REPORT 
ye) OF THE 
HORTICULTURIST. 
INTRODUCTION. 
A conspicuous and important part of our garden work the past sea- 
son has been our somewhat exhaustive test of varieties. Seeds were 
planted of almost the entire list of garden plants offered by our 
American seedsmen, as well as many others from foreign countries. 
In this work we have had other objects in view than the mere com- 
parison of yields and qualities. All who have made the least study of 
varieties in vegetables know that there is much confusion in nomen- 
clature. We have endeavored, as far as possible, to discover how many 
of the so-called varieties planted are really distinct, and how many 
are only synonyms. We have also desired to study the fixity of varie- 
ties, the trueness to which seeds reproduce to name and the variation, 
‘which are apt to occur. 
While the work of purifying nomenclature may not be regarded as 
strictly experimental, we believe that it is entirely appropriate to the 
objects of the station. In the department of fruits we recognize veteran 
workers in this field whose creditable labors we are not as yet called 
upon to supplement or to review, but our study of vegetables has 
-shown the confusion of names so conspicuously that we are led to re- 
gard some systematic effort to rid our list of varieties from the many 
synonyms and misnomers as of great importance. 
The labors in this field of Mr. Fearing Burr, Jr., of our own 
country, and of M. Louis Vilmorin, of Paris, are highly creditable, 
yet the very success that they have obtained brings into greater prom- 
inence the deficiencies in our knowledge which exist. | 
The large number of so-called new varieties that are constantly 
being offered to the public as well as the many old ones whose dis- 
tinctness is questioned, makes it important that this work be carried 
beyond the present limits, and that some method of classification for 
the purpose of identification shall be established. The results of our 
investigations in part are appended in treating of the different vege- 
tables separately. 
