Fenn's, and hails from Bedfont, a place becoming equally noted for Potatos. Of American varieties a good many have appeared during the past year; but although handsome in appearance, it is premature to speak of them as suited for cultivation in this country.

Amongst Cabbages, an inspection of the extensive collection growing at Chiswick last year enables us to note several very distinct and little-known forms. The Early Boulogne is one of the very earliest of Cabbages. Louviers is an excellent early variety with the character of Little Pixie or small Oxheart. St. John's Day Drumhead, although not new, and the Winnigstadt, must be noted as two of the finest of all Cabbages for autumn use. Jersey Wakefield is a very large-hearting sort from. America. The Quintal Drumhead, a lowgrowing large-hearting sort, is very fine, and the Bacalay may be noted as a very beautiful and distinct sort. Of pure novelty the thickleaved Coutances, a large strong-growing sort, with very thick fringed leaves, and forming white hearts; and the Glazed American, a variety with deep green, shining leaves, are the most noticeable.

Of Savoys, the finest of the early sorts proved to be the Earliest Vienna of Benary, and another very distinct variety is the Early Lienay, forming deep-green open hearts, which stand uninjured in the severest winters. Of the large varieties, the Des Vertu is a splendid sort.

In Cauliflowers and Broccolis, which we class together, we have a fine addition in Veitch's Self-Protecting, succeeding the Autumn Giant. Sutton's Late Queen is also specially to be recommended.

Of Kidney Beans we have not so many aspirants as usual. Sutton's Ducrot is stated to be very excellent.

Turnips furnish us with no novelty or improvement, although new names were abundant. It may be noted, however, that the strap-leaved varieties have proved by far the earliest of any. Tomatos furnish us with a little novelty, and three gains in this now extremely popular vegetable or fruit, as the case may be-for many of the smaller sorts are used purely as dessert fruits, and eaten in a raw state. Early Gem is a very early sort, of medium size, and very valuable on that account. The Criterion,

or Vick's Improved, is the greatest novelty, and is a decided acquisition-the fruits large, ovate in form; and of a beautiful carminered colour. The Trophy is a very large sort, fine for exhibition purposes. Conqueror and Portsmouth are also early, hardy, free-fruiting sorts, good for open-air cultivation.-(Abridged from the Gardeners' Chronicle.)

ADVANCES AMONG PRIMULAS. HAT there is a marked improvement going forward in the Chinese Primrose will be evident to those who have seen the grand forms which have been exhibited of late years. The many superb double varieties, of which that which we recently figured is one, show a very decided advance; for useful as is the old double form, the newer ones far surpass it in quality. But this is not the only direction in which progress is to be observed. The single-flowered sorts have been perhaps even more improved in size, in substance, and in colouring. A batch of these has recently come before us, and in them we find these important qualities to be specially well marked. We refer to some choice forms which have been bred by Mr. Tomkins (Sparkhill Nursery, Birmingham), and of which we propose to specially notice four-namely, two white-flowered and two bright red varieties.

Of the white, the best known is that called PRINCESS LOUISE, previously known as Marchioness of Lorne. This is a large pure white of remarkable substance and boldness of character, with a well-marked yellowish spot, and perfectly flat. It has foliage of the typical palmatifid type. A newer variety called MONARCH is larger than this, but equally pure, equally stout, and considerably more frilled, so that it is scarcely so symmetrical, but is nevertheless a bold and striking flower of great endurance. This has a bold yellowish eye threequarters of an inch across and differs essentially in having the more novel fern-like foliage characteristic of some of the sports.

Of the carmine-red sorts just referred to, both are far in advance of anything yet in general cultivation. In size the flowers vie with the largest, in substance they compare favourably with the stoutest, while in colour nothing approaches them for brilliancy of hue. They