for home, whereupon the little birds would get after it and peck it first on one side of the bill and then on the other, till the poor pelican would throw its head around from one side to the other, and finally its mouth would fly open and out would go the fish, which was just what the birds were after. He said he had a pelican experience; that he would get along well through the day, but the constant annoyance of the wife in the evening would finally cause him to open his mouth, and away would go his victory. Many a blessing has been lost, simply by opening the mouth. It is much harder sometimes to keep the mouth shut than to open it. "So he openeth not his mouth," was the attitude of Him who was our example. CHAPTER XVII THE PALM TREE WILL NOT ADMIT OF GRAFTING For many years the process of grafting has been known and practiced by horticulturists. This is accomplished by taking a scion, usually of the previous year's growth, from a shrub or tree, and inserting it into another shrub or tree more or less closely related to the first. It must be so inserted that the cambium layer of the scion, that is, the layer of formative tissue between the bark and natural wood, is closely united to that of the stock. In time, these two parts grow together into a perfect union. The scion thus inserted will derive its life and strength from the original root and stock, but will bear its fruit according to the nature of the scion. When we come to the palm tree, we find something that is opposed to this method and will not respond. It will not yield to any mixture. It has not the qualifications that admit of grafting processes. It can neither be grafted in with any other tree, nor can any other tree be united with the palm. It will not mix. It is an endogenous tree, and the cambium layer does not obtain. It has no joining tissue that can be thus united with any other plant. Did the Omniscient Inspirer of the Word make any mistake when He said, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree?" The Word of God is diametrically opposed to unholy mixtures. Hear the word of the Lord in Deut. 22:9-11. "Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woolen and linen together."