HORTICULTURAL NOMENCLATURE. 499 



which would hardly pass as such in the murky atmosphere 

 of the sootiest town. The horticulturist, even of our own 

 time, too often gives the reins to fancy, and after reading 

 some of our plant catalogues one would almost think that 

 the days of bright blue Roses and luscious out-of-door 

 Grapes had at length arrived. It may be pleasant enough, 

 and sometimes temporarily profitable, to give the reins to 

 fancy, when the practice not only amuses the mind but at 

 the same time fills the pockets of the performer. But 

 there is a large and increasing class of amateur gardeners 

 in the community matter-of-fact people to whom this 

 method of proceeding is obnoxious. There is delusion in 

 it. The purchaser acts, hopes, realises, and is disap- 

 pointed. The object has not fairly answered to the 

 character given of it. We do not accuse the giver of these 

 highly-coloured names of wilful exaggeration. The cul- 

 ture of flowers is not exactly that matter-of-fact occupa- 

 tion which some would represent it to be. There is poetry 

 in it, and the ruddy glow of imagination will often 

 unconsciously tinge the objects over which it delights 

 to hover ; but if the names are applied with a poet's 

 license, the descriptions should at least be precise, definite, 

 and truthful. If horticulture is to become a science to the 

 few, and remain a source of recreation to the many, 

 its votaries must remember that even in poetry, and 

 certainly in actual life, the imagination must be restrained 

 within due bounds, or the results will be neither intellig- 

 ible nor satisfactory. 



But these are not the only points on which reform is 

 needed in the nomenclature of plants and flowers. Where 

 is the cultivator who would not rejoice to see the long 

 French names of Roses and other plants reduced to a state 

 in which they might be spelt, pronounced, and understood 

 by all? Could not the nurseryman into whose hands 

 these novelties first pass, translate such names as are 

 translatable, and re-christen others? for many of such 

 names are at present a mere jumble of unintelligible 



