viii 



PREFACE 



the elegance that attends the labours of thefe induftrlous men : 

 On the contrary, as the natvire of my profefTion, in planning and 

 deiigning ground works, has often procured me the honour of 

 fitting at the beft tables, where I have often eat of dillies dreft in 

 the French manner, I muft acknowledge I ever thought them 

 both as pleafant and healthful as the bed Britilh I had ever 

 tailed. Notwithftanding which, I efteem the various labours of an 

 able gardener, to be of a nobler nature, and of more folid impor- 

 tance to every perfon, from a Prince to a private man, than all 

 the diilies invented from the birth of Cleopatra to the prefent 

 date. 



As inclofing ground with hedges, and making plantations of 

 Foreft trees, are the firft principles, and moft folid foundation for 

 promoting all the different branches of hufbandry and garden- 

 ing, our northei-n climate being highly improved by thefe 

 means, the greateft encouragement is furely due from all lovers 

 of their country, to whoever fliall contribute to the executing 

 thefe important points, in a handfomer, more fuccefsful, and 

 more expeditious manner than is generally pradlifed, — though 

 I am forry to fay, we are lefs attentive to, and farther be- 

 hind in knowledge of the beft methods for effecting this, than 

 in moft other improvements. We plainly fee, that, to procure 

 the quick growth and comely figure of our ovm hardy native 

 plants, we muft give them the mutual afliftance of one another; 

 and how much more neceffary flicker is in rearing tender foreign 

 trees and vegetables with any exuberance of growth, is too plain 

 to infift on. To that alone, then, we owe all the choiceft deli- 

 cacies of the table, and the more refined pleafure of viewing 

 a vaft variety of the moft beautiful plants in nature, the 



