. 
PR ee ee 
The pomologists and fruit growers of this country have long felt 
the want of a comprehensive publication on the nomenclature of culti- 
vated fruits. 
The standard American authors of pomological works have dealt 
mostly with select lists of varieties, naming and describing only those 
possessing qualities that commended them to the several writers, and 
which were, therefore, considered worthy of a place in their respective 
volumes. These authors have not invariably given preference to the 
same leading name foravariety. There are numerous instances where 
a variety appears under a particular name in the publication of one 
author, while it is referred to as a synonym or is entirely omitted by 
another writer. 
For fully fifty years the American Pomological Society has dili- 
gently and intelligently labored for a correct and uniform nomencla- 
ture of fruits, but it has been hampered by lack of means and facilities 
for accomplishing more than a limited amount of this work. Under 
the auspices of the Division of Pomology of the Department of Agri- 
culture, a dozen years ago the veteran pomologist Mr. T. T. Lyon, 
of South Haven, Mich., was appointed a special agent to carry forward 
this laudable work. At his death the work was undertaken by Mr. 
W. H. Ragan, of Greencastle, Ind., a man equally versed in fruits, 
and one who possessed natural qualifications, a long experience in 
pomology, and a national reputation in fruit nomenclature. He has 
carried this work well forward toward completion so far as it relates 
to the apple, and it gives me pleasure to offer to the fruit growers 
of the country the only approximately complete and elaborate cata- 
logue of the nomenclature of apples thus far published. 
It is the present intention to follow this with similar catalogues of 
other cultivated fruits. 
G. B. Brackett, 
Pomologist. 
OFFICE OF THE PoMOLOGIST, 
Washington, D. C., January 4, 1904. 
