INTRODUCTORY 



THE vegetables, the culture and cooking of which are 

 discussed in this volume are not all "rare" in the 

 collector's sense of the word. Rather are they for the 

 most part vegetables which we in this country under- 

 value and under-use for the simple reason that we are 

 ignorant of the art of raising and preparing them. A 

 few vegetables are dealt with in this volume for no 

 better reason than that they have not been dealt with in 

 any other volumes of the present series of handbooks 

 which series, it is hoped, will, as a whole, form a fairly 

 complete library of practical gardening. For the cultural 

 instructions in the present volume, Mr Wythes is alone 

 responsible. 



The majority of the better known vegetables have 

 been discussed in Mr Wythes' " Book of Vegetables," 

 whilst Asparagus, Seakale, Salsify, Scorzonera, and 

 Celery were treated of in our first volume. 



I take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to 

 those very eminent seedsmen and horticulturists, Messieurs 

 Vilmorin, Andrieux et Cie. of Paris, for the loan of 

 numerous blocks used to illustrate this volume. I may 

 add that if readers of this book find any difficulty in 

 purchasing in this country the seeds of the lesser grown 

 vegetables, Messrs Vilmorin will generally be able to 

 solve their difficulty. 



The photographs here reproduced are by Mr Charles 

 Thonger. 



HARRY ROBERTS. 



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