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Annals of Horticulticre. 



2. Catalogue of American Kitchen Garden Vegetables, 



A LIST OF THE VEGETABLES, EXCLUSIVE OF MEDICINAL HERBS, 

 OFFERED FOR SALE IN NORTH AMERICA IN 1 889, WITH REVIS- 

 ION OF THE NAMES BY THE COMMITTEE ON NOMENCLATURE 

 OF VEGETABLES APPOINTED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN 

 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES AND EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Statement of the Committee on Nomenclature. — The commit- 

 tee, in revising the names of American vegetables, has labored 

 upon the principle that "a name is bestowed upon any plan* 

 solely for the purpose of designating it." In other words, ii 

 has endeavored to make every name as short and simple as 

 possible, and yet avoid confusion. It has been thought best 

 in this list to keep separate all names which have been inde- 

 pendently applied to varieties, and, therefore, no attempt has 

 been made to determine synonyms. The five rules governing 

 the form of the name, adopted by this committee, have formed 

 the basis of all changes. These rules are : i. The name of a 

 variety should consist of a single word, or at most of two words. 

 A phrase, descriptive or otherwise, is never allowable. 2. The 

 name should not be superlative or bombastic. 3. If a grower 

 or dealer has procured a new select strain of a well-known 

 variety, it shall.be legitimate for him to use his own name in 

 connection with the established name of the variety. 4. When 

 personal names are given to varieties, titles should be omitted. 

 5. The term hybrid should not be used, except in those rare 

 instances in which the variety is known to be of hybrid origin. 



It is impossible to make all published names of vegetables 

 conform to the above rules. The rules are of necessity ideal ; 

 they are particularly designed to control the making of new 

 names rather than for the reformation of old ones. The com- 

 mittee has made all changes thoughtfully, and yet it is aware 

 that its work may be often open to objection. In such cases 

 it desires the aid of any honest criticism. In the application 

 of the code, many minor rules have been drawn, but there 

 are many instances in which no rule or precedent could apply, 

 and purely arbitrary decisions were necessary. The following 

 minor rules will explain the attitude of the committee : 1. In 

 all the revisions the committee has simply modified the exist- 

 ing names ; no new words have been introduced. / 2. So far 

 as practicable, it has selected for the proper name the oi>e 



