330 THE: FLORIST. 
rists generally, as co-editor of the “Cottage Gardener,’ and author of 
the ‘Vegetable Kingdom and its Produets.”...Dr. Hogg has also 
recently been appointed Secretary to the Fruit, Committee of the Horti- 
cultural Society, having previously taken an active part in the manage> 
ment of the Pomological. Society, of which he was Vice-President, 
With all the advantages which Dr. Hogg’s antecedents have given him, 
added to an intimate acquaintance with, continental pomology, 1t was 
reasonable enough to expect that the new edition of the “ Fruit Manual” 
would be greatly in advance of ‘all previous works on the same subject, 
Nor have we or the public -been: disappointed,;, for, although, .as at 
appeats to us, there are some points in the nomenclature of fruits in 
his: work still open to discussion, and. a few, smore in. their history to 
which we cannot subscribe; yet )-we must, remember that British 
pomology; insmany instances, is as. yet-in.‘the| transition state from a 
comparative chaos of confusion and error to a more. perfect system of 
classification; and. that: even with all, Dr. Hogg’s qualifications | ‘for 
the task (and these we have much, pleasure |in/ admitting are of 
the highest order), it will take time and'a,long) series’ of comparative 
and experimental trials to -arrange,/in a satisfactory manuer, the 
nomenclature and synonymes of the entire, series’ of fruits. now) grown 
in. British gardens, with the numerous) additions which, year after 
year, are being made to the list. [ yro¥ 
There can now. be. no. doubt. that. the-establishment, ofthe British 
Pomological Society gave a great impetus) to the history of fruits and 
fruit cultivation, the former of which, for years previous. to its, formation; 
had been standing still, merely through the, want of -a proper, medium 
by which the interchange of facts;and ideas connected with the subject 
could be registered and disseminated; and’ although that society did not 
fulfil all that was expected from it, yet it was undoubtedly, the means 
of -calling into existence the Fruit Committee of, the Horticultural 
Society, which, founded, on. similar principles, and with. similar objects 
in view, we hope is destined: to place) British: pomology in, a position 
commensurate with, its. utility and importance... We are ..sanguine 
enough to consider the formation of ithe Fruit Committee of the Horti- 
cultural Society as the most certain evidence of self-imposed. progression 
in practical horticulture which ever emanated from that body... Qrigin- 
ators of new fruits have now a. tribunal. composed, of practical men, 
whose unbiassed verdict on the subjects submitted to their judgment 
either stamps their productions with a,mark in proportion. to their merit, 
or consigns them to cblivion ; and whose business it is also to compare old 
varieties of fruit with each other—to ascertain and to record. their correct 
nomenclature, and the synonymes under which they may be known, in 
different localities. . Other information of great importance to. fruit- 
growers, relating to the climate and. soil, favourable. or otherwise) for 
certain fruits, is also engaging the attention of the committee, as we 
gather from their published reports; and their labours may be usefully 
extended in this direction, as well as in the appointment of local secre- 
taries and corresponding members in districts where hut little is known 
of many varieties of fruit—Apples more particularly—beyond their 
own immediate Icecality, some of which are doubtless of consider- 
