The preducts of the kitchen-garden form important articles of human food for all ranks of society; and furnish the chief luxuries of the tables of the rich, and a main support of the families of the poor, One of the first objects of a colonist on arriving at a new settlement is to plant a garden, as at once a proof of possession, and a pledge of immediate enjoyment; and indeed the history of the civilisation of mankind bears evidence, that there are few benefits which a cultivated people can bestow on savage tribes, greater than that of distributing among them the seeds of good fruits and oler- aceous herbs, and teaching them their culture.

The pleasure attending the pursuit of gardening is conducive to health and repose of mind; and a taste for the enjoyment of gardens is so natural to man, as almost to be universal. Our first most endearing and most sacred associations, Mrs. Hotland ob- serves, are connected with gardens; our most simple and most refined perceptions of beauty are combined with them; and the very condition of our being compels us to the

+ iy : x‘ the Meee cares, and rewards us with the pleasures attached to them. Gardening has been the“iol 5 A a Sst A Z 3‘2 747° rr= ay 7 al} inclination of kings and the choice of philosophers, Sir William Temple has observed; p a

and the Prince de Ligne, after sixty years’ experience, affirms, that the love of gardens is wis the only passion which augments with age:‘ Je voudrois,” he says,“ échauffer tout

Punivers de mon gout pour les jardins. Il me semble qu il est impossible, qu'un mé-

chant puisse lavoir. I] n’est point de vertus que je ne suppose a celui qui aime a

parler et a faire des jardins. Péres de famille, inspirez la jardinomanie a vos enfans.”” i (Mémoires et Lettres, tom. 1s)

That which makes the cares of gardening more necessary, or at least more excusable, the former author adds, is, that all men eat fruit that can get it; so that the choice is only, whether one will eat good or ill; and for all things produced in a garden, whether of salads or fruits, a poor man will eat better that has one of his own, than a rich man that has none.

To add to the value and extend the variety of garden productions, new vegetables have been introduced from every quarter of the globe; to diffuse instruction on the sub- ject, numerous books have been written, societies haye been established, and premiums held out for rewarding individual merit; and where professorships of rural economy exist, gardening may be said to form a part of public instruction.

A varied and voluminous mass of knowledge has thus accumulated on the subject of gardening, which must be more or less necessary for every one who would practise the art with success, or understand when it is well practised for him by others. To combine as far as practicable the whole’ of this knowledge, and arrange it in a syste- matic form, adapted both for study and reference, is the object of the present work. The sources from which we have selected, are the modern British authors of decided reputation and merit; sometimes recurring to ancient or continental authors, and occa- sionally, though rarely, to our own observation and experience;— observation in all the departments of gardening, chiefly in Britain, but partly also on the Continent; and experience during nearly twenty years’ practice as an architect of gardens.

With this purpose in view, Gardening is here considered, in

Part Book

I. As to its origin, progress, and f 1. Among the different nations of the world. ges present state, 2. Under different political and geographical circumstances. and Waris ho ath

. The study of the vegetable kingdom. and tthe of

- The study of the natural agents of vegetable growth and culture

The study of the mechanical agents employed in gardening,

The study of the operations of gardening.

“a

IT. As a science founded on-

wa Oo toes

The practice of horticulture.| - The practice of floriculture.| . The practice of arboriculture.

. The practice of landscape gardening.

III. As an art, comprehending

PB ooto he

we c ae 1. As to its present state. IV. Statistically in Britain b As to its future progress.

A Kalendarial Index to those parts of the work which treat of culture and manage- ment, points out the operations as they are to be performed in the order of time and of the season: and

A General Index explains the technical terms of gardening; gives an outline of the Res Ds, Bad culture of every genus of plants, native or introduced in British gardens; and presents an analysis of the whole work in alphabetical order.

a