WE DESIRE to again call attention to the opportunity and necessity offered by the World's Columbian Exposition for a great congress of horticulture. We have repeatedly urged the importance of an International Horticultural Congress, and we have given what seem to us to be commanding reasons for its being. Trade organizations may aspire to make the horticultural features of the exposition little more than trade exhibits. And the general comments of the press and of horticultural societies seem to ask for little more than a mam-moth show of fruits and flowers and vegetables.

We persist in the view that this great exhibition should afford the means of making a commanding study of the world's horticulture. Our country should receive untold blessing from it. All minor interests could be woven into this enormous fabric. All the competitions of states and regions should be encouraged, and all the horticultural trades should be fully represented. But some hand should sys-temize and combine all interests into one consummate effort to study the variations of plants under culture, the relations of plants to climate and all artificial conditions, and all the means and appliances by which man preserves and improves them and disposes of their products.

There is a manifest desire at the present time to introduce plants, especially fruits, from all possible regions, and the very existence of this ambition and curiosity would make an international fair particularly important and attractive. The Illinois Horticultural Society is taking the initiative in the movement, and has invited delegates from all horticultural societies to discuss the project in a meeting at Chicago. This meeting should present definite plans, and we watch its work with interest.

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THE HORTICULTURAL association which has grown out of the delegate convention called to consider plans for horticultural exhibits at the Columbian Exposition, has entered upon its work with energy and comprehensiveness. It has formed itself into a body which is to exist during the exposition, and has adopted a memorial to the National Exposition Commission urging the import-ance of a separate and distinct horticultural exhibition, and it promises to "undertake, under proper conditions, to place in this exposition a comprehensive exhibit of the fruits, trees, plants, flowers, seeds and garden products from the known world, both in the growing state and the natural products as harvested." In order to forestall any chance of political appointees filling the important positions, the association has recommended to the commission five persons as superintendents. The recommendations are well chosen, and we see no reason why all horticultural interests should not second them heartily. The choice of Parker Earle for general commissioner of the horticultural interests must be gratifying to all.

As commissioner of the horticultural exhibits at the New Orleans Exposition - the only truly national horticultural exhibition which we have yet had - and as president of the American Horticultural Society, he is well known and must be peculiarly well fitted for his new duties.

The government exhibits at the World's Fair have been placed in charge of Edwin Willits, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, a man who is eminently qualified in all respects to conduct a representative exhibition. We are assured that he desires to make the horticultural features prominent. With two representative and broad men to lead, the horticultural features of the great Exposition ought to eclipse anything ever attempted.

In men and organization there is nothing more to be desired, and we do not doubt that all the details will be worked out with wisdom. The fact should not be overlooked that this Exposition will furnish unprecedented opportunities to study plants and their products in a most comprehensive way, both in purely scientific and practical directions. Some means should be provided by which specialists Can study certain groups and publish monographs » of them. Occasions are few when such facilities are offered, and they should not be lost.

We are also looking for a permanent organization to grow out of this Columbian Horticultural Association. For some time there has been a move-ment on foot to consolidate all national horticul-tural organizations into one congress of horticulture, somewhat after the general plan of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Such a federation would enable one to attend all the national organizations at a minimum of time and expense, and it would co6rdinate and intensify all horticultural interests. Each organization would still retain its individuality as now, but all could meet consecutively in the same place and each could receive the benefits accruing from contact with other interests. No doubt all our national horticultural organizations will unite in an endeavor to make a worthy horticultural display at Chicago, and after working under the Columbian Horticultural Association it will be but a natural effort to clasp hands in a general brotherhood.