vi CASSELL'S DICTIONARY OF PRACTIGAL GARDENING. 



in as many cases as possible. The authority for botanical names is, in the main, that 

 monumental catalogue the Index Kewensis. In cases of dispute, the Kew official publica- 

 tions have been made arbitrators. 



In the issue of a considerable work, it is often advanced that the names of those 

 responsible for its production may be taken as a sufficient guarantee of its excellence. I do 

 not know how far this may be taken as convincing in a general way, or, if accepted as 

 a principle, whether the horticultural world, which lias its own ideas, would allow the 

 claim if advanced on behalf of the editor of, or the principal contributors to, CASSKLL'S 

 DICTIONARY OF PRACTICAL GARDENING. It is largely the work of young men. But 

 amongst my helpers are many whose abilities will, I am confident, enable them to make 

 their mark. Amongst those to whom I desire to express acknowledgments for valuable 

 help are Mr. S. Arnott, Mr. E. J. Castle, Mr. John Fraser, Mr. Alexander S. Gait, 

 Mr. George H. Hollingworth, Mr. W. H. Patterson, and Mr. Horace J. Wright. 



These gentlemen will, I hope and believe, grow in influence as horticultural workers in 

 the years during which this Dictionary is strengthening its hold as a standard work 

 of reference on practical gardening. 



WALTER P. WRIGHT. 



ABBREVIATIONS. 



The following are the principal abbreviations used throughout the work. Height : ', feet ; 



",inches. Months: Jan., January; Feb., February ; Mch., March; Ap., April; My.,May; 



Je., June; Jy., July; Aug., August; Sep., September; Oct., October; Nov., November; 



Dec., December. Hardiness : hdy., hardy ; hlf-hdy., half-hardy ; grh., greenhouse ; 



St., stove. Duration or Character : ann., annual ; bien., biennial ; per., perennial ; 



shr., shrub; cl., climber; ev., evergreen. Colour; bl., blue ; crim., crimson ; sc., scarlet; 



wh., white ; vio., violet; HI., lilac ; pur., purple ; yel., yellow; ro.,rose; car., carmine; 



or., orange; br., brown; blk., black. Miscellaneous; ord., natural order; si/n., synonym; 



Ivs., leaves ; var., variety. 

 The principal cross references are given in the body of the pages ; minor cross references 



are relegated to small type at the foot of the pages on which they fall alphabetically, 



in order to economise space. 

 A Glossary will be found at the end of the Dictionary. 



