A profession offering such rich materials, which almost every day are enlarged by new and interesting discoveries, opens a large field of study and labor, both to the theoretical and practical man; and we think that every one gifted in the least with a taste for natural beauty, should range tasteful gardening with the most beautiful of the arts. It is painful, however, for us to confess that our gardens - we mean those of the wealthier in this city and its vicinity - are, generally Speaking, in a sad state in comparison with those of cities of the same dimensions in the United States. The want of taste is so prominent, that often the finest dwellings and villas are seen surrounded by miserable-looking, spoiled gardens, if not even in the midst of cabbage fields; which latter certainly, we should think; could not be considered as fit objects to ornament thqgmmediate neighborhood of a fine building, and in our opinion it helps to degrade it; whereas, a garden handsomely laid out under tasteful principles would highly improve it, and give it an elegant appearance. We do not mean to do away entirely with the kitchen garden.

We know even that under certain circumstances a culinary garden, properly placed, can be made both useful and ornamental, without in the least destroying the view in the immediate neighborhood of a dwelling; but to find out the way of doing so, we need to study a little of what we would call the poetry of gardening, which does not appear to be the task of the greater part of the proprietors of the Montreal gardens, which in many instances might be turned into delightful residences, if entrusted to the hands of experienced persons.

However, a few gardens are exempt from this general deficiency, and among these we mention first that of John Torrance, Esq., St Antoine street, where we find a very well kept and properly laid out culinary garden and very handsome flower garden close to the dwelling, which in the summer season is ornamented with some nice old specimens of greenhouse plants, and a fine collection of very pretty annuals. It is particularly worth visiting in the month of June, because of the fine collection and large specimens of Fuchsias which are then in full bloom, and to which the gardener, Mr. Holder, as a favorite plant of his, seems to devote particular attention, and indeed with the greatest success. During the winter season will be found in a suitable greenhouse a considerable number of New Holland plants, but, with few exceptions, in rather longish appearing specimens. In one compartment, apparently intended for the growth of stove plants, we find again a collection of the older genera of the tropics in general cultivation, with the exception of a few new and excellent specimens, which unfortunately are hid among Fuchsias and Azaleas, because the stove has to be used both as a forcing-house and stove; but we have no doubt that if Mr. Holder had a fair opportunity, he would show us something very superior.

The flower garden of Mr. Wm. Lunn, Sherbrooke street, which is generally tastefully planted, is surrounded partly by long, well put up vineries, and a long but narrow green-house, where all sorts of market nlants. such as Rses. Pelargoniums. Verbenas and other herbaceous varieties, are grown plentifully; but as the whole establishment is intended for market purposes, we see even in the flower garden French Beans, Raspberries, and other marketable fruits and vegetables, which must impress upon the mind of the visitor something less than a tasteful geniality. The spacious kitchen garden is planted with some fine bearing Apple trees of very good varieties. We purposely mention this garden among our first, because the people of Montreal think it one of their best, as they never find a want of vegetables there.

As for amateurs fond of seeing well-grown plants, we would direct their attention to the fine collection of Jambs FerriEr, Esq., under the care of Mr. Taylor, a very worthy young Scotchman, who deserves every possible credit for the zeal with which he endeavors to recompense the generosity of his kind employer. In an elegant conservatory, though not entirely suitable for the growth of plants, we find, particularly in the months of February and March, when Camellias, Azaleas, and some of his handsome New Holland plants are in full bloom, that no place is more worthy a visit than this. Among some of his finest green-house plants we only mention some very handsome Conifers, viz., Araucaria excclsa, Cryptomeria Japonica, Cupressus fune-bris, and several other smaller specimens, beside some elegant Acacias, Such as pubescent, armatA alata, grandis, etc. But we observe, in a small stove which joins the conservatory, even some well-grown new and rare plants, as, for instance, that new and splendid creeper from Java, Cissus discolor marmorea, Cephalotus follicularis. Begonia xanthina, Hydrangea Japonica, foliis, variegatis, and several others.

But we find the surrounding of the dwelling in the summer season in a rather desolate and apparently somewhat neglected state, because of its having been previously over-planted with trees, the roots of which seem, as is often the case, to have grown to the heart of the proprietor; so much so, that at present they could not be cleared away without affecting it severely.

Highly worth notice is the new garden, only since last year arranged, of one of the most tasteful and enterprising gentlemen in this city; we mean that of Henry Chap-maw, Esq., Durocher street Beside a handsome little flower garden luxuriantly ornamented with the best annuals, herbaceous plants, hardy shrubbery, etc, we find a very well constructed green-house and stove, which is filled with the best plants of latest introduction; and as the young and industrious gardener, Mr. BeRgholz, a German, is a first rate propagator, we find all the newfrt varieties in great multitudes about the place; so much so, that his employer, as we learn, is inclined to sell or exchange the plants of which he has a large stock, which certainly will be a great advantage to those who are anxious to get the newest varieties and their correct names; and, in fact, we are aware of no place in Canada or the United States where propagation is conducted with greater care and attention, nor where it is rewarded with better success; so that even Mr. Stuart Low, a noted English nurseryman, at a recent visit to this city, could not help placing this establishment at the head of all those which he visited in America, as to the quantity of its new and well-grown valuable plants.

The stock of New Holland plants is well supplied, and in good propagation, all nice which we may mention some of the new Phloxes, such as Roi Leopold, Crytereon, Madam Lefevre, Ac, the finest and newest Chrysanthemums, Dianthua or Carnations, Dielytras, Bellis or German Daisies, Arc. We notice, further, a handsome collection of Conifers, viz., Saxe-Gothcea conspicua, Libocedrus Chiliensis, Abies Jezoensis, Araucaria, Cupressus, &c; a large collection of Acacias, and the newest and best Camellias and Azaleas. Most interesting is a visit to the stove, where we see at the entrance a small aquarium with Nymphcea dentata, Ortgiesiana rubra, ccerulea, some Pontederias, Andropogon Schomanthus, and several of the Cypericacese. Among the vigorous and carefully propagated stove-plants we find all the newest and hest, such as several of the new and finest of the Ficus tribe; Begonia Prestoniensis, miniata, zanthina, macrophylla, stigmosa, A&.; the splendid Aphelandra Leopoldii, squarrosa citriosa, Porteana, etc.; Draccena nobilis, maculata; large specimens of the elegant Hydrangea Japonica foliis variegatis; Clerodendron Bungei; the beautiful Maranda Warszcewitzii; the interesting Fly-trap Dioneea muscipula; Cephalotus folliculars.

Among the various creepers the most beautiful Hexacentris Mysorensis; the finest of all the Passifloras, P. Decaisneana; Haemadyction nutans; Cissus discolor marmo-rea. As for other fine showy plants, Lopezia macrophylla, Musa coccinea, Quadrya heterophylla, Saurauja macrophylla, Pandanus graminifolius, Bresia Madagascari-ensis, Aloplectus Schlimmei, are among a number of the finest flowers. Of the newer Gloxinias in vogue, Achimenes Chirita, Ac Mr. Bergholz, whose zeal and know-ledge collected all these in not more than one year, deserves every possible credit, and we wish him every success in his endeavors to make Montreal a place where persons so devoted to the profession as he is may find opportunities to study and admire the vegetable kingdom in all its grandeur, in which task he is most generously supported by his kind employer.

There are several other gardens known as fine in Montreal, the economical display of which, however, is so prominent, that we forbear expressing our opinion upon them. We can not, however, refrain from mentioning the highly creditable and oldest nur-sery and seed establishment of Lower Canada, that of Mr. George Shepherd, a person known among his fellow citizens as one of the most honest and industrious of men, who by his steady perseverance has as yet been the only individual who has turned nursery-gardening in this rigorous climate to any profit. We find him always ready to aid newly-arrived young gardeners, and gentlemen applying to him, with the most practical advice about everything relating to gardening in this country; and his general and thorough knowledge of his profession makes him the most able to do so. In his nursery at St. Catherines, near the foot of the mountain, we find a fine stock of the best varieties of keeping Apples suitable for this climate, in young, saleable trees, with a collection of all sorts of shrubs adapted to this country; and in his store, 83 Noter-Dame street, garden and field seeds, either of his own raising or imported from some of the best establishments in Europe. Lately the Messrs. Cockburn A Brown have established something similar, and seem not to be afraid of any expense in increasing their stock by considerable importations of fruit trees, shrubbery, and Roses store; and we wish them the good success which we wish to all gardening around Montreal.

[We publish the foregoing letter from a practical and observing man who feels interested in the state and progress of gardening around him. We must say, however, that some of the criticisms on gardens are not exactly to our taste, though we do not dispute their correctness. We have not been in Montreal for some years, but we remember, when there, being forcibly struck with the taste and good keeping of many gardens, and especially with the excellent vegetables shown in market We think that, considering the rigorous climate of Montreal, her gardens will compare not unfavorably with any American city, and in private green-houses she is in advance of any other of an equal population. - Ed].