Foreword 



the result, for it will prove to you that it is not 

 necessary to own an acre of ground in order to 

 have a garden. In fact, an acre-garden is too 

 large, at least by half, for the ordinary family, 

 for it will grow a great many more vegetables 

 than can be used. Of course the surplus can 

 be disposed of, generally to good pecuniary 

 advantage. But this little treatise is not 

 intended for market-gardeners. It is written 

 to encourage those who would do something to 

 help support the family by growing the vege- 

 tables they would otherwise have to buy, or go 

 without. I have tried to make everything in it 

 so plain that the amateur cannot fail to grasp 

 the idea I had in mind, and I think he will find 

 little difficulty in doing so. Scientific terms 

 and scientific methods have been ignored, 

 because I find that the average man has but 

 little use for them. In short, I have tried to 

 make everything in the book simple and prac- 

 tical, and I feel confident that any man who 

 has never had any experience in gardening 

 will, if he follows the instructions given, succeed 

 in growing vegetables that he will take pride in, 

 and that the family will enjoy far better than 

 those which come to them at second hand. 



i6 



