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The variety that comes forward spontaneously in Devon- 

 shire is mostly the agrostis vulgaris, as his GRACE OF 

 Bedford was so good as to inform me; and my friend 

 Mr. Preston, M. P., assures me, that in his plantations 

 the agrostis vulgaris is to the stolonifera as three to one. 



The other circumstance that induces me to resume my 

 efforts to establish this valuable grass in at least some parts 

 of England, is the flattering attention I have received 

 from the Bath Agricultural Society, whose worthy 

 President Sir Ben. Hobhouse has done me the honour 

 of transmitting to me, the last volume of the Transactions 

 of that respectable Society ; by which I find the subject 

 has been treated with the greatest attention: and I have 

 no doubt, the memoirs there published by SiR I. Cox 

 HiPPiSLEY, and the Rev. W. B. Barter, who was 

 hoDOured by the Society with a premium for his successful 

 cultivation of fiorin, will stimulate others to partake of the 

 advantages deriving by their neighbours from the intro- 

 duction of this new vegetable. 



Industrious and unoccupied poor, are as abundant in 

 England as elsewhere ; and, it is probable, the more im- 

 mediate object in the contemplation of the Board of Agri- 

 culture. Mountains are more thinly scattered over the 

 Southern than the Northern parts of the island ; and it is 

 mostly on highly elevated districts that I have found em- 

 ployment for the unoccupied. 



When I descend into the low country of England, I 

 lose my grand coadjutor, severity of climate ; and here 

 too I find there is a rival, the agrostis vulgaris, already in 

 possession of at least the more Southern part of the island. 



Can I find no other ally, but elevation ? no other seve- 

 rities, but those of climate ?— I think I can. Cold, moists 

 moory, di^di peaty lands are unfavourable to agriculture; 

 and I pointed out to my friend Mr. Curwen, as we tra- 

 G 



