1818 Catalog of Wm. Prince: Just Plain Convolvulus (plus a treat)

William Prince published this catalog in 1818.   Working with his son by this date, he mentions you can pick up a catalog at the son's, Wm. R's, South Street establishment.

To make remembering who is who even more difficult, the senior Prince was the son of yet another William who was an economic botanist and horticulturist.

Their fields were in Flushing, New York.

I am featuring this to illustrate the style of older catalogs in general.  Buyers had to know what they wanted.  There was absolutely no attempt to seduce you with lush illustrations and horticulturally titillating descriptions.  You either knew what a "Convolvolos sagittafolius" was, or you didn't!  (Spelling was a more casual affair back then as well.)







Click here to view these full size PDF of the catalog and a sheet of a handwritten list by a buyer/dreamer.

I was curious to see what the buyer was checking off.












Here is your reward :-)  There is a fantastic book to download from Google Books,

The ladies' flower-garden of ornamental annuals by Mrs. Loudon