ABOUT FRUITS, FLOWERS AND FARMING. 329 



SEEDLING IRUITS. 



ALREADY the varieties of hardy fruits have become so 

 numerous, that not only can they not all be cultivated, but 

 the mere list of names is too bulky to be printed. Down- 

 ing's book gives a list of 181 apples. The London Horti- 

 cultural Society's Catalogue, expurgated at that, gives 900 

 kinds of apples, and 1,500 have been tested in the Society's 

 gardens. Manning's experimental grounds and nursery at 

 the time of his death, contained 1,000 named varieties of 

 the pear ! Swollen as is the list, there are scores annually 

 added ; many under the advice of scientific bodies ; many 

 have popular approbation ; many from the partialities of 

 some parental nurseryman ; and many come in, as evil came 

 into this world, no one can tell how. 



It has become necessary, therefore, to exclude many from 

 the catalogue, and especially necessary that none should 

 enter without the very best passport. In the main, one set 

 of tests will serve, both for receiving and expurgating ; for 

 no matter how long a fruit has been on the list, it should be 

 ejected if, being out, its qualities would not gain it a fresh 

 admission. There are no hereditary rights, or rights of 

 occupancy, in poniological lists. 



Titles, rank, antiquity, pedigree and other merciful means 

 of compensating a want of personal merit, may do for men 

 but not for apples. A very glorious poniological reforma- 

 tion broke out in the London Horticultural Society's gar- 

 dens at Chiswick, and that Luther of the orchard, Mr. 

 Thompson, has abolished an astonishing number of sine- 

 cures, and reformed, if not worthless rotten boroughs, verv 

 worthless apples and pears. The Society's first catalogue 

 issued in 1826. Its third catalogue was published in De- 

 erinher of 1842. The experience of the intervening six- 

 teen years led to the total rejection from their list, on the 

 ground of inferiority, or as" synonyms, of 600 varieties of 

 apples; 139 of cherries; 200 of gooseberries ; 82 of graphs, 



