Cuaprer III. 
THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY OF BRITISH 
GRASSES. 
Tux following description of meadow grasses is meant to 
apply for the most part to such species as are of importance 
to the farmer, from making up a part of the ordinary pas- 
ture in different soils and situations; at the same time 
remarks will not be wanting on those species which either 
from their bad qualities as pasture grasses may be consi- 
dered as pastoral weeds, or from occurring to a considerable 
extent under tillage may be denominated agrarian weeds. 
As regards the relative value of the pasture grasses, there 
must always be some difference of opinion, arising from 
difference of soil, climate, and other external causes, which 
certainly exercise great influence, and cause a wide diversity 
of result. We can therefore only say, on behalf of our own 
observations, that they are the result of many years’ study 
of this useful tribe of plants, which we have pursued not 
only as a botanist, but as thoroughly alive to their agricul- 
tural bearing and importance. Not only have we carried 
on this study in the field, but have also kept most of the 
species in cultivation for many years, and made them the 
subjects of practical experiments in reference to their 
growth, yield, and some of the chemical details connected 
with them. 
It should be remarked that this Book has not been bur- 
dened with descriptions of all the grasses, as many of them, 
though curious in a botanical point of view, are yet without 
agricultural interest, and their consideration would have too 
greatly increased the length. 
