PREFACE. V 



adopt a new course, and reject the old one to which 

 they have been long attached, without some very 

 palpable and sufficient reasons for the change. 

 But one improvement introduced and properly 

 accounted for, paves the way for others, and the 

 mind is prepared to inquire. In this country, 

 particularly, such a frame of mind is prevalent, 

 and has produced very important results in agri- 

 culture ; it will do the same in horticulture, now 

 comparatively in its infancy. 



It seemed, therefore, that the separation of a 

 few of the principal facts concerning the structure 

 and parts of vegetables from the other masses of 

 botanical knowledge with which they are usually 

 published, and their application to the practice of 

 horticulture could not fail to be favorably received 

 in this community. 



A complete treatise on these subjects cannot be 

 expected in a work of this nature, but if the facts 

 and reasoning give rise to new experiments, and 

 produce results favorable to the progress of Horti- 

 culture or Agriculture, the object of the publication 

 will be completely answered, 



1* 



