6 Retrospective View of the 



for the first time in the country. Several of the sorts sent 

 Mr. Manning by Dr. Van Mons, under numbers, have also 

 fruited ; but we have not been enabled to hear any particu- 

 lars respecting their quality. The Van Mons Leon le Clerc 

 pear has not yet fruited ; but the coming season we expect 

 specimens of it will be produced by several cultivators. 

 As there are doubts about the genuineness of some of the 

 trees, there being another Leon le Clerc, raised by Van 

 Mons, the fruiting of the variety will decide which is the 

 true one raised by M. Le Clerc of Laval. The new Ban- 

 anna (Musa Cavendishw) has fruited in the collection of D. 

 F. Manice, Esq., Long Island, N. Y. 



The introduction of Myatt's Victoria Rhubarb is a great 

 acquisition ; the past season we raised stems which weigh- 

 ed upwards of a pound each, without the leaf attached ; 

 and these from small roots only one year planted. It is a 

 superior flavored variety, and must eventually displace the 

 old kinds. The Tobolsk rhubarb has not yet produced suf- 

 ficiently to test its true merits. It has the reputation of be- 

 ing the earliest variety cultivated. A new pea, called the 

 Prince Albert, proves to be the earliest variety ever yet pro- 

 duced. Peas sufficiently large for eating were picked in 

 our garden in forty-four days from the time of planting the 

 seed. It is at least ten days earlier than any other variety. 

 The Bassano Beet, from France, a turnip rooted variety, 

 introduced a year or two ago, but not generally known till 

 the past season, proves to be a new and desirable variety ; 

 early, and of excellent quality for the table. It is rare that 

 such important additions are made to our list of culinary 

 vegetables. 



Floriculture. 



The increased facilities of importation afforded by the 

 established line of steamships between Liverpool and Bos- 

 ton, have contributed greatly to the introduction of new 

 plants into the vicinity of the latter city. Many of the 

 rarer plants imported by the New York and Philadelphia 

 nurserymen are also now received by this conveyance, less 

 than fifteen days, on an average, being occupied by the 

 voyage from Liverpool to Boston. 



The greatest attention seems lo have been devoted to 

 roses : all the newest varieties have been imported either 



