Rule 3 is suggestive rather than mandatory. It, too, is a very 

 wholesome rule, but finds honor in the breach perhaps oftener than 

 in the observance. We are, however, improving visibly in this 

 matter, and it may not be too much to expect that the future will 

 show a still more rapid advancement. It may be proper here to 

 call attention to an interpretation of this rule which has frequent 

 application in the names of fruits. Such names as Scott's Winter, 

 Crawford's Early, Peck's Pleasant, etc., are now usually revised to 

 read Scott Winter, Crawford Early, Peck Pleasant. Such names as 

 Murphy's Surprise, Beaty's Choice and Holt's Seedling need still 

 further revision The first one might be called Murphy or Surprise, 

 or an entirely new name might reasonably be given. The second 

 should be changed to Beaty or be renamed, and the last one become 

 simply Holt. The publications of the American Pomological Society 

 and of the Department of Agriculture have set a good example in this 

 direction which it is not difficult to follow. 



Rule 4 is introduced in a sort of hesitating tone, as though a con- 

 flict of names on the ground of priority were a very unusual or deli- 

 cate matter, yet this is likely to be the rule of most importance in the 

 whole code, and it is one w r hich will certainly be appealed to with 

 greater frequency and fuller confidence as we go forward in a more 

 scientific pursuit of pomological knowledge. We know that an old 

 variety which has not two or three names is an exception, but in decid- 

 ing among a number of names for a given fruit, choice will rest oftener 

 upon priority than upon any other ground. In fact priority is almost 

 an absolute test in such cases. Any other consideration must be of 

 the most obvious sort to justify the substitution of one name for 

 another; but the first correct name correctly given to a variety must 

 stand. 



The rule of priority as here set forth, however, covers only half 

 the ground. It applies to any case in which one variety has two 

 names. But it is not at all uncommon to find one name doing duty 

 for two varieties. It is evident that in such cases the name belongs 



