ASKBURN 



I 



OMPANY'S 



TO OUR FRIENDS AND CORRESPONDENTS. 



We have mucn pleasure in submitting to your notice this new edition of otx ".1 nateof 

 Cultivator's Guide," which, in the past, nas been so popular with the lovers of horticulture. 

 We feel assured, upon examination, this will be found to far surpass any existing work of 

 similar description : we have spared neither time, trouble, nor expense in its compilation. 

 It has been our endeavor to make it reliable, not only in the description of the great number 

 of flowers and vegetables which are enumerated on its pages, but equally so in the lull and 

 complete practical directions for the successful growth of every variety. 



The arrangement, though different from our last edition, is not new, having been adopted 

 by eminent foreign dealers. To many it may not be very important ; but, to the mass of our 

 customers, we think it will commend itself as highly useful. All flowers and p.'anta are 

 divided into natural groups, and to know the character of one of these groups gives an idea 

 of the whole. The Aster and the Coreopsis are familiar to almost every cultivator; and, 

 when it is known that these belong to the composite order ( Cvmpvsitie), it will at once be 

 understood that any unknown plant belonging to this order resembles, in some respects, the 

 above flowers. It is to convey this general information that we think the addition of the 

 natural order is highly important. 



It will be seen that we have omitted many varieties from our last edition which we 

 deem scarcely worth cultivating, to avoid confusion, and to give greater space to more 

 desirable kinds. 



The character of every plant, whether annual, biennial, perennial, for the greecn-house, or 

 whether hardy, or half-hardy, is stated; and, with our prefatory remarks upon the culture 

 of each, there can be no difficulty in their successful growth. In addition to this infor- 

 mation, our remarks on laying out flower-gardens will, we hope, not only prove a valuable 

 aid to amateurs, but assist in disseminating a true taste for gardening art. 



As specialities, we refer particularly to the very extensive list of NOVELTIES, manv of 

 them of rare merit, and difficult to obtain. Other specialities arc our choice selection of 

 French and German flower-seeds, particularly Double Asters, German Stock", English 

 Double Hollyhocks, Camellia-flowered Balsams, Carnation and Picotee l'inks, Double 

 Zinnias, Double Portnlacas, &c. ; and of green-house plants, the Cineraria, Calceolaria, 

 Gloxinia, Pelargonium, Chinese Primrose, &c. Many of these are of our own growth; and 

 others are received direct from growers who produce their own seed, and some of whom 

 raise them expressly for us. In our collection of German, French, and English flower-seeds 

 we feel especial pride; for they contain all the truly beautiful varieties obtained in Europe 

 during the last ten years, all selected especially for us, and never surpassed, if equalled. 



Our VE'lETAnLE Seeds are such as we can recommend with the greatc-t confidence; 

 and, though we have not had the opportunity to test the latest additions, the dealers from 

 whom they have been obtained leave little doubt of their real value. In conclusion, we 

 have to acknowledge our indebtedness to various authorities for names, as well as occasional 

 hints, and more particularly to that valuable book, Burr's "Vegetables of America," to 

 Buist's " Kitchen Garden," and to numerous English catalogues. 



Owing to tin greatly increased expense of publishing a work so extensive as the present 

 edition, we are reluctantly obliged to make the nominal charge of twenty-five cents per 

 copy, upon the receipt of which it will be mailed to all applicants from any part of the 

 United States or Canada. 



Address, 



WASHBURN & CO., 

 Horticultural IIall, Boston, JLas». 



PllEBS OF TUTU). A VEHY, 



'^-^ N 



ft <<>,, 117 FHAHKI.1K STtfEET, BOSTON, MASS. 



