Last September I wrote you in regard to Man-ettia cordifolia, published in your October number, page 290, wherein the hardiness of this beautiful plant was pretty thoroughly tested. I had not then satisfactorily tested certain other conditions of the plant, hence did not refer to them, though your lynx-eyed and careful thinking editor in his foot-notes caught the idea and nearly put at rest any further experiment in the premises on my part. There is, however, enough of the Scotch-Irish element in your orator to "go ahead;" so I continued and further experimented with the plant during the past winter, noted for its long and continued hard freezing. It has had no precedent in this region within the "recollection of the oldest inhabitant." I left the plant without protection during the long dreary winter, exposed to all its severity, to take the chances "to live or die".

I had supposed that the crown buds might possibly be killed and the dormant root buds below the frost-line would shoot forth new stems. On examination, I found many of the crowns uninjured. They were fully 6 inches below the surface, and those that were injured threw out new shoots from below.

The plant has put forth many vigorous and healthy vines, some now (May 18th) 18 inches high. Many of those coming from below the injured crowns are not yet above the ground. Its hardiness cannot be longer questioned in this latitude under ordinarily fair conditions, and I believe it can be grown in the open ground as ordinary perennials, several degrees of latitude farther north, with reasonable protection, if planted deep in rich, friable and well drained soil.

I hope Mr. Parnell and others have tried, or will try it in their section, and report their success through the Gardeners' Monthly.

Nashville, Tenn., May 18th, 1886.

[Over a quarter of a century ago, the writer of this discovered that a choice greenhouse plant, Akebia quinata, was entirely hardy. It eventually became one of the most popular of hardy climbing plants. It is always a source of gratification to him to note the pleasure hundreds are receiving from this lovely " vine," who would have been deprived of this pleasure but for the fortunate discovery. Surely if he who makes two blades of grass grow where only one grew before, is a benefactor to mankind, one who makes thousands of pleasure-giving things appear where none before existed, may also lay claim to popular beneficence. We are sure Mr. Wilkin may share in our Akebia gratification, and in the Cobbettian benediction, when he hands over to the hardy flower garden this beautiful plant. It is a great advance in the pleasure of gardening to rank the Manettia among hardy herbaceous plants. - Ed. G. M].