INTRODUCTION 



When we are past our prime or in poor 

 health, we look for out of door employment 

 and recreation. It is natural that we should 

 seek mother earth and her healing medicine, 

 air and sunshine, for a cure for our ills. The 

 smell of newly-turned earth is fresh and health- 

 ful. No class of exercise is so good as work 

 with pick and shovel in the open air. 



The love of dirt was one of our earliest pas- 

 sions. We began by eating dirt, wading in 

 mud puddles, and making mud pies. After we 

 have grown up and sown our wild oats we 

 think we would like to have a home of our 

 own, a flower and vegetable garden. We spend 

 our spare time working in the garden and learn 

 some of the mysteries of nature. We resolve 

 to retire from business some day and give our- 

 selves up to our favorite pursuit and enjoy a 

 long rest in our old age. 



Is not this better than to be a slave to busi- 

 ness and to find no pleasure but in making and 

 storing up wealth? 



The writer hopes by giving his knowledge to 

 the purchaser at a moderate cost to meet recog- 

 nition from those who have a small garden. 

 He relies on the generosity and fraternal feel- 

 ing of plant lovers to read his book and pass 

 on to their friends, a good word in its praise. 



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