274 



RULES OF POMOLOGY. 



it should, among other branches of Natural 

 History, and secure the cultivator and pro- 

 pagator of fruits, against hundreds of indif- 

 ferent kinds continually palmed upon the 

 public, as of the first quality, by persons 

 whose knowledge of the subject is fre- 

 quently not sufficient to render them com- 

 petent judges of the real merits of a new 

 variety. 



This is the first movement made on either 

 side of the Atlantic towards fixed laws in 

 nomenclature. Every one conversant with 

 the subject, knows what a rank wilderness 

 fruit catalogues had become before the Lon- 

 don Horticultural Society undertook, some 

 years ago, the herculean labor of collecting 

 and proving all varieties then known. Now 

 that so much has been done in reducing 

 thousands of synonyms to a few standard 

 names, horticultural progress demands 

 something more. It demands that there 

 shall be some qualification fixed, without 

 possessing which no new fruit shall be 

 deemed worthy of a name ; that before it 

 can be considered named, it shall be accu- 

 rately described and published ; and that, 

 to guard as far as possible against errors 

 in judgment, fruits shall be described and 

 named only by persons rendered competent 

 by experience and knowledge of the sub- 

 ject. 



We learn from the Fruit Committee of the 

 Massachusetts Society, who have been es- 

 pecially active in bringing about this re- 

 form, that a number of the most important 

 societies besides, in various parts of the 

 country, have also taken the matter in 

 hand, and are about adopting these rules. 

 We trust, for the sake of uniformity, and 

 in order to give the measure the broad ba- 

 sis of utility which it deserves, that every 

 Horticultural Society in the Union will im- 

 mediately adopt this new code. By doing 

 this, and by selecting for its fruit commit- 



tee only skilful pomologists, they will be 

 able to carry them completely into execu- 

 tion, and thus give at once high character 

 to this branch of horticulture, which the 

 great advantages of the United States, both 

 as a fruit growing and fruit originating 

 country, so earnestly demands. 

 The following are the 



RULES OF AMERICAN POMOLOGY.* 



I. No new seedling fruit shall be entitled 

 to a name, or to pomological recommenda- 

 tion, which is not at least equal if not supe- 

 rior to any similar varieties of the first 

 rank already known ; or which, if only of 

 second rate flavor, is so decidedly superior 

 in vigor, hardiness, or productiveness, to va- 

 rieties of the same character already known, 

 as to render it well worthy of cultivation. 



II. The originator, first grower, or he 

 who first makes known a new native varie- 

 ty of merit, shall be entitled to suggest a 

 name for such variety, which name, if a 

 suitable one, (i. e. coming within the rules 

 of nomenclature,) shall be adopted by the 

 writer describing the fruit for the first time. 

 But if the name proposed is inappropriate, or 

 does not come within the rules, then the 

 describer shall be at liberty to give a 

 name. 



III. No new native fruit shall be consid- 

 ered, as named until the same has been ac- 

 curately described, in pomological terms, 

 by some competent person conversant with 

 existing varieties, some pomologist of repu- 

 tation, or the standing fruit committee of 

 some established horticultural society. 



IV. The description shall embrace the 

 following particulars : 1st. The form and 

 exterior colour, the texture and colour of 

 the flesh, and the flavor of the fruit, with 

 the addition in stone fruits, of the size of 



* We reprint the Rules as passed in Boston and Cincinnati- 

 There is a slight variation in one or two instances in the 

 the phraseology, as passed at Philadelphia, entirely unimpor- 

 tant. — Ed. 



