PEOPAGATION. 



even were it wise and proper to retain knowledge exclu- 

 sively in the hands of the guild ; on the other hand, ye need 

 not be afraid that one who owes you so much would turn 

 tell-tale, and expose all your weaknesses to the gaze of the 

 multitude. From my friends in the craft, the many intel- 

 ligent men and keen observers, who have ever been fore- 

 most in the i-anks of our country's pomologists, no cen- 

 sure is apprehended for attempting to dash off a few brief 

 directions for the amateur, or even the nurseryman, who 

 is just beginning to pursue as a business the pleasant occu- 

 pation of growing trees. Any censure from others, if 

 such there be, who would feel afraid to trust their knowl- 

 edge to the worldj and who might think in this enlight- 

 ened age that such a thing as secrets of the trade could 

 be long retained in their own hands, — any censure, from 

 such a source, would fall harmless — it is not dreaded. In- 

 deed, though not of the trade, it would be easy to expose 

 the ignorance that is sure to be found among those who 

 might • claim to be the exclusive conservators of knowl- 

 edge, such however is not the object in view, it is rather 

 ■tK) extend useful knowledge, to popularize it and to bring 

 it within the reach of those who may need it, that this 

 chapter is undertaken ; and the labor is the more willingly 

 entered upon, in the firm conviction that the more the 

 knowledge of plants and the love for them is diffused 

 among the masses of our population, the greater will be 

 the success of those who are engaged as professional nur- 

 serymen and gardeners, who need not fear the competition 

 of amateurs, but should rather encourage it, upon the 

 score of such persons being and continuing to be their 

 best customers — if not from any higher and more noble 

 6 



