From Beginning to End 475 



Here ends the vegetable-gardening book. As it begins 

 with plants, so it ends with the home ; thereby is the per- 

 sonal and human interest of the book emphasized. The 

 author enjoyed writing the book twenty years ago. Still 

 more has he enjoyed re-writing it in his maturer years, and 

 he has lived the subject all over again. He has had many 

 aids not available then, for now there are numerous 

 workers. He might have quoted endlessly from them with 

 profit, did not the limits of the book forbid. Temptation 

 is strong to say something of the strange vegetables now 

 before him on another continent, for this paragraph is 

 written far from home; but these interesting subjects must 

 be left for another occasion. The public has been kind to 

 the old book; the author can ask nothing better for the 

 new one. He has tried to make it sound, but cannot hope 

 to have escaped errors: the reader must exercise his own 

 judgment in the use of the statements and advice. The 

 author does not expect to re-write the book again; but if 

 subsequent editions are needed, certain changes may be 

 made. 



