INTRODUCTION 



In presenting the "Fruit Garden Com- 

 panion" to the public, the writer begs leave 

 to state, that the principal object and de- 

 sign of the work has been to condense in 

 the most convenient form, as a manual, 

 practical remarks on the culture and man- 

 agement of the different kinds of fruit adapt- 

 ed to the Middle and Northern States, for 

 the fruit garden and orchard. 



At the commencement of the work seve- 

 ral pages have been appropriated to the 

 phytology of plants, in order to familiarize 

 the young cultivator with some of the lead- 

 ing characteristics of trees, as, the bud, 

 flower, leaf, root, &c. In the description 

 of this part of the culture of fruit trees, my 

 object has been to use such terms as are the 

 most simple and generally understood ; and 

 hence many classical terms have been ren- 

 dered into English, with a view to make 

 horticulture familiar and easy, so far as or- 



