P R E F ACE 



In the Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture for L900 (p. 543) 

 it is stated that American seedsmen catalogued the preceding year 685 



real or nominal varieties <>t' cabbage, 3*20 of table beets, 340 of sweet 

 corn. 560 of bush bean-. •_':>:> of pole beans, 320 of cucumber, 530 of 

 lettuce, and an equally large number of varieties of other vegetables." 



In such a maze of names, a large proportion of which are accom- 

 panied by the most meager descriptions, the progressive cultivator, 

 endeavoring to ascertain what varieties are best adapted to his partic- 

 ular location, soil, climate and uses, has little to guide him. Among 

 seedsmen, also, similar difficulties exist. A small number of the larger 

 houses maintain extensive trial grounds, but the information secured 

 in this way is usually not made public. There remains a strong demand, 

 both from the seed trade and from the public, for more precise infor- 

 mation about the qualities of the various advertised varieties — infor- 

 mation which can be furnished only after years of careful study and 

 experimentation. There is one necessary preliminary to such work, 

 namely, a catalogue of the names of the varieties. 



There is no published work which gives all the varieties of vegeta- 

 bles sold by American seedsmen, and the Department of Agriculture 

 has therefore undertaken to supply this want with a list, which is 

 presented herewith. 



The list has been prepared by Mr. W. W. Tracy, jr., who has charge 

 of the Department's variety testing, with the aid of Mr. J. E. W. 

 Tracy, also of the Department of Agriculture. 



Frederick V. Coville, 



Botanist. 



Office of the Botanist, 



Washington, D. C, April 26, 1902. 



«In counting the number of these varieties, names were included which differed 

 from others simply by the addition of a descriptive word, such as "improved," 

 •'large," "early," or the names of persons, while other varieties, having attached to 

 them unimportant descriptive words, such as "select," "new," and "choice," were 



not included. 



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