XIV 



This being premised, I will beg leave, with beco- 

 minof deference, under the shelter of a well-known 

 name, and on a far higher topic, to put in my claim 

 to offer some practical proof in favour of my sys- 

 tem. When the late ingenious Dr. Kitchiner pub- 

 lished his scientific and excellent work, " The 

 Cook's Oracle," he broadly stated, that " It was 

 " the only English cookery book, written from the 

 " real experiments of a housekeeper^ for the heiieft 

 " of housekeepers. * * That he had not given 

 " one receipt that had not been proved in his 

 " own kitchen ; which had not been approved by 

 " several of the most accomplished cooks in the 

 " kingdom ; and had not, moreover, been eaten 

 " with unanimous applause, by a Committee of 

 " Taste, composed of some of the most illustrious 

 " Gastrophilists in the metropolis." 



Now, although I sensibly feel how immeasur- 

 ably less interesting Arboriculture must be held 

 than Eating, or than what the Doctor learnedly 

 calls " the Science of Gastrology," yet I presume 

 to state, in imitation of so great an example, that 

 ihe present is one of the few English books on 

 Wood, which has been " written from the real 

 experiments of a planter, for the benefit of plant- 

 ers :" That I have laid down no rule, and recom- 



