manifest, causes and effects that have heretofore been involved in inextricable mystery.

The late Professor Playfair once observed, "If we consider how many different laws seem to regulate the action of impulse, cohesion, elasticity, chemical affinity, crystallization, heat, light, magnetism, electricity, galvanism; the existence of a principle more general than these, and connecting all of them with that of gravitation, appears highly probable. The discovery of this great principle may be an honour reserved for a future age; and science may again have to record names which are to stand on the same levels with those of Newton and Laplace." He added, "it were unwise to be sanguine, and unphilosophical to despair."

The conjecture of this great man has, to a certain extent, been verified; and it may not be presumptuous to conjecture, that "the great principle" itself will ultimately be referred to one grand and only source.

I believe, that this source is already discovered and known, and that it only requires the philosophic mind to divest itself of prejudices, and to cease from pursuing shadows, since the substance itself stands revealed to the view of all. If I succeed in rendering this apparent, I shall enjoy the satisfaction of having done something for the cause of science, by simplifying the means of scientific research into the operations of that grand principle, which I cannot but view as the source of, and prime operative agent in, all the phenomena of the material world.

ORIGINAL DEDICATION.

ΤΟ

THOMAS ANDREW KNIGHT, ESQUIRE,

PRESIDENT TO THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

SIR,

I CANNOT do myself a greater honour than to dedicate THE DOMESTIC GARDENER'S MANUAL to a gentleman from whose scientific researches and labours I have derived great improvement, and the highest gratification. I therefore present it to you-not only as a tribute of gratitude for the invaluable instruction I have received, but as an acknowledgment of the heartfelt pleasure conferred upon me by the kind and affable manner in which you have signified your permission that I should dedicate my work to you.

There are few scientific horticulturists, Sir, who are not aware of, and do not fully appreciate the great service that you have rendered to the practice of Gardening in general, and to the science of Vegetable Physiology in particular; but it may not, perhaps, be generally known, that the catalogue of "British Works on Gardening," in Mr. LOUDON's Encyclopædia of the year 1824, contains a list of no fewer than one hundred and sixteen treatises or papers on various important subjects connected with theoretic or practical horticulture, which claim you as their author.

To these writings, I invite the attention of every inquiring reader who is in quest of phytological knowledge, because I am persuaded that thereby I shall effect an object dear to you, Sir, as well as to myself—namely, to arouse a spirit of research into the elementary components of plants, with a view to the increased production of

animal sustenance.

I may be permitted to observe, that recent, well-conducted experiments have proved that excellent and salubrious wines can be

made from the leaves of the vine, and the roots of the parsnep, and have rendered it extremely probable that sound good beer may be brewed at a very trifling expense, from mangel-wurtzel. In the economy of the farm-yard, Indian corn, and the seeds of the sunflower-on account of the exceedingly nutritious properties that they possess, and the facilities with which they may be produced-are likely to become articles of primary importance in rearing poultry of all descriptions.

These are but a few among the many facts that might be adduced -all tending to prove the necessity of reiterated experiments and minute investigations-all confirming the accuracy of the following observations, which I take the liberty to extract from the excellent letter you have recently addressed to me:

"Horticulture, as a science, has much in it to benefit and delight; and it may justly be said to be still in its infancy,-for I am perfectly confident that we have scarcely yet a single species of of fruit, or esculent plant, which is not still capable of being much improved relatively to the use of man. Of the powers of the potatoe to supply us with animal food, no person has yet formed anything approaching a fair estimate."

After this, it would be superfluous to add another word; for if such remarks, coming from such high authority, and supported by so many self-evident facts, fail to stimulate the gardener to patient and persevering research, all that I could further adduce, would be of little avail.

May your honourable and useful life be long preserved to us!— May it be accompanied with the blessings of health, and increasing mental enjoyment!

I beg to subscribe myself, SIR,

With great respect,

Your obedient and obliged Servant,

THE AUTHOR.

August 4, 1830.