ADVERTISEMKNT To 



necessarily connected with the specific descriptions of 

 the different kinds of forage plants, cultivated or 

 uncultivated, which were submitted to the ordeal; 

 and as the whole scrutiny and experiments, both in 

 cultivating and analyzing the plants, were undertaken 

 by the Duke for the express purpose of benefiting 

 the agricultural interests of the kingdom ; keeping 

 an account of the proceedings in the library of Wo- 

 burn Abbey, would have defeated the object which 

 his Grace had mainly in view ; and therefore it was 

 determined that Mr. Sinclair should compile the 

 whole in one splendid volume, to be published under 

 the auspices of the Duke himself. 



The original folio edition contained not only the 

 botanical descriptions of the different grasses, but also 

 actual specimens, and perfect and imperfect seeds of 

 the same, together with their nutritive properties, 

 both as grass and hay ; and how far useful to the 

 agriculturist, or fit to be admitted into permanent 

 pasture. Besides this, the work contains much valu- 

 able information on the nature of soils, the grasses or 

 other plants most suitable for them, and full direc- 

 tions for laying down, or renewing worn-out grass 

 land : to which are added many general but highly 

 useful observations, interesting to every one engaged 

 in the cultivation of land. The Avhole book indeed 

 was highly creditable to its late lamented author, 

 who was cut off in the prime of life, and in the midst 

 of his usefulness as a nursery and seedsman, in the 

 firm of Cormack and Co., New Cross, Kent. The 

 volume, however, will always remain a monument to 

 the honour of the patriotic nobleman whose liberality 



