THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
1/ 
the names of fruits are not what they should be, the 
blame chiefly lies at their doors. Already a few have 
endeavored to carry into effect the rules of the American 
Pomolog'ical Society for shortening, simplifying, Angli¬ 
cizing and making plain the names of our leading fruits. 
However there is not one, so far as I have been able to 
see who has completely carried out the idea. The pro¬ 
posed reformation includes the leaving off of all such 
parts of names as “Beurre,” “Pippin,” “Favorite,” 
‘ ‘ Pearmain, ” “ Seedling, ” “ Hybrid, ’ ’ and wherever pos¬ 
sible “Sweet,” the possessive case, and a large list of 
other superfluous or misleading words. In many cases 
it may be necessary to follow the recently adopted name 
with a local synonym or the old name in its former 
lengthy form in parenthesis, that the reader may be able 
thoroughly to understand it. 
Under my direction we are now preparing in this 
division a complete list of all the cultivated fruits, giving 
the true names according to the approved ideas and all 
the synonyms following them. As the work progresses 
these lists will be published and thoroughly distributed. 
It is earnestly desired that nurserymen will see the ne¬ 
cessity and the advantages of conforming their catalogues 
and their tree and plant labels to such a list. The Am¬ 
erican Pomological Society already has a list that in a 
great measure conforms to the above ideas and its com¬ 
mittee on nomenclature is constantly working to make 
its list better and better. But as this list does not in¬ 
clude many of the newer fruits and those which are of 
a rather local nature it is not so useful as a more com¬ 
prehensive one might be. 
In many cases nurserymen are called upon to give 
names to fruits which are just being introduced,and it is 
at once evident that their minds should be in accordance 
with the authority just mentioned. If they refuse to 
give fruits long, high-sounding, foolish or misleading 
names, such names will rarely get before the public. 
While I do not wish to assume any authority or any un¬ 
due responsibility in this matter, I will gladly look over 
with great care, and correct the names of fruits as given 
in nurserymen’s catalogues, provided they are submitted 
for such purpose. This I am the more willing to do as 
there seems to be no other, or at least no available of¬ 
ficial outside the government employ ready to do it. It 
is certainly in line with the work of this office and as it 
is virtually a public service it seems proper to do it at 
public expense. I assure the nurserymen of this coun¬ 
try that the department in which I have the honor to be 
an official, is in sympathy with whatever pertains to the 
best interests of agriculture and horticulture in this 
country. 
H. E. Van Deman, 
Washington, D. C. Pomologist. 
Department of Agriculture. 
THOMAS SMITH. 
The W. & T. Smith Company, of Geneva, N. Y., 
shares with the firm of Ellwanger & Barry, of this city, 
the honor of pioneers in the nursery business in this sec¬ 
tion. It has developed from small beginnings until it has 
attained the rank of one of the largest of the kind in the 
world. 
Thomas Smith came to this country from England, in 
his early youth. With his brothers he started in the nur¬ 
sery business in a small way, in 1846. The interests of 
the concern began to develop at once, and progress was 
rapid. The results are evidence of the ability of the 
management. Thomas Smith possesses perseverance and 
energy in a marked degree even at his age of over 
three score years and ten. He is in every respect a self- 
made man. He has extensive interests outside of the 
nursery business, although that has always been, and is 
now, his chief work and pleasure. He is the president 
of the Geneva Optical Company ; the Baltimore Retort 
and Fire Brick Company, and the Manufacturers’ Acci¬ 
dent Indemnity Company ; also a director in the First 
National Bank of Geneva. 
Mr. Smith is of a retiring disposition. He never 
entered politics, nor would he accept public office ; 
but he Tas always had the best interests of his vil¬ 
lage at heart, and has always been held in the highest 
esteem. 
