Vl PREFACE. 



ture was accomplished. During this period the Society's Transac- 

 tions teemed with rich, and interesting pomological papers, and 

 several works of a high character were ushered into existence. Of 

 these the most important were the Pomonas of Brookshaw and 

 Hooker, the Pomological Magazine, and Eonalds's Pyrus Mains 

 Brentfordiensis ; but these are all of such a class, as from their 

 great cost to he regarded more as works of art, than of general 

 utililty. The only one which was at all calculated to be of general 

 benefit was, Lindley's " Guide to the Orchard ; " a work which 

 furnished descriptions of, and embraced a greater number of 

 varieties than had hitherto been attempted. This then may be 

 regarded as the most complete work for general reference, with 

 which pomologists in this counti7 had ever been famished. 



Upwards of twenty years have now elapsed since the " Guide to 

 the Orchard" issued from the press, and during that period. Knight, 

 Sabine, and many great patrons of pomology have entered into 

 their rest, leaving none behind them to prosecute, with the same 

 vigour, that study which they so much loved and adorned. But 

 although there has been no corporate efibrt to promote and stimulate 

 this study, private entei-prize has not altogether been awanting to 

 keep pace with the rapid progression of the Continent and America; 

 but for this, we might yet have been in total ignorance of many of 

 the most desirable fruits of modern times, and particularly of those 

 valuable varieties, the result of the later labors of Van Mons, 

 Esperen, and others ; together with several of considerable merits 

 furnished by the fertile pomology of the New World. 



Since the publication of Lindley's " Guide," therefore, there has 

 not only been such additions to our varieties of fruits, but such a 

 complete reformation and arrangement of pomological nomenclature 

 as to have rendered that book, as a work of reference of considerably 

 less value ; and it was on account of the necessity for a new work, 

 adapted to the wants of the present day, and embracing the most 

 recent information on the subject, that I entered upon the present 

 undertaking. The facilities I have possessed for carrying it out, 

 are perhaps greater than fall to the lot of most men. My earliest 



