In the Horticultural Department at the Exhibition, I notice Cattleya citrina in bloom. It is not near as much grown as it deserves to be. Its golden yellow flowers are very graceful and beautiful. Also Lycaste aurantiaca with several Onci-diums, Epidendrums, and Odontoglossums.

A good deal of attention seems to be attracted to a plant in the Jamaica Exhibit, Cyphomandra betacea, or tree Tomato. From the appearance of the plant I do not think it will ever be available for any part of this State. It may be useful in Florida, and some parts of California. I expect it is a variety of Solanum. Some of the fruit are also on exhibition, and I take the liberty to send you a few as you may not have seen them.

Outside the south entrance to Horticultural Hall I notice two large circular beds of roses, donated - I think - by the Dingee & Conard Co. They are looking just splendid now, but some one ought to be detailed to clean them. They will be smothered with weeds in no time.

The Universal Bulb Co. make a good display in the grounds, but as none of their exhibits are labeled it is one in a thousand that know what they are. Passing a bed of Anemones I heard some ladies remark, " O see the double poppies".

When I get in amongst the Cactus Agave, Dasy-lirion, etc, I can't get away ! I get more and more interested in them every time. Huge Cereus speciosismus, C. Engelmannii, C. dasyacanthus Fourcroya glauca, and two splendid specimens of Agave Shawii, all in bloom. Opuntia Coccinilli-fera with the cochineal insects on and at work; and thousands of others, both large and small.

Gabriel Marc, of Queens, Long Island, has a fine collection of Azaleas on exhibition.

Mr. John Saul sent a fine collection of Begonias, specimen Ferns, etc, in fact, a fine miscellaneous collection, early in the season, which, unfortunately were caught with frost in transit.

Immediately after the first prize " for Oranges grown in the United States" was awarded to the California collection, a large basket of the fruit was taken from Horticultural Hall to the California "State" exhibit, in the Government building, and placed convenient to a pile of circulars, on which was a card inscribed "please take one." Some one passing changed the card from the circulars to the Oranges, and the gentleman in charge of the exhibit is ready to swear those Oranges flew out of that basket, while he had his back turned for a minute. He does not see how they could possibly have got away so quick otherwise.

Under the above heading Mr. M. H. Lester says a few words about the Horticultural Department of the New Orleans exhibition in the May number of the Gardeners' Monthly. I was greatly surprised to find the following remark in it: " The Universal Bulb Co. make a good display in the grounds, but as none of their exhibits are labeled, it is not one in a thousand that knows what they are," etc.

In reply to this, writer would say that Mr. Lester is greatly mistaken. " The General (not the Universal) Bulb Co." of Holland had all their collective exhibits properly labelled. They exhibited no varieties of Hyacinths, 150 varieties of Tulips, 25 varieties of crocuses, and 50 of Narcissi, which were all named when writer left New Orleans, in the latter part of March. It would have been entirely out of place to label the different designs made of bulbs, as some' of the beds contained as many as ten or more varieties.

Mr. Lester undoubtedly knows that the grounds are almost left to take care of themselves. When I left the grounds there were only two men to keep them (an area of about 170 acres) in proper condition. No wonder, then, that rose beds and other designs almost disappear under the weeds. As long as I could see personally that the General Bulb Co's exhibit was properly taken care of the labels were kept in place, but have no doubt that after leaving, rain, wind and weeds soon played havoc among the beds and made some names disappear entirely.

As a horticultural show this department of the exposition certainly was a great failure. The Fruit exhibit was very fine, but one would expect something more interesting than a fruit exhibit in such a magnificent structure as Horticultural Hall.

It always was a puzzle to me why the City of New Orleans wanted such an immense glass building in a climate where the summer lasts nine months, with practically no winter. A hall quarter the size, to exhibit Orchids, Palms and Cacti would have answered the purpose just as well, if not better, and the money expended on this grand but useless building could have made, in that climate, a paradise of the grounds.

What a pity it is that there was no plan in laying out the grounds. Mr. Parker Earle and Professor Tracy certainly deserve credit for what they have done under the circumstances, and few can understand how unenviable a position theirs was. Their labors would have been materially lightened, if a proper landscape gardener had been appointed; if the grounds had been worked after a plan made by him; and hundreds, if not thousands of dollars would have been saved that way. The trouble was, the director-general, Mr. Burke, undertook too much; instead of leaving the different departments in charge of the appointed heads, he would make suggestions here and there; alterations were made to suit his caprice, even when entirely against the principles and intentions of superintendents. As it is Mr. Burke has attained what seemed to be his object, the erecting of large buildings, larger than any made heretofore; but the Exposition as a world's fair will be pronounced a failure by every man who knows what a world's fair ought to be. As an American exhibition it certainly is a very fine one.

The Government and States exhibits are the finest and most complete displays ever put up of their kind, but foreign nations (Mexico excepted) are very poorly represented.

Owing to the great distance New Oileans is situated from populous places the attendance is very thin, the gate receipts seldom exceeding $4,000 a day, barely enough to pay running expenses.

Mr. Baker in his excellent article on "Horticulture at the New Orleans Exposition," in the May number, speaks in vain to the Northern Horticulturists. They do not want to risk their goods to a slow freight line, especially under the present state of affairs at New Orleans.

Let us hope that the horticulturists of this grand Union will soon find a better opportunity to show what they can do. Give them a centre easy of access, and we may be sure of an exhibition just as grand, if not finer than any in Europe. Why can't we have an American Horticultural Exhibition ? 19 Broadway, New York.

[Aside from the difficulties referred to by our correspondent, the adherence to the old-fashioned method of premiums kept away a large number of the best exhibitors. In these days it is of no sort of value to any man to be able to say that he had the "best on exhibition;" but if the plan inaugurated at the American Centennial had been taken up and improved on, the awards would have been of great value.

That plan was, to state in the certificate what were the peculiar merits on which the award was based. This system does not prevent money premiums or medals of value being also awarded with the certificate if thought desirable; although money was not included in the Centennial plan. We know of a half score at least of leading Horticulturists who would certainly have exhibited if such discriminative awards had been made, who would not go a dozen miles.with their goods for the chance of a few hundred dollars in premiums, and that be all. We felt very sorry when we saw this old fossilized method of competition, only popular at village fairs, proposed for a grand scheme like this, knowing full well it would be a failure; but as we have continually pointed this out in our magazine, we thought best not to say anything specifically on this occasion, but rather lend what aid our magazine could render to make the affair a success in spite of this radical blunder. Now that it is over, we may speak more freely, in the hope that other attempts may profit at any rate. - Ed. G. M].