the plants can then be treated so that their flowers will 

 last much longer in perfection than when kept in the 

 damper and hotter divisions in which they were pro- 

 duced. The end next the outer door will, in general, be 

 found most convenient for this object, from its being 

 somewhat cooler than the other parts ; and the show 

 compartment may thus serve two useful ends, that of 

 moderating the effect of the cold air admitted when the 

 door is opened, and that of preserving the flowers longer 

 in beauty. 



We have also added many illustrations of the most 

 popular kinds, which, we trust, will be found useful by 

 those who are unfamiliar with the habit and appearance 

 of the respective plants. Some of these are original, 

 others have been kindly lent by the editors of the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle, the Garden, the Journal of 

 Horticulture, the Florist and Pomoloqist, and other 

 kind friends, for which we have to record our thanks. 



One of the most marked features of the new edition 

 is the copious series of references we have given to 

 Figures of the plants, mostly coloured ones, and for the 

 most part published in works which are generally avail- 

 able at the present day. These references will, we 

 anticipate, be a source of great interest to many among 

 those of our readers who may have access to a botanical 

 library. The figures quoted are not of equal merit, but 

 they will all serve to clothe the dry bones of a mere 

 description with some indications of the beauty of the 

 plants. In the case of the Synonymy, we have quoted 

 those names which appeared to us most likely to be 

 useful, especially as a means of identifying species 



