PREFACE 



AMONG the subjects chosen to be taught in rural 

 and semi-rural districts by the Technical Education 

 Committee of the Surrey County Council, "HORTI- 

 CULTURE," or practical gardening on a sound basis, 

 was accorded a prominent place. The lectures which 

 were delivered in furtherance of that object met with 

 great acceptance, and they are published in accord- 

 ance with the pressing requests of several audiences. 

 These were of a widely representative character, but 

 mainly composed of the industrial classes, chiefly 

 workers on the land. But having in view the de- 

 cision of the Education Department to sanction the 

 teaching of Horticulture in schools, separate classes 

 were provided for schoolmasters and teachers, many 

 of whom gladly availed themselves of the opportuni- 

 ties afforded for acquiring knowledge on gardening 

 in its various aspects. 



As the result of one course only of these lectures 



