36 SYSTEMATIC POMOLOGY. 



II. 



NOMENCLATURE. 



All departments of human knowledge have a multitude of 

 -expressions and names peculiar to them. The great necessity 

 for general agreement in the choice of expressions and names 

 to designate certain things has brought about in all the sciences, 

 and in many other divisions of knowledge as well, a system of 

 names. Such a system of names constitutes the nomenclature 

 of a subject. In pomology the nomenclature includes the names 

 of varieties and groups of varieties. It should be distinguished 

 from glossology, a term, which properly used, refers to the 

 names of organs and their modifications. 



From the above definition it will be seen that nomenclature 

 is a broad subject. In the sense in which it is commonly used 

 by pomologists, that of determining the correct names of fruits, 

 it is an unlimited subject. It is not the purpose here to touch 

 upon the phase of nomenclature just mentioned in any way, 

 important though it is, but to limit the discussion to a very 

 brief consideration of principles and rules for the systematic 

 naming of plants. 



The Name. — The name of a variety of any fruit is a means 

 of distinguishing a definite, homogeneous group within the 

 species. Names of varieties' of fruits are of comparatively 

 recent origin and indicate a growth in fruit growing which 

 would be interesting to trace if space permitted. The practi- 

 cal use of a name, as defined above, is obvious, — it designates 



