154 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Scitcnninece. — Bananas. 

 Bromeliacece. — Pineapples. 



Of the fruits named we shall only deal here with a few examples of 

 those which include numerous varieties and present exceptional difficulties 

 in their classification or determination. The late Dr. Hogg's systems 

 are those analysed and explained. They embody all the best observa- 

 tions of the pomologists who preceded him, and nothing more efficient has 

 appeared since. During a period of some years I had ample oppor- 

 tunities for studying the working of the various systems under their 

 author's guidance. He was fully conscious of the imperfections which 

 always to some extent mar the usefulness of such methods, and some of 

 them would no doubt have been modified by further experience. During 

 the past ten years I have had exceptional means for closely investigating 

 the systems detailed in the last edition of the " Fruit Manual " ; thousands 

 of fruits have been examined and compared, and upon these observations 

 the following remarks are founded. 



Grapes (European). — Vitis vinifera. 



(American). — Vitis Labrusca. 

 The characters which are most available in these fruits for classifica- 

 tion purposes are the shape of the berries, the colour, and the flavour. 

 For instance, two large groups can be formed : 



1. Berries globular. 



2. Berries oval. 



Each of these is subdivided into three sections, according to the colour 

 of the skin : 



A. Black or purple. 



B. Eed or tawny. 



C. White, yellow, or green. 



Two groups have been formed in each of these sections, determined by 

 the flavour, namely, " Muscats " and "Non-muscats." This is the weak- 

 est part of the system, for there are some varieties which cannot be 

 conveniently classed in that manner. The alternative is to devote a 

 separate classification to all the true Muscats, founded upon the principles 

 set out, and then the final subdivisions would not be required. This 

 appears more simple and preferable. It is practically that followed by 

 Mr. A. F. Barron in his work on " Vines and Vine Culture," as he 

 classed European Grapes in three divisions : 



1. Sweetwater Grapes. 



2. Muscat Grapes. 



3. Vinous Grapes. 



The characters of form and colour are then available for the sub- 

 divisions, an arrangement which has much in its favour. 



Almonds. Primus Amygdalus. — There are not many varieties to deal 

 with here, and the characters relied upon have been the constitution of 

 the fruit, as (1) a thin spongy husk, and (2) a thick succulent husk, for 

 the main divisions ; the flavour of the kernels, i.e. sweet or bitter, being 

 taken for the secondary groups, as well as the consistency of the shell, 

 namely, u hard and woody," or " soft and tender." With regard to the 



