PREFACE. Xlll 



men, and when they should rejoice in a 

 crop, get nothing but faggot wood. The 

 same "bad luck" enters their stables and 

 styes, in the form of disease and accident 

 to their occupants. 



Such a man is not Mr. THEOPHILUS 

 ROESSLE, the author of this little pamphlet ; 

 as a sketch of his personal experience will 

 abundantly show. 



Born near Stuttgardt, in the Kingdom 

 of Wirtemberg, and the son of a market- 

 gardener and vigneron, he learnt the 

 habits and cultivation of plants from his 

 very boyhood. The plow, spade, hoe and 

 pruning-knife were made familiar to him 

 in turn, as he became large enough to be 

 of service on the farm ; and, like all the 

 children in that kingdom, he got a good 

 education. In 1825, he came to this 



