156 



Many supposed new varieties are nothing more than improved 

 stocks of some old variety or even some particular seedsman's 

 stock which may or may not be better than any other stock. While 

 it is true that many of these apparently synonymous varieties exist 

 as a matter of commercial expediency, a far greater number exist 

 because each is better adapted to some set of conditions than 

 any other type with which the individual grower is acquainted. 

 The important point is that many of these strains or stocks may 

 often possess some particular character not found in the original 

 type. Therefore, many of the types stated to be synonyms on the 

 following pages may be more valuable under certain conditions and 

 for certain purposes than the type represented by the name chosen. 



Then we have similar forms originating in different places. This 

 accounts for at least a few synonyms. We find many forms differ- 

 ing only in color of flower — a character of no horticultural value. 

 At the same time, either one of these forms may possess latent 

 characters of value to the horticulturist which the other does not 

 possess. Professor Bailey^ in writing on this subject says that 

 " varieties which are, by common consent, regarded as synonymous 

 with an older type or name, are not necessarily identical with that 

 type in all respects." 



A true synonym, therefore, is produced by the re-naming of a 

 variety. Similar forms that have been produced by a divergence 

 from the recognized type and forms that have originated independ- 

 ently are not necessarily synonymous in every respect, but, on the 

 following pages, they are all, for salient reasons, regarded as 

 synonyms. 



Nomenclature. 



From what has been said on the subject of synonymy, we are 

 better able to understand the meaning of the term " variety." A 

 variety, in the horticultural sense, may be said to consist of those 

 plants of a species which have been so altered by environment, 

 selection, crossing, or other influences, that they have attained dis- 

 tinct and valuable characters. While somewhat opposed to our 

 usual conception of a variety, in that it calls for valuable, as well 

 as distinct characters, this definition will exclude nothing of horti- 

 cultural value. When the term variety is used in this paper it 

 refers to a certain type and its useful synonyms. 



After determining the distinct types it becomes necessary to de- 

 cide which of the many names applied by seedsmen should be the 



•Bailey, L. H., "Survival of the Unlike," p. 242 (1896). 



