28 PETER HENDERSON. 



Gardening for Profit was twice revised by its author 

 since its first publication in 1866 ; the first time in 1874, 

 the last time in 1886. The demand for this work has 

 always been so larg'e that the publishers have never 

 been quite able to accurately estimate the demand. Up 

 to this time not less than forty-one editions having been 

 printed. His immortal countryman, Robert Bums, 

 wrote his famous poem " Tam O'Shanter " in a day, and 

 one of his biographers has said of it " that since the 

 battle of Bannockburn it was the best single day's work 

 ever done in Scotland." So in another sense there are 

 thousands to-day who believe that it can be fairly claimed 

 for Gardening for Profit, that no better one hundred 

 hours' work was ever done on this side of the Atlantic, 

 than when Columbia's adopted son laid his grand and 

 grateful tribute at her feet. 



The great success of his first book stimulated him to 

 produce in 1868, Practical Floriculture, which was written 

 to teach how flowers and plants could best be grown for 

 profit. This book did for aesthetic gardening what its 

 predecessor had accomplished for material horticulture — 

 established thousands in a safe and profitable business. 

 In 1875 his prolific pen launched a third work. Gardening 

 for Pleasure, i^hich was intended to, and has fully met 

 the wants of those desiring information on gardening 

 for private use, and who have no desire to make it a 

 business. Its scope therefore was made greater than 

 either of its predecessors, as it embraced directions for 

 the propagation and culture of flowers, vegetables and 

 fruits. A thoroughly revised and enlarged edition of 

 this work appeared in 1888. Another volume which he 

 published in 1884, called Garden and Farm Topics, consist- 

 ing of a number of essays containing special information 

 in a condensed form, has been one of the most interest- 

 ing of Peter Henderson's horticultural contributions. 

 Apart from the practical value of these essays, this volume 

 gives perhaps a better idea of his versatility, his keen 

 sense of humor, and finally the scientific spirit that he 

 undoubtedly possessed than any of his larger and more 

 important works. 



