PREFACE 



This book, " The Principles of Plant Culture," was 

 first published by the late Professor Goff at Madison, 

 Wisconsin, in 1897. It was then a book of 276 pages. 

 Under his hand and the hands of his associates, Fred- 

 eric Cranefield and James G. Moore, it has had seven 

 editions ; and it has undergone three partial revisions. 

 The sixth edition, appearing in 1910, and the seventh 

 edition, appearing in 1912, ran only to 303 pages, as it 

 had been the desire of all those persons associated with 

 it to keep the volume within comfortable limits. In 

 the present edition the subject-matter has not been 

 increased to any extent, although the page is in differ- 

 ent form. 



The motive of the book is well stated by Professor 

 Goff in the first edition : " This book has grown out of 

 the author's experience in the lecture room and labora- 

 tory, while giving instructions to students in the Short 

 Course in Agriculture, in the University of Wisconsin. 

 It is intended especially for students who have had 

 little or no previous instruction in botany, and it is 

 hoped that it may also be found interesting and profit- 

 able to the general reader who would learn more of the 

 principles that underlie the culture of plants." 



The book has had the test of use by many teachers 

 and students through nearly twenty years, and it was 

 also the outgrowth of active teaching by a good teacher. 

 It has now had the great advantage of revision and 



