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greater part, and latterly the whole, of the
labour of conducting the Work has fallen, to
suspend it for the present, with the Third
Volume,* and the 152d Plate; with the intention,
however, of resuming it whenever circumstances
shall justify his doing so. In the
meanwhile he feels that he should ill discharge
the duty he owes to those friends of
Horticulture, who have supported the undertaking,
if he did not endeavour to render it,
in its present state, as useful as the nature
of it will admit; an object which he is led
to believe cannot be more effectually accomplished
than by introducing lists of such
Fruit-trees as can best be recommended in
planting a select Garden. In preparing
them, a few notes, as to the period of maturity
of the varieties, and other useful points,
have been added, with references to the Plates
where they are figured in this Work: the
latter are indicated by the figures.
The difficulty of determining which to
plant of the many Fruit-trees contained in
every Nurseryman’s Catalogue, and which to
reject, is notoriously so great, and is so generally
felt, as to render it perfectly unnecessary
to dwell upon this point; or if it were not,
it would become obvious from an inspection
of the Catalogue of Fruits published by the
P R E FA C E . v
Horticultural Society, in 18^6; in which
there is an enumeration of no fewer than
three thousand varieties, to which a thousand
or fifteen hundred more might easily be
added. Of this mass, two-thirds are probably
unworthy of cultivation ; and of the remainder,
not more than a quarter can really be considered
first-rate varieties. But among those
of second-rate merit are many useful kinds,
the cultivation of which is important, with a
view to profit or culinary purposes, and which
might, with propriety, be admitted into an extensive
collection. The following lists, however,
are only formed for select Gardens, and
consequently all doubtful or second-rate varieties
are excluded. It will be found that
a great many common varieties are also omitted:
this has been always done advisedly,
and because newly-raised kinds ought to displace
them. For instance, among Cherries,
not a single “ Heart” is quoted, because the
Elton of Mr. Knight is much superior to them
all.
It is possible that persons in trade may say
that varieties have been introduced which are
inferior to others more commonly cultivated
for sale, and even that many are not to be
procured. To enter into separate arguments
upon all such questions, would be equally