Systematic pomology

Abstract

Introduction: The term pomology in its general sense applies to all those subjects, both practical and scientific, which have to do with the growing of fruit . The word comes from the Latin, pomum, a word that was used generically for"fruit." In later Latin it came to be associated more particularly with apple -like fruits. The word is also handed down to us in the French,pomme, meaning "apple". In English we know it as pome, a botanical term used to designate fruits that have the peculiar morphological structure of the apple,pear,and quince. In its true sense we may define pomology as the science of fruits, and its limitations as a science or an art depends upon the use of the term fruit. A concise definition of a fruit,in a horticultural sense is, we may say, impossible. The science may be divided into three parts: systematic pomology, the classification of fruits, practical pomology,the science of growing fruit, and commercial pomology, the science of marketing fruits. In this treatise I shall limit myself to the field of "Systematic Pomology"with reference to the pone fruits, namely:the apple, pear and quince.