Foreword -I have great pleasure to present this volume of Golden Jubilee of India's Independence Series of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan to our esteemed readers. The Volume verily represents the goodwill and cooperation, the Sansthan has all along been receiving from the distinguished scholars all over the country. The Sansthan was established in October, 1970 as an autonomous apex body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India with a view to promoting, preserving and propagating Sanskrit learning in all its aspects, with special reference to the in-depth shastraic learning. Apart from conducting the regular courses of studies at the constituent Vidyapeethas, it has been bringing out invaluable publications representing dissemination of knowledge contained in the various Shastras. Thanks to the continued help, encouragement and support from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India that the Sansthan has grown in leaps and bounds and has been able to render its services to promotion of Sanskrit learning at national and international levels. Sansthan has decided to bring out 50 scholarly monographs by eminent Sanskrit Scholars of different fields as part of the academic programmes being organized to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of India's Independence. Sanskrit literature contains various types of scientific and technical knowledge useful for human welfare from ancient time. The present volume Horticulture in ancient India is one such book dealing with the practice of rearing of plants and trees in a scientific manner as revealed from ancient literature like the Vedas and Vedangas. The book will be useful for Researchers, Indologists interested in ancient scientific knowledge in general and agricultural scientists in particular besides general readers. We are highly grateful to Prof. R.N. Sampath former Professor and Head, Department of Sanskrit, Presidency College, Madras and Recipient of the President's Certificate of Honour for presenting this beautiful volume to the Golden Jubilee of India's Independence Series being published by the Sansthan. We are also grateful to Dr. V. Kameshwari for assisting Prof. Sampath in preparing this valuable book. The services rendered by my colleagues specially by Dr. Savita Pathak and Dr. Viroopaksha V. Jaddipal deserve special appreciation who have been working day and night for planning and organizing the various programmes connected with the Golden Jubilee Celebrations, particularly the publications of the golden Jubilee Series. M/s Amar Printing Press deserve our thanks for bringing out this monograph on time.