Commercial Gardens. 19 



state, for the benefit of our readers, the grounds on which we 

 have formed this opinion. These are, first and chiefly, their 

 extensive assortment of seeds, including all those calculated, 

 not only for the colder, but the warmer and warmest climates 

 of Europe ; which cannot be said to the same extent of the 

 assortment of any other European seedsman : secondly, the 

 known probity, correctness, and intelligence of the firm, in 

 consequence of the ample property of M. Vilmorin, and his 

 education and acquirements as a scientific man and a classical 

 scholar. M. Vilmorin has for some time been a candidate for 

 a seat in the Institute, which is something even higher than 

 being proposed as a Fellow of our Royal Society ; because 

 any man, if he has rank, may become a member of that 

 Society, and yet be ignorant both of science and classical 

 learning. 



As a proof of the extensive assortment of M. Vilmorin and 

 Co., and for the benefit of our readers in other climates, we 

 give the following abstract of their printed catalogue as handed 

 to us by M. Lacroix, with some MS. additions, in January 

 1829. 



Culinary seeds (des graines potageres), 456 sorts. 



Cereal grasses (plantes cereales), 63 sorts. 



Forage grass plants, or hay plants from the true grasses (plantes four- 

 rageuses tirees de la famille des graminees), 50 sorts. 



Forage plants not true grasses (plantes fourrageuses non graminees, et 

 racines-fourrages), 120 sorts. 



Oil-bearing plants (plantes oleiferes), 18 sorts. 



Textile or thread-bearing plants (plantes textiles ou filamenteuses), 10 

 sorts. 



Dyeing plants (plantes tinctoriales), 11 sorts. 



Economical plants for different purposes (plantes economiques diverses), 

 7 sorts. 



Seeds of hardy trees and shrubs (des graines d'arbres, et d'arbrisseaux 

 de pleine terre), 300 sorts. 



Seeds of shrubs and plants grown in the green-house or hot-house (des 

 graines d'arbrLsseaux et des plantes d'orangerie et de serre), 190 sorts. 



Seeds of flowers and ornamental plants (des graines de fleurs et de 

 plantes d'agrement), 294 sorts. 



Seeds of ornamental fruits (des graines des fruits d'agrement), 23 sorts. 



Seeds of flowers and plants of ornament, chiefly perennial (des graines 

 de fleurs de plantes d' ornament, pour la plus grande parte vivaces), 202 

 sorts. 



Seeds of hardy bulbous plants (des graines de plantes bulbeuses, &c.), 

 25 sorts. 



The above are all seeds. M. Vilmorin and Co. have also a 

 catalogue of bulbous roots, which, exclusively of named hya- 

 cinths, tulips, and other florists' flowers, exceeds 390 sorts. 

 They have no catalogue of trees; but they procure these 



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