PREFACE 



Since White's "Gardening for the South," first 

 published in 1856, there has been no work which 

 furnished a reliable, practical guide to the southern 

 gardener. There are works which treat instructively 

 of the scientific principles involved in the art of gar- 

 dening. There are others which, emanating from the 

 northern states, are valuable for that section of our 

 country, but, owing to variations of soil and climatic con- 

 ditions, they possess little value as a guide to the southern 

 gardener. The object of this w^ork is to furnish a reli- 

 able, practical guide to those who desire to avail them- 

 selves of the wonderful facilities afforded by our sunny 

 Southland for supplying the family table with fresh vege- 

 tables from the kitchen -garden every day in the year. 



Fifty years of successful experience in gardening and 

 fruit-growing on both a domestic and a commercial 

 scale, inspires some measure of confidence in my ability 

 and right to speak ex cathedra on the subject. 



During an official life of thirty years, in close touch 

 with the tillers of the soil, and through a voluminous 

 correspondence, covering answers to letters of inquiry 

 from farmers and horticulturists, I have been impressed 

 with the need of a work of the character of the one now 

 attempted. While it is undertaken with many misgiv- 

 ings as to my ability to adequately supply the demand, 



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