1921.] The Nomenclature of Agricultural Plants. 169 



Eed Clover, Cowgrass, Giant Cowgrass, Perennial Red Clover, 

 Cow Clover, Single-Cut Cowgrass, Double-Cut Cow Clover, Late- 

 flowering Red Clover (and probably others) appear to be us< d 

 very much according to the taste and fancy of the user."* There 

 is also much confusion arising out of the promiscuous use of 

 the term " Wild white clover." 



Vegetables. — In the case of vegetables it is probable that the 

 " orgy of synonyms " is more marked than in any other group 

 of plants. Of the thousands of names of peas at present on 

 the market there are probably less than 100 varieties, and 

 these in turn include probably less than 20 types. Cabbages, 

 turnips and beans also suffer from a multitude of unnecessary 

 names. 



Potatoes. — For more concrete evidence, it will now only be 

 necessary to describe the state of affairs where potatoes are 

 concerned. Here one is on safe ground, for, as stated above, 

 this is the only crop which has been systematically and 

 authoritatively dealt with in relation to synonymity. 



As a result of the widespread importance attached by all 

 those interested in the potato crop to the Ministry of Agricul- 

 ture's annual trials for Immunity from Wart Disease held at 

 Ormskirk, perhaps nowhere in the world are such a great 

 number of varieties grown in such a limited area or under 

 such uniform conditions. In 1915 the late Mr. John Snell, 

 M.B.E., B.Sc, started to make records of synonymous 

 varieties sent for test, and, since 1919, annual reports have 

 been published on this subject, ft In the 1919 report! 

 Mr. Snell suggested the several ways in which synonyms 

 could arise, viz. : — 



(1) The re-naming of varieties for trade purposes. 



(2) The giving of a new name to a selection from an old 

 variety, even though the selection may be indistinguish- 

 able from the variety. 



(3) The propagation and naming of promising " rogues " 

 found in fields of another variety, on the assumption 

 that they are " sports " or " mutations." 



(4) The stock of a new variety passing into the hands of 

 two different introducers, each of whom names it. 



* Report on A Survey of the Principal Seed -Growing Counties of Kn^hind, 

 Wales and Scotland (to i>e issued shortly by the Ministry of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries). 



-(-Supplement No. 18 to the Journal of the Board of' Aqriculturr, March. 

 1019. 



^Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Miscf Uam-ona Publications, 

 No. 28. 



