I was some months since considerably puzzled, Mr. Editor, by a report in your journal, of a discussion said to have taken place at a meeting of the Fruit Growers' Society Of Western New York, in which the "Vergouleuse" pear came in for a large share of notice.

I was somewhat surprised to learn that this variety had been discussed by the Society in the manner reported, and not less so, that it was grown extensively, or even at all, by the members taking part in the debate quickly discovered, that the pear known of old in this state and elsewhere as the Virgalieu, was the subject under discussion, and very naturally concluded that your compositor, or proof-reader, was responsible for having permitted an error to not only "creep in," but all through the article. I afterwards, however, observed the same transposition of names in subsequent notices of the fruit, and found, to my no small surprise, that you, Mr. Editor, had made the change by way of correction, and, as 1 understand it, upon the ground of a preference, on your part, for the former orthography. I have so far been silent upon the subject, in the expectation that some abler and more influential voice than mine would be raised against the innovation, but in default of that, I am not inclined to allow the matter to pass without recording my individual protest.

Without assuming to be an authority in such matters, or intending to be captious or hypercritical, allow me to suggest, that such a change of appellation greatly tends to increase the confusion in which the nomenclature of many of the older fruits has been so vexatiously involved, and to impede, to a serious degree, the labors of the numerous associations and individuals who have been for years assiduously striving to reduce this confusion to an intelligible system.

In this troublesome labor, they have been in a great degree successful, and I conceive it to be the duty of all who are connected with an authoritative porno-logical body, to co-operate with its efforts, sustain its decisions, and discourage the use of what have been decided to be other than standard names. In no other manner can we arrive at a uniform system of nomenclature, which is so greatly to be desired, but so very difficult of attainment under any circumstances, and it should especially be considered the province of all horticultural periodicals, to uphold the authority of such associations, and avoid giving sanction to any errors which may conflict with and impede their efforts for the advancement of porno-logical science and accuracy.

The name "Virgalieu" is so firmly rooted in many localities, that it will scarcely, perhaps, become obsolete in our time, and will occasionally, of course, be brought to notice; yet, at this day, when "White Doyenne" is so generally recognized by pomological authorities as the standard name of the pear in question, it seems to me eminently proper that all synonymous names should be abandoned for this one, if not in familiar conversation, at least in all recorded mention of the fruit, especially reports of discussions and proceedings.

It is not to be denied that the names " Virgalieu" and " Virgouleuse" have been confounded, and I have an indistinct recollection of having heard them, in an instance or two, both applied to the same fruit; but if " Virgouleuse," or " Ver-gouleuse," was ever recognized by any competent authority as the proper name of the variety in question, it has escaped mention in any pomological work with which I am conversant, and I imagine that it would be an affair of some difficulty to establish it as such at the present day. Admitting, however, for the moment, that it were possible, or even desirable to do so, what is to become of the ancient pear to which this name has so long been applied? Shall we re-name it, or adopt one of its few and scarcely known synonyms?

It will surely not for a moment be contended, that the two fruits are identical? The White Doyenne, or Virgalieu, an early autumn fruit, and the Virgouleuse, a winter variety, differing in form, color, texture, quality, and habit of tree, can scarcely be confounded under one name. The former is known to every one who grows pears; the latter, if planted at all now-a-days, is grown by very few, and I imagine only by those who attach more importance to the extent of their collection, than the intrinsic merit of the varieties comprising it.

To the many, then, who know the Virgouleuse only by name, or, perchance, by description, the transposition of names would render a report of a discussion upon the ailments peculiar to the Doyenne somewhat unintelligible, and tend to convey a false impression of the attributes and quantities of the variety. I trust, Mr. Editor, that in these views you will fully concur, and give us no more Ver-gouleuse, except in its proper place upon the rejected list.

[it seems to us that Mr. Eaton admits precisely the point we aimed at. If "Virgalieu" is the term by which the White Doyenne pear is most generally known, (and this can not be denied) then to adopt the latter will produce just the confusion against which Mr. Eaton protests; and this is really the fact; for not half those who grow this pear will know what you mean, if you call it the White Doyenne. How, then, does this help the confusion? The fact is, teachers, at least, should aim to call things by their right names, and not bolster up a popular error, even in orthography. Now White Doyenne (not "Virgalieu") is the name that has been adopted by the Pomological Society, and by this the pear should be called and known, especially by Pomological Societies. In regard to the report alluded to by Mr. Eaton, no man ought to have a moment's doubt as to what pear was under discussion: we think that is clear enough. In common with Mr. Eaton, we aim to reduce our nomenclature to simplicity and correctness, and hope to do something to accomplish that desirable end. We have been more successful in our reading than Mr. Eaton; for we have found no less than seven variations of the orthography "Vergouleuse;" but then our studies for many years have been specially directed to such matters.

Virgalieu, Virgaleo, Virgalou, Virgouleuse, Vergouleuse, ad infin., are all one and the same word; and to apply it, with a simple variation in orthography, to three distinct pears, (which is now the fact,) is, in our estimation, the very refinement of confusion. Where is this to stop? Now, Vergouleuse is undoubtedly the proper orthography; but as the variation Virgalieu is the most common, there can be no special objection to adopting the latter as the English form. But, then, we must alter the form of the winter pear, and call that Virgalieu too, simply adding the adjective "winter;" for none of us ought to be willing to designate two pears by the same word, with a variation in orthography; the distinction, if admitted, would catch the eye, but never address itself to the mind. Either way, but not both. We shall recur to the subject in extenso. In the mean time we shall hold on to White Doyenne. - Ed].