PREFACE. ix 



As the great bulk of our seed supply is drawn from 

 the Continents of Europe and North America, and as 

 particular attention has been paid to the seeds of the 

 agricultural grasses in Dr. Stebler's book, I have given 

 his opinions a special prominence. 



There are signs that this subject is about to receive 

 more attention than it has hitherto received in those 

 kingdoms. Our situation and our climate point to the 

 fact that the cultivation of grass and other forage plants 

 is one of those things our country is best suited for, and 

 now that the introduction of the silo promises to make 

 us, so far as those plants are concerned, to a consider- 

 able extent independent of the weather, it cannot be 

 doubted that the careful selection and growth of the 

 pasture grasses and forage plants suitable to locality, 

 soil, rotation of cropping, and other circumstances, will 

 form a very prominent feature in the farming of the 

 future. 



The following is a list of the authorities whose works 

 have been consulted and quoted from in this present 

 volume : — 



Dr. Stebler, Superintendent and Director of the Swiss Seed 

 Testing Station (Station F6d&ale de Controle des Se- 

 mences). 



Dr. Parnell, author of the " Grasses of Scotland," a standard, 

 work. 



Dr. Vasey, of the United States Agricultural Department. 



Ghas. Johnson, author of the " Grasses of Great Britain." 



Sinclair, author of the celebrated " Hortus Gramineus Wobur- 

 nensis," and Director of the renowned Woburn experi- 

 ments. 



Mr. M. J. Sutton, author of " Temporary and Permanent Pas- 

 tures," and member of well-known firm of Sutton & Sons 

 of Beading. 



Mr. Hunter, of Chester (to whose kindness the compiler is under 



