Vlll PREFACE. 



more than remark, that the interest evident in the establishment of 

 journals devoted almost wholly to its cause ; the fact that no news- 

 paper is now counted of value without being more or less occupied 

 with matter relating to the orchard ; the universal growing desire of 

 every one who has ground of his own to plant thereon trees and vines 

 productive of luscious fruits all speak volumes illustrative of the 

 extent which the subject holds in the minds of our energetic, ambi- 

 tious, persevering people. 



And here I must be permitted to record my tribute to the memory 

 of A. J. Downing, to whom the pomologists, the fruit-growers, the 

 nation, owe more than to any one man yet existent ; by and through 

 whose work on the " Fruits of America," the advocates of nomencla- 

 ture received the first bold stand, and in a way which has led to extri- 

 cation of much that was previously in state of confusion ; to whose 

 graceful, easy, attractive, yet bold manner of writing, is owing 

 much of the care and attention, culture and embellishment, of and 

 through tree, plant, and flower, of the homes of Americans. 



This work has been commenced and completed more at the sug- 

 gestion and request of friends than from any feeling of my own 

 ability ; and, while I have endeavored to avoid error, I yet feel that 

 numerous corrections will have, in subsequent editions, to be made ; 

 this, partly, from omission and commission, consequent on one's first 

 work, and partly from the constant state of advancement in pomo- 

 logy. And as it is intended to revise and correct it as soon as the 

 cause demands, I shall consider myself, and the cause, indebted to 

 those gentlemen who in reviewing it may observe errors, if they 

 will communicate the same to me. 



To the following gentlemen, who have kindly furnished me with 

 notes, descriptive of their experience, or of varieties or specimens 

 of fruits, by which I have the better been enabled to prepare this 

 work, I sincerely tender my acknowledgments : 



In Massachusetts, to Messrs. M. P. Wilder and C. M. Hovey, 

 Boston ; Samuel Walker, Roxbury ; B. V. French, Braintree ; 

 Robert Manning and J. M. Ives, Salem. 



In New York, to Messrs. Chas. Downing, Newburg ; S. B. Parsons, 

 Flushing; P. Barry and Geo. Ellwanger, Rochester; John J. 



