By Joseph Sabine, Esq. 



called C. Sativus, and the Spring one C. Vernus. It is evi- 

 dent from the Works quoted by Willdenow, that he con- 

 curred with Linnaeus in considering all the Spring kinds as 

 referable to this last Species. 



The researches of Botanical travellers in the southern parts 

 of Europe and in the temperate regions of Asia* have 

 proved the existence of many kinds of Crocus in a wild state, 

 which were not known at the time of Willdenow's publi- 

 cation. The list of ascertained uncultivated species is now 

 extensive, and a well executed Monograph of the Genus would 

 be a very acceptable acquisition both to the Botanist and 

 Horticulturist. 



A paper of this description was published by Dr. Goldbach, 

 in 1817 in the 5th Volume of the Memoirs of the Imperial 

 Society of Naturalists of Moscow, but the want of full infor- 

 mation in some parts in it, as well as subsequent discoveries, 

 make it now unsatisfactory as a whole. 



A similar attempt was made in 1826, by Mr. Bouche, in an 

 account of the Genus Crocus, in the 5th Volume of the Lin- 

 naea (page 227). He terminates his paper with an announce- 

 ment of his want of knowledge of nine species of the Genus, 

 it is therefore quite as imperfect as that of Dr. Goldbach. 



Mr. Gay, of Paris, it is understood has been long engaged 

 in preparing a Monograph of the Genus, for which no one is 

 better qualified, not only on account of his general science, 

 but from his particular acquaintance with the subject, he 

 having long cultivated the different species of authors, obtained 

 from their native countries, under his own eye in the Garden 

 of the Luxembourg. 



* The habitats of the different species of wild Crocus are confined to these two 

 quarters of the Globe. 



