LATE WILLIAM CURTIS. Xxi 
practical arrangement of the garden before the eyes of so 
many curious enquirers on the subject, may be considered 
the first great step towards the scientific arrangement of a 
Botanic garden. The foundation being laid in this first 
attempt (for his garden in the Grange Road was only to 
cultivate without arrangement), Mr. Curtis, during the 
remainder of his life, laboured to improve, both by practice 
and precept; in which he was so far successful, that he 
lived to see his example followed by many, and a general 
taste diffused for his own favourite study. 
Mr. Curtis not only made his researches into the cu- 
rious, but the useful ; and he never lost sight of the best 
purpose to which science can be applied—the benefit of 
mankind. We cannot forbear transcribing his remark on 
the Agricultural plants, because for its brevity, we cannot 
better explain his then notions on this important subject : 
he says, “ it is presumed the present catalogue is the first 
of the kind ever offered to the public ; it will be no wonder, 
therefore, if it should fall short of perfection. Most of the 
plants contained in it are of British growth. Of the useful 
ones, many have long been known and cultivated in this 
country. Several new ones are inserted, as deserving to be 
more generally known to the husbandman; of these, the 
Grasses, a much neglected tribe, form no inconsiderable 
part. At present, out of a hundred and three species, the 
produce of this country, considered by surrounding nations 
as most fertile in its herbage, only one is cultivated for 
pasturage, and that confessedly deficient in many of the 
requisites of a good grass. Mr. Stillingfleet, in his Miscel- 
laneous Essays, has taken much pains to recommend several 
others as superior ; and about as many more are here added 
from my own observations. If the agriculturist has been 
inattentive to the plants of the useful kind, the noxious 
plants have engaged still less of his attention, though 
highly deserving of it. Future observations will doubtless 
