PREFACE. 



It is usual for an author, in his prefatory remarks, 

 to dwell upon the importance of the subject of 

 his work, but the Art of which the following 

 pages contain a portion of the History is too 

 highly and generally appreciated to render such 

 remarks necessary. 



To the general reader this work offers enter- 

 tainment from its historical details ; to the man 

 of literature it affords notices of the authors on 

 Gardening with statements of their various works 

 and their editions ; to the Gardener all of its 

 contents possess some degree of interest for be- 



