APOLOGY. 
Mr. Hudson, if the Author rightly underftands him, makes the Fejluca loliacea and the Fejluca pratenjis , 
varieties only of the jluitans, and aflerts that the feed of the latter fovvn in a garden, will the firft year produce the 
l'oliacea, and the fecond the pratenjis : And farther remarks that the elatior is fo much alike the pratenjis, that there 
is good reafon for doubting whether it be a diffcindb fpecies.* 
Dr. Withering has fet down the Meadow Fefcue as a variety of the elatior, and has placed the jluitans under 
the fubdivifion of panicula cequali, whereas Hudson has placed it under that of paniculd fecundd. Indeed, 
neither of thefe Authors feems to fufped: that the Sheeps, Purple, and Hard Fefcues are varieties of one and the 
fame fpecies. But the Writer of this thinks he has futhcient realbn to believe this to be a fad. It is however 
very pofiible he may bemiftaken, as he has not, nor is it in his power to examine them with the nicely-difcri- 
minating eye of a Curtis. If it be an error, he will be obliged to any perfon who will candidly point it out; 
profeffing himfelf to be open to convidion, and when convinced, ready to retrad. 
To prevent all mifconception, it may be neceffary to mention, that in particular feafons, foils and fituations, 
the Grades will not always be found to flower exadly in the order, which is here given. But, it is believed that 
the prefent will in general be found more accurate than any different arrangement. 
After all, perhaps, many will think that the greateft fhare of the Apology is due for having fixed fo high a 
price upon fo fender a Volume. Were thofe who are inclined to this opinion, to be apprized of the expence of 
the particular kind of Paper and Binding which have been judged neceffary, together with that of printing, adver- 
tiling, the Publisher’s charge, and other incidental expences, they certainly would not think the little profit 
which will accrue from the fale of even the whole colledion, too much for the labour which has been ufed ; 
provided they will allow that it is deferving of any reward at all. 
* Since writing the above, the Author has read Profeflor Martyn’s Letters on the Elements of Botany. In the thirteenth of which he has adopted this 
remark of Hudson’s. “ In this Grafs, fays he, we have another initance of the changes wrought by foil and fituation. Three fpecies having been made of 
“one, until experiment deteded the truth, and informed us that the feeds of the Flole-Fefcue fown in a dry-foil, become, the firft year, /piked, and the 
“ fecond, Meadow-Fefcue. Nay, tall Fefcue, a fourth fpecies, has fo many marks in common with the laft, that it is matter of doubt whether this ’alfo may 
“ not be a variety only ” The Editor of this collodion has often fown the feeds of the Flote-Fefcuc in his Garden. They generally vegetated well • and the 
plants grew while the foil was moift: But whenever there was any continuance of dry weather, they were fure to perilh. So far was it from becoming the 
loliacea or the pratenjis. In fad the Flole-Fefcue is an aquatic plant. And neither the loliacea nor the pratenfu have any pretenfions to this diitinOion 
The loliacea is certainly a variety of the pratenfit, occafioned by a deficiency of luxuriance, owing to a poverty of foil, or fome other caufe. In this Rate" 
being abridged of the ramifications of a panicle, it becomes fpiked, and very much refembles the lolium perenne. The elatior bears a very great refemblance to 
the pratenfu, and feems only to differ from it in being coarfer and of a more gigantic fize. 7 b 
T 
