Out of nearly one thousand varieties to be found in cultivation, it would be strange if there were not some kinds that it would be difficult to improve in any way. There are many of the older sorts which it would seem impossible to displace, as they hold their positions each year in spite of the hundreds of new comers. Yet there are more and better new kinds this year than ever before. It is of these and the new ones of last year that we wish to present a list.

That American grown seedlings are far surpassing European kinds cannot be gainsaid. That is to say, the American raised seedlings give more satisfaction, as a rule, in America than do the varieties produced in Europe.

Of last year's American seedlings, the following are really first-class : Beauty of Castlewood, red and gold; E. H. Fitler, gold and bronze; Coronet, golden orange ; Mrs. W. K. Harris, pure gold ; Colossal, white and pink; Excellent, rose pink and lilac; Advance, lovely shade of rosy lilac; Miss Anna Hartshorn, pure white; Violet Rose, carmine, shaded rosy purple, superb; Llewellyn, red and gold; Mrs. Wm. Barr, plum purple, new color, fine; Mrs. Judge Benedict, white anemone; Mrs. M. J. Thomas, white; Mrs. Irving Clarke, pink; Thos. C. Price, Mermet pink; Mary Wheeler, silvery blush ; Sunnyside, white; Mrs. A. Carnegie, crimson ; Zillah, bronze and cherry red; Mrs. A. C. Burpee, chrome bronze.

Of Japanese importations, first is Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, with her chaste and distinct character; Kioto, golden yellow ; Lilian B. Bird, silvery blush ; Mrs. Fottler, rosy pink ; Neesima, gold; W. H. Lincoln, glorious yellow. Other Japanese importations by way of Europe are : H. Cannell, yellow ; Ed. Moly-neux, crimson and gold. Lady Lawrence, Mrs. Dunnett, and Mrs. H. Cannell are identical with Robert Bottomley, Mrs. J. N. Gerard and Christmas Eve, which we have had for the last four years.

Of the English raised kinds, Sunflower, rich yellow; Avalanche, white; Mrs. F. Jameson, bronze salmon; Mrs. John Wright, white; Stanstead, white ; Carew Underwood, red and bronze, are all bia, very large, reflexed and whorled white ; Elliott F. Shepard, paper yellow; London Humphrey, pink, large, distinct; Mrs. Ley, white, like Domination, with pink shadings ; Lemonade, bright lemon, early; Cypiere, rose and white; Mme. Ed. Rey, currant red; Perle Poitevine, white; Exposition de Triomphe de Marsielles, buff; Comte de Monstic, red; M. H. Payne, flame red ; M. Bernard, amaranth ; M. Paukouski, anemone, bronze ; Sabine, anemone, lemon and white; Nelson, amaranth, anemone ; Veil d' Or, gold ; M. Garnar, gold ; Mad. Baco, rose pink; Claude Sahut, blush, tubular ; Alcyon, solid rose pink ; Mme. L. Leroy, pure white.

Here are 20 American seedlings, 8 Japanese importations, 6 English varieties and 19 French kinds - a total of 43, and all meritorious.

Of the new seedlings which have been shown at our exhibitions or have come under my notice, the following promise to be most valuable acquisitions :

Ada Spaulding, a large and fine globe shaped Japanese of sturdy habit, silvery white and blush rose, beautiful; Grove P. Rawson, buff and apricot, new color, very fine : Henry Elkins Widener, clear golden yellow, excellent; Mrs. Thos. A. Edison, incurved, pink, silvery, reflexed, distinct; Cyclone, an immense white flower of a new shape ; E. G, Hill, rich chrome and bronze, flowers of fine shape, reflexed and full; Rosebank Gem, large flower, pink and white, distinct shape; Peculiarity, a variety with tube petals, distinct pouch-like, notched and toothed at the extremities ; Oriole, golden yellow with twisted petals. Here are 29 new candidates, and as I have said, they all promise to be of the highest merit. It must be borne in mind that I have not seen all seedlings this year and there may be some even better than any here named. I have passed over at least 300 varieties in making the above selection. Before closing this box, there is room to mention the new imported Louis Boehmer, a pink Mrs. Hardy ; it will be a valuable acquisition. In the same collection is Omar, a reflexed flower having petals of a deep blood color and \ of an inch wide.

The sports from the Chinese varieties, Mrs. S. Coleman, Violet Tomlin and Miss M. A. Haggis will find many admirers.

John Thorpe.