II 



sides being a record of his Art in every age of 

 u'liich we have any history, it may serve as a 

 '^Tiide to such authors as contain information on 

 subjects relating to it of which he may be in search. 



The chief qualifications required of the author 

 Avere diligence and care, and on these points he 

 can assure his readers that he sought his re- 

 ferences in the original authorities but in such in- 

 stances as he has otherwise specified, and where 

 he has relied upon others, it has been on such as 

 are known to be trustworthy. 



xA^mong his guides to such authorities he has 

 particularly to acknowledge his obligations to 

 Weston s Tract's, Professor Martyn's edition of 

 Miller s Gardener s Dictionary, Watts's Biblio- 

 theca Britannica, and to Loudon s Encyclopcedia 

 of Gardening. 



The author's reasons for fixing upon the reigns 

 of Edward the 111, Elizabeth, and George the 

 I, as eras in the History of our national Gar- 

 dening are founded upon an attentive examina- 

 tion of our annals, and most of them will be 

 developed in the body of the work whilst con- 

 sidering the literature of Gardening. 



Of any critical remarks that occur in the course 



