From the PREFACE. THE world and his wife are gardeners nowadays. It is safe to conclude that most people have to be content with little gardens, and since these are notoriously more difficult to manage satisfactorily than large ones, I may be pardoned for believing that I have a good excuse for the publication of this volume. Little Gardens aims at giving concise and practical counsel on laying out a small garden and generally turning it to the best advantage. This may seem an impossible task within one hundred and fifty pages, but I believe the work loses nothing in being concise. Was I disposed to expatiate upon the delights that are within reach of the flower lover, or to elaborate an explanation of some practical work beyond the necessary limits Then at once I was confronted with the list of subjects still not touched upon, and compelled, willy-nilly, to confine my remarks strictly to essential information and to express this as briefly as possible. For the exposition of my views I have relied to some extent upon illustrations, for often it happens that a picture will tell a story better than a page of letterpress can do, and when pages are strictly limited, obviously this is a question worth consideration. One can make the most of a little garden only by choosing suitable plants and giving each the treatment best suited to its needs.

Little Gardens weeds the good from the bad, and endeavors to show how the good may be made to give of their best.