38 
AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
nurserymen, who know little even of the common standard varieties; and 
finding such growing in old orchards, and the owners not knowing the names, 
the varieties are often propagated and sold under new names; thus giving 
rise to almost innumerable synonyms, especially so of very popular varieties. 
The same variety thus going under so many names, frequently causes 
planters to set many more of certain kinds than they intended, or than are 
profitable to them. 
There are many other channels through which poor and erroneous names 
become attached to varieties, not necessary to enumerate here. What is of 
more importance to know is, how we can best revise and control horticul- 
tural names. 
After studying the problem considerably, the following appear to me the 
best and most efficient means: Place the whole matter in the hands of the 
Divisions of Pomology, Forestry, Agrostology, Botany, Seed Distribution, 
and other sections of the Department of Agriculture, having to do with hor- 
ticultural affairs. There is large room for revision, and much need of control 
over names of vegetables, flowers, shrubs, etc., which go out annually to the 
people. But I must confine my attention here to pomology. Can we not 
secure action on the part of the Secretary of Agriculture, to direct the pomolo- 
gist to prepare a thoroughly exhaustive descriptive catalogue of all American 
varieties used in horticulture and especially in pomology? 
This should be known as the legally authorized National Pomological 
Catalogue. 
At the head of each description should be the legalized name in bold type, 
which all nursery catalogues published in the country should be required 
thereafter to use in designating such variety when offering for sale, before 
they could circulate through the mails. Below should be the list of synonyms 
of the variety which have been used, stating as well as possible, where each 
is mostly known. 
A system of outline illustrations, or better, half-tone cuts, where allowable, 
giving the special features best identifying each variety, should be used in 
connection with the text descriptions. 
An appendix list to include new varieties and corrections should be added 
each year. 
The National Catalogue should be kept perpetually in stock, at all experi- 
ment stations, and supplied at cost to all applicants. 
Then, the various States should enact laws, with penalties attached, for 
violation, prohibiting any person or persons, from offering for sale varieties 
under over-drawn descriptions and illustrations to such an extent that it is 
clear that such are designedly deceptive; and in case of varieties described 
in the National Catalogue, the use of the authoritative name should be 
required as the correct name, in connection with the sale of the varieties both 
in tree and fruit. 
.In the case of new varieties, Congress should require that before they can 
be disseminated through the mails and interstate channels of commerce, 
they must be submitted to the Pomologist for description and recording of 
name, which must appear in that year’s report of the Division. 
It would seem that the correct name of a fruit could be legally required 
to be attached in its sale, as well as in the case of butter, oleomargarine, etc. 
Whether or not it is practical to secure and carry out these legal enactments 
successfully, I leave wiser heads to decide. 
The creation, however, of the “National Descriptive Catalogue,” and keep- 
ing it up to date and well distributed, would undoubtedly go far toward cor- 
