238 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



never in the perfect form so desirable for a work 

 of its contemplated character. What eay you, 

 Mr. Ruffin'? Lei, us hear ilirough ihe Regisler. 

 A botanic work on ihe grasses alone would make 

 a useful volume ; p.nd if ihis attempt succeed 

 well, Ihe same kmd of exertion would ultimately 

 fijrnish the community with practical information 

 on ail other branches of botany. 



In answer lo the above call upon us by our high- 

 ly esteemed brother editor, we repeat our readi- 

 ness to do any thing in our power to further the 

 important object in view. We had no intention 

 of shifting from ourseif any trouble, when recom- 

 mending to those who could do so as conve- 

 niently, to send specimens at once lo Mr. Cur- 

 tis ; but because of the i'ew opportunities for 

 convejance from this place to his residence. 

 However, the communication from Mr. Curtis, 

 whicli will follow, serves to remove much of the 

 supposed difficulties of transportation, as well as 

 furnishing ample instruction (or the preservation 

 of specimens of grasses. We trust that enough 

 farmers, or countrymen, who are practical and 

 careful observers, will collect specimens in the 

 manner directed, and with these furnish the 

 common names of each, and every name known. 

 The service will be still more valuable if they 

 will also furnish statements of the agricultural 

 characters, habits, and advantages or disadvan- 

 tages of each grass, as far as known. We shall 

 do something in this respect, so far as our pre- 

 sent unliivorabJe location will permit. This part 

 of the service can be even better performed by 

 mere farmer?, who are generally quite ignorant 

 of botany, than by scientific botanists of the 

 highest and best deserved reputation ; because 

 the former class know more or less of the agri- 

 cultural characters of grasses, and of their vulgar 

 provincial names, of which scientific men could 

 not be generally or extensively informed. But 

 when a practical cultivator, who has these ad- 

 vantages of his occupation, adds to them even 

 but a slight acquaintance with the botanical cha- 

 racters, and is thereby enabled to class and iden- 

 tify grasses, he may do much more than others 

 for the object in view. There are probably many 

 such among our readers, without including any 

 but such as would disclaim all pretensions to call 

 themselves botanists. Among such countrymen 

 and practical cultivators (formerly or now) we 

 will name, (as they are nearest at hand, and best 

 known to us,) Dr. Gideon B. Smith of Baltimore, 

 T.- S. Pleasants of Chesterfield, and A. Nicol, 

 of Sandy Point, and to all of whom the readers 

 of the Farmers' Register have been indebted for 

 information on botanical as well as more fre- 

 quently on other subjects. Besides these, and 

 such as these, there are other of our valued con- 



tributors, for example, David Thomas, of New 

 York, Professor Armstrong, of Washington 

 College, Virginia, Dr. James F. McReeof North 

 Carolina, and M. Tuomey, esq., of Loudoun, Vir- 

 ginia, all of whom possess much botanical know- 

 ledge, and could, in their different localities, render 

 excellent service lo the end in view. We then 

 wish of all named, and of any others who may 

 be inclined to aid the object, to do something 

 towards it. We offer to be the recipient both 

 of communications and specimens, when most 

 convenient to the sender; and if there is proper 

 action on the subject, there will be collected ma- 

 teiials, before this year is ended, for Mr. Curtis to 

 digest into a tiill and satisfactory botanical and 

 agricultural description of our common grasses, 

 with their synonymes. And by this, more light 

 may be afforded on the subject, and more service 

 rendered to practica^ agriculture, than by every 

 thing on grasses that has yet been before the pub- 

 lic. — En. F. Register. 



DIRECTIOKS FOR COLLECTING ATiTf PRE- 

 SERVING SPECIMENS OF GRASSES. 



To tlie Editor of tlie Farmers' Register. 



Washington, N. C, March 8(h, 184L 



Dear Sir : — I now send you, as promised, the 

 mode of collecting and preserving specimens of 

 grasses. 



1st. As to the time of collecting. This should 

 be when the flowers are fully grown, but before 

 they begin to fall off'. If any one is in doubt as to 

 what are the flowers of grasses, the easiest way 

 to inform him is to say, tliat whatever is not stem 

 or leaves will be the flowers. They have a great 

 variety of forms, but thp above rule will readily 

 determine them. 



2J. The whole plant should be collected, not 

 excepting the root, though the dirt should be 

 entirely removed. Of the large coarse grasses 

 that attain a height of three to five feet or more, 

 a foot or two of the summit will answer. Plants 

 should never be collected when wet. 



3d. Take half a newspaper and fold it once, 

 like a sheet of cap or letter paper; then place 

 within it as many plants as there is room for 

 without their overlaying each other.*. Thus do 

 with as many plants as are collected. 



Now lay these sheets between other newspa- 

 pers (called driers) alternately over eachoiher; 

 that is, first a drier, then a sheet with the plants 

 in it, then a drier again, and so on, no matter 

 how large the pile. 



The parcel should now be put under a pressure 

 of from fifty to a hundred pounds and remain for 

 about twelve hours, when the driers should be 

 removed and dry ones put in their places. Three 

 days will be sufficient for drying grasses, chang- 

 ing as above every twelve hours. For a press, 

 a piece of board large enough to cover the paper 



* If the plant be longer than the sheet, it may be 

 bent over, or broken, though not severed. 



