THE CULTIVATOR. 
268 
Aua. 
of a character which would prevent its insertion 
here. As before remarked, it is impracticable to 
notice all the strange things in this boasted u vade 
mecum,” and many are passed over. I shall merely 
call attention to one or two more passages. 
Dr. Bennett attempts to show that in certain 
cases in-and-in breeding may be practiced “with 
perfect impunity.’ 7 These cases are where the 
breed is pure. Thus, he says,—“if the breed is 
,pure, as with the rabbit , you can breed close,’ 7 &c. 
Are all rabbits of one breed? Or if not, are all 
rabbits of 'pure breed? 
Under the head of “Preserving the Distinctive 
Breeds,” Dr. Bennett presents us with the follow¬ 
ing paradox: 
“When a fowl exhibits any special marks indica¬ 
tive of afl the races or breeds from which the cross 
originated, it is a sure evidence of extraordinary 
purity of blood, and of the superior excellence of 
the race.” [p. 201.] 
Now, if this “loose and indefinite use of terms,” 
does not “distract and confuse the inquirer,” it 
must, at least, excite in his mind both astonishment 
and disgust! “Special marks indicative of” a 
mixture of “races or breeds,” are “sure evidence 
of extraordinary purity of blood!!” If the above 
paragraph had appeared in the 11 Asylum Journal,” 
among specimens of the composition of insane per¬ 
sons, who would have regarded it as out of place? 
Or who can say that it is appropriate to any other 
place? 
The work closes with an appendix, which seems 
chiefly designed to show that some new light had 
been obtained in regard to fowls after the matter 
had been principally prepared. Thus the Chitta- 
gongs, with a description of which the book is com¬ 
menced, have became the “ Imperial” Chittagongs 
in the appendix. The closing paragraph indicates 
that we have not yet reached the*end of this hum- 
buggery and imposition. The credulous public is 
enjoined to hold fast, like the old woman who fired 
off - the musket containing seven charges, as “there 
are more to come yet.” 
“Subsequent editions of this work will be em¬ 
bellished with portraits from life, by the same dis¬ 
tinguished artist, F. A. Durivage, Esq., of my 
Pride of India fowl, from my own stock; my South 
American Eagle fowl, (a very rare and singular 
bird,) from the stock of J. Jacob Bower, Esq., of 
Baltimore, and now in the possession of Mr. Wil¬ 
liam Nickerson, of Plymouth ; the Java Game Fowl, 
from the stock of Mr. George C. Pierce, of Dan¬ 
vers; and numerous other rare and choice breeds, 
(a full history of sixty different breeds and vari¬ 
eties being promised by Mr. Bower alone;) and will 
contain an additional fund of practical matter from 
some of the best breeders in this and foreign coun¬ 
tries, with whom the author is in correspondence.” 
With this I leave Dr. Bennett’s “Poultry Book,” 
though not because all its ridiculous absurdities and 
palpable contradictions have been pointed out. The 
book abounds with those of similar character. If 
any apology is necessary for the space I have devo¬ 
ted to this extraordinary production, it is to be found 
in the fact, that people who have no opportunity of 
knowing, beforehand, the character of the work, 
are induced to purchase it. If my remarks shall 
tend to prevent the outlay of money for that 
which is, in many respects, worse than useless, they 
will, at least, do the public some service. Obser¬ 
ver. 
tCr* Beware of little expenses, a small leak will 
sink a great ship. 
fiortimltnral Skpartnunt 
CONDUCTED BY J. 3 . THOMAS. 
French Names of Fruits. 
The name “ Fondante d , Auiomne TT is pronounced 
at least one hundred thousand times annually in 
this country, of which at least ninety thousand are 
bad French, hybrid French, or awkward anglicisms. 
Very few of our fruit raisers understand French 
pronunciation ; and when they meet with foreign 
names, they encounter them quite as awkwardly as 
a Moor would manage a printing press, or a Bur- 
man one of McCormick’s reapers. The evil of 
these names, it is true, is not very serious, but they 
are rendered exceedingly inconvenient by their con¬ 
stant occurrence in use. All, except the few who 
wish to be modish, desire some way of escaping 
this continual annoyance. 
These names should be modified or altered. Some 
of them, such as Belle Lucrative, Passe Colmar, Fo- 
relle, Crassane and others, the sound of which is 
somewhat similar in both tongues, will assume a 
modified English pronunciation, like Jargonelle and 
Bonchretien. But there are others, not quite so 
easily passed, such as Beurre Gris d’Hiver Nou¬ 
veau, Sucree d’Hoyerswerda, Helices d’Hardenpont , 
and Jalousie d’Fontenay Vendee. Some of these 
sorts are likely to become generally cultivated—but 
the names are really terrific, and cannot possibly 
be retained. Who shall alter them? No single in¬ 
dividual should ever think of setting about coining 
new names for old fruits. But the case is quite 
different with a large body of intelligent men. 
Who would be more competent than the American 
Pomological Congress? Ought not this body to 
take up the subject, and propose a revised list at 
their next session? To make this suggestion a lit¬ 
tle more distinct, let us take up a few names, and 
propose how they might be altered, or translated in¬ 
to English, or abridged, leaving for others to amend 
and enlarge these suggestions:— 
For Fondante d’Automne, we might say, Autumn Melting . 
44 Paradise d’Aut07nne, “ “ Autumn Paradise. 
44 Beurre Gris d’Hiver Nouveau , “ Grey Winter Beurre . 
“ Beurre d’Aremberg, u 44 Aremberg. 
44 Bonchretien Fondante , “ 44 Melting Bonchretien. 
44 Buchesse d’Angouleme , 44 44 Angoideme. 
44 Beurre Biel, 44 “ Biel. 
44 Glout Morceau, 44 44 Morceau. 
We shall leave the name Louise Bonne of Jersey , 
for some one of greater ingenuity to re-model. 
In many instances, the simple translation of the 
foreign name might be at once adopted, as for 
Boyenne d’Ete , say Summer Boyenne 
Rambour d’Ete , 4i Summer Rambo. 
Muscat Petit , u Little Musk. 
Rousselet Hatif, 11 Early Rousselet. 
Franc Real d’Ete, u Summer Franc Real. 
Bergamotte Suisse u Suriss Bergamot. 
Pourpree Native, 44 Early Purple. 
Violette Native, 44 Early Violet. 
Labels—Timely Hint. 
“A nurseryman,” says S. W. Cole, “lost $500 
by budding from a falsely marked tree before it 
bore.” Another nurseryman sold several hundred 
trees of the Black Mazzard for the Napoleon Big- 
arreau, by a similar mistake in marking one lor the 
other. Thousands of trees were set out last spring, 
by purchasers all over the country, and the labels 
are neglected and are becoming lost. Now a great 
deal of the present confusion in the nomenclature 
of fruits originated in this way. Nothing was 
thought of the names till the trees began to bear. 
Curiosity was then excited, conjecture was substi- 
