NOMENCI.ATTJRB. 37 



a particular variation in any fruit. This variation may be 

 in regard to size, or flavor, or color, or season, or some quality 

 of the tree, or of any well marked character. The essential 

 point in pomological nomenclature is to make such use of 

 names that error, confusion and ambiguity may not through 

 them creep into science. 



LiMiTATioiirs OF A NoMENCLATUKE. — ^A system of names im- 

 poses restraint and this to some is burdensome and unendurable. 

 There is and wiirbe no want of pomologists who will not follow 

 any system of naming fruits. This will always mean more or 

 less confusion. Again, it is more than likely that pomologists 

 will never wholly agree upon all the rules in any system. This 

 means that there miist be concessions, incongruities and faults 

 in whatever set of rules are in use. There will always be those 

 too, who will indulge themselves in a nomenclature of their 

 own, regardless of any generally accepted system, merely for the 

 novelty of so doing. 



The conduct of those who willfully violate the rules of nomen- 

 clature, or who in ignorance do so, is highly reprehensible. It 

 can afford no advantage whatever and creates unnecessary diffi- 

 culties in the science, and in the practice as well, of fruit- 

 growing. If all will conform to some set of laws much uncer- 

 tainty of knowledge will be avoided, and the progress of the 

 science and art will be materially greater. 



UwiVEESAL EUI.ES IN THE !N"OMENCLATUEE OE SciEWCE. 



There are some universally recognized rules, written and un- 

 written, governing nomenclature in all sciences that scarcely 

 find place in a code and yet should be in force. For example 

 it is well recognized by all that no set of rules should be arbi- 

 trary nor imposed by absolute authority. Again, rules must 



