34O GENERAL REVIEW. 



Wheat, Oats, Barley, and Rye should be entirely unknown. 

 This has led to an opinion that all our cereal plants are arti- 

 ficial productions obtained accidentally, but retaining their 

 habits, which have become fixed in the course of ages (see 

 'Gard. Chron.,' 1844, P- 555? 779)- Numerous other grain- 

 plants are cultivated to a limited extent in warm climates, and 

 their number might be readily augmented, since nearly all grass- 

 seeds are wholesome ; and being alike albuminous, they are 

 equally nutritious with the kinds generally grown, the latter 

 being preferred on account of their superior productiveness. 



The reproduction of all grasses and cereals is of the simplest 

 possible description, nearly all being annual plants, the seed 

 of which germinates very readily in all kinds of soil. The 

 tender ornamental kinds should be sown in pans of light, rich 

 earth, and be placed in a gentle bottom-heat to assist germina- 

 tion. Many of the ornamental perennial grasses, Bamboos, 

 and Arundinarias, are easily propagated by division ; or, as in 

 the case of Sorghum, Arundo, Artmdinaria, &c., pieces of the 

 stem may be cut and laid on damp moss or earth in a close 

 heated case, where they develop buds at the nodes and pro- 

 duce young plants. Many of our most useful forage grasses 

 are evergreen, and add much to the freshness and beauty of 

 temperate countries. 



At Fota, Cork Harbour, many species of Bamboo attain 

 noble dimensions, planted in little islets on the margins of 

 the ornamental water, and in the summer of 1875 these 

 seeded very freely, and numerous seedlings sprang up naturally. 

 These seeds resemble Black Oats, and lie rather long before 

 germination : even in a bottom-heat of 70 they lie two months 

 before they make their appearance. 



The following are amongst the most Useful and ornamental 

 genera in this valuable group : Oryza (Rice), Zea (Maize), 

 Coix, Alopecurus, Phleum, Phalaris (Canary - seed), Holcus, 

 Panicum, Oplismenus, Penniseteum, Gymnothrix, Stipa, Ag- 

 rostis, Arundo (Reeds), Chloris, Lagurus, Aira, Avena (Oats), 

 Poa, Eragrostis, Glyceria, Briza (Quaking-grass), Dactylis, 

 Festuca, Bromus (Brome - grasses), Arundinaria, Bambusa, 

 Lolium (Rye-grass), Triticum (Wheat), Secale (Rye), Hordeum 

 (Barley), Saccharum (Sugar-cane), Sorghum (Millet). 



From a letter by J. D. Boswell-Syme, LL.D., in the 'Jour. 

 Royal Hort. Soc.,' 1873, vol. iv. (N.S) p. 7, it appears that 

 Wheat and Barley are self-fertilising plants: "I made out pretty 

 well about the intra-palear fertilisation of Wheat this year, and 

 have been meaning to send you the results. The anthers are 

 empty except a few accidentally adherent grains when they are 



