PREFACE. 



indifference by an enlightened Government, to whom every 

 thing, that has a reference to the well being of the people, 

 must appear interesting. 



We have said with truth, that the labours of this Society 

 are directed to practical purposes. But by this is not meant, 

 that theory is excluded, and scientifick knowledge disre- 

 garded. On the contrary, we revere science, sensible as we 

 are, that it is the surest and best guide to successful practice. 

 We profess, for instance, not to enter the precincts of Botany : 

 but we avail ourselves of the aid of this science, wherever a 

 more accurate, or enlarged view of the vegetable kingdom is 

 required, in order to throw light upon any particular subject. 

 An accomplished Horticulturist cannot be without botanical 

 and physiological knowledge ; this must be the foundation 

 of his art. Botany farther lends her assistance in the second, 

 or subordinate department, as the Society regards it, of its 

 pursuits, namely, in Ornamental Gardening, by furnishing, 

 from her stores, plants for embellishing and adorning the gar- 

 den. Here the line should be drawn. For though it is true 

 that, among the first publications, there occur some botanical 

 descriptions of plants, it is not what the Society acknow- 

 ledges as coming within its sphere. They are deviations 

 from the rule, which, it is presumed, may be pardoned in the 

 early stage of the Society, when it had not taken its exact 

 and fixed position. In this department, pleasure is more con- 

 sulted than advantage, and the gratification of the eye rather 

 than any substantially useful purposes. It is, however, an ob- 

 ject, to which a civilized and refined people are well justified in 



