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PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
Most of the facts detailed in the following 
work have been long before the public. They 
have been published in several periodicals, and in 
a letter to Sir W. J. Hooker, which appeared in 
the “ Companion to the Botanical Magazine ” for 
May, 1836. This letter was subsequently printed 
separately for private distribution among the 
Author’s friends. The attention of the scien- 
tific world was likewise drawn to the subj ect at 
three several meetings of the British Association, 
and more particularly by an admirable paper 
written by the late Mr. Ellis, of Edinburgh, and 
published in the “ Gardener’s Magazine ” for 
September, 1839. The simple yet comprehensive 
principle, however, upon which plants are grown 
in closed cases, does not appear to be clearly 
understood, and many misconceptions yet exist 
upon this point. The object of the present work, 
therefore, is to remove these erroneous notions, 
and thereby to enable those who wish to experi- 
ment upon the subject to do so without risk of 
disappointment. The Author is fearful that in 
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