Pomological Rules. 123 
POMOLOGICAL RULES. 
The Genesee Valley Horticultural Society, the Buffalo Horti- 
cultural Society, and the Albany and Rensselaer Horticultural 
Society, have each, at their winter meetings held in the month of 
February, adopted the Rules of Pomology, as adopted by the 
State Agricultural Society, and published in our last No. These 
are the prominent and best known Horticultural Societies in the 
state of New York, and we hope that all other Horticultural and 
Agricultural Associations in the state, will also adopt them; we 
will then have an uniform system for the state of New York, and 
a system that can and will be adhered to by both originators and 
describers of new varieties of fruits. This is a subject to which 
far too little of public attention has heretofore been given; and a 
subject too, which well deserves that which it is now receiving from 
societies and individuals. The want of such a set of rules is felt every 
day by those who are making collections or planting out orchards, 
as well as by the public generally, and the benefit to be derived 
from, them can be readily appreciated by all. 
We cheerfully give place to the following communication, pre- 
mising, however, that we did not mean it to be understood, that 
" Downing's Fruit and Fruit Trees " should not be the standard 
authority in classifying, &c., but that it should not be imperative, 
in order to establish the name of any 7iew variety of fruit, to re- 
ceive the sanction of that work. 
Editor American Journal: 
Sir — From an article on Pomology in your February No., a 
remark is make in regard to the rules of the State Society, on 
page 85, in relation to the difference between these rules and the 
rules adopted by some Horticultural Societies, as follows: that in 
the 13th rule (of the Horticultural Societies,) " Downings's Fruit 
and Fruit Trees is made the standard authority. Thus it will be 
perceived that the name of no new fruit could, by the adoption of 
these rules, be considered established, unless sanctioned by the 
editors of one or the other of the two implied journals, and named 
work above," alluding to Downing's Fruit and Fruit Trees. What 
has Downing's Fruit and Fruit Trees to do with the names of new 
fruit ? 
The following resolution of the State Society, adopted March 
11th, 1847, is still the rule of the society; and by publishing this 
you will place the matter right before the readers of your Journal. 
*^ Resolved, That the work entitled "The Fruit and Fruit Trees 
of America, by A. J. Downing," be the established authority of 
the New York State Agricultural Society, in classifying the va- 
rieties and nomenclature of fruits in our future exhibitions. J. 
