This is the popular name of a fruit naturalized in Jamaica, and found in many old gardens of the Coffee districts of St. Andrews and Manchester. By the kindness of Sir Joseph Hooker it has been determined as Cyphomandra betacea, DC.,* a native of South America, including Peru and Chili, where also it is under cultivation. The plant (belonging to the natural order Solanaceae) is of shrubby habit, about 5 or 6 feet high; the leaves are large (sometimes a foot long), broadly cordate, and softly pubescent, generally confined to the termination of the branches. The fragrant flowers appear as sub-axillary cymes, of a pale fleshy color, with bright yellow stamens, followed by an obconical or ovate fruit, which at first of a greenish or purplish tint, gradually assumes a warm reddish color as it approaches maturity. The bilocular fruit is of firm texture, about 2 inches or 2 ½ long, and about 2 inches in diameter. The pericarp is about ¼ inch in thickness, of a pale color. It is not generally known, and seldom used in Jamaica, but it is without doubt a fruit that should be more largely cultivated, as it answers in every respect the purposes for which the ordinary Tomato is esteemed.

On the mainland it is known as the Tomate de la Paz, here as the Tree Tomato, and sometimes, on account of its supposed beneficial action on the liver, as Vegetable Mercury. Plants are easily raised from seed, which come into bearing in about two years. It is a very prolific bearer, and the fruit is available during the winter months-November to March-when ordinary Tomatoes are not so easily obtained. If the fruit is allowed to fully ripen on the trees it may be eaten raw, and it has somewhat the flavor of Gooseberry. If the skin is removed and the fruit (without the seeds) stewed with sugar, it resembles Apricot, but with a slight sub-acid flavor which is very refreshing. In my own household it takes the place of Apple in Charlotte-aux-pommes, and it is preferred in this form to real Apples, especially such as grow in the Blue Mountains, or are imported from America. I notice the plant is under cultivation in the South of Europe, but I am not aware to what uses the fruit is there applied. Sir Joseph Hooker informs me that it is now in fruit in the Temperate-house at the Royal Gardens-Kew. As I have lately distributed seed of this Tree Tomato to numerous correspondents at Madeira, India, Ceylon, Hong Kong, the Cape, and the Australian colonies, the above remarks will no doubt prove of interest to them, no less than to other readers of the Gardeners Chronicle, who may desire to secure a hardy perennial Tomato plant of more than ordinary merit.

I may add the plant flourishes in Jamaica at elevations of 2000 - 5000 feet; the mean annual temperature of these districts ranging from 720 - 630 Fahr. - D. Mortis, Jamaica, March 25th. [This fruit may occasionally be seen in Covent Garden Market under the erroneous name of Granadilla. It is we believe imported from the Azores. - Ed. Gardeners' Chronicle].

* PiOnandra betacea, Miers in " Hook. Lond. Journ. of Bot.," vol. 4, 1845, p. 358; Solanum betaceum, Cav. ic. 6, p. 15 n. 599, t. 524; "Ann. de Hist. Nat.," i. p. 44, " Dun. Sol.," 169, n. 70, syn. 7,n.l6; Andrews," Botan. Rep.," t. 511 Solanum, crassifolium, Ortega, Dec. 9, p. 117; Solanum obliquum, Bertero, pl. exs. n. 1125, in H. DU. nee. Ruiz et Pav.

[Some fruit from New Orleans has been sent to us by Mr. M. H. Lester. It is more like a small egg than a Tomato. It is about the size of an egg with the largest end attached to the calyx. - Ed. G. M].