1 36J 1 
Obfervations on GRASSES. 
S the foregoing treatife contains fome ob- 
r\ fervations on graffes f , that are quite new* 
and as this affair is of the utmoft importance to 
the hufbandman, i fhall fubjoyn fome obferva- 
tions of my own relating to the fame fubjeft. 
It is wonderfull to fee how long mankind has 
negle&ed to make a proper advantage of plants 
of fuch importance, and which in almofl every 
countrey are the chief food of cattle. The far- 
mer for want of diftinguifhing, and feledting 
gralfes for feed, fills his paftures either with 
weeds, or bad, or improper graffes ; when by 
making a right choice, after fome trials he might 
be fure of the beft grals, and in the greateft 
abundance that his land admits of. At prefent 
if a farmer wants to lay down his land to grafs, 
* By grajfes are meant all th of e plants , which have a round, 
jointed and hollow Jlem, furrounded at each joint with a fingle 
leaf long, narrow and pointed, and whofe feeds are contained in 
chaffy hufks. It appears by this definition , which is Ray’s , that 
all the kinds of grain, as wheat , oats, barley, &c. are properly 
graffes, and that the broad, the white, the hop , clovers are 
not grajfes , though fo frequently called by that name* 
what 
