HE 



IN presenting the following pages to the public, I 

 consider it incumbent upon me to state the reasons 

 which have induced their publication in the present 

 form. 



Most of the chapters in this work were written, at 

 leisure moments, for a Horticultural Magazine, for- 

 merly published in this place. That work having 

 been for a long time suspended, many of my female 

 friends have solicited me to publish them in the form 

 of a book. In compliance with their solicitations I 

 have been induced to collect and arrange them, to- 

 gether with additional matter, in the hope of thereby 

 furnishing a work that might be useful to those am- 

 ateur florists who possess more taste for Floriculture 

 than knowledge of the principles and practice by 

 which it should be directed. I have endeavored, ac- 

 cording to the best of my humble ability, to make 

 the subject as intelligible, and to present its promi- 

 nent principles encumbered with as few difficulties 

 or embarrassments, as possible. 



M363115 



