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PREFACE 



THE aim of " Gardening for Amateurs " is to provide simple and 

 complete directions for the planning and planting of a garden, and the 

 cultivation of all such trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables as 

 amateurs, or even professionals, are likely to wish to grow, and to bring 

 to notice modern and improved varieties ; in short, to present, in easily 

 accessible form, answers to all gardening questions that commonly arise. 



Gardening has progressed by leaps and bounds, and only a work of such 

 pretensions as this can hope to include essential information on all phases of 

 a subject that has developed so remarkably during the past fifteen or twenty 

 years. 



Headers will find that not only is the method of carrying out garden tasks 

 described, but, what is perhaps of even greater importance, they are told when 

 the work ought to be done. " Gardening for Amateurs " is as free as 

 possible from technical terms, but those that are common and of which 

 occasional use is permissible are explained in a special chapter. 



The series of notes on " What to do in the Garden " show at a glance the 

 chief work among flowers, fruits and vegetables for each fortnight through- 

 out the year, and include concise directions for the cultivation of plants to 

 which fuller reference is made elsewhere. 



The volumes are illustrated by a unique collection of photographs and 

 sketches, which help still further to elucidate the descriptions and advice of 

 the letterpress. Finally, a thoroughly comprehensive index enables the reader 

 to find with ease any one of the thousands of items contained in the work. 



The preparation of a book so practical and so varied in its information 

 as " Gardening for Amateurs " could not have been completed without 

 the assistance of experienced contributors. It is a pleasure, therefore, to 

 acknowledge the valued co-operation of the following writers, most of whom 

 have been lifelong gardeners. 



Miss S. M. Kingsford has written the notes on Border Carnations, for which 



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