INTRODUCTION 



THE NEED FOR AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL 

 HORTICULTURE 



Fruit growers throughout tlie country and the Northwest in particular 

 have been aware of the fact that there has come into existence during the 

 past twenty-five years a vast quantity of information on the subject which 

 most vitally interests them, knowledge which in some sections was trans- 

 forming the whole industry. These same men were also aware that this in- 

 formation was in a form which was wholly inaccessible to the busy man. 



In addition there was a gi-owing demand for a reference work suitable 

 for the use of the public schools in connection with agricultural courses. 



It was these facts which made the necessity for a compilation of the 

 best in practical horticulture apparent and some attempt to meet the need 

 inevitable. This was the origin of the idea of the ENcvcLorEDiA of Prac- 

 tical Horticulture. 



THE UNDERTAKING 



It took more than three years of hard work on the jtart of the editors 

 and management to organize the forces and marshal the facts which have 

 made this pioneer work the best and only thing in its field. There have 

 been gathered into handy form facts which it would take a lifetime of the 

 busy fruit grower to collect and arrange for himself. The saving to the 

 man who wants the information has been immense. 



The undertaking has been financed by the fruit growers of the North- 

 west who have seen the necessity for such a compilation and the value of 

 having the work done in llie Northwest. The labor of securing this co- 

 operation has rested almost wholly upon the shoulders of Mr. W. M. 

 Fleming. 



SOURCES OF INFORMATION 



In general there are two sources of informal ion available for a work 

 of this kind. They are: 



1. Materials already published. 



2. Knowledge stored in the minds of ]iraotical and scientific men, 

 but not yet reduced to writing. 



The main sources for the first are the publications of I he I^. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agricultuie in its many bureaus, the various State Experiment 

 Stations and i)rivate publications devoted lo particular interests. 



The Government and ExperimeiH Slalion reports aic largely technical, 

 often voluminous, detached, and to the average man, inaccessible as though 

 buried under the pyramids. This vast storehouse of information has been 

 opened, the unadaptable material llirown out and that wliicli is of ])erma- 

 iient value retained. 



