K PREFACE. 



host knowB in Europe, little novelty, we fear, can 

 be expected. 



It may perhaps be thought, that we have an- 

 nounced very few improvements in the general style 

 of gardening, or even in particular practices of 

 culture, as existing in the foreign districts which 

 we visited. The truth is, we were led to form the 

 opinion that our own style of gardening in Scot- 

 land is, generally speaking, superior to what we wit- 

 nessed on the Continent : it may he very true that 

 we originally derived our horticulture from the Fle- 

 mings and the Hollanders, hut it seems equally cer- 

 tain that we have now, in many respects, surpassed 

 them. Details of some particular practices and 

 modes of culture not undeserving of attention, will 

 he found in our journal ; and that others, of 

 more importance, may exist, seems highly pro- 

 bable : but to have gained a knowledge of these 

 would have required a residence of considerable du- 

 ration at each place, such practices being only ex- 

 emplified at certain seasons of the year ; and we 

 found, that we could acquire little information by 

 oral means in the Low Countries, the practical gar- 

 deners there speaking only Flemish and Dutch, lan- 

 guages in which we could not easily communicate 

 with them, 



PAT. NEIL.L, 



Sec. Cal. Hort Soc- 



i.i. , 1 

 •<} December J m'l. \ 



