The P R E FA C B. 



moft ufeful part of Gard'ning whatfo- 

 ever. 



Had the knowledge and myftery of rai{^ 

 ing melons, cucumbers, afparagus, peafe, 

 common and kidney beans, colly Bowers, 

 fruit, S^c. in thofe early m.onths of the year, 

 been known in ancient times (as now they 

 are) how greatly would they have gloried, 

 even in foils and climates much better than 

 ours ? but now, to the immortal honour of 

 our prefent Kitchen Gardiners, we fee the 

 great inclemency of our climate regulated, 

 and nature taught, by their induftrious 

 hands, to outdo herfelf, when we behold 

 the oifspring of the melonry and potagery 

 jRourifhing, and the unwearied and laborious 

 Gardiner undaunted, even in the midft of 

 the fevered weather that can happen. 



The truth of the matter is, whoever 

 will give himfelf the pains to trace a good 

 Gardiner thro' the feveral ftages of his em- 

 ploy, in all the feafons of the year, will 

 rind it to be one continued circle of la- 

 bour and toil ; in one part of it he will be 

 feen perpetually covering and uncovering 

 of his infant care, with mats, ftraw, long 

 dung, and the like, during the winter 

 months ; and at another feafon as vigorous 

 in defending himfelf from thofe pernicious 



