Viltt PREFACE. 
they are by no means of equal im- 
portance with the natural produce of 
the country; for were there not such 
a variety of grasses growing in diffe- 
rent soils, springing and flowering at 
different seasons, and thriving best in 
various situations, we could expect 
but little from the cultivation of arti- 
fictal grasses, as they would be alto- 
gether inadequate to the support of 
our cattle. 
The choice and culture of natural 
grasses is a part of agriculture which 
our predecessors seemed to take little 
notice of. This may be justly attri- 
buted to their ignorance of their 
number and specific differences; for 
heretofore there were but very few 
natural grasses known to our ances- 
tors, or if known they have not been 
handed down to us in the native 
language. 
hose they have taken notice of 
they seemed to rank in sets, and to 
each 
