No. 3. Agricultural Botany. 75 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



As there seems to be a laudable spirit of inquiry awakened amonw the agriculturists, in 

 various parts of our country, respecting the Plants which they are most interested in know- 

 ing, — and a desire manifested to be able to identify, with certainty, all those which are 

 treated of in the agricultural journals, — I have supposed that the readiest and best mode of 

 accomplishing that object, would be for each intelligent farmer to make a collection of all 

 euch plants; to have them carefully preserved, and authentically labelled, in a convenient 

 volume, to which he could refer, as to a dictionary, or expositor, whenever he was in doubt, 

 or wished to verify any particular species. 



A collection of this kind, strictly limited to the plants in which he is immediately inte- 

 rested (whether useful or pernicious,) would be neither very bulky, nor difficult to procure, 

 — and might be called The Farmers' Herbarium. One good specimen of each plant, col- 

 lected when in its most perfect state of developement, would be sufficient. It should be 

 neatly pressed and dried, so as to exhibit its peculiar characters; and each species preserved 

 in a separate sheet of paper, — accompanied with its appropriate label, containing the scien- 

 tific name whenever it can be procured from good authority, and also all the popular, or 

 common names, by which it is known, — designating the localities, or districts, whence such 

 popular names are derived. 



The importance of having the scientific name, — and, in fact, of knowing and habitually 

 calling each plant by that name, — will be obvious to every one, when it is recollected that 

 the popular names are exceedingly variable and uncertain ; and moreover, that the scientific 

 names of plants convey clear and precise ideas of the objects intended, to every well-informed 

 person throughout the civilized world. While there is nothing but endless misapprehension 

 and confusion resulting from the use of local popular names of well-known plants, there is 

 no difficulty at all in comprehending what is meant, when the scientific names are correctly 

 employed. These scientific names can now be readily obtained from the books, — or from 

 respectable botanists, who are always happy to impart information on such subjects. They 

 can be acquired gradually, as opportunities offer; and when once obtained, and committed to 

 writing on the labels accompanying the specimens, will be always at command, even if tem- 

 porarily forgotten. 



With these impressions, and with a view to promote an object which I consider at once 

 Dseful, interesting, and feasible, I propose to make out a list of such plants as every farmer 

 ought to know, both by sight and by name. Not to swell the list inconveniently, I shall, for 

 the present, limit the catalogue to those plants which daily present themselves to the notice 

 of the agriculturist, in this region, either as valuable occupants of the soil, or as troublesome 

 pests and worthless weeds, in our cultivated fields, meadows, and pastures; omitting those 

 which are usually confined to the gardens. Few persons, I apprehend, will question the' 

 utility of an accurate knowledge of the characters, and habits, of both the useful and the, 

 pernicious plants. Such knowledge must always be important in the operations of agricul- 

 ture: and it is just as disreputable for a farmer to be ignorant of the vegetable tribes which 

 claim his attention, as it is for an artist to be unacquainted with the nature of his materials. 



The first step towards a knowledge of objects, is unquestionably an acquaintance with their 

 external characters, — an ability to discriminate species, and to recognize each, with cer- 

 tainty, whenever seen. We may then proceed to ascertain their several properties ; and, by 

 the use of a precise nomenclature, and accurate definitions, communicate our knowledge to 

 others. This is true of all our researches in the material world, and especially so in what 

 ere called the natural sciences. Natural history is emphatically a science of observation 

 end comparison, by which we learn to identify and distinguish created beings; and no de- 

 partment of the science is more pleasing — as few, if any, are more useful — than the study of 

 the vegetable creation. It is a study peculiarly appropriate to the agriculturist, whose chief 

 concern is with the products of the soil. 



As the literary, or professional man, finds both pleasure and advantage in a good stock of 

 classical lore, so our farmers and planters would derive much benefit and gratification from 

 B scientific acquaintance with the objects of their care: and we may indulge the hope that 

 the day is not far distant, when instruction of that kind will be considered an indispensible 

 branch of the farmer's education — when the natural sciences will be regarded as the classics 

 of agriculture. To aid in preparing the way for this desirable state of things, is the motive 

 which has prompted this inceptive essay. The catalogue of plants, here furnished, is calcu- 

 lated, as the almanacs say, for the meridian of Chester county, Pennsylvania; but, with some 

 slight additions and modifications, it may be adapted to any part of the United States. The 



