ALTHOUGH I have been many years in my present business, and have had much experience in selecting seeds, yet there is no part of my entire year's work that I attend to with such a dislike, as the selection of seeds and plants. There is occasionally a new variety of either vegetables or fruit that is a decided acquisition, and we are perfectly willing to pay something extra to get it. But what about this endless host that come and go like summer showers ? How shall we tell whether we are getting something really valuable or something that is even poorer than the old standard varieties ? I confess that I cannot tell; and after studying a great number of catalogues, and selecting a few of the new varieties of seeds or plants, as a general rule I find at the close of the season, if not sooner, that I have made a mistake, and that the so-called new sorts are not so good as old friends. I know of but one way to do, and that is to stick closely to the old standard varieties.

Take the strawberry as an example. I got a few Wilson plants in either 1860 or 1861. I soon found that valuable as they were, and still are, where they are properly cared for, they were not absolutely perfect although they were a great im provement over any variety then in existence. Soon new varieties came with every spring and fall, and I commenced buying and testing them; and scarce ly a year has passed since that time, that I have not plowed under from one to a dozen new varieties that I had spent time and money upon. To-day I can say that I have never had any strawberry plants that were equal to the Wilson, in all respects, unless it may be some of those I am now testing.

Let me be distinctly understood. I do not object to new and valuable varieties, but I do object to such an avalanche every year, with so small a proportion of any true value.

Wisconsin. J. M. Smith.