NEW BOOK OF FLOWERS. BY JOSEPH BRECK. NEWLY ELECTROTYPED AND ILLUSTRATED. NEW-YORK: ORANGE JUDD & COMPANY, 41 PARK ROW. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by ORANGE JUDD & CO., At the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New-York. LOVEJOY & SON, 15 Vandewater street N. Y. INTRODUCTION. FIFTEEN years have passed since the author published his "Book of Flowers." In 1856 a new edition was issued, to which 60 pages were added in an appendix. The work had a large and generous patronage, and many thousands of copies were circulated during the ten following years. Time makes great changes in all the pursuits of life, and in none more than it has in Floriculture during the last 15 years; consequently, the book in question had become antiquated like the author, and needed revision, which I hope he does not, extensively. But when the work was taken in hand, it was deemed advisable to make a new book, rather than to attempt the revision of the old one, as it would be like putting new cloth to an old garment, to try to patch it up. That the laborous task of writing a new book was considered a necessity which, at the advanced age of more than three score years and ten, was not so pleasant to contemplate. But, having been familiar with the culture of flowers from childhood, with a general knowledge of most plants known in this climate, the task was made easy, notwithstanding the weariness of the flesh. And now, after a year's writing, revising and correcting, "Breck's New Book of Flowers" is presented to the flower-loving public, who, if they love flowers as well as the author, will, no doubt, appreciate his labors. He hopes the innocent, improving, and healthy pleasures to be derived from the art and practice of Floriculture, may be greatly increased by the instruction and encouragement he has endeavored to give. While much of the book is entirely new, and the arrangement greatly improved, some parts of the old work 542343 |