
Three  years  ago  wo  purchased  several  Wcei?- 
iug  Beeches.  Tlie  leader  of  the  ono  figm  od  in 
the  sketch  died  doivn  to  the  jxiiiit  indicated  by 
the  short  dotted  line  and  was  there  cut  off.  It 
was  not  until  the  Be(X>nd  summer  that  tlie  tree 
made  a  tlirifly  growth,  .^s,  howex'Cr,  all  the 
secondary  lirnnches  were  so  {suidulous  as  to 
di'oop  ill  a  direction  almost  p.arallcl  witli  ttie 
trunk,  and  as  the  trunk  itself  do vclo]X*d  no  buds, 
we  at  length  grew  enrions  as  to  how  another 
leader  w’as  to  be  provided. 
Late  la.st  si?ring  (the  thu-d  season')  it  was  no¬ 
ticeable  that  the  topmost  br.anch  was  changing 
from  its  position,  as  indicated  by  the  lower  dot¬ 
ted  line,  t(»w  ard  a  perpendicular.  This  elevation 
continued  until  the  fall  of  tlie  leaf,  when  it  was 
found  to  have  moved  through  an  arc  of  at  least 
GO  degi'oes,  as  reiireseiitiH]  in  the  cut. 
It  ui.ay  seem  to  onr  readers  that  the  relative 
size  of  tho  moving  branch  is  exaggerted.  It  is. 
liow'evor,  the  largest  of  the  branches,  and  as 
proportionate  as  we  were  capable  of  Bketchiiig  it. 
The  Wecjiiiig  Beech  is  a  viiricfy  or  sport  of 
the  English  Bi'ccli.  Fa<jii.‘t  .‘iihnfica.  and  its  jkmi- 
diilosity  lias  bcou  as  decided  as  unvarying 
llu'ough  wc  know  not  hoiv  many  yeai*a.  Bonnt- 
iiig  its  change  from  an  upright  to  a  jx'ndiilous 
free  as  a  variation  that  gravity  miglit  in  a  de- 
gi(H!  render  easier.  If  not  explain,  we  have  here 
an  instance  hi  whicli  (he  hoariest  branch,  ig¬ 
noring  gravity.  ahand(,)iia  its  assumed  habit  to 
conduct  the  vertical  growth  of  the  tree,  while 
every  other  hud  and  branch  remain  as  pendulous 
as  befoie.  The  buds  ujion  tlie  moving  branch 
relatively  to  it  have  not  altered  theii-  position— 
so  that  as  they  jioiutod  doivnwarJ  while  tlie 
bl  anch  was  pendulous,  they  now-  point  upward. 
It  ri  iuuius  to  be  seen  whether  tho  lateral  buds 
of  tills  branch  will  reverse  their  direction  of 
growth  in  harmony  with  the  drooping  habit  of 
the  tree,  or  whether  with  the  terminal  hud  they 
irill  make  an  upright  growth,  reaseuming  the 
habit  of  the  tj-pc. 
There  is  not  a  plant,  however,  that  does  not  in 
some  form  possess  this  power  of  movement  or  of 
adaptation.  It  rivets  our  attention  only  when 
wc  happen  to  observe  it  in  sohio  unusual  and 
striking  phase.  Many  vines  grow  erect  until  ad¬ 
jacent  to  a  supporting  object ;  then  they  twine 
about  that  object,  conforming  and  clijiging  to  its 
surface,  of  wliatcvor  shape,  and  agsiu  stretch  up 
without  a  curve  until  another  supporting  object 
is  reached.  This  is  no  less  imaccoimtablo ;  bnt 
we  see  it  every  day  and  mai'k  it  not.  Branches 
wmcpiNQ  beech. 
have  been  artificially  twisted  so  that  the  top  of 
tho  leavits  sliould  kxik  to  the  ground  and  the 
bottom  to  the  sky.  Hntdi  leave.s  very  soon  re¬ 
sume  their  iiornlal  positions;  or,  if  pruventixl 
from  doing  so.  stion  wither  and  die.  Rome 
plants  voluntarily  close  their  leaves  at  night,  as 
if  to  rest,  opening  them  in  tho  nioniiiig  —  as 
('osKitt  nk'l'itaiis  and  otlicr  leguminous  species. 
Others  dose  them  u^xiu  tiic  slightest  touch  at 
any  time,  as  the  Sensitive  Pkant,  Miiiiosd  piuiica, 
and  many  of  the  Sundews.  Many  well-known 
flowers  ojxm  at  a  certain  time  daily,  to  close 
liming  tho  night,  while  others,  too  delicate  to 
endiii  c  Hie  sun’s  rays,  hlowni  only  at  night.  The 
sixiios  of  many  SoawooiiK,  after  leaving  the  pa¬ 
rent  cell,  frisli  about  iu  the  w’aior  for  a  long 
lime,  like  so  niauy  luierosoopic  animals. 
The  habit  of  the  great  Banyan  Tree,  Ficu» 
Iiulica,  is  the  same  as  that  of  any  other  until  the 
branches  Btretch  out  so  as  to  need  ailditional 
Kiipport,  when  new  branches  or  a/lvcntitious 
nxits,  ns  Bhcy  ai'c  called,  descend  from  the  old 
hraiKihos,  jienetrate  the  ground  and  serve  ns 
projis.  The  Screw  Pine  (i^ondorm.*!),  Cora  and 
many  Lycoj>o<l»  present,  iu  modified  forms,  like 
IX'enliarities. 
'I'hc  gennination  of  seed,  indeed,  presents  to 
us  one  of  the  most  reniai’kahle  ami  beautiful  il¬ 
lustrations  of  what,  witlioiit  a  very  violent  lejqi, 
might  1x1  termed  a  plant's  inalinct.  Minute  as 
Uio  ixirtioles  of  earth  in  which  they  gi'ow',  tlio 
tiny  points  of  Uio  seed  never  iniKtake  tho  fiine- 
litins  they  were  created  to  ix-rfonii.  Nonrisheil 
liy  the  nutriinont  in  which  they  arvi  euvekqxid,  or 
by  tlie  cotylcilons,  iu  their  lii  st  efforts  of  giviwth, 
tiio  radical,  parting  from  its  sister  pluiunle, 
creeps  sturdily  into  tJio  eai-th,  wlierc  it  finds  its 
future  hiimhlo  occupation  and  its  home.  Tlie 
liluniiilo  shook  lip  into  Uic  sunlight  and  air, 
where  it  finds  a  co-oiierativo  cmplojTneut  in  re- 
tmning,  iu  thefoi'iiiof  assimilahle  fixal,  a  part  of 
the  raw  material  wliich  its  humbler  sister  of  the 
earih  lilxwally  supijlics. 
The  trunk  of  a  young  tree  may  seem  haid. 
clean  and  butUess.  Examined  in  its  essential 
parts— the  outer  bark,  libor  and  alburnum — we 
can  detect  by  the  aid  of  the  microscope  only 
tliosc  orilinary  cells  involved  in  the  trainsit  of  the 
sap  to  and  from  its  leafy  top.  Ycl,  if  w’o  cut  this 
IrnnU  in  two  a  fiaot  above  the  ground,  that 
w’hidi  rwiiaius,  in  its  .struggle  for  oxi.slencc,  at 
once  changes  its  functions  and  stinictiire.  Many 
buds— those  uhiipiifons  gitardians  of  vegetable 
life  develoji  like  mushrooms,  and  the  leaves 
which  quickly  follow,  as  if  they  were  good  chil¬ 
dren  gathering  and  preparing  food  for  a  hungiy 
jiareiit.  continue  with  hut  a  temixiraiy  chex-k  tlic 
vitality  of  the  tree.  If  now  we  cover  the  old 
trunk  and  a  part  of  tho  young  shoots  with  oai-th, 
the  buds  wliieh  ere  now  were  engaged  in  a  strag¬ 
gle  to  protert  tbeir  i>arcnl  seize  tlie  oiiportuuity 
of  propagating  themselves  and  mulriplying  the 
species,  and  each  cuinmences  tlie  formation  of 
roots  -  an  economy  of  wliich  the  luirseryman 
stands  ready  to  avail  liimself  in  the  collection  oJ 
PariMlisc  stfx'ks  for  his  dwarf  apples  and  of 
Quincti  stocks  for  his  dwarf  pears. 
Tlic  provident  industry  of  the  “Busy  Bee” 
that  “  improves  each  shining  hour  ”  in  gatliering 
its  winter  store  is  no  less  exemplified  in  the 
“busy  plant"  that  prepai-es  during  one  summer 
tlie  fixid  by  which  it  is  enabled  to  develoji  leaves 
the  next — or  the  flow-ers  wliich.  w'hile  they  en¬ 
liven  the  faee  of  the  earth  with  a  beauty  that 
“  passeth  all  understanding."  provide  witli  a  rare 
Unselfisliness  for  myriads  of  iudiridnals  that  will 
bloom  after  they  have  passed  away  and  added 
their  fertilizing  ashes  to  the  soil  which  nourishes 
tho  uew  generation. 
A  vast  aiTay  of  iustances  in  wliich  jilauts  are 
endowed  with  motion  which  they  have  the  jiower 
to  exert  seemingly  toward  a  definite  object  might 
^  easUy  be  collected.  Together  we  cannot  view 
them  as  compatible  witli  the  conviction  that  tlio 
life  of  jilants  is  fiurely  mochaiiical,  but  that, 
though  differing  in  degree,  and,  perhaps,  in  es¬ 
sence,  they  are  jmsseased  of  vital  propensities  or 
tendencies  as  lilgh  in  the  Koale  of  intelligence  as 
isimjilied  by  that  non  -  ouminittal  term,  inathict, 
by  wdiioh  we  disguiso  om-  ignorance  of  the  men¬ 
tal  operations  of  the  low-er  animals. 
E.  8.  Carsian. 
Insuvaiitf  Pf))  iff  till  nit. 
INSURANCE  NOTES  AND  NEWS. 
The  Continmlnl  Life. — The  Insm-aiice  Chroni¬ 
cle  says :  “The  Continental  Life  lusiiraiice  Com¬ 
pany  of  New  York  has  employed  agents  at  the 
South  to  buy  uji  ik  out  standing  policies.  The 
jxilicy  holders  who  can  be  iiidixxxl  to  sell  are 
getting  loss  than  fifty  per  cent,  of  tlie  reserve.” 
This  will  not  surprise  those  of  our  readm-s  who 
remember  tho  coiiuueuk  we  had  eccasion  to 
make,  aomw  months  since,  upon  tho  practices  of 
this  same  Continental  Life  lus.  Oo.,  which  made 
the  attempt,  doubtless  siicceKsfulJy  in  niaiiy 
cases,  to  induce  the  hokhu-s  of  jiaid-uj)  jailidCKto 
exchange  l.hem  for  forfeitable  terai  insm-aiices. 
Those  w  ho  have  the  effrontery  to  attonijit  this  in 
New  York  City,  where  actuaiial  odrice  and  opin¬ 
ions  arc  readily  obtniiual,  can  Calculate  with  more 
certainty  upon  tlic  slujiidity  of  tlic  jx-ojilc  of  less 
favored  regions,  and  will  no  doubt  obtain,  ujxin 
their  own  teniiH.  tho  release  of  a  vast  number  of 
j  then-  policies.  Wo  shall  not  be  startled  by  tho 
announcement  that  their  cmissaric-x,  emboldened 
by  their  succCj<ix-s  at  the  Routli.  have  essaywl  tho 
same  kiinl  of  jiaraoitio  euki-jiriHe  at  the  Nortti, 
also.  Rhould  tJioy  siic.cood  ui  inducing  the  jxio- 
ple  hero  to  sell  then-  policies  for  a  song,  tlu-ough 
fears  of  the  conijauiy's  stjdiility,  diligently  culti- 
I  vated  by  tho  Jiartics  who  profit  by  this  sjx-ciesof 
j  industry,  it  will  demonstrate  that  we  have  little 
!  grounds  for  claiming  Kiijx-rior  intcUigeuco,  'Flio 
i  Continental  is  a  solvent  company,  able  to  com- 
i  pick-  all  its  conkat'k,  none  of  wliich  should  bo 
1  snrrendi-rcd  by  a  isilicy  liolder  unless  the  insured 
is  in  the  best  of  health,  and  the  full  reserve  in 
cash  is  jiaid.  Thoso  who  do  not  know  the  value 
of  their  jKilit-ies,  bnt  desire  to  sell  them,  can  have 
tliem  valued  by  ajiplying  to  us. 
A  TriporiUe  Amnhjamaiicni. — Iii  Decemlx-r, 
1872,  tlic  National  Cajiital  Life  Ins.  Co.  of  Wash¬ 
ington,  1).  C.,  abandoned  business,  and  was, 
'  ostensibly  at.  least,  rc-insiircd  with  the  Penn. 
I  Mutual  life  Ins.  Co.  of  Philadcljihia.  Alsml  a 
!  year  later  Uie  National  Life  Insur.aiico  Conqiuny 
'  of  New  York  was  closed  nj?  at  tin*  «nit  of  a  slock 
j  holder,  put  into  tlie  hands  of  a  receiver,  and  snh- 
j  scqneuUy  rc-iiisiirod  by  tho  Aiuericaii  National 
I  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  a  company  that  will  bo 
I  long  remembered  for  its  siicccss  iu  bottling  iij? 
I  tlie  Insiu-ance  Conimissiouor  of  that  State,  and 
gaining 
. “a  victory  tliut  cost 
as  iimch  as  If  the  flay  was  tost." 
Well,  it  is  now  announced  that  all  these  throe  com- 
jianit-H  are  to  be  combined  under  the  charti-r  of 
:  tlic  fij-sl  nauK-d  comjiaiiy,  which,  being  granted 
by  an  act  of  Oongress,  is  held  to  confer  peculiar 
lu-ivileges  not  granted  by  those  which  derive  all 
their  authority  from  mere  Rtate  legislaton. 
Just  how  this  is,  or  will  bo  decided,  or  what  the 
(lens  t'x  iiiacUina  of  this  cnterjirisc  i?ropoB0H  to  do 
!  ill  tlic  premises,  wc  cannot  undertake,  at  this 
;  ena-ly  date,  to  predict,  except  that  if  he  thinlcs 
he  has  i-ighk  he  will  force  a  decision  one  way  or 
another. 
The  Governor  of  California,  who  is  Insuranco 
Conimisaiouer  as  well,  makes  a  sort  of  aminal  ro- 
jjort,  which,  whatever  it  lacks  in  other  things, 
lac^ks  nothing  in  the  score  of  brevity.  He  merely 
cbronic-lcs  the  fact  that  tho  scv<?rc  legislation  of 
that  Rkk,  in  respoct  to  life  insiu-anoo  companies, 
had  the  elTecl  to  e.imix;lscvciitis>n  out  of  twenty 
eight  compauios  to  leave  Hint  State,  and  that  of 
the  eleven  that  remains  only  four  projmse  to  do 
any  new  business.  Oue  of  the  laws  enacted,  ••  to 
proto(^t  tho  iiisiii-ed  by  compelling  tho  financial 
Houiidiiess  of  the  cOTiiimuicK,"  requu-esol  them  to 
return  to  Hie  holders  of  a  lapsed  jaolicy  tlu-ee- 
foiirths  of  the  reserve ;  a  defiictivo  remedy,  but 
BtiU  better  than  no  remedy  at  all  for  the  evils  of 
forfeitm-e. 
One  Place  to  Put  17.— The  pajiei-B  tell  of  a  man— 
of  coiu’se  out  West— who  purchased  a  can  of  ker- 
osono  and  put  it  into  Hie  oven  for  safe  keejung. 
I  He  remembered  all  about  it  wliilo  the  fire  was 
roaring,  tho  tea-kettle  singing  merrily,  and  tlie 
slapjacks  burning  nicely,. and  in  time  to  get  Hie 
family — liimself  included — safely  bcliiud  the 
1  barn.  He  thinks  ho  can  use  the  stones  for  a  new 
wall  for  the  collar,  and  one  of  liis  neighbors  has 
1  brought  him  one  of  the  best  fiat-ii-oiis.  Perhaps 
'  it  is  just  as  well  that  it  did  not  hapjxm  from 
blowing  down  the  lamp  chimney. 
The  Traveler's  lusurance  Comjyany,  of  Hart¬ 
ford,  Conn.,  which  issues  two  kinds  of  policies, 
life  and  accident,  is  ono  of  tlie  most  successful 
institutions  in  America.  In  the  past  six  months 
it  has  increased  its  surplus  about  ^sSOOjOOO. 
