BY W AY OF INTRODUCTION 



This book is a book for amateur floriculturists 

 written by one who is in no sense a "professional." 

 It has been written because there is a constant and 

 increasing demand for a work that treats on flowers 

 from the standpoint of the amateur. An extensive 

 correspondence with flower-loving persons, all over 

 the country, has convinced me that scientific text 

 books are not what is wanted. 



What is wanted is plain, practical, easily under- 

 stood information which will enable those who love 

 flowers, but know very little about them, to grow 

 them successfully. I have confidence fe.\ough in the 

 book to believe that those who read it will find it easy 

 to understand and that those who fwilow out its in- 

 structions will be able to grow all tne plants treated 

 in it and grow them well. 



It has been written from my own personal expe- 

 rience among flowers and not from theory. My wav 

 may not be the best way. I do not claim that. I 

 judge it simply by its results, which have been very 

 satisfactory to me. 



I do not desire to have it understood that I send 

 out this book as a sort of shor^ cut to complete flori- 

 cultural knowledge. It is sir.iply intended to assist 

 the amateur in the acquirement of such a knowledge 

 which can only come from intelligent personal study 

 and observation which will lead to a better acquaint- 

 ance and a closer friendship witfi 



Our Friends, the Flowers. 



Eben E. Rexford. 



Shicvlon. Wis, January, tgoj. v 



