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REPORT ON THE 



been properly authenticated. Of course the authenticator 

 might make a mistake, but in course of time the Committee 

 would be able to find out the mistake and correct it. In the 

 same way, let the names of garden plants be authenticated by a 

 proper person, or by a Committee acquainted with garden plants, 

 in the same way as botanists were supposed to be acquainted 

 with other plants. If this system of authentication, followed by 

 registration, were adopted, a great deal would be done towards 

 clearing up the confusion which existed in nomenclature. He 

 should be delighted to hear some remarks from Orchid growers 

 present, and must therefore ask the Conference to excuse him 

 for having intruded so long upon their attention. 



Mr. Exoch Harvey said Dr. Masters had cleared the ground 

 on one main point, in the distinction he had drawn between 

 botanical names and merely horticultural garden names. He 

 thought all must agree that the plan suggested was the right 

 one, namely, that fancy names should be given to mere varieties. 

 Every time a man grew a Carnation a little different from 

 others, he wished naturally to distinguish it and called it by a 

 fancy name. That was right enough. With regard to the dis- 

 tinguishing of species of botanical names, he thinks nothing can be 

 done at present. The time for that will be hereafter. Some 

 time it must arise. It seemed to him that during Dr. Lindley's 

 lifetime the present plan was the one to which everybody 

 bowed, but at present there was nothing to which everyone 

 bowed, and they had nothing to do with the principles 

 on which Dr. Lindley acted in the new names he gave 

 to new species. He thought some practical work might be 

 done in the direction Dr. Masters had just indicated. Some of 

 the varieties which were produced were so distinct and beautiful 

 that it was desirable that they should be distinguished ; but what 

 he urged was that there should be some competent authority 

 empowered to name them, and he would suggest that this 

 authority should be a Committee of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society, who should provide themselves with drawings, dried 

 plants, and a careful botanical description of any recognized 

 varieties, and to whom any person growing a specimen, and not 

 knowing to which variety to refer it, might apply for information. 

 This information might be supplied either without charge, or 

 on payment of a small fee. This would put an end to the plan 



