Egyptian Cotton Plant

Reporting on the trade and commerce of Alexandria during the year 1889, Vice-Consul Alban refers to the increased cultivation of a new variety of cotton plant, known as Mitafife, as the chief feature of the year. This plant was discovered a few years ago at Beaha. Although its produce is not quite so good in quality as that of the Ashmouni plant, and is of shorter staple, it produces a much larger proportion of cotton to seed than any other variety ; at the same time it has the advantage of being earlier and less susceptible to atmospheric influences. - The Gardeners' Chronicle.

Electric Light Experiments At Cornell

The experiments conducted at Cornell University Experiment Station, upon the forcing of plants by means of the electric light, of which we recently published an account, have given admirable and definite results. The experiment was a large and interesting one throughout. The tests were made with many plants and cuttings, the leading plants being radishes, carrots, peas, lettuce, spinach, endive, and cresses. These plants were grown from sowing until maturity, a duplicate house having the same species grown for comparison. The experi ment will be conducted another winter before results are announced. - Agricultural Science.

English Walnut In California

Don Bernardo Guir-ado, one of the most sagacious of our country merchants, owns a walnut orchard a few miles above his store at old Los Nietos, which he told us yields him a net profit of $15,000 every year. As the orchard contains 100 acres, this is at the rate, year in and year out, of $150 from each acre. J. H. Burke has a 40-acre orchard near Rivera, which, although not in full bearing, last year gave him a return of within $40 of $6,000. These figures show that the English walnut is a good tree to plant.

- Los Angeles Herald.

Erythronium Albidum, Var. Coloratum

This little beauty is of recent introduction from Texas. It is a great bloomer and seems to be perfectly hardy here in New England. It is similar in growth to E. albi-dum, but the petals are pinkish white, while in albi-dum they are tinted with blue. It is much earlier than any of the eastern or California species with which I am acquainted. At present, March 15th, the flowers are showing above the frost and snow.

Estimate Of Potatoes In 1826

Our present estimate of the value of potatoes was but little shared by Cobbett, a celebrated political writer of England, who was compelled, for political reasons, to take up a residence in this country, and who wrote a book at Hempstead, L. I., entitled the "American Gardener," who said, in writing of the crops in England, in 1826, of the potato; " I do not preceive that they have many potatoes, but what they have of this base root seem to look well enough. It was one of the greatest villains upon earth (Sir Walter Raleigh) who (they say) first brought this root in England. What a pity, since he was to be beheaded, the execution did not take place before he became such a mischievous devil!"