INTRODUCTION 



I HAVE grown pears, plums, cherries and mulberries for 

 many years, and have written many articles about the 

 first two fruits ; yet, in preparing this work, I found that 

 I had still much to learn, and I wish particularly to 

 express my obligations to the new edition of Thompson's 

 Gardener s Assistant, edited in six volumes by Mr Watson, 

 Assistant Curator of the Royal Gardens, Kew, and 

 brought out by the Gresham Publishing Company. I 

 have also derived valuable aid from the volumes of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society. The chapter on " cherries " 

 is based chiefly on the booklet contributed by Mr G. 

 Bunyard to my Helpful Hints Jor Hard Times published 

 by the S.P.C.K. 



E. B. 



WAKES COLNE RECTORY, ESSEX, 

 July 1902. 



271105 



