SOMETHING NEW. 147 



ture. a considerable portion of which might be 

 saved if the purchaser possessed a general knowl- 

 edge of what it is reasonable to expect in a new 

 variety. For want of this information it is the 

 poor farmer as a rule, who can least afford a loss, 

 who meets with the most disastrous failures when 

 he does begin to experiment. These failures arise, 

 not only from his own ignorance, but too often also 

 from the fact that this ignorance is taken advan- 

 tage of by the dishonesty of others, who induce 

 him to purchase plants or seeds which the seller 

 knows to be worthless. Occasionally also, it must 

 be added, the cupidity of the buyer as well as his 

 laudable desire for gain, is utilized by the better 

 informed seller to his own loss. 



It is no proper part of this discussion to expose 

 or denounce fraud, and if fraudulent practices are 

 here mentioned in connection with others it is only 

 to show the practical di£S.culties to be met in the 

 purchase of new varieties. 



One of the most frequent sources of error in the 

 purchase of plants and seeds lies in the midti- 

 plicity of names which exists. To one who has not 

 particularly considered the subject a new name is 

 generally supposed to mean something entirely 

 different from anything before known. Such is 

 rarely the case. The " types," as they are called, 

 even of cultivated plants, are comparatively few, 



