PREFACE. . v 



work for which they were intended. The amalgamation of the information sent by the 

 other contributors, and the selection and description of the engravings, are of course our 

 own ; together with what we have been able to collect ourselves, not only from books 

 and correspondence, but also from the personal observations we made, during a tour in 

 France and Germany undertaken in 1828-9 on purpose for this work. 



In consequence of repeated invitations given on the cover of the Gardener's Magazine, 

 a considerable number of corrections, additions, and suggestions, have been sent us by 

 the anonymous and other correspondents enumerated in the list (p. vi.) before referred 

 to. The essence of the greater part of these communications was inserted in the 

 Gardener's Magazine at the time they were received, and the whole of these are either 

 given, quoted, or referred to, in this edition of the Encyclopaedia, in the proper places ; 

 but some which arrived too late for being used in the body of the work are given 

 in the Supplement, (p. 1279.) Similar Supplements are intended to be published occa- 

 sionally, perhaps every two years, and sold separately at the lowest possible price. 

 To every supplementary paragraph will be prefixed the number of the paragraph in the 

 body of the work to which the additional information belongs ; and every future im- 

 pression of the body of the work will contain references from the proper paragraphs 

 to the additions to these paragraphs given in the different Supplements: the manner 

 is exemplified in p. 1138., viz. by the star (*) placed before 7790., which signi- 

 fies that an addition to that paragraph will be found in the Supplement given in 

 the present edition after the General Index, (p. 1279.) Where the supplementary 

 matter contains figures, similar references will be made from the Systematic 

 List of Engravings, as in (p. xxxii.), where the star (*) prefixed to THRESHING 

 MACHINES indicates that the Supplement contains a figure or figures of one or more 

 kinds of threshing machines. This improvement in the manner of rendering supple- 

 mentary information available to a work already in type, and, considered in all its 

 bearings, a very great one it is, can only be effected in consecutive editions of a 

 stereotyped book, in the plates of which stars or other marks can at any time be 

 easily introduced. It is calculated to save the reader much trouble that would other- 

 wise be unavoidable in referring to numerous Supplements at random ; to prevent any 

 additional information from escaping his attention ; and to render it unnecessary on the 

 part of the Proprietors to publish, or on that of the possessors of the work to purchase, 

 a new edition for several years to come. 



We have stated above that the essence of most of the improvements contained in this 

 edition, and many of the new engravings, have been given from time to time in the 

 published volumes of the Gardener's Magazine ; into which they have been introduced in 

 conformity with that object of the work indicated in the titlepage by the expression " Re- 

 gister of Rural and Domestic Improvement." We think it right here to repeat, what we 

 stated in the Prospectus and Introduction to that Periodical (see vol. i.), that though chiefly 

 intended as a perpclual Supplement to the Encyclopedia of Gardening, it is also meant 

 to be a perpetual Supplement to the Encyclopedia of Agriculture in all matters of vegetable 

 culture, implements, buildings, and territorial improvements, with a view to farm bailiffs 

 and land stewards. Temporary agriculture and statistics, and matters connected with 

 live stock and other things which more immediately interest the commercial farmer, we 

 leave to journals and newspapers wholly agricultural. 



In order to show how much we are indebted to contributors for the improvements 

 contained in this second edition, as well as to simplify the duty of thanking them, 

 we have placed their names or signatures in the following alphabetical list; and 

 we beg leave, on the part of the Proprietors and ourselves, to return them sincere 

 thanks. We have earnestly to request that these contributors and all our readers will 

 examine the present work with a scrutinising eye, and send us whatever they think will 

 contribute to its farther improvement. Our ardent wish is, by means of frequent 

 Supplements, to keep it at all times on a pace with the rapidly advancing state of agri- 

 cultural knowledge and practice ; and we are well aware that this can only be done by 

 the extensive cooperation of scientific and practical men. 



By referring to the Calendarial Index (p. 1233.), those parts of this work which treat 

 of Farm and Forest Culture and Management may be consulted monthly, as the 

 operations require to be performed; by recurring to the General Index (p. 1248.;, 

 any particular subject may be traced alphabetically, through all its ramifications of 

 history, theory, practice, and statistics ; and, by turning to the Glossarial Index 

 (p. 1241.), the meaning of all words not familiar to general readers may be found. Thus 

 we have here combined an Agricultural Treatise, embracing every part of the subject, a 

 Husbandman's Calendar, a Dictionary of Rural Affairs, and a Glossary of Agricul- 

 tural Terms. 



J. C. L. 



JBayswater, January, 1831. 



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