PREFACE. 5 



4. It is impossible to write a book that shall ex- 

 clusively apply to every particular case. Some per- 

 sons have need of large, while others want only small 

 gardens ; but, as to Situation, Soil, and Fencing, the 

 rules will apply to all cases. Those who want nei- 

 ther Hot-Beds nor Green-Houses, may read the part 

 treating of them, or leave it unread, just as they 

 please ; but, I think, that it will not require much 

 to be said to convince every American Farmer, 

 North of Carolina, at least, that he ought to have 

 a Hot-Bed in the Spring. 



5. I have divided the matters, treated of, thus : 

 The first Chapter treats of the Situation, Soil, Fenc- 

 ing, and Laying-out of Gardens ; the second, oi 

 the making and managing of Hot-Beds and Green- 

 Houses ; the third, of Propagation and Cultivation 

 generally ; the three remaining Chapters treat of the 

 raising and managing of the several plants, each un- 

 der its particular name, classed under the heads, 

 Vegetables and Herbs ; Fruits ; Flowers. In each 

 of these last three Chapters, I have, in arranging 

 my matter, followed the Alphabetical Order of the 

 names of the several plants, which mode of arrange- 

 ment must naturally tend to make the work of re- 

 ference easy. But, as very frequent reference must 

 be necessary, and, as the utility of the work must, 

 in some degree, depend on the facility with which 

 the several parts of it can be referred to, there are 

 t\vo Indexes at the end, one of the names of the se- 

 veral plants, and, the other, of the matters generally. 

 For the same reason, I have numbered the para- 

 graphs throughout the work. A more proper term 

 might have been found than that of Vegetables, see- 

 ing, that, strictly speaking, that word applies to all 

 things that grow from the earth. But, as we call 

 those products of the garden, which we use, in their 



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