With no disposition to criticise, or presumption to knowledge, I unhesitatingly pronounce the whole of pomological literature, at this present time, completely incomplete, or, in other and more common words, a "perfect muddle." We have volume after volume, enumerative and descriptive of numberless varieties, and yet the most perfect pomologist is unable to identify any variety, with which he is not familiar, from any description or test, classification or systematic arrangement published. Over two thousand names are applied as belonging to distinct varieties of apples; the subject is multiplied in each new edition or book published, but as I believe really without any definite knowledge on the part of the describer as to whether the variety he describes is a new and distinct sort, or one already known some two hundred years ago.

Since the publication of Coxe's work in 1817, no one book has so completely met the subject of varieties with tests and illustrations enabling the uninitiated to identify and select, as did that publication. Kenrick was but a rehash of English works, with little or no knowledge personally of varieties, and with no disposition whatever to step out of an old beaten track. The little work of Manning, good in its way, yet served as a trifle only beyond a catalogue. Downing's was an advance, but not what that author was capable of or would have performed had he lived twenty years longer. Nevertheless it was an advance; for while the author saw at a glance the utter uselessness of the old German classifications to the general reader, or even toward enabling pomologists to identify sorts, he yet felt that a certain credit should be given to those who had labored before him, and that as an aid greater than all others in the identification, local names or synonyms were essential. Thomas' work was, strictly, no fruit book. It combined a few sorts of fruits with a great deal of condensed practical matter relative to the profit and values and modes of fruit-growing, and was in that respect a really valuable work.

Barry's, again, was no fruit book in itself, so far as varieties, nomenclature, or identification were concerned, for no attempt was made to classify, arrange, or describe fruits beyond what had already been done; but it was, and is to this day, an exceedingly valuable work, covering a field of culture in nursery and systematic training in orchard which the people want, and can not find outside of it.

Elliott's book was arranged on an entire new order, viz., a classification of varieties as to their relative values; and because of its author assuming to place many varieties in his third, or unworthy, class, which were then being popularly grown, and giving to the front rank some varieties not generally known, his work was discountenanced by all tree growers and dealers, because it affected their immediate interests. As a work enumerative and descriptive of fruits, however, it was in advance of any previous one, and to this day covers many varieties not found in other works.

Coles' Fruit Book followed as it were inside of an old track, adapting itself to a few localities in New England, but covering no ground which was not covered; or embracing items of instruction not to be found in any yearly volume of a good horticultural journal.

Hooper's book is the veriest compilation ever foisted on a public anxious for information, and ready and willing to pay therefor.

Warder has issued a work on apples alone, and has adopted, with some changes, pretty much the mysticism of the old German authors in his classification, abandoning most, or giving very few, of the local names.

White's "Gardening for the South," without any attempt at originality in its order, sought only to enumerate and describe, according to precedent, such varieties as were valuable there, and in that gave us our first knowledge of many Southern fruits which otherwise would to this day have been unknown.

So much for the fruit books; knowledge obtained from which is about like that of doctrines of religion - all based on a good cause, but varying according as man's fancy, knowledge, or skill may direct, but save in the main object at end, with no definite unity.

To what use, I ask, is all this compilation without unity of system ? Is there no definite rule which shall govern ? Is there no system of arrangement, description, classification, etc., which is superior and shall rule ? Is there no guide for the introduction or raising of fruits beyond the fancy or knowledge of him who has seen or grown them ? Our pomologists and societies are allowing descriptions of fruits to appear upon their records from year to year, ninety-five out of every hundred of which are of no value as compared with the old known sorts. Ought this to be ? Ought not our leading men and our pomo-logical societies, when a fruit is brought before them, to say at once, without fear or favor, their actual judgment of such fruit; and if it is only moderately good, although highly extolled by its originator or some one who has trees or plants to sell, say that it should at once go on record and be there killed ? I hope we shall some time arrive at a point when we shall have a book giving us only full and perfect descriptions of such fruits as the author in honesty and truth believes are really valuable, while of those only "good," or even "very good," he will, while enumerating and describing, condense into as few words as possible, and yet give us the general contour of the fruit, retaining also all the local names or synonyms.

A. Thorn.