INTRODUCTION. 



TO all who are fond of gardens and garden- 

 ing, and who take a certain pleasure in 

 enjoying nature, when treated by man as a 

 work of art, the following essays and selections 

 from some of the masters of ancient and mod- 

 ern letters are offered in a form where they 

 may be conveniently read and enjoyed. 



Some are old friends, others are less familiar, 

 and one or two may be quite unknown to most 

 readers of this generation. 



Some passages have been introduced partly 

 for that gratification which elegant writing in 

 prose or verse always excites, although they 

 may not add greatly to the store of garden 

 lore. Certain worthy and instructive produc- 

 tions, devoted strictly to this theme, have been 



