38 TUIANDRIA. 



was published by the Bath Agricultural Society in 1792, 

 and verified by the farmer who then occupied the 

 land. The account the farmer has also given concern- 

 ing the character of the grass, is, that it generally grows 

 to the height of about eighteen inches, and then falls 

 and runs along the ground in knots to the length of 

 sixteen or eighteen feet, and that he has known in- 

 stances of its running to the length of twenty-five feet. 



This grass is thought to be, principally, some 

 species of the agrostis, and probably a variety of the 

 Agrostis slolonifera. 



The Irish Fiorin-grass, which is so productive, and 

 «o materially contributes both to the quantity and the 

 quality of the milk and butter of Ireland, is said also 

 to be a variety of this grass. 



Grass ° is the most general herbage on the face of 

 the earth, which to a common observer might be 

 supposed to be one uniform vegetable production, 

 growing more or less luxuriantly in different soils j 

 but upon more accurate and scientific investigation, 

 there are found to be not less than a hundred and six- 

 teen different species, natives of Britain alone. Most 

 of the grasses possess the valuable property of in- 

 creasing by their roots, as well as by seeds} and 

 while the leaves, which form the herbage, are cropped 



° To this Class and Order, with few exceptions, belong all 

 the numerous tribe of vegetables, called Grasses, which are thus 

 denned by Ray; " Plants having a round, jointed, and hollow 

 stem, surrounded at each joint with a single leaf, long, narrow, 

 and pointed, and whose seeds are contained in chaffy husfes." 



