PREFACE 



AT the time when the first edition of this Catalogue was pub- 

 lished, in 1826, it was considered that the progress which had 

 then been made in determining the qualities and synonyms, and 

 in settling the nomenclature of Fruits, was not such as to justify 

 the Society in attempting more than a mere list of their names. 

 The subsequent experience of five years has so considerably 

 diminished the difficulties which were then supposed to exist, 

 that the Council have at length found themselves authorized in 

 ordering the preparation of that which is now laid before the 

 public. 



The plan which has been adopted on this occasion is as 

 follows ; 



1. The arrangement of the varieties of each species, and also 

 of the species themselves, is alphabetical according to the names 

 in common use, and not according to those of Botanists. For 

 example, Currants and Gooseberries are placed respectively in 

 the order of the letters C and G, and not under the collective 

 term Ribes, as was the case in the last Catalogue. 



2. The names arranged under each species consist both of 

 those which are retained and of their synonyms ; but these are 

 distinguished by the former being numbered and printed in 

 Roman characters, and by the latter being without numbers and 

 in Italic characters. In order to render this part of the Cata- 

 logue the more useful, the synonyms are introduced twice ; both 

 in their alphabetical position, when the name to which they 

 properly belong is referred to, and also immediately following 

 the names that are adopted in preference : but in the latter case 

 they are printed more to the right than any other names. The 

 Catalogue will thus shew at a glance not only of what adopted 

 name any other is a synonym, but also what all the synonyms are 

 of every adopted name. 



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