REFORM IN POMOLOGY. 



159 



REFORM IN POMOLOGY. 



BY DR. W. W. VALK, FLUSHING. 



We thank Mr. Downing for his excellent 

 paper on " Pomological Reform," in the 

 September number of the Horticulturist. 

 It was much needed, though not quite as 

 pungent as the evil called for, against 

 which he so justly puts forth a verdict of 

 condemnation. The orchardist and fruit 

 grower may well consider the " endless 

 catalogue of names" of fruits v^rorthless and 

 indifferent, not only as " stumbling blocks" 

 to their progress in horticulture, but as ab- 

 solute bars, upon which they are perpetu- 

 ally running aground, and sticking fast in 

 the mists and mazes of huge catalogues, 

 "furnished gratis to post-paid applicants." 

 It is high time that something should be 

 done for the correction of what all sensible 

 men must admit to be an evil of no ordi- 

 nary character ; a system of deception which 

 has done more than anything else we know 

 of, to fill our orchards and gardens with 

 fruit only fit to pluck and throw away. It 

 is not often that the desire is manifested to 

 fill one's fruit orchard with every known 

 variety, selected in most cases only by 

 name, and for no other purpose than the 

 mere gratification of a peculiar fancy, a 

 penchant for a multiplicity of things with- 

 out regard to quality. Where there is one 

 instance of this folly, we may safely say 

 there are one hundred just the reverse. A 

 proper appreciation of quality only in the 

 selection of fruits, whether for the table or 

 cooking, will always keep the number 

 limited, " of the best and most valuable 

 sorts." 



But where shall the honest inquirer go 

 or look for information, when he is desirous 



of selecting and planting out those varie- 

 ties of fruits, only, really worth the trouble? 

 Where shall he seek a pilot to guide him 

 amidst the labyrinth of names crowded into 

 nurserymen's catalogues ? In some of these 

 am&zing publications, he will find enume- 

 rated and recommended near 400 kinds of 

 apples, 500 kinds of pears, over 100 of 

 cherries, 150 plums, 170 peaches, 130 

 grapes, and so in proportion of other fruits, 

 and all of them praised more or less for 

 their qualities. Can it be possible that 

 these apples, pears, cherries, plums, peach- 

 es, and grapes, are each and every one of 

 them ^'- really worthy of cultivation V^ By 

 what sort of evidence is the inquiring ama- 

 teur to judge of their merits? He wants 

 to plant in his garden or orchard fifty or 

 sixty trees,— -a number sufficiently large to 

 embrace the best, and the best only. There 

 shall be 10 apples, 20 pears, 10 cherries, 5 

 plums, and 15 peaches. These he must 

 select for himself, in most instances, and, 

 as a help, a guide to assist him in making 

 his selections, he turns to the nurseryman's 

 catalogue. His 10 best apples are to be 

 culled out of 400, and the catalogue assures 

 him the whole are " as represented.^^ So 

 with the pears, and the other fruits, — all 

 are either " first rate," or " excellent," or 

 " beautiful," or " esteemed," or " splendid," 

 or " superior flavor," or " delicious," &c.; 

 not one, as Mr. Downing justly remarks, is 

 set down as "poor," or " worthless." True, 

 there may be a "rejected list," but this 

 false light is of very little use, when, in 

 sober truth, two-thirds, if not three-fourths, 

 of the fruits not in it should find a place 



