THE 



GARDENER'S MAGAZINE, 



NOVEMBER, 1827. 



PART I. 



ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. 



Art. I. Outlines of Horticultural Chemistry , 8$ c. By G. W. 

 Johnson, Esq. of Great Totham, Essex. 



Jn the following attempt to illustrate the practice of horti- 

 culture, by demonstrating its scientific principles, and thereby 

 holding out guides for future improvement, I am not at all 

 prompted by the conviction that any arrangement of mine will 

 produce splendid illumination, or that I have facts and views to 

 adduce that will astonish by their novelty, or be powerfully 

 beneficial by their importance : my humbler object is to com- 

 bine known facts, and known scientific principles ; to trace the 

 regular procession from cause to effect ; to represent horti- 

 culture as it is, a compound of science and art ; to afford a 

 theory to every practice, which by rendering practices rational 

 makes them more impressive on the memory, and facilitates 

 their improvement. 



It is certain that a horticulturist should have a knowledge 

 of botany, systematic and physiological ; otherwise he will be 

 unable to understand terms and observations that must occur 

 in every well written work on his art, to comprehend the 

 nature and habits of the objects of his culture, or to render 

 observations he may make intelligible to others, if even to 

 himself. Chemistry is of as much, if not greater, importance 

 to him ; and to this science, as illustrative of horticulture, 

 I shall chiefly confine my attention. Without a knowledge 

 of it, many of the gardener's simplest operations must be un- 

 intelligible to himself, and consequently be casually performed ; 

 he knows nothing of them but what he has learned by rote, or 

 Vol. III. — No. 10. k 



