A grand international potato exhibition was opened at the Crystal Palace yesterday afternoon by Mr. Alderman and Sheriff De Keyser, in the absence of the Lord Mayor. Ten years ago an association was formed for the encouragement of potato culture, and the introduction and diffusion of improved varieties. An annual exhibition has been held, and the result has been that not only has the number of exhibits increased, but the quality of the potatoes shown has greatly improved. At yesterday's show all the leading growers were represented, and the excellence of the specimens made the task of awarding the prizes no easy one. At a luncheon Mr. Shirley Hibbard remarked that there was still a great deal of ignorance shown in putting potatoes on the table. It was the usual practice to bring them up in a porcelain dish, with a close-fitting cover. In ten minutes the best potatoes, however carefully cooked, were thus utterly destroyed. He recommended that they should be placed in a wooden dish or served in a porcelain dish, with towels above and below to absorb the moisture.

"D. C." wishes to know how to pickle the small red and yellow tomatoes that are brought to market somewhat later in the season. If very small it is not necessary to remove the skin, and you may proceed exactly as if for pickling peaches. Make a sirup of one quart of vinegar and seven pounds of sugar; let this come to a boil, add spices to suit your taste; put the tomatoes in a jar or in a porcelain kettle, having first removed the stems and wiped the fruit carefully; then pour the hot sirup over them. If you wish them for use late in the Spring it is advisable to can them, as then they will keep perfectly. If you can them, put the porcelain kettle over the front of the stove, pour the hot sirup over, and let the fruit boil gently, but do not break it in pieces. If the fruit is very ripe and inclined to be soft, steam it before pouring the sirup over it; then you may can it immediately.

Here is Rossini's receipt for cooking macaroni: Take a pound of macaroni and three parts cook it in salt and water, after which drain it well in a colander, throw away the water, put the macaroni back again into the stewpan in which it has been dressed, pour over it half a pint of good gravy or stock, place the stewpan at the side of the fire where it may keep hot, simmer, simmer, simmer and always simmer, and from time to time shake the stewpan so that the macaroni may be turned about, but be careful not to break it; when the gravy is entirely absorbed by the macaroni, put it in layers on a silver dish (this, of course, is a question of rank, earthenware doing just as well, perhaps better), between each layer spread some grated Parmesan cheese, with sliced truffles mixed with a good Espagnole sauce, and on the top or last layer put the truffles thicker; serve hot with grated Parmesan on a separate plate.