British gardening has become celebrated for the great improvements it has effected in floriculture, and the whole process of rural adornments. Strangely enough, pomology has been, to a great extent, neglected. In the hands of a few enterprising men, strawberries and exotic grapes have improved a little, but the horticultural societies have done little towards encouraging a popular taste for fruits. Latterly, a pomological society has been formed; and, more recently, the London Horticultural Society has had exhibitions specially for fruits, the first of which, held October 24, seems to have been very successful. Foreign growers were invited to compete, and it was hoped that some contributions would be sent from this country. We did not expect that anything would be forwarded, as the chances would be very unequal of their success after so long a voyage, in a contest with fruit just fresh from the hands of the growers to the exhibition tables. We were therefore much gratified to see, in the report, amongst the exhibitors, Messrs. Hovey, of Boston, and that their courageous experiment of astonishing John Bull with American-grown fruits, was not altogether unsuccessful.

Of the pears, the report says ; -

"Messrs. Hovey, of Boston, showed a collection of American pears in this class; they had a warm, brown look with them, but, in point of growth, were greatly inferior to English fruit. We understand, however, that this has been a bad season with the Americans for pears, and those exhibited were likewise damaged very much from travelling, all of which, in some measure, served to detract from what merit they would otherwise have possessed. They consisted of Beurre' d'Anjou, Beurre Gris d'Hiver, Beurre Bosc, Beurre Superfin, Beurre Diel, Duchess d'Angouleme, Paradise d'Automne, Swan's Orange, Beurre Clairgeau, Passe Colmar, Van Mons Leon le Clere, Glou Morcean, Nouveau Poitean, Marie Louise, Edwards' Elizabeth, Sheldon, Winter Nelis, Colmar d'Aremberg, Louise Bonne of Jersey, and others".

It is to be regretted that, with three exceptions, the collection should have been made up of kinds of foreign origin. American pears seem nearly unknown in England. The Seckel, from the private garden of the Queen of England, took the first prise as a single dish. The Lodge is noticed as a fine, juicy, American variety, but entirely destitute of aroma. These are the only American names we notice in a long list of worthies, unless " Chapman's Pear" is intended for the Chapman of Philadelphia, which is, at best, but second rate.

The apples seemed to have better pleased our cousins. The report says: "Of these there was a large and extremely good exhibition, and the great size and large amount of color in many of them, rendered them objects of universal admiration." For the table,the Baldwin was considered superior; and the Rhode Island Greening, after (like a "raw Vermonter") exciting their laughter by its "green" exterior, was pronounced "excellent for general pur-poses," nevertheless.

In speaking of the apples from the royal gardens, the report, after naming some, continues, "and the Jefferson, which is a new American variety, of excellent quality and great beauty." This will be information to many of our readers. We presume, the kind known in New York as the " Jefferson County," is the one alluded to. If any of our friends have had any experience with this kind, we should be glad to receive it.