PREFACE. V 



In the defcription of fruits, I have omit- 

 ed moft of their foreign names, and only 

 mentioned thofe they are moft commonly 

 called, and are heft known by in England ; 

 and, as to their time of ripening, that is 

 adapted to the prefent ftile, as is likewife all 

 other parts of the work relating to time. 



The catalogue of fruits is not indeed 

 fo large as fome others ; but it contains a 

 fufficient number of good forts for any 

 fmall garden. The defcriptions of their 

 fhapes, colours, 6cc. I have not copied 

 from other authors, but drawn them faith- 

 fully from the feveral fruits in perfection. 



Almost all the forts are nov/ under my 

 care, atBloxholmeinLincolnfhire, the feat 

 of the right honourable lord Robert Man- 

 ners : and at Beivoir-Caftie, there was in 

 the time of my apprenticefhip at that place, 

 a greater number of good forts than thofe 

 I have mentioned ; the greateft part of 

 them having been fent from abroad by the 

 right honourable the earl of Stair to iiis 

 late grace the duke of Rutland, and im- . 

 proved by his prefent grace, by adding 

 other new and good forts, when they were 

 to be met v.'ith. The greateil part of my 

 time I have had the honour to be a fer- 



vant 



