IV . PREFACE. 



the arrangement of genera and species. Part third of 

 this work I have followed, as Mr. Flint has done in 

 his valuable treatise, the natural order adopted by 

 Professor Gray, to whose Manual of Botany I refer 

 the student for a specific description of the grasses of 

 no agricultural value. All grasses having an agri- 

 cultural value have their generic and specific charac- 

 ter given in this work. And lastly I have given suit- 

 able mixtures for various soils. 



Althougli much has been said and written on the 

 subject of grass culture, there still remains a great 

 work to be accomplished in this important industry. 



Perrennial grasses constituting rich, permanent 

 meadows and pastures are generally acknowledged 

 to be the true basis of the agricultural prosperity of 

 a country, consequently the want of these must be a 

 serious inconvenience and drawback to agricultural 

 communities. What must then be thought of the 

 practice, followed in many sections of the country of 

 making a speciality of growing Timothy, which is a 

 short-lived grass, and almost totally unfit for perma- 

 nent iiasture, to the exclusion of other grasses, many 

 of them equaling it for hay crops, but all surpassing 

 it in permanency of meadow and pasturage. 



If my humble efiorts will have the effect of indu- 

 cing farmers to give mixtures of those valuable 

 grasses a lair trial, which must result in individual 

 wealth and general prosperity, clothing the fields 

 with luxuriant verdure and giving the country an 

 appearance which would betoken enlightened agri- 

 cultural progress, I will not have labored in vain. 



JOHN HENDERSON. 



Northport, L. /., Jane, 1875. 



