VI 



PREFACE 



show what the trend of evolution has been with this or that vegetable; (5) To 

 indicate the relationships of both species and varieties. 



The chief value of the three volumes of The Vegetables of New York lies in 

 the discussion of varieties. In the descriptions of all of the varieties, the aim is 

 to give as tersely as possible an idea of all the characters of the varieties described. 

 With very few exceptions technical descriptions of varieties are original and are 

 made by those who have taken an active part in the preparation of this book. 

 All of the vegetables having full descriptions have been grown on the Station 

 grounds, with the exception of a few sorts of historical interest, but, whenever 

 possible, specimens and varieties from this locality have been compared with 

 those growing elsewhere. 



Far less prominence is given to synonyms for leading varieties in these volumes 

 on vegetables than in any of the books on fruits which have preceded ; since syno- 

 nyms for vegetables are many times greater than for most fruits. The synonyms 

 will be found, not under each variety as in the fruit books, but collected for groups 

 of varieties and printed but once, in small type, at the end of the chapter on 

 descriptions of varieties. In the main, only such references are given as are of 

 use to the writers or thought to be of possible use to some future student of the 

 vegetable in hand. 



The botany of some of the vegetables discussed is very complex, not well 

 agreed upon by botanical writers, and in some cases impossible to set forth at this 

 late date in the evolution of vegetables. The Vegetables of New York is to be 

 considered, as were the fruit books, a horticultural rather than a botanical work. 

 Yet it is the desire of the authors to set forth the botany of each vegetable as 

 thoroughly as may be. It will be a disappointment if the botanical discussions 

 do not simplify and make plainer the botany of many vegetables. 



Varieties of vegetables in The Vegetables of New York are being described 

 with other ends in view than identification and statement of value to the cultivator. 

 In particular, it is the desire of the authors that the characters of all of the varieties 

 described be so set forth that the plant breeder may make use of the descriptions. 

 It is supposed, as a working thesis at any rate, that plants have characters, call 

 them elementary-characters or unit-characters as you will, which are more or less 

 independent entities thrown into various relationships with each other in the 

 varieties of species. Thus, before the plant breeder may say, " We must combine 

 such and such characters in varieties and species," he must know what these 

 characters are. 



In the preparation of the present installment of The Vegetables of New 

 York, the names of those who have taken part in the work appear on the title page. 

 Changes and additions to these names will be made in prefaces to subsequent 

 parts. This statement of authorship, however, does not do justice to one of them, 

 F. H. Hall, who, from start to finish, in the field and in seeing the publication 

 through the press, has taken a leading part. The writer, as senior author, can 

 claim little more credit than for the conception of the work, plans for presenting 

 material, oversight of illustrations, and for the brief chapters on the history of 

 the pea. 



U. P. HEDRICK 



December 28, 1928 



