PEEFACE. 



THE word Pomology is practically synonymous with fruit-grow- 

 ing in its broad sense as given in Part I. But Systematic Pomology, 

 as now used, is confined to the classification and description of fruits, 

 and by usage it also includes the nuts. 



In the past hundreds of varieties have been described which are 

 not at this time known to our nursery lists or to those recommended 

 by the widely distributed State and District Horticultural Societies. 

 Charles Downing said in 1869: "If it were only necessary for me to 

 present for the acceptance of my readers a choice garland of fruits 

 comprising the few sorts that I esteem of the most priceless value, 

 the space and time occupied would be very brief." 



In our day the District, State, and National Horticultural Socie- 

 ties, together with growers and propagators, have been sifting the 

 old lists and now present for about every section and horticultural 

 district "the few sorts of most priceless value." Hence the plan 

 of this work is to include only the varieties recommended at this 

 time by societies and growers, including those of special value locally 

 so far as known and those on the trial lists of the horticulturists 

 of the Northwest and of the northern limits of successful fruit-growing. 



For the benefit of amateurs and beginners the relative hardiness 

 of varieties will be given with their adaptation so far as known 

 to given soils, exposures, and altitudes. The names of fruits will 

 be made to conform mainly to the code of the American Horticultural 

 Society, but the popular name and the synonyms will follow. 



Fruit lists and the classification and description of varieties are 

 used principally for reference in time of need in selecting varieties for 

 planting, and for determining the correctness of their names when 



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