40 HORTUS GRAMINEUS 



It now only remains to shew how effectually the mode of 

 arranging grasses into genera, species, and varieties, assists the 

 memory in retaining the discriminating characters, or specific 

 marks by which every species and variety of grass is distinguished 

 from all others ; this is of particular value to the farmer, whose 

 occupations allow not, perhaps, the time and attention requisite to 

 obtain general botanical knowledge; and whose purpose here is 

 only the attainment of a perfect knowledge of the comparative 

 merits and value of this tribe of plants, exclusively agricultural, 

 and which constitutes the foundation of the riches of a farm. The 

 bare enumeration of the different species and varieties which com- 

 prise this agricultural family of plants, will be sufficient to shew 

 the importance, and usefulness, which some degree of botanical 

 knowledge is of to the practical farmer : or how much light and 

 order are preferable to darkness and confusion, certainty to uncer- 

 tainty, or in a word, science to empiricism. The time and attention 

 requisite to obtain this degree of botanical information, by any 

 practical farmer, are, indeed, but small ; and no person once in pos- 

 session of this knowledge has ever yet been found to regret the 

 acquirement of it, or to say, that it is not of great utility and be- 

 nefit in practice. 



Every species of grass, properly so called, is distinguished from 

 all other plants by the following peculiar structure The stem, or 

 straw, is hollow, and jointed ; the leaves are long, slender, and en- 

 tire, sheathing or investing the straw for some length, and in 

 number equal to the joints of the straw ; the flower consists of one, 

 or two membranaceous husks, which bear but one seed, and the 

 seed has only one lobe, or seed-leaf. Every plant, therefore, that 

 possesses all these peculiarities of structure, is a proper species of 

 grass ; hence the proper grasses are called a natural order of 

 plants.* 



vigilant bird keeper. As soon as the early grasses have perfected their seed, mow 

 a portion of the enclosure, which should be done in dry favourable weather. If the 

 swaths of grass are heavy, they should be turned with great caution, so as not to 

 shake out the ripe seeds. As soon as a mowing is dry, the seed should be imme- 

 diately thrashed out : this operation should be performed, on a close-woven cloth, 

 in the field, on a dry day. As soon as a certain portion of the later grasses ripen 

 their seed, another mowing should be effected, and so on, until all the grasses in 

 the enclosure have perfected their seed. See the letter of " an Old Correspondent," 

 in the Farmer's Journal for March 17th, 1823. 



* See Smith's Grammar of Botany, page 68 ; Smith's Engl. Fl. vol. 1. p. 71. 

 and Br. Pr. p. 168. 



