7he PREFACE. 



too fhort and concife in his inftmdions re- 

 lating to the raifing of melons, and feveral 

 other things ; all which I have endeavour- 

 ed amply to fupply, and not to omit a rule 

 that may tend to the making this Treatife 

 as ufefiil and pradical as I could, having 

 always had an eye rather on the pradice 

 of Gardening, than on the precepts deli- 

 vered in print ; and tho' it will unavoidably 

 fall out that I muft make ufe of the (ame 

 methods that many authors before me have 

 done, yet it will, I hope, appear by the 

 following iheets, that pradice it fclf had 

 the greateft fliare in the guidance of my 

 pen. 



And to make it as ufeful as I could to 

 all degrees of my readers, I have in the firfl; 

 place begun with a (hort account of the 

 appellation, etymology or derivation, and 

 the virtues and properties of thofe kitchen 

 and diftillory plants I treat of, and of their 

 ufes, whether defigned for the kitchen or 

 laboratory ; and direded the gardiner, houfe- 

 keeper and cook, to thofe places where 

 they will find them more largely treated o^ 

 and that in books of our own languages 

 I mean the incomparable and laborious 

 works of Gerard and Parkmfon, which 

 will give li^ht to what has been fo long 

 2 _ wanted^ 



