Mr. J. E. Mitchell, a leading merchant of Philadelphia, who has long and faithfully served the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society as Vice President, has been elected to the Presidency of the Society, in the place of the late W. L. Schaffer, Esq., whose death we recorded some time since.

The spring exhibition at the end of March was one of the best made by the Society for many years. At the autumn exhibitions the interest centres chiefly in the fruits; the plants being mostly confined to ferns, palms, and foliage plants destitute of flowers. In the spring we look for flowers as a leading feature, and they did not disappoint any one on this occasion. The large hall was filled by magnificent collections, and the good culture exhibited was such as to call for high praise. Our notes were made principally with the view to giving information to readers everywhere, and we have therefore necessarily to omit many features of purely local interest deserving quite as much praise as the articles commented on.

A very pretty set of plants intended chiefly to show how to arrange for decoration was shown by Joseph Kift & Sons, and for this purpose the rather new Asparagus tenuissimus showed to great advantage. It is allied to the well-known " Smilax " of the florists, climbing as that does, but rather stiffer, and has leaves like the common garden Asparagus. Two plants were trained so as to form an arch at the end of a table, and indicated how many decorative uses it might be put to. We understand it can be readily increased from cuttings.

A good idea was expressed by porous plant vases. These are hollow, wreath-like vessels, water being admitted by an aperture at the top. Moss tied around is kept moist by percolation, and Ferns, Orchids, or other plants tied to them, grow much better than when tied to mere blocks of wood or even in baskets. The plants exhibited with these vases, showed remarkable vigor and health. A number of boxes of plants adapted to window culture were shown, and one in which common Snowdrops in bloom were arranged with Rex Begonias and Ferns, showed an extremely interesting combination. Another florist, Herman, had some boxes in which excellent combination was made of Tulips, with Lily of the Valley and Astilbe.

Some florist, whose name we did not find attached, has a plant of a white flowering winter Carnation called Edward Banyard, which seemed an extraordinary bloomer. The plant had over 100 good buds, besides small ones not worth counting. The calyx showed no disposition to burst at the side, and the crumpled petals had here and there an almost invisible crimson line. It was interesting to note that in all the collections of pot plants by florists, the kinds used by them for cut flowers were prominently grown. For instance, in a very pretty collection for which a third premium was awarded to Charles Fox, Roses, Callas, Azaleas, Geraniums, and Rhododendrons, were the chief ornaments. Rhododendrons, by the way, were in many collections, and showed how easily they can be had in bloom in the winter. Nearly all the leading amateur premiums were taken by Mr. Alfred Warne, gardener to Clarence H. Clark, Esq., and they were so well and admirably grown that those who propose to contest the honors with him in future, will have some tolerably hard work to do. He had first for Azaleas, which were admirable specimens of care and skill. They were mostly grown on a depressed globose style, and were about 2 to 3 feet across the top.

Here one might have a choice between kinds that were so full of flowers that not a leaf was visible on any part of the plants, and kinds that had here and there a few shoots pushing through the mass of flowers. Our taste runs toward the latter class, and we therefore feel like giving more praise to Stella, an orange crimson, and Marquis of Lome, a brick red, than to Madame Vonder Creysson, where not one leaf was to be seen. Mr. Warne had first premium for 12 Rhododendrons, among which was one distinct species, called Rhododendron speciossimus, with the leaves and flowers in so many respects like a Kalmia, that those who love botany could see how closely the two genera were united through this intermediate.

Again we have Mr. Warne first for tulips. These were mostly of the Duc Van Tholl pattern, and were mostly five bulbs to a pot. Also was the first for Hyacinths, and we doubt whether better specimens of good culture were ever seen, even by the famous Holland growers. They were grown in 8-inch pots, and the green healthy-looking leaves were about six inches long and an inch wide. The flowers were on stout stalks about eighteen inches long, about one third of which were covered with the large and sweet flowers. A specimen Rhododendron by Mr. Warne was of the Augusta Van Geert, was about 2 feet by 2, and had thirteen heads of expanded flowers. Eergusson's Sons had the second for Rhododendrons. These were good plants with about eight heads on an average. Fergusson's second for Hyacinths were good plants in 4-inch pots. His second premium Cinerarias, were but about 12 inches high, with the panicles about 6 inches across, but the flowers were unusually large and very showy. The first premium Cinerarias, were by J. H. Campbell; these were also about a foot high, but the panicles were 9 or 10 inches across, and more branching bushy plants.

Fergusson Sons had a showy collection of Orchids. Phalaenopsis amabile had 5 flowers, and a pretty specimen of the lovely Vanda tricolor, about 2 feet high, had 3 spikes with about ten flowers on a spike. Mr. Warne had a specimen of Camellia candidissima which though only about 3 feet by 2, had 36 flower buds on it. Craig Brothers had a remarkably beautiful collection of Ferns, particularly attractive because they were not large coarse things, but just such kinds as could be found room for in an ordinary conservatory. Adiantum Wiegandii, a bluish-green Maiden-hair Fern, we noted particularly for its pretty compact habit, and Polypodium spor-deocarpum was of much the same character as the well-known P. glaucum, but much more genteel in its behavior, not so intrusively pressing as that. Of course the indispensable Adiantum Farleyense was among them, and there was a plant of the curious pitcher leaf, Sarracenia Drummondii, the pitchers being about 2 feet long. Craig & Brother the first for Roses, but though the two to five Roses on each plant were large and fine, the plants were long and straggly, 2 or 3 feet high, in 8-inch pots. John Dick had first for double and single Geraniums. These were in 10-inch pots, about 18 inches high and 18 wide.

The foliage was large and healthy, but the 7 or 8 heads to each plant rather small for the foliage. Mr. Charles F. Evans had magnificent blooms of W. F. Bennett rose. The petals were of the color of Jacqueminot, and extended three inches from the insertion at the calyx. Craig & Brother had a collection of 20 kinds of cut flowers of Carnations. Everybody admired them, and wondered why amateurs did not more appreciate their worth.

Lonsdale & Burton, the leading rose growers of Philadelphia, had a fine display of flowering branches, and the first premium Baroness Rothschild were five inches across, and the pretty globular buds of Perle des Jardins about three inches. Their Bon Silene showed that this admirable old Rose can by no means be displaced by any competitor. The other leading Roses in this collection were Cornelia Koch, and Catherine Mermet.

If the horticulturists of Philadelphia, especially the amateurs, will continue to encourage the society in the future, as they did on this occasion, it will not be long before they may sing :

"The good old times have come again".

The Society is very much elated by the great success of their spring exhibition. Though they have been burned out twice, several times drowned out by Jupiter Pluvius, squeezed like an abandoned lemon and tortured by a heartless sheriff, and had no end of other misfortunes, it still rejoices in being yet not only among living things, but on the road to its former glory. It obtained over 300 new members last year.

The exhibition of Chrysanthemums so successfully inaugurated last year, is to be repeated this, and is to be held on November 10, 11, 12, 13. A schedule of premiums has been issued which may be had by application to the Secretary, A. W. Harrison, Horticultural Hall, Broad St., Philad'a.