GRASS. 



Gramen, or Gramma. 



The Latin word gramen is supposed to be derived from 

 gradiens, going or proceeding along, in allusion to the great 

 increase of many of these plants by their creeping roots. 

 Linnseus has remarked that " Grasses are the most general of 

 plants, constituting almost a sixth part of all the vegetables 

 on our globe. 1 ' 



Grass, E. from the Greek x e rTi;, definition gramen L. 

 (grass) foenum L. (hay.) Hence (says Schrevelius) the 

 English word grass. This Greek word xe<rn;, is also put 

 as a theme, or etymon, that is, an original, and not a deri- 

 vative, nor compound word. Schrevelius adds, it is the 

 same as grastis, and defines grastis, gramen (L.) deriving it 

 from ygxa (Gr.) because it is the food of cattle. 



The verb y ? (Gr.) is defined to eat, and is conjugated 

 yt*<, ye*<, ty-fxra "whence, perhaps, the English to graze, 

 to feed on herbs." 



The creeping roots of grasses, or gramina, are mostly 

 fibrous, rarely tuberous, or bulbous. They consist of nume- 

 rous joints and knots, each of which has its bud, capable of 

 producing a new stem, and the more they are separated by 

 the heavy tread of cattle, the more they multiply. The more 

 their herbage is cropped, the better they thrive, and extend 

 themselves the more under ground. In confined and woody 

 places they scarcely creep, but grow erect. The Author of 

 Nature has protected these plants, by giving them such hard 

 stems, while they are perfecting, their seed, that cattle cannot 

 readily attack them in that state. 



Some species of grass, which, in moist situations, emit 

 fibrous roots alone, will, in more uncongenial and dry ones, 

 form bulbs, whereby a reservoir of nutriment is secured 

 against the occurrence of an irregular supply of the juices 

 for its sustenance. 



The roots of large trees, also, in unpropitious situations, 

 have been observed to vary their natural mode of growth, 

 most materially, in conformity with their need of nourish- 

 ment. 



There are upwards of three hundred species of Grasses 

 in which are included the Rye, Barley, Wheat, Oat, &tc. 

 They are distinguished by their narrow tapering leaves 

 their cylindrical or hollow stems, which are jointed, or sepa- 

 rated into distinct portions by knots. 



They were first divided into Corn and Grasses, but the 

 former differ from the latter, merely, in the greater size of 

 their seeds, which compose the basis of our aliment, as the 

 smallest of the grass-seeds nourish small birds. 



The Roman crown of grass or herbs found on the 

 ground in the place besieged, was given by common consent 

 of the soldiers, to generals who had delivered a Roman army 

 besieged by the enemy, and obliged him to decamp. It was 

 called Corona Graminea obsidionalis. 



About his temples grass they tie, 



Himself that so behaved, 

 In some strong siege by the enemy 



A city that had saved. Drayton. 



In Herodotus, we find Grass the symbol of Submission. 



" Amongst the ancient Nations of the West, to show that 

 they confessed themselves overcome, or that they surrender- 

 ed at discretion, they gathered some Grass, and presented it 

 to the conqueror. By this action they resigned all the claims 

 they possessed to their country. In the time of Pliny, the 

 Germans still observed this custom. 



(See note to 4 Book, Melpomene.) 



HAWTHORN. 



Cratsegus. 

 Jl. Mespilus. 



Mespilus, from the Greek pta-nt^, the Medlar tree. 



Hawthorn, from the Saxon hag-thorn, or hedge-thorn, 

 a species of Medlar; the thorn that bears haws; the white- 

 thorn. (See Johnson and Webster.) 



Cratxgus, from the Greek xe*T.yo ; , definition the wild 

 service tree. 



In commencing our examination of this plant, we are re- 

 ferred to Cratxgus, for a description of the Hawthorn. Un- 

 der this article there are several species described, which 

 are, also, to be found under the article Mespilus, to which 

 we are referred for the Class, Order, &tc. Mespilus, is 

 therefore (as I understand it) the generic name, embracing 

 all the varieties of Medlar and Hawthorn; and Cratsegus 

 confined to the Hawthorn. 



The Mespilus is native to America, and Europe, and 

 varies, in height, from a shrub, to a tall tree. That which pro- 

 duces the smallest leaves is preferred for hedges, because its 

 branches grow close together. The thorns of the whole ge- 

 nus are long and sharp. 



" The Cratxgus of Linnaeus, is distinguished from his 

 Mespilus, solely by the former having but two styles, and, 

 occasionally, on the same tree some flowers with but one; 

 while the latter has five." They are sometimes mentioned 

 as the same tree. 



Men have gatherM from hawthorn's branch 

 Large medlars, imitating crowns. 



Phillips. 



The fruit of the Medlar is said to be eatable only when 

 age or decay has mellowed it. 



Rotten ere half ripe, 

 And that's the right virtue of the medlar. Shaks. 



Haw, the berry, or seed of the hawthorn, is also noticed. 



The seed of the bramble with 'kernel and haw. 



Tusser. 



Store of haws and hips portend cold winters. 



Bacon. 



The fruit of the Medlar, is generally brown, or red- 

 dish; that of the Hawthorn, scarlet, yellow, or red. The 

 flowers of both, white; sometimes doubled in the Hawthorn, 

 and rose coloured; as in the common Hawthorn, Cratsegus 

 Oxycanthus. 



Now hawthorns blossom, now the daisies spring. 



Pope. 

 The hawthorn whitens. Thomson. 



