(5) 



more animals than all other food combined, and furnishes all the 

 elements for the growth of animals. 



Grasses are divided into two general classes, natural and artificial, 

 the former includes those grasses with long, simple, narrow leaves, 

 with a prominent mid-rib or vein in the center, and smaller ones 

 running parallel to it, and at the base the leaf divides and clasps 

 the stem in such a way that the stem seems to pass through it. As 

 a rule the stem is hollow and closed at the joints, though a few are 

 solid stemmed. The classification of grasses would be impossible 

 were their general appearance only considered. So great are the 

 changes produced by modes of culture, by soil and climate, 

 botanists, to arrive at the. precise plant, therefore, have adopted 

 characteristics that undergo no change, such as flowers, etc. From 

 the rule of botanists in giving all plants technical names, it would 

 be a difficult matter to recognize an old familiar friend under the 

 new guise of a generic term ; but we will endeavor, by giving also 

 the name in common use, to remove this difficulty and bring them 

 within the comprehension of any one who will take, pains to 

 properly read the descriptions. 



Artificial grass includes all leguminous plants, such as clover,W 

 peas, bSansretc., Awhile cereals, such as maize, wheat, oats, barley, \/ 

 rye, rice, sorghum, dhouro, chocolate-corn and broom-corn, though / 

 ^really true grasses, are generally classed with the artificials. J 



To one not acquainted with the subject, the facility with which 

 grass scatters and diffuses itself is very surprising. But it seems 

 that so important a vegetation should not be subject to the fancies 

 or caprices of man. The seeds are prepared in such a way, that 

 they are self-sowers. It is this remarkable facility of transportation 

 thatlias given rise to the~su7mlse of many, that it grows by sponta- 

 neous generation. Some of the seeds have hooks, and by these -/-^ 

 they fasten to any passing animal and are carried for miles. Others 

 lie undigested in the crops of birds, or maws of animals, and are 

 scattered with the dejectse. Snows gather them on the hill-sides 

 and bear them far away on tbe_melting^ troronlp; and scatter them, 

 mayhap, along some foreign shore. The air also assists in this, and 

 lifts them on its wings and they fly in all directions. When grass 

 once stands, even if a passing beast cuts off its annual supply of 

 seed, its rhizomes or creeping roots thrust their tender spongioles 

 tn"rough the yielding soil, and thus many a field is clothed with 



