No. 133.] 31 



and culture of flowers, can form any proper conception of the 

 immense labor and trouble of keeping up a show during four 

 mortal weeks in a hot room, filled with dust and noxious gases ; 

 and the wonder is, that our florists can be prevailed upon to ex- 

 hibit at all under such circumstances. They deserve more credit, 

 and a higher reward than they have yet received. My thanks 

 and good will they have in abundant measure ; and I cannot help 

 adding again the hope, that the Institute will feel it to be its 

 duty to extend to the florist and amateur, a higher degree of en- 

 couragement than has yet been afforded them. In addition to 

 the usual attractions, there were several specimens of that rare 

 and singular flower, the jiristolochia Braziliensis, from the Messrs. 

 Hogg, of Yorkville j and also a number of blooms ot the Cereus 

 triangularis, from A. P. Cummings, Esq., of Williamsburgh. The 

 display of bouquets and baskets was uncommonly fine. 



Vegetables were shown in great abundance, and very superior 

 of their kind. I think we have never had so large a show of 

 fine vegetables, and never siich spirited competition for the gene- 

 ral display. The collection of vegetables embraced several no- 

 velties ; among other things, a new winter radish of great excel- 

 lence, Spanish garbanzos, (a substitute for peas,) and Japan beans. 

 These latter have since been distributed at the Farmer's Club, 

 and elsewhere, as Japan peas ; I think incorrectly. They were 

 grown by Mr. Jones, of Cold Spring, L. I., who states that the 

 seed were taken from a Japanese junk, found abandoned in the 

 North Pacific Ocean, in August, 1850, by the whaling ship 

 Splendid. * About one quart of seed were planted, only two of 

 which came up, and these two produced about 750 beans. They 

 are, as I learn, very prolific, quite early, and promise to be a de- 

 cided acquisition. The Garbanzos are very large, taste like peas, 

 are said to be early, and yield abundantly, (more so than peas,) 

 and may prove to be another acquisition. We shall know more 

 about these things in the course of another year. It may not be 

 amiss to state that turnips were exhibited weighing ten and 

 twelve pounds each. The potatoes were remarkably fine, and of 

 larger average size than I remember to have seen them before. 

 Mr. C. W. Forbush, of Grafton, Mass., exhibited the peach blow 

 potato, weighing 17| ounces, grown from sprouts, the potato 



