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the Haymaker and Grazier, were little likely to make the 

 discovery of the great value of this agrostis ; whose merit, 

 and good qualities, as it appears, could in no instance 

 ©Intrude themselves on their notice; — who is the personage, 

 from whom it might be expected such discovery would be 

 made? 



The Experimentalist alone, who, without waiting to 

 receive previous hints, speculates in some sort i priori 

 on the productions of nature, and tries if he can discover 

 them to possess any new and valuable properties, which 

 had hitherto escaped the notice of man. 



I myself was not aware that nature had any concealed 

 treasures among the gramina, my peculiar department : I 

 indeed thought it possible she might; and if so, was certain 

 that the present possessors of the agricultural school, 

 th& London seedsmen, and agricultural book-makers, would 

 never discover them. 



Under this impression I began to make experiments, 

 and, to ascertain their respective properties, cultivated dis- 

 tinctly every grass I could find, for some years : the un- 

 foreseen result is the subject of the present memoir, drawn 

 up for the information of the eminent Personage who has 

 done me the honour to call for it. 



W. RICHARDSON, D. D. 



