PREFACE. xiii 



have been stupidly jealous of any publicity respecting the 

 staples in the sale of which they were specially interested. 

 The greatest fear was expressed lest any details as to the 

 sources of supply, stocks on hand, and cost prices of many 

 of the minor articles, should transpire. After the results of 

 the Great Exhibition, the exertions making to establish Trade 

 Museums, and the prospect of information to be furnished 

 at the new Crystal Palace, this narrow-minded and selfish 

 feeling seems singularly misplaced. 



I had not originally contemplated touching upon the grain 

 crops and food plants of temperate regions ; but the prospect 

 of a failure in our harvest, the disturbed state of political 

 affairs on the Continent, with short supplies from Kussia and 

 the Danubian provinces, and the absence of any reliable 

 statistics and information for convenient reference on this all- 

 important subject, added to the recommendations of one or 

 two well-informed correspondents, induced me to go more into 

 detail on the Food-plants and Bread-stuffs than I had at first 

 intended, and to treat very fully upon Wheat, Barley, 

 Potatoes, and other subsidiary food crops. This has trenched 

 somewhat largely on my space ; and although the volume has 

 been swelled to an unexpected size, I am reluctantly com- 

 pelled to omit some few Sections, such as those treating of 

 elastic and other Gums, Resins, &c. ; on tropical Fruits j and 

 on textile substances and products available for cordage and 

 clothing. The latter section, which includes Cotton, Flax, 

 Jute, &c., and embraces a wide and important range of 



