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PREFACE 
TO THE AMERICAN EDITION 
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Mrs. Loupon’s “Gardening for Ladies,’ and her 
“Companion to the Flower-Garden,” have been most 
favorably received: in England. The simplicity and 
clearness with which she explains every branch of 
gardening, attract at once the novice and the amateur, 
who have had little practical experience, and who 
would be little interested in a less sprigh*iy and more 
scientific work. ee 
The Editor of the American edition is confident that 
this volume will be a most acceptable one to a large 
number of persons in this country. Most of the Eng- 
lish works on Horticulture being addressed to those 
comparatively familiar with every thing in the com- 
mon routine of garden operations, a considerable de- 
gree of previous knowledge of the subject is supposed. 
With us, on the contrary, there are few who do not 
“begin at the beginning” for themselves, and who 
therefore desire earnestly those simple and elementary 
instructions, which more learned and elaborate trea- 
tises have deemed it superfluous to give. 
Mrs. Loudon’s works are intended especially for the 
benefit of lady gardeners,—a class of amateurs which, 
in England, numbers many and zealous devotees, even 
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