straw-colored  skin,  or  that,  in  a  word,  wo  do  not 
know  “beans"  about  encumbers,  but  his  ptirsisi- 
ency  in  roitorating  that  our  experiment  was  “caro- 
less  and  imperfect "  strikes  us  as  showing  how 
great  Cucumber  mon,  like  other  specialists,  may 
be  too  exacting  in  all  that  pertains  to  thoU'  special¬ 
ty.  Dr.  n Kx  AafKU  says  “  no  amount  of  argument 
can  convinco  mo  to  the  contrary."  Thus  made 
aware  of  tlic  impregnability  of  that  fortross,  we 
shall  not  attack  it.  But,  conversely,  “  no  amount 
of  argument "  can  malve  believe  that  onr  ex¬ 
periments  wore  not  tolerably  careful  and  noth¬ 
ing  short  of  mi'knw  shall  convinco  ns  that  the 
origin  of  the  (Jreen  Prolific  Cuonmber  was  nn- 
quQstionably  what  it  is  claimed  to  have  been ! 
Thus  it  would  seem  that  both  Dr.  Hexamer 
and  ourselves  have  arrived  at  very  decided  con- 
cliisiouB  in  which,  we  are  afraid,  our  readers  will 
experience  a  more  stirring  delight  than  they 
have  folt  in  the  controversy  that  has  led  to 
them.  Finally  Dr.  Hexameu  need  not  tliiuk  that 
wo  “consider  his  opinion  a  ridiculous  assuiiq)- 
tion.”  We  have  no  mason  not  to  resjKict  his 
opinion  exc.ept  in  so  far  as  ho  luiatakus  it  ns 
having  the  power  to  create  and  cstaliUsh  a  fact. 
It  is  the  practice  of  proclaiming  as  positive 
knowledge  that  whioli  siiould  at  most  bo  assunuKl 
as  probable,  that  we  condemn-  a  practice  that  is 
not  likely  to  insure  for  our  acxiounts  of  the  origin 
of  contemporaneous  varieties  any  great  amount 
of  respect  from  the  hortinnlturists  of  tlio  future. 
■  * « »  — 
CARTEB’S  GREEN  GAGE  TOMATO. 
I  HAVE  found  this  an  excellent  variety,  being 
rather  earlier  than  Hathaway’s  Excelsior,  and  in 
other  respects,  except  in  color,  very  much  like 
that  excellent  sort.  My  employers  are  very  fond 
of  it,  considering  the  flavor,  to  bo  flU[)erior  to 
other  sorts.  Two  Canadian  gentlemen  who  were 
hero  lately,  told  mo  it  is  grown  extensively  in 
America,  under  the  name  of  the  I’lnin  Tomato. 
From  my  experience  of  it,  it  is  to  1)0  recom¬ 
mended  as  an  acquisition  of  no  moan  order. 
We  find  the  at)ovo  In  the  Oardonor’s  Uhroniclc 
of  London.  We  do  not  know  by  what  name  it  is 
known  in  Canada,  but  it  is  with  us  a  novelty  of 
last  season,  offered  by  one  of  our  leading  soeds- 
meu,  and  known  only  as  the  Orcen  Cage  Tomato. 
Wo  planted  half  a  dozen  lulls  of  it  and  made  the 
following  notes: 
Two  tomatoes  rii)enod  August  16,  the  larger 
measttflng  seven  inches  in  circumference.  They 
wore  perfectly  smooth,  without  a  furrow  and  of 
the  sliapo  of  an  orange.  Many  of  those  ripening 
later  wore  much  smaller  and  of  an  oblong  shape, 
from  which  and  from  the  color — a  bright  yellow 
-the  name,  wo  suppose,  was  suggested.  The 
smaller  are  excellent  for  jiroscrving,  the  others 
very  good  either  raw,  cooked  or  for  making  cat¬ 
sup.  AU  of  them  are  firm,  but  two-celled  and 
small-sepdod.  Trained  upon  a  trellis  tliis  Tomato 
is  quite  ornamental  after  the  fruit  begins  to 
ripen. 
We  may  now  add  in  favor  of  the  Green  Gage 
that  it  was  loss  acid  in  flavor  than  wore  the  other 
Tomatoes  this  season  grown  in  the  same  grounds. 
Wo  would  bo  glad  to  hoar  from  any  of  our 
friends  who  have  tried  the  Oodon  Trophy  during 
the  past  summer.  Mr.  B.  K.  Bliss  speaks  of  this 
latter  as  follows : 
It  is  a  sport  from  the  well-known  “  Ti’ophy," 
but  is  a  stronger  and  more  rapid  grower,  more 
productive,  and  ripens  a  week  earlier,  continuing 
until  frost.  The  fruit  is  almost  an  exact  coun¬ 
terpart  of  the  Trophy  in  form  and  size,  of  a 
beautiful  light  yellow  or  straw  color,  occasion¬ 
ally  faintly  streaked  with  r6<l :  the  flesh  is  very 
firm  and  solid,  containing  but  few  seeds.  Its 
flavor  is  entirely  different  from  any  variety  with 
which  we  ore  acquainted,  being  free  from  the 
strong  “  tomato  ”  taste  and  fragrance  which  be¬ 
long  to  most  other  varieties,  having  very  little 
acidity,  and  when  eaten  raw  without  seasoning, 
resembling  in  flavor  some  varieties  of  apples. 
The  Thwack  KASVBEiiBy.— This  is  said  to  be 
a  cross  between  the  Ilorstme  and  Brandywine 
and  superiority  is  claimed  for  it  as  to  hardiness, 
size,  shipping  quaUties,  color  and  flavor.  These 
claims,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  testimonials  of 
many  well-known  gentlemen  who  have  tried  it, 
are  not  unsupported  by  practical  tests. 
This  Raspberry  is  said  to  be  a  stont,  upright 
grower,  the  canes  attaining  a  bight  of  but  three 
foot  without  thorns  and  requiring  no  supiwrt. 
A.  Hanob  a  Son,  Red  Bank,  N.  J.,  are  agents. 
®ljf  Dititprlr. 
GRAPE  VINES  IN  WINTER. 
Many  grape-growers  in  th^s  vicinity,  consider 
the  laying  down,  and  covering  of  grapes  as  use¬ 
less  labor.  In  fact,  I  notice  the  practice  of 
leaving  them  upon  the  trellises  is  8tea<iily  grow¬ 
ing  ill  favor.  The  argument  is  that  they  do  just 
as  well  after  they  once  get  “  toughened." 
I  have  not  yet  become  converted  to  this 
practice,  but  protect  my  vinos  in  the  manner 
recommended  in  the  Rural  of  Nov.  18.  Watch¬ 
ing  carefully  the  results  in  a  number  of  cases 
whore  vinos  have  had  no  protection  ;  I  am  very 
oonfldont  that  it  is  a  losing  practice,  even  if  the 
others  do  not  discover  the  fact. 
Near  me  is  a  vineyard  of  four  or  live  acres 
that  lias  been  loft  to  this  “  toughening  "  process 
until  the  yield  has  dooronnod  more  than  ono-half. 
The  owner  gives  other  reasons  for  this  ileollno 
in  the  yield,  but  want  of  protection  in  winter  is 
(in  my  judgment),  what  ails  his  grapes. 
One  of  my  neighbors  has  his  vinos  all  trimmed 
aisl  tied  xipon  the  trolUsos  ready  for  an  early 
start  in  spring,  and  ho  remarked,  “  Now  1  sluill 
have  less  to  do  next  spring  than  if  my  viims 
wore  buriotl.”  “  Yes,”  1  answered  and  you  will 
probably  have  loss  picking  and  marketing  to  do, 
and  there  will  Ije  another  saving  of  labor. 
Grapes  are  often  uncovered  too  early  in 
spring  and  are  seriously  injured  in  consequence. 
It  is  evidently  bettor  not  to  cover  at  all  tlian  to 
uncover  too  early.  In  this,  as  in  many  other 
matters,  it  is  wiser  to  “  make  haste  slowly.” 
Romomber  spring  has  not  opened  the  first 
“sunny day.”  Nelson  Ritter. 
Syracuse,  N.  W 
Tius  theory  of  toughening  plants  and  animals 
by  exposure  is  one  of  the  most  absurd  of  all  the 
fiillacious  ideas  which  ever  entered  the  human 
mind.  It  is  probably  an  off-shoot  of  what  we 
may  term  “  theoretical  acclimitization  ”  of  plants 
and  animals,  the  advocates  of  which  have  in 
times  past,  and  even  do  at  the  present  time,  claim 
great  things,  hut  without  one  solitary  instaiice 
of  a  change  having  been  wrought  upon  any 
individual  plaut  or  animal  in  malting  it  more 
hardy  by  change  of  climate  upon  wlfloh  to  base 
their  claims.  A  tender  plant  will  remain  tender 
through  all  ages,  no  matter  how  hamlled,  treateil, 
or  where  grown,  but  by  raising  seedlings  there¬ 
from  and  JudioloiiH  selections  from  among  the 
same  a  variety  or  varieties  may  he  obtained 
more  hardy  than  the  original  stock  or  parent, 
and  this  is  all  there  is  of  acoliuiatiun,  of  eltlier 
plants  or  animals. 
Taking  this  view  of  the  subject,  which  wo  be¬ 
lieve  accords  with  all  the  experiments  made  for 
the  purpose  of  determining  the  effect  of  acelima- 
tiring,  wo  can  readily  see  how  absurd  it  is  to  try 
to  hardou  or  toughen  an  animal  or  {dant  by 
exposure  to  cold,  The  Concord  or  any  other 
variety  of  grape  is  just  as  hardy  when  first  pro- 
du«)C<l  as  it  will  bo  a  hundred  years  hence,  the 
only  effect  of  culture  being  observable  in  the 
vigorous  or  feeble  growth  of  the 'plant.— En. 
Rural. 
.^arra  Cgroitomg. 
EFFECTS  OF  IRRIGATION. 
Farmers  in  our  Eastern  States  who  suffered 
severe  losses  the  past  summer  from  the  effects 
of  drought,  may  take  a  hint  fri>m  the  following 
letter  to  a  California  paper  (The  Bulletin),  and 
practice  iirigatiug  their  fields  whenever  practic¬ 
able.  The  writer  says : 
The  irrigation  has,  during  this  season,  made  a 
wonderfal  effect  both  on  soil  and  climate.  The 
surface  water  has  risen  all  over  my  laud  from 
16  to  17  feet,  and  1  now  roach  it  at  four  to  seven 
feet  on  any  place  on  my  laud.  By  a  thorough 
cultivation  the  moisture  will  rise  to  tlio  surface 
the  year  round.  This  it  did  all  the  past  summer 
and  produced  a  lioavy  dew  every  night — not 
merely  on  the  slough,  where  we  have  had  water 
ail  summer,  but  a  mile  or  two  away,  where  Lhore 
had  been  no  water  since  Last  winter.  Although 
there  has  been  a  good  deal  of  disappointment . 
regarding  winter  irrigation  in  this  scttlemont,  I 
am  satisfied  that  has  arisen  from  our  ignorance 
of  this,  a  new  system  of  farming;  and  I  am 
positive  that  it  can  and  will  be  made  iierfeotly 
successful  as  regards  small  grain,  and  will  in  the 
future  have  to  he  practiced,  as  during  the  winter 
we  have  always  plenty  of  water,  while  in  the 
spring  it  may  possibly  fail  in  some  seasons, though 
we  have  no  reason  to  expect  it  from  our  past  ex¬ 
perience.  I  irrigated  a  great  portion  of  my  land 
during  the  heaviest  and  coldest  rain  of  last  sea¬ 
son,  when  my  grain  was  very  young ;  and  I  found 
that  whenever  I  drained  it  immediately  after  tlie 
water  had  covered  the  surface.  It  was  a  success ; 
but  whenever  1  let  it  remain  on  the  land  10 
or  lU  hoiu'S  it  injured  the  (ilaiit,  or  at  least  in- 
jurod  its  growth  and  turuetl  it  more  or  less 
yellow.  By  having  a  system  of  drainage  con¬ 
nected  with  the  irrigation,  winter  irrigation  must 
prove  a  success  for  small  grain,  and  it  slionUl  bo 
practiced  by  every  one  so  as  to  till  the  earth  up 
lieneath  with  water  when  there  is  plenty.  Nature 
has  given  us  a  hand  in  tree  planting.  Millions  of 
willow  and  cottonwo<Rl  plants  have  come  up  along 
the  sloughs  and  ditches.  Besides  the  future 
value  in  wood,  this  will  undoubtedly  ai<l  in  retain¬ 
ing  moisture  Imlh  in  the  land  and  tlie  atmosphere. 
I  have  the  second  crop  of  wheat  nearly  ripe ;  it 
is  from  four  to  five  feet  high,  and  with  full  good 
hea<ls.  I  have  the  second  crop  of  potatoftis  reatly 
to  use,  grown  on  the  same  laud  as  the  first  i)otatu 
crop,  since  the  middle  of  last  February.  Mangel 
wnrtzel  boots,  planted  last  June,  weigh  over  20 
pounds  each. 
- »♦» 
SWINGING  STANCHEONS. 
I  HAVE  just  returned  with  a  feeling  of  pride 
from  my  stable,  whore  I  have  been  watching  my 
cattle,  and  observing  their  condition,  ami  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  after  a  busy,  practical, 
and  observing  life  of  over  seventy  years,  tliat 
certainly  we  are  progressing.  For  when  I  was  a 
buy  the  south  side  of  a  straw  stack  was  the  best 
shelter  that  was  afforded  cattle,  but  after  a 
while  the  more  considerate,  gave  them  the  shel¬ 
ter  then  of  a  stable,  and  the  question  soon  arose 
how  to  fasten  them  to  the  host  advantage. 
Homo  tied  with  ropes,  others  with  chains,  and 
a  great  many  other  devices  wore  usod.but  the  host 
thing  I  ever  saw  is  onti  I  am  using  now,  W.  0. 
Gifford’s  swinging  cattle  stanchoons,  manufac¬ 
tured  at  Jamestown,  N.  Y.  When  I  first  placed 
tliem  in  aif  stable,  two  years  ago,  I  Inwl  to  dose 
about  oue-lialf  of  lliem,  but  never  sinco,  ns  they 
always  fasten  fhomsolves,  and  the  rapidity  with 
whioh  a  herd  of  cattle  can  bo  put  uji  is  astonish¬ 
ing,  as  all  a  man  (or  child)  has  to  do  is  to  keep 
them  back.  After  they  are  fantfnuul  they  have 
much  freedom  of  action  in  moving  either  to  the 
right  or  loft,  or  forward,  ami  this  laxt,  movement 
is  ituUnppimhle  for  the  ease  of  the  animal  in 
getting  up. 
I  can  cheerfully  recommend  those  staneheons 
to  my  brother  farmers  and  stock  smon,  as  they 
are  just  what  tliey  are  recommended  to  bo,  not 
a  patent  swindle  but  a  practical  hetu'/U,  And  I 
verily  bcUevo,  did  the  stockmen  of  onr  country 
know  of  thoir  value,  there  would  not  bo  a  well 
regulated  stable  without  thorn. 
Toinhannook,  N.  Y.  Thomas  IIoao. 
I^rljoriraltural, 
DECIDUOUS  SHRUBS  FOR  HEDGES. 
There  are  three  natural  and  proper  offices  of 
the  Hedge,  viz.:  the  barrier,  screen  and  orna¬ 
ment.  In  the  last  two  only  is  to  be  olassod  tlie 
subject  of  our  remarks,  for  with  the  most  skill¬ 
ful  pruning  their  growUi  is  neither  compact  nor 
impervious  enough  to  constitute  a  practical  bar¬ 
rier. 
Most  dwellings,  however,  liave  foucos,  and, 
usually  on  three  sides,  unsightly  ones  of  tight 
boards.  Now,  Nature  abhors  a  stiff,  straight 
wall,  a  doiul  blank.  Hence  the  eye  is  not  pleased 
unless  said  blank  fencos  are  screened  with 
hedges  of  green,  or  green  minglml  with  fiownrs. 
Fur  such  purposes  the  deciduous  sliriibs  have 
decided  advantages.  They  grow  vigorously  and 
produce  rapid  effects.  Tlioy  give  grace  and  va¬ 
riety  of  ontlino,  and,  above  all,  yield  a  beautiful 
and  continuous  serios  of  flowers.  The  value  of 
these  qualities  is  inestimable,  especially  whore 
many  evergreens  are  employed  and  a  lighter  and 
more  cheerful  aspect  is  requli'ed  to  coinplcto  tho 
balance  and  contrasta  of  the  picture.  'I'o  fill  out 
the  catalogue  of  good  qualities,  we  should  men¬ 
tion  a  roadily-traiisjilantablo  nature,  hardiness, 
and  low  first  cost.  Full  enjoyment  of  more 
charming  traits,  however,  depends  very  mnch 
on  tho  system  pursued  in  planting,  pruning,  and 
selecting  varieties.  By  planting,  we  moan  the 
method  of  disposing  tho  members  of  the  Hedge. 
Nature,  our  type  of  good  workmanship,  hardly 
over  uses  tho  straight  lino.  It  is  in  accordance 
with  good  taste,  therefore,  to  constitute  the 
Hedge  of  a  double  row  of  shrubs,  no  one  front¬ 
ing  its  neighbor  in  the  next  row,  but  rather  fill¬ 
ing  up  gaps,  and  offering,  in  the  more  open 
spaces,  fuller  development  of  oharootor.  In 
furtherance  of  the  same  idea,  these  rows  should 
bo  somewhat  wavy  in  tlieir  course  in  relation  to 
the  fence,  and  varied,  here  aud  there,  by  single 
shrubs,  prominent  for  beauty  or  size,  that  may 
stand  as  outposts  to  tho  mam  body. 
The  pruning  employed  is  that  of  the  Weigela 
type  of  shrubs,  and  conaista  simply  in  cutting 
out  railically  every  winter  the  wood  that  has 
borne  flowora  during  the  previous  season  and 
clipping  lightly,  for  symmetry,  the  remainder  on 
which  are  formed  Uio  buds  of  coming  bloom. 
All  indiscriminate  shearing  is  to  bo  avoided  as 
I  utterly  destructive  to  those  buds. 
We  subjoin  ladow  a  list  of  the  shrubs  that 
slunild  make  up  tlio  body  of  a  woll-dosigned 
Hedge,  and  of  tliese  a  large  majority  will  be 
found  under  the  IHertrilla  or  Weigela  tppo  In  re¬ 
lation  to  their  pruning.  'I'hiH  docs  not  prevent, 
of  course,  tho  employment  of  any  variety  for 
outlying  iKisitions,  provided  no  plants  of  too 
rampant  or  straggling  natures  bo  selected. 
Every  member  of  a  family  is  not  always  mt.u- 
tionod  wbero  it  inigltt  bo,  and  only  tba  most 
paominout  mrwtii’s  are  designated.  Endeavor 
is  also  made  to  senure  a  continuous  succession  of 
flowers  throughout  the  season.  Afiixed  to  each 
variety  will  bo  found  tho  figure  1,  indicating  the 
larger  onus  next  tho  fence,  and  figure  2,  the 
I  smaller  ones  in  front ; 
2.  Borboris  Purple ;  1.  Colutoa,  in  variety ; 
1.  Corims  snnguinoa ;  1.  Co’rmts  soricoa ;  2. 
Goronilla  omonis;  2.  Cydonia  (Japau  Quince), 
in  variety ;  1.  Dentzia  crouata ;  1,  Doutzia  ore- 
nata  fl.  pi.;  2.  Doutzia  fortunii;  1.  F.leagnus 
hortensis;  2.  Hibiscus  (Althea),  in  variety;  1. 
Upright  Honeysuckle,  rod  and  while;  1.  I’lnla- 
delphiiM  grandifiorus  ;  2.  Phiiiwlelphus  laxua ;  1. 
Salix  (Willow)  oaproa  trioolor;  1.  Balix  (Willow) 
pentandra;  1.  Balix  (Willow)  rosuiarinlfolia ;  1. 
Hpircea  Billardil;  '2.  Bpinoa  collosa  alba;  2. 
Spiriea  canadensis ;  1 .  Bplrma  nepaleusis ;  2. 
Hpirica  pmnifoiia;  2.  Bpinna  Reevesii;  2.  Bpi- 
riua  'rhunborgii ;  2.  Spiraia  tomoutosa ;  2.  Spi- 
riea  ulmifolia ;  2.  Weigela,  (dwarf),  with  varie¬ 
gated  leaves ;  1.  Weigela  rosea. 
Bamukl  I'auhons,  Jr. 
- - 
TESTING  FOREST  TREE  SEEDS. 
Forest  tree  seeds  some  years  fail  to  mature, 
owing  to  various  causes,  whioli  may  or  may  not 
bo  known.  Sometimes  long-continued  rain  at 
tho  time  tho  trees  are  in  bloom  will  prevent  the 
distribution  of  pollen,  and  althuiigb  the  envelope 
will  oontinno  to  grow,  the  genu  or  kernel  is  de¬ 
fective.  Then  again,  tliero  ore  some  species,  like 
the  Negundo  or  Asli-leaved  Maple  and  Ailantlius, 
ill  which  tlu>  two  sexes  are  separated,  one  tree 
hearing  the  pistillate  and  another  tho  staminate, 
and  unless  tho  two  are  in  cioso  jiroximity  tho 
seeds,  whioli  are  always  home  on  tho  former, 
will  eontalii  no  kernel.  Wo  have  upon  our 
grounds  a  large  tree  of  the  Negimiln  Maple 
whioh  is  loiulod  with  seed-pods  every  year,  but 
there  being  no  staminate  tree  in  tlie  neighbor¬ 
hood,  they  are  always  false,  althougli  appearing 
to  ho  as  large  and  plump  as  the  most  perfect  of 
their  kind. 
Climate  also  fre<piuiiUy  has  a  singular  effect 
upon  some  trees,  in  making  them  produce  abor-* 
live  seed,  'rhe  trees  may  grow  vigorously  and 
he  apparently  hoiillhy,  the  (lowers  perfect  to  all 
outward  appearance,  but  the  seeds  never  come 
to  maturity.  This  is  notaldy  the  ease  with  tho 
Emopoan  Jjarch  when  grown  in  this  country. 
We  have  also  known  tho  same  thing  to  occur 
with  foreign  species  of  Ash,  Elm,  and  other  for¬ 
eign  kinds  cultivated  here. 
It  would  ho  well  for  those  who  have  failed  to 
make  certain  kinds  of  forest  tree  seeds  grow  to 
l>ear  the  ahovo  facts  in  mind  and  take  the  pre¬ 
caution  to  tost  them  before  planting  very  exten¬ 
sively  of  any  or  all  kinds.  Many  a  dollar  might 
be  saved  in  this  way,  besides  much  time  and 
vexation. 
AN  IMPORTANT  DECISION. 
Boon  after  tho  late  war  began  tho  life  insur¬ 
ance  companies  ceased  to  receive  the  premiums 
due  from  Boutlieru  policies,  ami  as  default  was 
tnailo  marked  them  off  as  terminated.  The  hold¬ 
ers  of  these  policies  were  not  content  with  this 
disposal  of  the  matter  and  claimed  that  the  poli- 
oios  should  bo  restored  upon  payment  of  back 
prerniimfs,  and  that  the  duath-elaims  that  had 
matured  ineanwbilo  should  bo  paid.  Though 
many  of  the  cumpanics  compounded  those 
claims,  none  of  Uiom  conceded  their  legality  and 
after  a  deal  of  tedious  litigation  the  matter  has 
been  decided  by  tho  8u|)remo  Court  of  the 
United  Btates,  whioh  holds  that;  All  contracts 
with  tho  enemy  were  suspended  during  hostili¬ 
ties,  but  ciumot  necessarily  bo  revived  by  a 
restoration  of  peace.  In  this  case  such  restora¬ 
tion  would  ho  unjust,  Vjocauso  tlio  companies 
could  not  compel  the  restoration  of  all  tho  poU- 
oies  by  the  payment  of  tho  book  premiums  with 
accumulated  interest,  and  to  grant  this  privilege 
would  rohabilitato  tho  worst  risks  only,  sinco  tho 
lietter  ones  could  take  now  insurances  for  one- 
fourth  the  expense — but  tiiat  as  the  holders  of 
these  policies  had  over-paid  the  actual  cost  of 
their  insurance  and  created  by  such  over-pay¬ 
ment  a  fund  called  the  value  or  reserve,  aud 
since  the  default  of  payment  was  involuntary, 
they  hail  a  right  to  recover  the  equitable  value 
of  their  policies  at  tlie  time  suou  default  oo- 
curred — and  that  slnoe  the  companies  had  not 
received  the  premiums  or  considerations  for  in¬ 
surance,  they  could  not  ho  held  liable  for  tho 
paymont  of  losses  occiiiriiig  after  payment  of 
proiiuiims  ceased.  It  should  be  a  matter  for 
cOiigiatiilatiou  that  this  final  adjuslmeut  of 
Goutlicting  claims  has  boon  brought  about  at 
last. 
- - — - 
THE  CONTINENTAL  LIFE  AND  THE  IN¬ 
SURANCE  DEPARTMENT. 
It  is  said  tliat  the  Bnperintondeut  of  Insnr- 
ancu  made  an  oxamiimtlon,  cither  in  person  or 
iiy  proxy,  of  the  (kmtiuontal  Life  Insurance  Co. 
a  few  weeks  before  its  condition  was  made  public. 
If  ho  had  tho  power  to  prevent  a  catatitropho  of 
which  he  liad  ample  wiurmrig,  his  conduct  is 
open  to  severe  cttiisiiro.  If  ho  had  no  such 
power,  then  it  is  high  time  to  abolish  an  expen¬ 
sive,  cumbrous,  fallacious  and  demonstrably 
UHulosH  department  and  enact  in  its  stead  a  code 
j  cf  laws  that  will  reach  just  such  oases  as  that  of 
I  the  Continental. 
