ii Preliminary Observations to the Second Volume. 



whilst practical Skill, and substantial Experience, are pre- 

 pared to determine speculative uncertainties, and to bring 

 the labours of the closet to the test of utility. 



The Gardener's Art comprises many different branches of 

 cultivation, all of them valuable in a civilized community, 

 and more especially so in climates, where Nature, unaided, 

 presents very few of the esculents, or of the ornamental and 

 fragrant beauties, which enrich the Garden. 



The Charter defines this Society to be " for the improve- 

 " ment of Horticulture in all its branches, ornamental as 

 " well as useful;' and we must be careful, when measuring 

 the deserts of the several contributors, to avoid even the 

 semblance of partiality towards any one branch. The com- 

 parative value of their researches must be limited to the rela- 

 tive merits of things of the same kind, and not invidiously 

 extended to dissimilar subjects. There is no analogy, in 

 estimation, between the cultivated vegetables for mere suste- 

 nance, for wholesomeness, for exclusive luxury, or for sensi- 

 tive delight. And although the Society may be often im- 

 pelled to give a seeming preference to the useful branches of 

 Horticulture before the ornamental, still it should be fully 

 known that the Pleasure Garden possesses both physical and 

 moral advantages, which are capable of benefiting the lowest 

 as well as the highest classes of Society, and therefore una- 

 voidably claims the protection and encouragement of this 

 Corporate Body. 



Unquestionably, a priority in rank should be given to 

 those vegetables which afford the most wholesome food, and 

 which may be raised in the greatest abundance, and with 



