262 ON THE CHOICE OF FRUIT TREES IN THE NUBSERY. 



it, let the weak shoots be pruned clean away, and shorten 

 the strong one, from which a handsome head may after- 

 wards be formed. For further directions, as respects 

 pruning or planting fruit trees, &c., the reader is referred 

 to the preceding articles on these subjects ; and as respects 

 any species of fruit in particular, directions will be found 

 under its distinct head. 



In order to assist the reader to make a judicious choice 

 of fruit trees, I have furnished a short description of such 

 species and varieties as are in great repute for every good 

 quality. Previous to making this selection, I carefully 

 perused " Prince's Pomological Manual," " Kenrick's 

 American Orchardist," " Lindley's Guide to the Orchard 

 and Fruit Garden," and Manning's descriptive catalogue of 

 fruits; besides these important guides, I had the select 

 catalogues of different nurserymen before me, and have 

 chosen such only as have been most generally recommended- 

 In doing this, I have had difficulties to contend with, the 

 nature of which none but those who have duly considered 

 the subject can form any idea. The facility with which 

 seedling plants are raised, and the paternal fondness with 

 which people are apt to regard their own seedlings, have 

 occasioned hundreds of names to appear in the various 

 catalogues, which tend not a little to swell the large and 

 increasing list of fruits. 



In many instances, the English, French, Spanish, and 

 other names, provisional, local, and barbarous, are given to 

 the same variety, consequently some fruits appear in the 

 different catalogues under all the varied names ; and the 

 patience and labour necessarily requisite for ascertaining 

 which are really distinct varieties, and which are most 

 worthy of cultivation, are correspondingly great. 



In making out the descriptive lists, I have generally 

 adopted the names given in the catalogue of Mr. Michael 

 Floy, of the Harlem Nursery, as a heading; and have 

 caused the synonymes, or names by which the same variety 

 is known, or has been called, to be printed in italics ; thus, 

 my lists of about 300 varieties of the various species of fruit, 

 will embrace what has been deemed by some as different 

 varieties, perhaps to the number of a thousand* 



