SUCCESS IN MARKET GARDENING 



work and thorough practical acquaintance with 

 all the minor points. 



Therefore we desire every one to understand at 

 the outset that a book on the subject, no matter 

 how complete, can be only a helper, and a partial 

 guide toward the desired knowledge. In other 

 words, the rules that can be laid down on paper, 

 however explicit they may be made, will never 

 educate a man to be a successful gardener, unless he 

 is himself naturally adapted to the business, and is 

 willing to do his part by personally devoting him- 

 self to the work, in all its details, as it goes along. 



And so in writing the cultural directions for the 

 different crops, I do not expect to be explicit 

 enough to enable a mere novice, with no knowl- 

 edge whatever of the subject, to achieve a success 

 in gardening the first year. This would be impos- 

 sible for me to do, were I to attempt it which 

 I do not. Even should I set down the most minute 

 particulars and details, there would be very few 

 cases where one could carry them out to the letter, 

 as culture and treatment must necessarily vary 

 according to soil and locality. 



But my aim is simply this: by writing out 

 practical directions and descriptions, gathered 



[4] 



