THE 



ENGLISH GARDENER. 



CHAPTER I. 



On the arrangement] of the divers matters contained in the subsequent 

 Chapters, and on the method which ought to he pursued in the studying 

 of those matters. 



1. Before we begin to study the contents of any book ; that is 

 to say, before we begin to endeavour to obtain a thorough know- 

 ledge of those contents ; we ought, if possible, to get a clear and 

 neat view of the outline of those contents, and of the purposes to 

 which they are intended to become applicable. To insist, as some 

 authors have done, on the utility of a knowledge of the means to 

 obtain garden-plants, fruits, and flowers, would be useless. It is 

 notorious that it is useful to have these things ; and, therefore, all 

 that we have to do is, to obtain a knowledge of the means of ob- 

 taining them in the greatest perfection, and with the least propor- 

 tionate quantity of expense or trouble ; and also, with the least 

 risk of experiencing a disappointment of our hopes. 



2. There must be, of necessity, numerous divisions of the matter, 

 where subjects so numerous are to be treated of : and it is of great 

 advantage to take a view of these several divisions before we 

 enter upon the treatise. And, therefore, in this chapter, I shall 

 endeavour to give the reader this view ; so that he ^vill see, not 

 only what he is going to read about, but also the order in which 

 the matter is intended to be brought before him. The second 

 Chapter of the work will describe that which I deem to be the 

 proper Situation of a garden ; next, it will treat of the Soil, its 

 nature, its preparation, and the general mode of manuring it, and 

 of making provision of manure : next, of the Form of the Kitchen- 

 garden, and also of the extent necessary under different circum- 



B 



