429 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and the author the answers. This work is valuable, and the descrip- 

 tions and outline drawings of fruits by the author alike give evidence 

 of first-hand observation. Of special note is the treatment of the 

 cherries, for which Grenoble has long been famous. The volume on 

 pears is occupied largely with cultural matter, those described being a 

 selected list. 



Good as this work was, it was overshadowed by the masterly 

 " Dictionnaire de Pomologie " of ANDR LEROY, of which the publication 

 was begun in 1867 and continued until 1879. Up to this time no such 

 work had been published, and its treatment of certain points, such as, 

 for example, historical references, make it even to-day a mine of in- 

 formation not to be found elsewhere. The descriptions of the fruits 

 are not quite so full as those of the " Pomologie de la France " above 

 referred to, but they are precise and generally sufficient. Outline 

 drawings are given of each fruit, and often, where the variety 

 is variable, two typical forms. Some idea of the extent of the work 

 will be given by the following figures of fruits described : Pears, 915 ; 

 apples, 525 ; peaches, 124 ; apricots, 43 ; cherries, 127. A volume 

 on plums was in preparation, but the author's death prevented its 

 publication. A very valuable feature is a reference under each variety 

 to the authors who have previously described it. It is therefore 

 possible to see at once the history of the fruit and to refer to the first 

 record of the name. Another feature of great value is the addition of 

 an historical sketch of each kind of fruit, showing in a most interesting 

 manner the development, for instance, of the pear from Roman times 

 to the present day. We may perhaps demur to a tendency to identify 

 certain of our oldest fruits with those of Roman authors, as this, owing 

 to the vague descriptions of those days, must be largely a matter of 

 guesswork. These details and the elaborate and critical histories of 

 each variety are the remarkable features of this invaluable work. A 

 useful bibliography is to be found in the last volume. 



The last of the great French systematic school was ALPHONSE MAS, 

 who was born at Lyon in 1817. His life was entirely devoted to the 

 study of fruit, and his garden at Bourg contained probably one of the 

 finest collections of fruits ever gathered together in one place. His 

 first book was " Le Verger, ou Histoire, Culture et Description des 

 Varietes de Fruits le plus generalement connus " (8 vols. 8vo., Paris, 

 Masson, no date, probably 1865-1874). It is entirely descriptive, 

 and coloured plates are given of each fruit. These plates are of fair 

 merit, the fruit alone being depicted. The great value of this work, 

 however, lies in the remarkable descriptions. Wood, flowers, and 

 leaves are all described with the greatest precision. MAS had a skill 

 approaching genius for finding the happy word in this matter, and his 

 remarks on the character of the tree as a whole are wonderfully 

 suggestive. References are given to previous descriptions and to 

 synonyms, but the historical notes are few and curt. A combina- 

 tion of this work and of the " Dictionnaire " of LEROY would make an 

 ideal pomology. All hardy fruits are described except bush fruits, 



