PREFACE 



Many books on the cultivation of vegetables have been written, 

 but " The Vegetable Garden " is the first book in any language 

 which classifies, describes, and illustrates these most important of 

 all plants to the human race. No excuse is needed for " making 

 English " such a book for the benefit, not only of our own horti- 

 culture, but also that of America, and of Australia and our other 

 colonies, in which the plants herein described may be grown. 

 It will enable us to realise the wonderful variety of light, pleasant, 

 and excellent food now within our reach, and make many good 

 vegetables more widely known. 



The relation of these plants to the movement towards food 

 reform calls for a word at the present time. Leaving out of view 



any exclusive tendency of this kind, all agree that the 



greater use of the best vegetables in our food would 

 be a gain. The reason why the more delicate vegetable foods are 

 neglected is because the cooks of Europe have served an appren- 

 ticeship of a thousand years on the carcases of ox, pig, sheep, and 

 we are meat-eaters because our fathers had little else to eat. The 

 plains and hills of the cold north were dotted with wild grazing 

 animals, as an English park is with deer, or a Western prairie 

 with antelope, and men killed and cooked the only food they had. 

 A few generations only have passed since our now commonest 

 vegetables came from the Continent. We are adding to their 

 number every day, and by the aid of cultivation we are winning 

 back our way to a simpler, healthier food. 



In London the chaotic struggle in Covent Garden tends to 

 deprive us of the good qualities of the garden produce so well 



grown in the suburban fields. One simple way to 

 ^^^Needed^^^^ improvement would be the adoption of district 



markets for local supplies. It is not necessary that 

 permanent structures should be built : a wide road, or square, or 



