IV 
PREFACE, 
stand them; a second paid his adoration to a party or clique 
which he fancied he had attracted around him; a third 
adored his own pocket; and it is even whispered that a 
fourth bowed the knee to his own—nonsense. 
Now, first-rate florists, like first-rate men of all profes¬ 
sions, are necessarily men of talent; and, so, it is not pos¬ 
sible that they could help discerning the weakness and 
worthlessness of such things, which would naturally move 
them both to pity and to aversion. Accordingly, when w r e 
began our labours, and it was known that we w r ere for the 
profession, and for its improvement generally, and not for 
any partial or paltry purpose, we were hailed and en¬ 
couraged in the most cheerful manner, by men of whose 
connexion we have every reason to be proud; and this co¬ 
operation being volunteered to us, the mercantile depart¬ 
ment of our work has gone on flourishing, so that we shall 
be enabled to avail ourselves of every real improvement 
that can be suggested. 
Thus supported and encouraged, we shall be enabled to 
give our Journal each of the three qualities which such a 
work ought to possess, in order to effect all the good which it 
is capable of producing. In the first place we shall be 
enabled to explain, without the mystification of hypothesis, 
or the jargon of technical words, those general principles 
upon which the art of floriculture is founded, and which 
enable any florist to extend the field of his labours as he 
sees occasion. In the second place, we shall be enabled to 
furnish descriptions of favourite flowers, and the best 
method of cultivating them by the most eminent parties' 
who are engaged in that cultivation. In the third place, 
our pictorial illustrations will form one of the most unique 
and accurate, and therefore most valuable collections of 
floral portraits ever offered to the public. Besides these 
three grand qualities, we shall be always ready to answer 
questions, clear up doubts, or put our readers in possession 
of any information which they may desire, and we and our 
cooperators can supply. 
