PREFACE 



INSTRUCTION in flower-growing has been given in 

 American educational institutions for many years. 

 Early in its history such instruction was a part of the 

 curriculum of general horticulture, lectures in floricul- 

 ture being given by those engaged in teaching other 

 branches. 



Within the last ten years there has been, a breaking 

 up of general horticultural instruction. Separate de- 

 partments of pomology, market-gardening, and flori- 

 culture have been created, and each is supervised by 

 one who devotes his entire time to his special subject. 



Floricultural education, as a distinct and separate 

 department, is, therefore, of comparatively recent ori- 

 gin. Because of this, there are few precedents, and the 

 courses given have resulted from the experiences of 

 comparatively few men. The material here presented 

 has been compiled largely from the author's lectures. 

 The book is, therefore, the outgrowth of experience 

 and general observations. Branches of the subject 

 which seemed unimportant, and methods of teaching 

 which proved ineffective, have been eliminated, and 

 only those phases retained which have appeared to 

 meet the needs of students. 



In the author's experience in teaching distinctly flori- 

 cultural subjects, he has felt the need of a text-book. 

 There are good books on special topics but no one work 

 that treats of the general principles of flower-growing. 



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