PREFACE- 



• .•;•■»■;. - 



The cultivation o - occupies such an important position In a 



commercial and agricultural point of view, that a knowledge of their 

 growth and adaptation is of great value to the people. Fully con- 

 scious, of this fact, it has occurred to me that the farmers of this State 

 would welcome any work that would give them information upon 

 this most important subject. And I have, therefore, concluded to 

 offer them the following modest production, trusting that its perusal 

 may be the means <>f stimulating a stronger interest in the 

 universal cultivation of the wild grasses found in Buch abundance 

 within the borders of the State. The pages of this pamphlet have 

 carefully prepared from da*a accumulated from the work 

 donein the Biological Laboratory of the Polytechnic Institute. Dur- 

 in; tl >ight years many specimens of grasses have been ex- 



amined for persons living in different parts of the State, and much 

 material has, therefore, accumulated, thus justifying the issue of 

 this paper. 



It is my intention to follow this work by others on the same and 

 kindred subjects as investigations in the Biological Laboratory 

 ress. The plates that illustrate this paper are copies 

 of those appearing in Dr George Vasey's work on "The Agri- 

 cultural G of the United States." These plates are used 

 through the kind consent of the author. The chemical analyses have 

 also been copied from the same book, the work of Mr. Clifford 

 Richardson ol the U. S. Ami. Dept. In addition to the work above 

 ! Libera] use has beer, mad< at on Grasses," "Rural 

 yclopedia, ipedia of Plants.*' "American 

 Is and Useful Plants,'' "Darby's Botany of the Southern 

 "Chapman's Flora of the Southern State.-,"' "Gray's Bot- 

 ! many agricultural and scientific periodicals. No effort 

 has been made to present an original production, butsimply to col 

 he faet- already known in a shape most acceptable for the 

 study and benefit of the Alabama farmers. 



P. !' 



