Among other facts relating to the cicada, brought out by the research, is that, as is the case of many creatures of which we know little, the damage done by it to agriculture has been greatly overestimated. The Boer War Ended War in South Africa was formally brought to an end when, on May 31st, the Boer delegates at Pretoria signed the documents containing the terms of surrender. The war began on October 11th, 1899, and has lasted two years seven months and twenty-one days. It has cost England $1,200,000,000, besides which they have suffered a loss of 21,966 killed and 75,000 prisoners and wounded. The estimated loss of the Boers is 19,000 lives and 40,000 captured. The greatest force of troops which England had in the field at any one time was 280,000, while estimates of the Boer army vary from 25,000 to 50,000. * * * * * The terms of peace allowed to the Boers are, perhaps, the best ever offered to a conquered people. Among its conditions are: Immunity from war indemnity, the substitution of representative for military administration, and a gift of fifteen millions of dollars for the re-stocking of their farms. The Cuban Republic On May 20th, Governor-General Wood, according to his instructions from the President of the United States, turned over to President Palma and his Congress the government and control of the island of Cuba. During the impressive ceremony President Palma, amid the cheers of the spectators, expressed his thanks to the Government of the United States for the fulfillment of its pledges and its kindly services to the new republic. According to the _Boston Herald_, “the American flag was never more highly honored than when it was hauled down by Governor-General Leonard Wood from the Government building at Havana.” * * * * * There is probably no parallel in history of this act of the United States in which a nation, after having won so rich a territorial prize in war, eventually turned it over to its people for free government. The New Trains One of the most significant railway trials ever held in this or any country was that recently made between New York and Chicago, by the special train of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the “Twentieth Century” of the New York Central. Although the two trains went by widely separate routes, they covered the required distance, over nine hundred miles, in the same time to the minute--19 hours and 57 minutes. This is three minutes less than the schedule time allowed, and is fully three hours faster than any speed previously made over the same course. * * * * * As these new trains are now regularly on the schedules of their respective roads, the race will hereafter be an every-day occurrence, and we may look forward even to the lowering of this record. Foreign Immigration