128 INTEODtrCTION. 



The time and attention requisite to obtain this de- 

 gree of botanical information by any practical farmer, 

 are, indeed, but small ; and no person once in pos- 

 session of this knowledge has ever yet been found to 

 regret the acquirement of it, or to say that it is not of 

 great utility and benefit in practice. 



Every species of grass, properly so called, is dis- 

 tinguished from aU other plants by the following 

 peculiar structure : the stem or straw is usually hol- 

 low, and closed at the joints, with leaves in two al- 

 ternate rows ; leaves are long, slender, and entire, 

 sheathing or investing the straw for some length, 

 and in number equal to the joints of the straw or 

 stem. 



The flowers are in little spikelets, held in two-rowed 

 glumes or bracts, the outer glumes generally two in 

 number, and unequal. The stamens vary from one 

 to six, but are usually three in number. The ovary 

 is simple, with two styles, and two feathery stig- 

 mas ; and the fruit is enclosed in a husk, called a 

 caryopsis. 



Every plant, therefore, that possesses aU these 

 peculiarities of structure, is a proper species of grass ; 

 hence the proper grasses are called a natural order of 

 plants. 



But besides this agreement of external structure, 

 grasses are distinguished from other natural orders 

 of plants by this property, that every part of the 

 plant becomes food for the larger and more valuable 

 domestic animals. The parts of fructification— the 

 flower and the seed- are the least liable to vary from 

 any change of soil or cultivation ; and botanists have 

 chosen them, on that account, to fix their generic 

 distinctions, or, when the flowers and seeds of any 



