PREFACE. v 



reasons ; by far the greater part, although eatable, are not fit for 

 cultivation as fruit ; such are Hawthorns, Brambles, and Whor- 

 tleberries, which ought only to be found in an enumeration of 

 Trees and Shrubs ; others can scarcely be considered eatable at 

 all, as Viburnums and many of the American grapes ; and a 

 third class is cultivated in this country for the flowers rather 

 than the fruit, as the Orange tribe. But what has chiefly caused 

 the omission of the latter, and of other tender fruits, has been 

 that in the present state of the Garden there are no means of 

 cultivating them with a view either to fruiting or to distribution. 

 To this there is only one exception in the Purple Guava or 

 Psidium Cattleianum, which occupies a permanent situation in 

 one of the Vineries, where it bears abundantly. 



In conclusion, it is due to Mr. Robert Thompson, who has 

 the charge of the Fruit department in the Garden of the Society, 

 to state that the value of this Catalogue, whatever it may be, is 

 principally due to his assiduity and pomological knowledge. 



Regent-street, 

 Nov. 25, 1831. 



