27S OF FRUITS. SECT. XVII. 



It would be well if the number of some kinds (as 

 in peaches) were reduced; for their multiplicity oc- 

 casions a great uncertainty, and their shades of dis- 

 tinction -are hardly discovered by the best judges. 

 Nurserymen s catalogues furnish large lists. 



Of the same sort of fruit there is often a percep- 

 tible difference, owing either jointly or separately to 

 the stock, state of the tree, soil, situation, manage- 

 ment, and season. Bad planting, by cramping the 

 roots, &c. will often induce sickliness, and of course 

 a good plant made to produce small, ill-flavoured 

 fruit, and thus it will appear to be not itself. So 

 that when the best method is taken to procure good 

 fruit, (or such that please us) which is by grafting, 

 or inoculating from the very tree we have admired 

 the fruit of, our expectations may, in a measure, be 

 disappointed by a variety of circumstances. 



NURSERYMEN, it is often said, are not to be de- 

 pended upon, for if they have not the sort you want, 

 they will send you one they have; and this may some- 

 times be the case, as they may think it of little conse- 

 quence if you have one that is good. But the case 

 is, there is a great confusion in the names of fruit, by 

 accident, ignorance, carelessness, &c. New titles 

 have been arbitrarily imposed on old fruits which 

 have happened to vary a little, and distinctions made 

 without a difference; of which circumstance Mr. 

 Evelyn complained in his day, saying, " The dis~ 

 criminating the several kinds of fruit, by their cha- 

 racteristical notes, from the leaf, taste, colour, and 

 other distinguishing qualities, is much wanting." 

 But, as Mr. E. observes, the ability for this is only 

 attained by long and critical observation. Dr. Hill 

 (in his Eden, folio) professes to have given great as- 

 sistance in this matter. " Under the section of 

 fruits, (says he) we shall give their proper names 



