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EXPLANATION 



THIS Manual is the twenty-second edition of the Nursery- 

 Book, re-written and re-set. The Nursery-Book was first published 

 early in 1891. A revision was made in 1896, as a third edition, 

 when the book was taken over by The Macmillan Co. Since then 

 it has been reprinted frequently. For nearly thirty years the book 

 has enjoyed the confidence of the public even though in the later 

 years it has needed revision. The author can hardly expect it 

 to continue its career for another quarter-century ; yet he is glad 

 to have the opportunity to make it new again. 



The book deals only with propagation and nursery practice. 

 The temptation is strong to include certain related subjects, but 

 the work will probably be useful in proportion as it confines itself 

 to its single purpose. Therefore the reader must not expect to 

 find descriptions of cultivation, transplanting, the general handling 

 of plants, pruning, seed-breeding, or pollination ; nor has it seemed 

 best, in a practical manual, to admit discussions of the interesting 

 scientific questions more or less related to the subject. 



When my successor shall revise this book or make a> new one, 

 it is to be expected that he will have the results of sufficient matured 

 investigations to enable him to pronounce with confidence on 

 many of the practices that now rest only on empirical and tradi- 

 tional habits. 



L. H. BAILEY. 



ITHACA, N.Y. 

 May 1, 1919. 



