xiv INTRODUCTION. 
to see that every subject was presented in alphabetical 
sequence, or as fully as we should otherwise have done. 
However, a strong request was made by readers for the publica- 
tion of the text in volume form, and we acceded to 1t, not 
without misgivings that it was as perfect as we could wish. 
Edition after edition being called for, the necessity eventually 
arose for the entire work to be reset in new type, and then, 
with the full concurrence of the publishers, we decided to 
undertake the laborious task of thoroughly revising the details 
and nomenclature, and remedying the one weak point in the 
volume, namely, adding lists of the species belonging to each 
genus. 
This work we have happily finished, and we are sufficiently 
self-conscious to believe that the work in its present form will 
be considered as perfect as human foresight, diligence, and 
care could possibly expect. We do not go so far as to say 
it is absolutely free from error. Anyone who has had any 
experience in the compilation of a dictionary—and there are 
very few, indeed, who have—knows full well the immense 
difficulties that have to be encountered in collecting and 
arranging the data, and in the subsequent reading of the 
proofs. Still, the task has been a pleasant one, as the Author 
knows from past experience that his efforts will be appre- 
ciated heartily by thousands .of enthusiastic amateur gar- 
deners, not only in Great Britain, but beyond the seas. 
It will be well, perhaps, to give a general idea of the 
improvements that have been made in the present volume. 
First of all, we have broken up the somewhat solid nature 
of the text which existed in previous editions by dividing the 
subject into several paragraphs, so as to make each cultural 
feature distinct. Secondly, we have added considerably to 
the cultural data, giving, in the case of vegetables and fruit, 
more especially, the main points about the market culture 
of these crops. Thirdly, we have added the species and 
hybrids in general cultivation with their respective colours, 
time of flowering, height, and native countries, these being 
classified as hardy, half-hardy, annuals, biennials, perennials, 
trees and shrubs, green-house or hot-house plants, so that 
the reader may perceive at a glance the sections under which 
a species is classified. Fourthly, we have thoroughly revised 
the nomenclature of the genera, so as to bring them up-to- 
date. Thus, modern botanists now class the azaleas with 
the rhododendrons, the godetias with the cenotheras, the rho- 
