PREFACE. Vll 



dueled from its commencement, has been to ingraft and iuo- 

 culate (vomjruit bearing trees; and in order to systematize 

 this course as much as possible, the proprietor, many years 

 since, commenced the planting of a Horticultural Orchard, 

 to contain one tree of each variety of fruit, for the double 

 purpose of ascertaining precisely the characters of each, and 

 of affording grafts, whose identity could be relied on, as the 

 common cusiom pursued by Nurseries of ingrafting from 

 young trees not yet in bearing, has been found attended with 

 so many objections and uncertainties. This course, so obvi- 

 ously necessary in every well regulated establishment, is now 

 pursued with all the new fruits that are obtained from dif- 

 ferent quarters of the world, the number of which at present 

 is very great. Nothing can be. more absurd than the idea, 

 that any respectable Nursery would intentionally commit 

 inaccuracies, as thereby it must inevitably destroy the very 

 foundation of its success. An error, however, committed in 

 Europe, may be perpetuated here for some years ere the 

 tree produce its fruit, and there is consequently great neces- 

 sity to be careful in the selection of the source whence these 

 fruits are obtained. The proprietor has been most particu- 

 larly attentive to this point ; and as every de/iarttnent of /lis 

 A^ursery is under the personal attention of himself and his 

 sons, he feels that he may confidently guai antee the identity 

 and correctness of all the trees sent from his establish- 

 ment ; as all the fruit trees are inoculated under their most 

 careful supervision, and every tree that is expedited is se- 

 lected and packed under their own eyes. And he has only 

 further to say, that should any error inadvertently arise, it 

 will be rectified with perfect cheerfulness, and full amends 

 made for any inconvenience or delay. 



In the introduction of the products of foreign countries, 

 the proprietor does net intend to confine himself to those 

 alone which may yield pecuniary benefit to himself, but to 

 obtain from the various parts of the world every tree or 

 plant which may promise to yield any national benefit; it 

 being his object to make his establishment a national repo- 

 sitory of every thing useful or interesting in Botany, both as 

 regards Horticulture, Manufactories, or Scientific Experi- 

 ments. 



In the boianic nomenclature of the trees and plants, the pro- 

 prietor has taken for a guide the generally approved names 

 of Linnaeus ; and, for those cf more recent discovery, he has 

 been guided by Wildenow, Michaux, Pursh,and some other 



