190° _ _[AssEMBLY 
gardeners under one distinctive name. In our study of vegetables 
during the past three years, we have frequently been surprised to 
find how well the distinguishing characters of vegetables are pre- 
served through the carefulness exercised by seed growers, even within 
species in which the varieties tend constantly to cross-fertilize. We 
find that in the great majority of cases, where we have a carefully 
prepared description of a given variety, the seed purchased under 
that name produces plants of which the principal characters agree 
with the déscription. Our own experience teaches us that in many 
of our garden vegetables, conformity to type can only be secured by 
the most careful selection and separation of seed plants. With 
these what seem difficult results so well attained, it seems a great 
pity that the benefits of this careful seed breeding should be so 
largely lost through the prevailing careless system of nomenclature. 
We are dwelling somewhat largely upon this subject, because it 
seems to us that its importance demands reform. We need only to 
refer the reader to the paragraph on the French Forcing carrot, on 
p./74¢ , and upon the synonyms of early peas, p.23Qo0f this report 
for an example of the truth-of our statements. . 
It is evident that reform in a nomenclature that has once become 
confused can only be accomplished through the agreement of those 
who disseminate the seeds. It has seemed to us, that one of the 
most valuable works that can be carried on at our station is an at- 
tempt to establish a true nomenclature and description of the 
varieties of vegetables grown in our country, and the bringing to- 
gether as synonyms all the names that are applied to each individual 
variety. This is a work of magnitude, and one that requires much 
careful observation. It is also a work that necessitates the study of 
many varieties under different conditions of soil and climate. 
It is our earnest hope that the work we are undertaking may ap- 
prove itself to those interested in the subject, both from its intrinsic 
importance, and the careful manner in which we are endeavoring to 
perform it. We shall esteem it a favor if any person well informed 
upon varieties in any garden vegetable, who discovers an obvious 
mistake in our decisions, will communicate the fact tous. Also, we 
desire that any grower of vegetables who is led to suspect that any 
two names are synonyms should inform us of the fact that we may 
verify his opinions. Finally, we shall be much pleased to discover 
that through the influence of our work in this direction, the names 
of varieties in the catalogues of our seedsmen are gradually becoming 
simplified and of uniform wording. 
In the second division of our work we found difficulties through 
the cross-fertilization of varieties that rendered our experiments 
nearly useless in the case of the onion, radish, beet and carrot. 
These difficulties were not entirely unexpected. The seeds used 
were, of necessity, gathered from the Station garden, and in attempt- 
ing duplicate experiments with- different varieties we incurred the 
danger of cross-fertilization. In some other vegetables also the dif- 
ferences in results are so obscure as to suggest no deductions; but 
