584 UTILITY OF BOTANY IN AGRICULTURE. 



it with impunity. Facts of this kind must, in some measure, have 

 been obvious to the most incurious of mankind, even in the earliest 

 ages. The first race of shepherds had daily instances among their 

 flocks (I make no doubt), of the selection and refusal of particular 

 herbs ; and subsequent observations must have multiplied and con- 

 firmed them. But they were still only known in the general ; and 

 no experiments had been instituted to ascertain the precise species 

 thus eaten or rejected. 



Facts are at this time undeniable. It is well known, that Flags, 

 Hound 's-tongue, Henbane, Mullein, Nightshade, Hemlock, several 

 Bocks, Arsesmart, Agrimony, several of the Crow-foots, Marsh 

 Mary gold, Horehound, Fig-wort, many Thistles, Ferns, and other 

 plants, are commonly neglected by our cattle, and stand untouched, 

 even in pastures where it might be expected that necessity should 

 have constrained them to have eaten anything that was green, 

 almost. These are but few out of many instances. There are 

 more than might be imagined ; and it is desirable, in consequence 

 of these observations, that a course of experiments should be in- 

 stituted to elucidate this instinct, in that part, especially, of the 

 brute creation, which is so immediately subservient to mankind. 



The utility of such experiments must be evident ; as they must 

 necessarily lay the foundation of farther improvements in the eco- 

 nomy of cattle. The intelligent husbandman would, by this means, 

 have it in his power to rid his pastures of noxious and useless plants, 

 and give room for the salubrious ones. 



In this view of the affair, it will be seen that physicians are not 

 the only persons who may study Botany to advantage. Many 

 others would find, not only a fund of pleasure, from this study, but 

 numberless other advantages, resulting from the knowledge of the 

 plants of their own country. In the instance before us, science has 

 opened the way : and surely it is not too much to say, that it evi- 

 dently points to greater improvements, in one of the most impor- 

 tant branches of agriculture, as it relates to economy of cattle. 

 More than this ought not to be expected from its aid. It is to the 

 intelligent grazier, and the gentleman well versed in the knowledge 

 of indigenous plants, fraught with careful observation, and practised 

 in the economy of cattle, that the rest must be owing. Nothing 

 but the want of this knowledge, in such gentlemen as reside in the 

 country chiefly, can deprive us of the benefit which might other- 

 wise accrue from reducing it into practice. 



