10 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



paid by Agriculturists in general, to distinguish with certainty the 

 different species of grass from each other, has contributed to 

 retard improvement in the cultivation of this numerous family of 

 plants. It will, I hope, appear perfectly evident, that without the 

 means of distinguishing with certainty one species of grass from 

 every other, the cultivator must have recourse to other men's 

 assistance or experience, before he can make any certain or just 

 experiments of his own, or any consequent improvement. The 

 farmer who cannot distinguish the seeds of the most valuable spe- 

 cies of grasses from those that are worthless, or pernicious as weeds, 

 must be subject to the serious losses and disappointments occa- 

 sioned by every accident in the course of his practice, which may 

 place in his hands the seeds of inferior or pernicious plants, 

 instead of those grasses adapted to his soil and possessing the 

 most productive and nourishing properties ; and should he be 

 unable to distinguish the plants produced from those grass seeds 

 which he may sow under such circumstances, he must wait until 

 the non-advancement of condition in his stock inform him of his 

 loss. 



When it is found that every distinct species of grass differs 

 from all others, more or less, in the properties or merits which 

 alone constitute their value to the Agriculturist, a bare enumera- 

 tion of all the different species and varieties may be sufficient to 

 shew of what utility the knowledge of distinguishing the grasses 

 is to the Farmer : and a view of those rules of which this know- 

 ledge consists, will manifest how easily it may be acquired, with- 

 out entering into the study of the whole science of Botany, by any 

 person who will devote a few leisure hours to attain it. 



If there be any who may doubt of the utility of botanical 

 knowledge to the ends of Agriculture, as above stated, it must 

 proceed from the want of experience, as a very little of this in the 

 cultivation of these plants, with a view to improvement, will pro- 

 duce a conviction to the contrary — that it is the only clear, and 

 direct road to this end, and likewise the most pleasant. 



It cannot fail, therefore, to be of use, before entering into the 

 details of the experiments, to give an explanation of the terms 

 made use of in describing the structure of grasses, with a general 

 view of all the different species and varieties. 



One species of grass is distinguished from every other by its 

 properties, and by the number, situation, proportion, and colour of 

 the different parts of its structure. Of these parts, the most 



