MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
iliiu"))  of  a  ^uvalist. 
DAILY  RUEAL  LIFE.  | 
From  the  Diary  of  a  Centleman  near  NeW 
York  City. 
DRNAMENTAl- LEAVED  VEGETABLES.  ' 
/Y.5.  14. —To  advise  the  ciUtm'e  of  some  of 
the  orimmental-leaved  vegetables  as  “  window 
plants  ”  may  strike  the  lady  readers  of  the  Rpeai, 
Nkw.Yohkeu  as  more  a  freak  of  odd  fancy  than 
good  taste.  Still.  T  am  inclined  to  belie,  e  that 
where  UBefulnosa  and  beauty  can  be  combined 
in  the  aanio  thing  wo  ahoiild  consider  it  an  addi¬ 
tional  merit  of  aomc  moment.  For-  my  own 
part,  I  think  a  finely-grown  plant  of  curled 
parsley  far  more  beantif 111  and  orim  mental  than 
many  of  the  exotic  or  native  ferns  so  frequently 
extolled  by  florists  and  dealers  in  auch  articles. 
The  habit  of  the  parsley  is  as  graceful  us  any  of 
the  Bmaller  kinds  of  ferns,  and  none  can  itxcel  it 
CABBAGES. 
For  a  verv-  good  variety  there  is  not  much 
choice  1»ctwoen  the  Early  Wyman,  and  Early 
Wakrju-IA,  either  in  qnallty  or  cortainty  of  head¬ 
ing.  Jhit  if  I  were  growing  cabbages  for  market, 
and  in  a  climate  wlierelt  was  difficult  to  got  good, 
solid  beads.  1  wotild  plant  the  Winnviysfadl,  al¬ 
though  I  consider  it  one  of  the  most  inferior 
sorts  ever  introduced.  In  case  of  a  war  the 
heads  might  be  used  as  conical  shot  for  some  of 
our  old  smootli'bore  cannon,  for  they  are  usually 
hard  and  tmigh  enough  fur  that  purijoso.  I  tried 
this  much  extolled  sort  some  flfteon  years  since, 
whon  first  introduced,  ulso  from  time  to  time 
sim  e.  but  could  never  discover  anything  meri¬ 
torious  al>out  it.  except  that  it  never  fails  to  give 
solid  luiiuls.  For  late  or  winter  cahhagcs  tliere 
are  many  good  sorts,  hut  FosU'r'f  Iinjmovid 
Brnmnrick  and  Curird  .s'aro.y  may  be  relied  ni>nu 
ns  excellent  r  arieties  for  the  tulilo. 
CAULIFLOWER. 
The  Half  Early  VorU,  has  always  succeeded 
so  well  with  me  that  1  have  had  no  cause  or  de¬ 
sire  to  look  for  anj’thiug  better.  The  heads  ai'e 
I  for  timber  outside  of  civilization,  people  talk  of 
i  preserving  it  as  if  a  tree  were  rocks  and  stones 
!  and  would  last  for  ages.  Most  of  our  great 
'  Western  forests  have  already  reached  mature 
age  and  are  on  tlio  downward  road.  Many  of 
i  these  are  between  one  and  two  hundred  years 
I  old.  and  it  is  1>cliovod  that  V017  few  American 
trees  reach  an  age  of  three  hundred  years.  It  is 
Impossible  to  preserve  tliat  which  nature  has 
doomed,  flow  are  •' Commissioners "  to  "‘pre¬ 
serve  "  tliem  ?  Kven  were  they  much  longcr- 
!  lived  than  they  are,  the  chief  trouble  comes  from 
!  forest-th  es  much  more  than  from  tlm  woothnau’s 
lusuraiur  gfjiariinnit. 
1  INSURANCE  NOTES  AND  NEWS. 
Prosperity  of  Fire  Insurarice. — We  learn  from 
the  returns  published  by  the  insurance  papers 
;  that  the  exjieriences  of  the  fire,  insurance  com- 
'  panics  for  the  year  1875  were  especially  favora- 
i  ble  to  that  interest..  With  few  exceptions,  all 
I  the  companies  doing  business  in  this  Plate  have 
I  rcnUzfid  an  increase  of  income,  a  decrease  of 
dan  a  Commissioner  prevent  the  sports-  j  losses,  as  compareil  with  the  average  of  former 
in  richness  of  color.  Besides  tliis,  the  plant  will  solid  and  of  fine  flavor,  and  it  succeeds  well, 
gi'ow  readily  under  circumstances  that  would  be  g  light,  warm  soil,  if  made  siiSioiently 
totally  unsuited  to  ferns,  and  then,  when  a  dish  < 
is  to"  he  garnished,  the  best  material  for  this  CELERY, 
purpose  is  ready  at  hand,  no  thanks  to  the  green  The  now  dwarf  varieties  of  celery  have  of  late 
grocer  or  market  gardoJier.  Parsley  plants  cost  extolled  by  our  market  gardeners,  but 
nothing,  are  easily  grown  and  very  common  1  but  ordinary  culture  tire  “giant  sorts"  grow 
this  should  not  he  an  objection  with  people  who  rapid  or  tall  to  insure  a  fair  show  of 
do  not  let  sentimonl  outweigh  piactical  common  leafstalks.  1  have  had  a  pretty  good 
sense  in  the  management  of  their  household  ^pporttinity  of  seeing  nil  the  fancy  sorts  as  sent 
affairs.  A  pot  or  two  of  p.irslcy,  and  the  same  markets,  but  none  of  tliem  arc 
of  thyme,  siiearmint,  peppermint,  peppergrass  opinion  superior  for  ordinary'  gai-deu  cul- 
and  lavender  will,  in  most  instances,  prove  far  home  use  to  the  old  Seymour’s  Sujxrb 
more  useful,  as  well  as  ornamentnl.  than  hnn-  Sup*‘rh  lied. 
di-ods  of  the  tender  cxotic.s  nsuaUy  recommended 
for  window  culture.  Even  u  well-grown  can-ot  j  Triumph,  and  Brigg's 
with  its  feathery  leaves,  is  no  one  w  Early.  Vmt  at  tho  same  time  depend  for  a  main 
aomc  of  the  rare  ferns  for  which  onr  flonsts  ^  yfoorFs  Early  Concord  and  Uie  old 
charge  a  doUar  or  two  per  plant.  It  we  desire  When  I  find  anything  hotter 
something  more  “lofty"  as  wall  as  showy  m  ,Iy  ,,p^ence  with 
this  line,  some  of  t  he  now  vaneties  of  cm  led  to  think 
kale  or  borecole  will  supply  the  wan  ,  and  ,3,./ like  the  “extra  early" 
they  are  really  grand  plants  especially  the  ^  ^  ^ 
“  triple-cuiied,  ’  with  vuiega  e  eaves.  Bliwk  Sweet  Corn  is  really  tho  best  flavored  va- 
KliiyViti  cliA’D^iu  III  tUc  direction  iiJA-tncd  would  waiiAAi  i  •!.. 
some  wigni-  cuajib^^  riotv  I  have  ever  cultivated,  hut  the  color  la  ob- 
be  quite  beneficial,  even  if  tho  evcr-piesent  lose  _  • 
and  pennyroyal  geraniums,  oleanders  and  abu-  J®*-  TURNIPS, 
tilons  have  to  be  laid  aside  to  ^  Among  the  Kuta-Baga  scsiiou  the  Sweet  Gw- 
some  of  tho  more  oniamentid  and  useful  ^ego-  „,idoubtodly  the  finest  flavored  of  all.  al- 
table  plants.  thongh  not  quite  as  juoliUc  and  largo  as  .some 
WHAT  ARE  YOU  OOINO  TO  PLANT?  other  vaiieticH.  Among  what ai'C  usually  fermed 
Feb.  16.— This  is  a  question  that  I  am  le-  “  flat  tm-nips,"  tho  seeds  of  which  are  sown 
qneutly  asked  at  this  season  by  my  neighbors  aeason,  Itohei-tson's  Golden  Ball 
and  oon-espondcuts,  and  1  might  as  well  answer  ,  jg  ^  i,andsome,  fine  flavored 
all  at  once  and  thereby  save  time.  Of  course  the  ^  ^ 
!•_  1- _ i.  cva-i-x-XfMXfiHA/l  III  milTA  fln  *  '-f  * 
question  is  not  always  propounded  in  quite  so 
broad  and  indefinite  language  as  given  above, 
but  that  will  cover  tho  whole  field,  from  early 
peas  to  late  turnips. 
TOMATOES. 
I  have  not  found  anything  better  for  an  extra 
early  sort  than  Uie  Conquet'or,  although  the  dif¬ 
ference  in  time  of  ripening  between  it  and  the 
Canada  Viclor  is  no  greater  than  that  seen 
on  two  plants  of  eitlier  variety  growing  side  by 
side.  For  the  general  crop  and  real  old  “  stand¬ 
by"  tomato  1  have  found  nothing  to  equal  the 
Trophy.  Plants  of  the  fli’st  ^nd  last-named 
sorts  are  now  gi-owing  in  my  groeuliouse.  pre¬ 
paratory  for  sotting  out  at  tho  proper  time. 
EARLY  PEAS. 
If  I  raised  vegetables  for  market,  I  might  be 
induced  to  sow  Han  O'liourke.  Carter's  First 
Crop,  and  similar  tasteless  sorts,  which  do  welj 
fiiough  for  city  people  who  never  get  anything 
better,  and  cousetpientJy  are  not  supiKised  l<i 
know  the  dilTeronec  between  a  first-iate  article  ol 
this  kind  and  one  (hat  is  really  in  ferioi’.  La-dons 
Alpha  will,  however,  pass  for  a  very  goo.l  laiiiy 
sort,  and  the  same  may  be  sail  of  McLean's  Ad¬ 
vancer,  both  being  valuable  for  theh  eaiiiiiess 
and  good  flavor.  At  tlm-  time  of  sowing  those 
sorts  I  put  in  C'luunpion  of  England,  which  will 
be  fit  for  tho  table  about  the  time  the  lust  of  the 
Alphas  and  Advaneers  arc  gatheied.  I  have 
"beat  all  about  the  bush"  trying  a  dozen  or 
more  of  the  newer  and  highly-extolled  sorts,  but 
finallv  came  back  pretty  well  satisfied  that  the 
“old”  Champion  of  England  iti  second  to  none 
of  the  late  varieties. 
BEETS. 
For  eai-ly  and  table  use,  tlie  Early  Bassano  has 
no  superior,  in  quality,  but  if  one  prefers  a  deep¬ 
er  colored  sort  the  new.  Bed  Egyptian  may  be 
selected  in  preference.  For  use  lato  in  tlie  season, 
tho  Long  Blood  Beet  is  ouc  of  the  very  best. 
For  feeding  to  stock  1  still  prefei-  the  Red 
Mangel,  to  any  otlier.  Last  yeai"  I  tried  Lanes 
Improoed  Sugar  beet,  with  the  Mangel,  and 
the  result  avus,  that  the  latter  rielded  twice  as 
much  as  the  former.  There  is  also  a  great  dif¬ 
ference  in  the  keeping  qualities  of  tlie  two  sorts, 
both  having  been  placed  in  tbe  same  cellar,  I 
now  find  the  Mangel  as  sound  as  when  gathered 
last  fall,  w'hile  ihe  Lam's  Hnproved  is  not  only 
rotting  badly,  but  even  the  best  specimens  are 
light  and  spongy.  On  a  different  soil  the  result 
might  have  been  different. 
POTATOES. 
For  my  own  use  I  shall  plant  Alpha  and  Snow¬ 
flake.  having  tested  both  for  the  past  two  years, 
I  have  little  hope  or  e\en  desire  for  anything 
better  in  the  way  0/  potatoes. 
The  above  is  not  all  tlio  kuids  or  varieties 
which  1  shall  plant  this  spring,  but  the  hst  will 
ansAver  as  far  as  it  giX'S  in  reply  to  questions  of 
some  of  my  correspondents. 
Slrliovirultural, 
NATIONAL  FOREST  CULTIVATION. 
The  GermantOAvn  Telegiaph  remarks  on  a  sub-  I 
ject  wherein  the  Agricultural  Press  of  the  I 
Country  is  almost  unauiinous  : — “It  is  really  as- 
hmisldng  how-  easUy  ill-considered  matters  like  j 
tlu,'M<  can  obtain  a  hearing  and  even  uppnivalbe-  | 
fore  !i  IXMly  so  generuJly  intclhgent  as  are  the  ' 
men  who  compose  the  American  Cniigress.  The  j 
project  now  is  to  appoint  a  Commissioner  of 
li'urestry.  to  take  charge  of  American  forests,  • 
with  a  vioAv  to  their  preservation.  This  is,  we  j 
believe,  the  third  year  that  the  attempt  has  been 
made  to  found  this  new  Department ;  buttliongh 
twice  defeated  it  seems  bound  to  rise  again. 
•‘We  all  know  noAV  tliat  much  that  has  been 
said  about  this  forest-tree  subject  is  the  veriest 
trash,  and  has  been  kept  before  the  public  sys- 
tematically  no  doubt  for  the  iuterest  of  a  few 
who  Avaiit  to  lie  constituted  a  Board  of  Commis¬ 
sioners.  Thei'e  is.  so  far  as  the  practical  question 
is  conoeriuxl,  nothing  for  such  a  oonunission  to 
do  that  the  Agricultural  Press  of  the  country 
has  not  uh’cady  done.  We — all  of  us — have 
pointed  out  that  there  is  a  waste  of  timber  going 
on :  but  this  waste  of  timher  Im.-*  no  bearing,  or 
I  very  little,  on  our  future  suiAply.  AVbei  e  timber 
is  wasted,  it  is  genorivlJy  in  localitits  where  it  is 
i-eally  AA'orth  little  because  it  is  not  m-ar  any 
place  where  it  can  be  marketed,  nor  w-onld  it  be 
for  many  years,  and  therefore  it  is  cut  doAvn  and 
Inirned  to  iniilce  Avay  fur  furni-crops.  \\  lieruvcr 
it  is  near  to  aiiA  such  market,  or  near  to  a  pros¬ 
pective  market,  it  is  seldom  destroyed.  It  needs 
no  law  for  its  preservation  under  such  eiicum- 
stances.  Americans  can  see  iiue.stious  of  profit 
and  loss  as  quickly  as  any,  and  Avill  not  wanton- 
Iv  destroy  that  Avhich  Avill  make  tliem  x-ich.  As 
men’s  Avad  or  tlic  spark  from  the  lf»c<>motive  ?  j 
“  What  Avc  really  w-ant  is  not  so  innch  the 
“  proservation  "  of  the  old  forests  in  tbe  far-away 
parts  of  onr  great  coniitry,  as  the  enoonragement 
of  ncAv  plantations;  and  tins  planting  is  not  a  j 
Avork  for  tlie  General  Government  to  do.  lahich  j 
does  not  projiose  to  hold  public  lands.”  I 
- - -  I 
TRENCHING  AMONG  TREES.  I 
Tkenchi.n’O  is  still  practicefl  in  England,  but 
in  this  country  it  has  gone  mostly  out  of  fashion. 
The  subsoil  plow  pulverizes  tho  soil  so  much 
more  cheaply  than  cau  be  done  by  liand  that  it 
will  ahvays  rota  In  tho  proferonce  where  lalior  is 
as  dear  as  liero.  Trenching,  however,  admits 
the  manuring  of  tho  subsoil,  which  subsoil  plow-  , 
ing  cannot  well  do.  Trenching  orchard  ground 
is  found  particularly  lioneticial  whore  matiure  is 
digged  in  about  tho  roots.  Mr.  Damcer  of  Chis¬ 
wick,  Eng.,  practices  tronclung  in  orchards  6x- 
tousivcly  and  groAVs  great  crops  of  tine  fruit. 
Frosh-foeding  rootlets  start  from  the  old  roots 
where  cut  off,  and,  finding  aa-c11- manured  soil, 
siipjily  the  tree-  with  abundance  of  food.  It  is 
always  important,  where  roots  of  trees  are  to  bo 
pruned,  that  it  bo  done  while  there  is  least  activ¬ 
ity— iii  spring  before  buds  swell,  or  in  fall  after 
the  leaves  have  fallen.  Orchards  plowed  in  mid-  ' 
simuuor  receive  a  severe  check,  which  tho  roots  j 
do  not  easily  recover  from,  Avhile  in  eai’ly  spring  j 
plowing  may  bo  done  without  injury,  aud,  if  tlie  | 
soil  is  surtidenUy  rich,  Avilh  imsitivc  benefit  to 
the  tree.  It  is  better  not  to  plow'  fresh  manure 
luider  in  immediate  contact  AAith  the  roots.  Its  | 
fermentation  niight  cause  fungue  and  disease  to 
attack  tlic  tree,  llie  better  plan  is  to  spread 
manure  on  the  surface  in  fall  or  winter,  and  let 
snoAVF  or  rain.s  carry  its  fertilizing  proiierties  ' 
downward. 
- - 
I  CULTIVATION  OF  SUMAC. 
Not  long  since  the  Pacific  Rural  Press,  in  siAeak- 
ing  of  the  various  plants  yielding  tannin,  and 
Avhile  urging  the  culture  of  some  of  them  in 
California,  it  tools  occasion  to  remark— “But 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  sumac  tree  may  not 
be  cultivated  in  California,  as  in  Vh-ginia  and 
other  Eastern  States,  Avith  profit  to  the  gi-owcr 
and  with  advantage  to  the  leather  manufacturing 
industry." 
That  Sumac  is  cultivated  in  Virginia  or  any 
other  Eastern  State,  will  we  tliink.  be  neAvs  to 
our  people  on  the  Atlantic  sIojhj.  We  think  the 
farmers  in  the  “Old  Dominion,"  and  elseAvhere 
at  the  East,  Avould  bo  very  happy  to  bo  rid  of 
this  pest  of  fence  comers,  neglected  fields  and 
elseAA'heriA,  and  fiirgo  all  the  cash  that  it  is 
possible  to  obtain  from  gathering  loaves  for  tan¬ 
ning  and  other  pm’poses.  There  is  onougli  Su¬ 
mac  groAviug  wild  oast  of  the  .Alleghany  Moun¬ 
tains  to  supifly  tho  ATorld  with  this  material,  but 
tbe  tiouhle  is,  that  the  price  obtained  for  it  Avill 
not  pay  for  gathering.  Children,  and  even  men 
and  women  who  have  nothing  else  to  do.  fre¬ 
quently  earn  a  httle  money  by  gatlieriug  Sumac 
leaves,  just  as  they  do  jjickiug  Avild  benies  of 
different  kinds,  and  this  is  about  the  extent  of 
the  Sumac  crop  in  America. 
BANYAN  TREE. 
EncALrrrcs  globolus  has  had  its  share  of 
attention  in  Didia.  and  Avithout  considering  the 
question  of  tho  truth  or  otlierwise  of  its  reputed 
value,  it  is  proved  that  although  it  grows  quick¬ 
ly  and  lA-ith  vigor  on  the  NeligheiTios  and  Khasia 
hills  at.  5,000  to  8.000  feet  above  the  sea.  it  can¬ 
not  be  induced  to  live  even  for  a  year  or  tA\'0  iu 
the  hot,  plains  of  India.  Dr.  King’s  description 
of  the  line  old  Banyan  tice,  ‘‘  one  of  the  gieatcst 
cariosities  and  ornaments  of  the  place,”  will,  Ave 
are  sure,  bo  read  AAith  interest.  Ho  says ; — •-  Al¬ 
though  considerably  damaged  by  the  cyclone  of 
18(54.  wiiich  carried  aAvay  t  wo  of  its  largest  nnns, 
this  fine  tree  continues  to  groAV  Nigorously.  It 
I  noAv  covers  an  ai  ea  of  ground  800  feet  in  circum- 
I  fereuce ;  its  trunk  gu’ths  51  feet,  and  from  its 
I  branches  no  few'er  tlian  170  aerial  roots  ai'c  scut 
I  down  to  the  ground,  some  of  them  being  moro 
years,  aud  have  otherwise  prospered.  Oue  hun¬ 
dred  and  two  companies  report  their  combined 
capital  to  be  tAventy-seven  millions  0f27,107, 020); 
their  gross  assets,  sixty  millions  (‘SCO, 0.52, 978); 
their  net  premium  n-ceipts  for  tbe  year,  $22,- 
■140,‘275;  tlieir  losses,  .$9, , 7*2.8.950 :  their  excesses 
fto  pay  expected  losses),  $52,8.5*2,730,  and  their 
surplus  (to  i>uy  unexpected  losses),  quite  $17,- 
071,440.  TIjcso  figures  are  very  encouraging. 
Fire  insurance  has  rarely  shoAvn  so  many  and 
great  evidences  of  a  prosperous  financial  condi¬ 
tion.  But  this  state  of  affairs  may  not  last  long. 
A  great  fire  may  occur  at  any  time,  and  when  it 
does,  many  of  the  weaker  and  least  careful  ciim- 
panies  are  almost  certain  to  Como  to  grief.  It  is 
eH]iecially  reassuring  to  notice  that  tbe  better 
companies  are  carefully  accumulating  siutIus 
funds  in  anticipation  of  a  repetition  of  the  Port¬ 
land,  Chicago  and  Boston  calamities,  and  that 
tho  imminence  of  some  such  occuiTence  ia  recog¬ 
nized  in  a  steadfast  adherence  to  rates  of  pre¬ 
miums  that  Avill  pay  current  losses  and  expenses 
and  create,  besides,  a  large  surplus  for  the 
greater  soenrity  and  better  protection  of  pohey 
holders. 
An  Odd  Idea,  But  Aat  a  Bad  One. — It  is 
said  upon  jiretty  good  authority  that  some  life 
iofturanoe  companies  habitually  inquire  into  the 
condition  of  their  policy  holders  and  endeavor  to 
pmehase  the  policies  of  those  w  ho  are  iu  very 
bad  health.  One  prominent  company  has,  it  is 
stated,  paid  the  expenses  of  a  F,uropean  tour  of 
a  heavily-inHured  party  whom  it  could  not  buy 
off.  A  medical  man  in  Colorado,  himself  an  in- 
vahd  in  search  of  health,  lu'ges  companies  to 
issue  jxilicies  obUgating  the  company  to  loan  or 
advance  a  given  amount  of  money  upon  the  se¬ 
curity  of  Hic  policy  ti  the  assured,  in  case  of 
any  chronic  disorder  that  Uie  physicians  despair 
of  em'iug,  to  send  the  insured  to  a  favorable 
climate  or  seentro  favorable  conditions  for  his 
recovery.  The  suggestion  is  a  valuable  one,  and 
should  lead  to  a  closer  study  of  tho  relations  of 
^  climate  to  rlisease.  Tho  time  may  come  when 
the  companies  vrill  find  it  to  their  interest  to  send 
shiploads  of  incipient  consumptives  from  New 
England  to  Florida,  and  colonize  fever  stricken 
Southerners  on  the  shores  of  Northern  lakes  and 
rivers. 
More  Useless  Interference. — A  bill  has  been 
introduced  by  “a  Senator”  providing  that  no 
policy  of  life  insiuance  shall  be  declared  for¬ 
feited  until  sLxty  days  after  the  regular  time  for 
payment  of  premium.  Which  means  that  here¬ 
after,  for  such  a  law  cannot  be  retroactive,  the 
company  shall  give  fourteen  months  insurance 
for  the  first  year's  premium  and  a  year’s  insu¬ 
rance  for  each  subsequent  payment.  This  is 
simpl}'  nonsense,  as  are  most  other  attempts  to 
intertere  with  private  conti’acts.  The  companies 
can  defeat  the  nicasui-o  by  stipulating  that  the 
second  premium  shall  be  paid  at  the  end  of  two 
months,  or  they  will  raise  the  first  premium 
!  seventeen  per  cent.  If  they  do  neither  of  these 
things  or  something  equivalent,  the  new  poUcy 
holders  will  profit  at  the  expense  of  Uie  old — a 
I  thing  not  to  be  thought  of,  for  a  good  company 
!  seeks  rather  the  protoctiem  of  the  members  it 
!  has  than  to  attract  new  ones  at  then-  cost. 
A  Muddled  Coufa-adictory  statements 
have  been  lecciA’eil  iu  regard  to  tho  condition  of 
the  affah's  of  the  Soutlieru  Life  Insmauce  Co. 
First  it  was  amiouueed  that  a  petition  in  bank- 
rujitcyhad  been  filed,  stating  the  liabilities  at 
$1,117,000,  or  about  four  hundred  thousand  dol¬ 
lars  greater  than  the  enthe  assets.  This  an¬ 
nouncement  is  contradicted  by  a  subsequent  re¬ 
port  that  the  ('omvianv  had  a  surplus,  as  regards 
I  policy  holders,  of  nearly  oue  luindred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  Except  to  those  who  have 
been  led  by  sectional  prejudices  to  entrust  their 
money  to  the  ciistotly  of  poUticaJ  favorites,  it 
’  does  not  much  matter  Avhich  of  these  statements 
is  more  reliable. 
Fanners  Should  Insure.—"  The  barn  of  Super¬ 
visor  S.  D.  Buiiiurr  of  1‘arma,  N.  Y.,  Avas  burned 
I  Feb.  15.  It  was  filled  with  grain,  but  an  insur- 
.  !  ance  of  $2,000  neai-ly  covers  the  loss.  A  bam 
j  wasbmiiedon  tlie  same  site  eight  ybars  ago.” 
.  I  This  item  of  news  cotisti  aiiis  us  to  say  that  all 
than  10  feet  in  circimifereiicc.  lliiH  nne  old  tree  ^  ,  ,  ,,  ,  i  x  i.  u 
,  r  I  ;  1,,  J  who  have  valuable  buildings  and  contents  Avould 
siiDPot'H  'tuite  a  colony  ol  Orchids.  Ferns,  ana  ,  ,  ,,  .  ,  •  -  , 
“  i  1 '  1  ‘  ‘  •'  ..  .  .  rir,  fn  Hie  snnip  iiiKiirtsi  111  safe  and  re- 
crei-iiing  I'lauto  of  about  twenty  distinct  siiecies, 
aud  gives  shelter  to  innunierablo  birds.  Its 
c.xact  age  is  not  known,  but,  considering  hoAV 
rapidly  Banyans  grow,  it  probably  does  not  ex¬ 
ceed  that  of  the  garden,  and  is  therefore  less 
than  a  century." 
do  Avell  to  liaA'e  the  same  iiiHured  iu  safe  and  re- 
hable  companies. 
,471  Alleged  Failure.—The  Penn.  Fire  Insu¬ 
rance  Co.  of  Phila.  is  reported  to  be  insolvent. 
We  haA'e  no  infonnatioii  except  such  as  has  been 
obtained  from  exchanges,  and  cannot  vouch  for 
the  coiTCctness  of  the  report. 
