116 NAMES AND SYNONYMS. 



NAMES AND SYNONYMS. When more than one name for 

 a single variety has been widely known, it has been the aim 

 of the author to select the one most commonly used. For 

 this reason, those adopted in Downing's " Fruits and Fruit 

 Trees of America," have in nearly all cases been retained, 

 a work more extensively circulated than any of a similar 

 character. 



It happens, in some instances, that the original or correct 

 name may have been for a long time partly or wholly thrown 

 aside and a new one substituted ; thus, William's Bonchre- 

 tien has given way to the name Bartlett ; Pomme Royal to 

 Dyer ; Epargne to Jargonelle ; Williams to William's 

 Favorite. In such cases, it can be hardly proper to tax the 

 whole community to make a change, to rectify the error of 

 an individual ; and the more common name has been 

 retained. A pomological writer, like the compiler of a dic- 

 tionary, should confine himself as nearly as practicable 

 to general usage, and not to the manufacture of new names. 

 Old and popular names, as Bough and Pennock, have hence 

 been preferred to the newer ones of Large Yellow Bough 

 and Pennock's Red Winter. 



In a few instances, however, to prevent mistake or con- 

 fusion, it becomes necessary to choose the appellation the 

 less widely known. Preference is also given to English 

 names. Thus, the example of Downing has been followed 

 in the adoption of such names as Blue Gage, Purple Gage, 

 and Echassery, as used by Lindley, instead of Azure 

 Hative, Reine Claude Violette, and Echasserie, by Thomp- 

 son. The course pursued with foreign names is more fully 

 explained on a future page. 



Cases of difficulty occur where usage differs with a 

 change of locality. The fruit known as the Butter pear 

 of Pennsylvania, the Virgalieu of New York, and the St. 

 Michael of New England, evidently requiring a general 

 name, the original European appellation of White Doyenne 

 has been chosen. The Ortley or White Detroit apple, fur- 

 nishes a similar case. Decisions can hardly be satisfactory 

 to all parties, however carefully opposing claims may have 

 been weighed ; and the voice of the public at large can 

 only finally settle such disputed questions. 



