PREFACE. 



Although a large majority of the drawings were executed 

 from objects procured directly from my garden, yet Dr. 

 Boisduval, the distinguished author of the " Essai sur I'Ento- 

 mologie Horticole," gave me his permission to copy such 

 figures in his admirable work as were applicable to this 

 volume. Messrs. Blackie were also so kind as to permit 

 me to use several illustrations from the important treatise 

 of Mr. Curtis on " Insects injurious to the Farmer." 



My daughter Elizabeth Mary has rendered valuable assist- 

 ance by tracing back the historical subjects to their origin, in 

 Chapter I., and also by compiling and writing the Chapter on 

 the Gardens of Various Nations. I am also indebted to her 

 for the Analytical Index. 



My son Alfred Hutchison rendered me much information 

 in the section upon Birds ; and supplied the specimens for 

 the figures, and generally superintended their execution. 

 Without his general aid this book could not have been 

 produced. 



The artistic drawings of the various views in " my garden " 

 were made by Mr. H. Robertson, and the faithful manner in 

 which Mr. Palmer has rendered them needs no commendation. 

 The drawings for many of the smaller vignettes were executed 

 by Mr. Holloway, and engraved by Mr. Harrison. 



The general botanical drawings have been made and 

 engraved by Mr. Worthington Smith, the fungologist, who 

 not only drew and engraved one thousand of the woodcuts 

 from nature, but has also rendered frequent and valuable 

 botanical assistance. 



During the preparation of this work many other dis- 

 tinguished friends have given me their help, which has been 

 acknowledged in the text. 



