OF SELBORNE. 
233 
Inftead of examining the minute diftindions of every various 
fpecies of each obfcure genus, the botanift fliould endeavour to 
make himfelf acquainted with thofe that are ufeful. You fhall fee 
a man readily afcertain every herb of the field, yet hardly know 
wheat from barley, or at leaft one fort of wheat or barley from 
another. 
But of all forts of vegetation the grajfes feem to be moll ne- 
gledied ; neither the farmer nor the grazier feem to diftinguifli 
the annual from the perennial, the hardy from the tender, nor 
the fucculent and nutritive from the dry and juicelefs. 
The ftudy of graffes would be of great confequence to a norther- 
ly, and grazing kingdom. The botanift that could improve the 
fwerd of the diftrid where he lived would be an ufeful member of 
fociety; to raife a thick turf on a naked foil would be worth 
volumes of fyftematic knowledge ; and he would be the beft com- 
monwealth's man that could occafion the growth of " tzvo bb.des 
of grafs where one alone was feen before." 
I am, &c. 
Hh 
LETTER 
