have the Care and Management of every Business within doors, and to see
after the good ordering of whatever is belonging to the House. And this, I
conceive, is no less the Practice of these Days, than it was in the time of
that great Philosopher; therefore it may seem necessary that I make some
Apology for the Work I now publish, which, for the most part, falls within
the Ladies Jurisdiction: but I hope I am the more excusable, as my Design
is rather to assist, than to direct. I may call myself rather their
Amanuensis, than their Instructor; for the Receipts which I imagine will
give the greatest Lustre or Ornament to the following Treatise, are such as
are practised by some of the most ingenious Ladies, who had Good-nature
enough to admit of a Transcription of them for publick Benefit; and to do
them justice, I must acknowledge that every one who has try'd them, allow
them to excel in their way. The other Receipts are such as I have collected
in my Travels, as well through_ England, _as in foreign Countries, and are
such as I was prompted to enter into my List, as well for their Curiosity
as for their extraordinary Goodness._

_I could have launched much further in this Attempt, but that I confined
myself to publish only such as were necessary for the Use of a Farm; or, in
other terms, for the good ordering of every thing which is the Produce of a
Farm and Garden: And especially I am induced to publish a Tract of this
nature for two Reasons, which I think carry some sway with them._

_The first is, that I find many useful things about Farms, and in Gardens,
whose Goodness is so little known, or understood, that they are seldom
reckon'd of any account, and in most places are looked upon as
Incumbrances; such as Mushrooms, Lupines, Brocoly, Morilles, Truffles
Skirrets, Scorzonera, Salsifie, Colerape, Charddones, Boorencole, and many
other such like things, which are excellent in their kind, when they are
well dress'd, and admired by the greatest Epicures._