372 Retrospective Criticism. 



adding to the existing confusion of the nomenclature, by a precipitate 

 reference of really distinct varieties to one common name." Surely the 

 compiler is adding to the " existing confusion," by inserting old and syno- 

 nymous names that were long ago decided, at the time when the fruits 

 were in actual cultivation, and that by men well conversant in practical 

 knowledge. I select the following instances of fruits repeated over again 

 under different names, and also of the inaccuracy of the synonyms, as they 

 stand in the catalogue : — 



The Apricots are divided into British and French. The Moor Park is said 

 to be the same as the Abricot Peche, and inserted twice under both names ; 

 but the Abricot Peche of Duhamel is not the Moor Park, and it is doubtful 

 if the Abricot de Nancy, or Wurtemburg, be the same. The Macule of the 

 French is a variety of the Abricot commun, and not the Blotched-leaved 

 Turkey, a name unknown to them. (See Duhamel.) The Royal and Royale 

 are the same; the Algiers and the Royal Orange are the same; so are the 

 Brown and Red Masculine. 



Of Cherries there is is a very confused list ; the 1 1 1 English sorts may be 

 reduced to about 50 or less. The Bigarreau and the Graffion are different 

 cherries. Why were not all the Duke Cherries, Hearts, &c, arranged 

 together in the same way as the Geans ? Where is it found that Trades- 

 cant's cherry is a Heart Cherry ? Parkinson, who first described it, says 

 no such thing. Among the French cherries are many English ones ; the 

 Montmorency a. Gros Fruit, Gros Gobet, and Gobet a Courte Queue, 

 are three distinct cherries. (See Noisette.) Fifteen German cherries are 

 added, or rather fifteen cherries with German names, among them Fraser's 

 Tartarian Cherry. Baron Truchsess, of Bettenberg, in Franconia, collected 

 all the cherries he could procure from Germany, France, England, &c, but 

 he could make out only 76 varieties ; and, as Calvel observes, " It would be 

 necessary to have a, jury of savans to fix the nomenclature." 



Of Figs 75 are enumerated. Here, again, we find both English and French 

 repeated under different names. The Blue Fig is the Violette of the French ; 

 the Marseilles, or PocockFig, is not the Marseilles of the French ; it scarcely 

 ripens in Provence, except on the sea coast, and certainly will not do 

 so here. The Lambeth Fig is probably the Small White Fig, or Versailles 

 Fig; the Black Provence is the Violette de Bourdeaux ; the White Malta 

 is the Angelique ; and the Large White, the Figue Blanche. 



The Peaches have been well done to hand by Lindley ; but here there are 

 transfers of names, which only tend to add to the existing confusion. The 

 Belle de Vitry, or Admirable Tardive of Duhamel, has been long considered 

 in England as the Late Admirable, but it appears that some nurserymen sell 

 the Royale for the Late Admirable, therefore the latter name is to take the 

 lead, and the Royale, one of the oldest peaches, to be found in a synonym. 

 The White Avant and the Red Avant are the White and Brown Nutmeg. 

 (.Mitf/cr.) The Vanguard is the.Noblesse of Switzer. What is meant by No. 128. 

 Pavie ? The French are now agreed to make the name Bellegarde a synonym 

 to the Galande, to prevent confusion; but here both the names are preserved 

 distinct. Alberge Jaune and Rosanna require elucidation, as neither French 

 nor English are agreed about them. Among the Nectarines, we find the com- 

 mon Elruge and the Elruge of Miller; they are both the same,forthe Elruge, 

 as described by Miller, does not exist, and must have been an error in copy- 

 ing for the press (a similar one occurs in his Lisle Peach) ; for there appears 

 to have been no other serrated-leaved nectarine at that time but the New- 

 ington. (See Langley'i, figure, and Switzer.) Miller made no alteration in 

 his descriptions after he first published in 1752. 



Of cultivated Plums 276 are enumerated. D'Avoine and Jaune Hative are 

 the same ; Azure Hative is supposed the same as the Blue Gage. The Ches- 

 ton Plum is the Blue Matchless; several of the old Damas and Damask 



