The Editor to his Subscribers. 563 



wheat, which belongs to the Gramineas, could degenerate into a 

 plant which approaches the grasses. He examined, on my return 

 to his house, the plant which I brought from Mr. Conway's, and 

 expressed himself satisfied that, in this particular instance, a 

 kernel of wheat had produced a plant bearing heads of cheat 



I still possess this curious plant, and it will give me great 

 pleasure to show it to any agricultural or botanical gentlemen 

 who desire to be convinced that I have i-elated the state of this 

 plant faithfully. It appears to me, however, that if farmers 

 would carefully remove plants of cheat at the proper season, 

 after the heads are out, but whilst the stalks are yet green, that 

 the controversy on this subject would soon cease. The single 

 fact I have brought forward ought to have great weight, and I 

 have no doubt that another season will give it all the support it 

 may now appear to want. 



I shall rely upon this fact at present, and shall not attempt 

 to support it by any arguments drawn from the physiology of 

 plants, or theories of vegetation. There are, however, some 

 very important views, which bear upon the economy of Agricul- 

 ture, and are within the scope of this work, which will probably 

 be brought forward in the second volume of this Journal. 



G. W. Featherstonhaugh. 



THE EDITOR TO HIS SUBSCRIBERS. 



I NOW present my readers with the closing number of the 

 first volume. In returning my most sincere thanks to the patrons 

 of this work, I must express a wish that it had been conducted 

 in a manner more agreeable to them, but the various delays 

 which have occurred in its distribution, have been more painful 

 to myself than to any other person. They were occasioned by 

 circumstances altogether beyond my control. The publisher 

 with whom it was my misfortune to be connected, was highly 

 recommended to me, but he abused the confidence that was re- 

 posed in him, and deceived every one. Under these circum- 

 stances, and seeing with pleasure that the work was rising in 

 the public estimation, I determined to finish the first volume at 

 my own expense, and distribute it gratuitously to the sub- 

 scribers, rather than that they should be wronged by the sudden 



