Vlll PR El- ACE 



evidence. There is, in a word, so much to con- 

 fuse, mislead and deceive, that he who shall pre- 

 sent to the fruit-grovrer, a key to these conflicting 

 claims and- representations, giving, in words of 

 truth and soberness, a just and concise statement 

 of what may be relied on as fact, in regard to the* 

 value and names of such fruits as are really and 

 honestly known to be worthy of acceptation and 

 confidence, — that man will have done a good 

 w^ork, and should be welcomed of all men as a 

 benefactor, in a field where ignorance is attended 

 Avith innumerable mischievous cc^sequences, and 

 '<vhere doubt is about as fatal as ignorance. 



There have been several praiseworthy laborers 

 in this inviting field, and all with more or less 

 fault and excellence, more or less accuracy and 

 error — the result, perhaps, of too much haste in 

 compilation, and too great confidence in mistaken 

 and interested testimony. None haA^e seemed 

 exactly to fill the purpose desired ; and the want 

 of a new and more competent work, in the shape 

 of a concise and reliable hand-book, was very 

 generally experienced, and w^idely and rej^eatcdly 

 expressed. A work was needed less voluminous 

 and less diffusive, based upon the authentic ex- 



