GUJL 



INTRODUCTION. 



large number of enquiries I have received con- 

 cerning the cultivation of the various plants used in 

 Spring {Bedding here, have induced me to write the 

 following pages, in the hope that many others will be led 

 to cultivate these interesting and beautiful plants exten- 

 sively, and thus make their gardens more beautiful in the 

 early months of the year, ^hese hardy plants appeal to 

 a large number of persons, not only by their beauty when 

 seen in a mass, but also because they are not in any way* 

 expensive to cultivate. *Uhey may bz increased easily 

 into hundreds and thousands, with very little cost for 

 labour in growing them during the summer months, and 

 for transplanting in the autumn ; thus they are adapted 

 for everyone who has a garden, and I unhesitatingly 

 affirm they will give infinite pleasure to anyone who 

 cultivates them in the manner I have described in this book- 



For some of the information about the building and 

 the early history of the family, I am indebted to the 

 T^etf. Irvin Ellers* "History of tBelvoir," and to my 

 friend the late W. A. Carrington, who had charge of the 

 large collection of ancient manuscripts here for many 

 years, and Was a well-known authority on these subjects. 



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