viii 



INTRODUCTION. 



a professional gardener, lias been treated of in the 

 most simple and practical manner possible. Those 

 subjects on which a diversity of opinion exists, have 

 either been fully stated and left to the decision of 

 the reader; or, that opinion has been adopted 

 which experience has proved to be the most con- 

 sistent and correct. In all cases, nothing has 

 been asserted but what may safely be relied upon, 

 and the importance of this will no doubt be fully 

 appreciated. 



It appears necessary that something should be 

 added on the laying out or disposition of a garden ; 

 but as this must depend entirely on local circum- 

 stances, and on the means or wishes of the occupant, 

 it is impossible to furnish any specific directions. 

 All that can be said, therefore, on this subject, is 

 that the ornamental part of a garden should always 

 be nearest to the dwelling, and, if possible, in the 

 front of it ; and that the part devoted to kitchen 

 produce should be situated at as great a"distance 

 from the house as the extent of the garden will 

 permit; provided it does not exceed one or two 

 acres. If it is bounded by a wall or fence, some 

 shrubs should be planted immediately within it, to 



