PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 



In nearly all of the recent works of this nature,' appearing*' 

 in America, the subjects dealt with have been confined, more 

 or less, to those plants that can be and are cultivated by 

 commercial florists for profit, or by those who own conserva- 

 tories. And while the present book includes all this class of in- 

 formation it has a far wider scope treating, as it does, on the care 

 and management of a diversity of plants not touched upon by 

 other writers, all equally necessary in the adornment of our 

 gardens and homes and, for this purpose, as beautiful and inter- 

 esting as those that generally receive the greatest attention from 

 authors of most horticultural works. Divested of superfluous 

 verbiage, and shorn of perplexing technicalities which tend to 

 confuse, the cultural directions here given can be easily and 

 successfully followed, the results contributing to the perfect 

 enjoyment of "the purest of human pleasures," by some, and 

 affording to others a lucrative occupation. 



What I have given here are teachings gleaned and sifted 

 from the experience of many years' work as a gardener. 

 The methods described are such as have been successfully 

 practiced by me and can be safely relied on as up-to-date 

 and thoroughly applicable to American conditions and require- 

 ments. 



