e 



tlli« large, farinaceous or mealy portion, of the seeds of Grasses, which rcn* 

 ilea the Cerealkt, or cultivated grains, so valuable to man, — as furnishing 

 the chief material for Bread. Wherever the albumen of seeds is found 

 to be mealy, it is always innocent and nutritious, — even when the resi- 

 due of the plant is poisonous. In some instances, it is replete with oil — 

 as in the Poppy tribe ; and in the needs of the Coffee plant, the albumen ia 

 of a horny texture. There are other and large tribes, again, — such as the 

 Leguminous plants — including our common Garden Beats, Peas, Clo- 

 ver, &c. — in which the seeds are wholly destitute of the appendage cal- 

 led albumen; — the miniature plant completely filling the integuments cf 

 the seed, and its chief bulk consisting of two thick, fleshy lobes, called 

 Cotyledons. These lobes, or cotyledons, are the crude primary kaves of 

 the future plant (appropriately called Protophylls, by the French Botan- 

 ists), — and doubtless serve, in some degree, as substitutes for albumen, 

 in supplying nutriment during the first stages of vegetation. 



Having thus hastily glanced at some of the more striking features of 

 the extensive tribe, technically denominated Grasses, — and the charac- 

 ters by which they are distinguished from other plants, — I flatter myself 

 we shall have no difficulty in recognising any member of that family 

 which may hereafter come in our way. It will be no news, indeed, to 

 any of us, to be told that " Red-Top," "Timothy," and " Fox-tail," are 

 Grasses ; and we all, perhaps, may be aware, that our cultivated Oats, 

 Barley, Wheat and Kye — and even Rice — belong to the same cate- 

 gory : But the fact may not be equally familiar to every one, that our 

 Indian Corn, and Broom Corn, — the Sugar Cane, and the Bamboo — 

 ure also true and genuine Grasses. Much as these last-mentioned plants 

 may sesm to differ from the multitude of common Grasses, the disciplined 

 eye of the Botanist perceives at a glance, that they all belong to the same 

 family: and indeed, so eminently natural is the whole Tribe — i. e.so strong 

 io the general resemblance in the characters and habits of its members, — that 



•'estroyer of the grain, it will be proper to obtain fresh seed from localities 

 in which the tly has not made its appearance." This result, it would 

 seem, has been paitially obtained by t lie introduction, into several neigh- 

 borhoods, ol seed wheat from the Mediterranean : in confirmation of 

 ■which I may add my own limited experience. There are districts also in 

 our own country — and even on the northern side of our own Sta'e — 

 which, it is said, have never yet been invaded by this insect; and where 

 seed wheat, free from the fly, may be procured. 



Should the history of this little animal, as presen:ed by Miss Morris, 

 stand the test of future observation and scrutiny, we may yet learn to 

 take advantage of its habits, and thereby arrest its destructive career ; in 

 which case, the researches of our ingenious countrywoman — like those of 

 the illustrious Swede, concerning the Cakjuakis navalis — will place 

 her name high on the roll of national Bcnefacors. 



