Originally published in 1911, this work is by the American horticulturist, and botanist, Liberty Hyde Bailey. He was a keen advocate of preserving American rural civilisation and as a leader in the Country Life Movement he promoted the principles of agrarianism in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson. We are republishing this work with a brand new introductory biography of the author with an aim to place the book in context with the achievements of his life. The following passage is an extract from the opening chapter of this work: 'The country-life movement is the working out of the desire to make rural civilization as effective and satisfying as other civilization. It is not an organized movement proceeding from one center or even expressing one set of ideas. It is a world-motive to even up society as between country and city; for it is generally understood that country life has not reached as high development within its sphere as city life has reached within its sphere. We call it a new subject. As a "movement," or a recognized set of problems needing attention, it may possibly be called new; but in reality it is new only to those who have recently discovered it.'