A highly inclusive reference work covering the conditions, plants and procedures of American gardening and small-scale agriculture. L.H. Bailey was considered the "Dean of American Horticulture", and his work, out of his offices at Cornell University, established American horticulture as the equal or better of that practiced in any other country on earth. Many of the scientific plant names have been revised over the last century, but online resources make it simple to find the current names. Most interesting are the procedures, often described in great detail, for effective gardening in a time before motorized vehicles, easily-available electricity, industrial pesticides and fertilizers and other modern things we now take for granted. This alone makes these volumes of great interest for those pursuing "greener" gardening.

These volumes are part of a body of work by L.H. Bailey of various titles including "Cyclopedia of American Horticulture" and the three editions of "Hortus" ("Hortus", "Hortus Second" and "Hortus Third"). This work began at the end of the 19th century and continued into the 1970s when Bailey's offices produced the vastly updated and expanded "Hortus Third".) Many different editions and printings of all of the works exist, and it is often necessary to view a particular copy in order to determine if it will provide the information sought. On the other hand, all of the editions and forms, from the earliest to the last, are among the best references for idle reading. Open a volume to a random page, and soon enough you will find that your knowledge has been significantly increased!