154 



It is of great importance to establish the truth of this 

 position, so as to secure conviction ; for the success of the 

 measures I am proceeding to, depends upon the con- 

 fidence placed in its truth. 



I am not now, as often before, discussing questions re- 

 lative to the gramina in general, or proceeding to shew 

 how the above position, or maxim, may be so applied, as 

 to derive various benefits. to agriculturists from its appli- 

 cation. I am at present limited to one grass, the agrostis 

 stolonifera, and have only to show how we are to call this 

 particular grass into action, and how we are to contrive to 

 make it come forward of itself, and to take possession of 

 our surface, in valuable luxuriance, in a field where great 

 crops are little expected. 



The effectual inclosure and amelioration of a few 

 perches of the most elevated grassy sole, contiguous to 

 the military road, in its ascent to the Wicklow mountains, 

 will soon shew what Nature of herself can do in my own 

 country;, while a similar experiment in the Julian Alps 

 will determine whether the.agrosfis slolonifera be the pre- 

 dominant possessor of these more southern elevations, and 

 whether it luxuriates with the same vigour in these re- 

 gions, it displays in our own more inhospitable wilds. 



As the agrostis stolonifera is the only grass I have dis- 

 covered, of which such important use can be made as I 

 have promised, I shall proceed to examine as much of its 

 natural history as is necessary, and to state the properties 

 it has derived fi-om Nature, by which it is enabled to 

 furnish such a profusion of winter food to our domestic 

 cattle, in the very regions where it is most wanted. 



Our other stoloniferous grasses of great luxuriance, and 

 abounding with saccharum, the aira aquatica and fes- 

 tiica fluitans, are decided aquatics; while the agrostis 

 stolonifera is ampMhioiis, \sith powers of sustaining the 



