MEMOIR 



VSEFUIL GRASSES, 



^Y. RICHARDSON, D. D. 



COMMUNICATED BY 



Dr. davenport. 



Kead on Monday, March Gth^ ISO^. 



jL he branch of botanical knowledge which is limited to 

 the natural history of the grassy tribe, bears but a very small 

 proportion to the immense field included within the insatiable 

 grasp of the modern professoi's of that science ; who count 

 upon their catalogue 80,000 different plants, Avhile they sup- 

 pose the grasses taken by themselves amount only to ]50. 



An attempt, therefore, to reduce that comparatively small 

 number still lower, and to bring the attention of the Roval 

 Irish Academy upon a portion of it, not exceeding the 

 tenth or twelfth part of the whole number of grasses, will 

 probably excite surprise. 



My object, however, will, I hope, plead my excuse : I 

 have no other view than to be practically useful, and to assist 

 the Agriculturist in selecting such grasses as, from some 



VOL. XI. jr years' 



