NEW AMERICAN GARDENER. 



INTRODUCTION. 



THE importance and utility of HORTICULTURE, or the 

 ert of cultivating those products of the soil which are used 

 in domestic economy, require no elaborate exposition. The 

 greatest blessings which a kind Providence can bestow on 

 man, in his sublunary state of existence, are, health of body 

 and peace of mind ; and the pursuits of gardening eminent- 

 ly conduce to these. Gardening was the primitive employ- 

 ment of the first man; and the first of men, among his 

 descendants, have ever been attached to that occupation. 

 Indeed, we can hardly form an idea of human felicity, in 

 which a garden is not one of its most prominent character- 

 istics. 



Gardening is not only an innocent and healthy, but a 

 profitable occupation. It is not alone by the money which 

 is made, but also by the money which is saved, that the 

 profits of a pursuit should be estimated. Where a good 

 garden constitutes part of a rural establishment, and the 

 culinary uses of its productions are well understood, the 

 field or the market furnishes a proportionably small part of 

 the provisions necessary for family consumption. " I con- 

 sider," said Dr. Deane, " the kitchen garden of very con- 

 siderable importance, as pot-herbs, salads, and roots of 

 various kinds, are useful in house-keeping. Having a 

 plenty of them at hand, a family will not be. so likely to 

 run into the error, which is too common in this country, 

 of eating flesh in too great a proportion for health.. Farm- 

 ers, as well as others, should have kitchen gardens ; and 

 they need not grudge the labour of tending them, which 

 may be done at odd intervals of time, which would other- 

 wise chance to be consumed in needless loitering." 



Cowley says of gardening, " It is one of the best-natured 

 delights of all others, for a man to look about him, and see 

 nothing but the effects and improvements of hi* owfl art 

 1* 



