even then neglected for the more common kinds of the Proper
Grasses.
The Proper Grasses are arranged in about 80 genera, and form
near 340 species. The Sedge Grasse^ are in 14 genera, and
more than 250 species. Both orders are most extensively diffused
from the equator to the limits of perpetual snow, on hills
and mountains and valleys, in woods and ditches, and ponds and
open fields, and sands and marshes of the seashore. The Proper
Grasses are more abundant in the temperate and northern regions,
while the Sedges become more abundant as we approach the tropics,
and within the tropics. Of the latter, too, the Carices and
Scirpi, which are numerous at the North, become less abundant
towards the equator. The species of both orders in North
America are nearly 600. This wide diffusion of the plants,
which are of the last importance to man and beast, cannot be contemplated
without a direct reference of the mind to the munificent
goodness of the great Creator.
Of the most important grasses, some are known to have been
introduced from the eastern continent, and many more are supposed
to have been so, while others were found originally in this country.
Thus, rice was introduced from Asia, and the sugar-cane from
India, while Zea, our Indian corn or maize, is a native of America.
The grasses may be considered,
1. As food for man. Rice, maize, wheat, rye, barley, and
oats, are the principal articles of food over five districts of the
earth, from south to north.
In the torrid zone, rice and maize are great sources, of food.
Their cultivation extends into the temperate zone, where wheat is
associated with them. At length rice disappears, and the wheat
prevails associated with maize j and more to the north, rye presents
itself. Wheat and maize chiefly disappear in higher latitudes,
and rye prevails, attended by barley and oats, till the latter forms
the chief article for bread. In Russian America, at latitude 57°,
rye and barley are ripened; while on the east side of the continent
they do not grow in so high a latitude. In Sweden and
Norway, Scotland and Siberia, oats and barley are cultivated farthest
to the north.
More inhabitants are supported on the globe by rice, than by
any other vegetable, and perhaps as many, as by most of the
others together. The range of latitude through which rice is
found, is considerably less than that of maize.
With very few exceptions, the seed of the proper grasses, so
far as is known, is healthful. A very troublesome weed in England,
a grass, Lolium temulentum, and one or two species of
Bromus, are said to have poisonous seed.
Various other grasses merit a moment’s notice.
Millet is cultivated for its seed in Europe, and Eleusine coracana,
on the Coromandel coast. Sugar, and its kindred articles, are
obtained from the grass Saccharum. Others also contain much
sugar, as one species of Holcus ; and, by fermentation of the
seeds of several grasses, much sugar is developed.
.Some grasses are finely aromatic, as Sweet Vernal Grass, and
Holcus odoralus, both which contain benzoic acid, which exhales
from them ; also Cyperus odoratus.
In adverting to the use of the grasses for the food of man, it
should be remarked, that the Potato, Buckwheat, Yams, Mani-
hot, Batatas, Bananas, Breadfruit,' several Palms, and some esculent
species of Arum, by means of which so many millions are
supported, belong to other orders of the vegetable kingdom.
The. same remark should be made in respect to Pea, Bean, Cabbage
and Turnip, Pumpkin and Squash, and various other plants.
2. The use of the grasses in the arts and conveniences of
living.
The broom-corn has become an article of necessity. The
Arundo arenaria, and Carex arenaria, are of great use by their
roots, in making firm the sandy shore of the sea, and the former
is often wrought into ropes, threads, mats, bags, and lately into
paper in this State. Every form of straw hat, from the finest
Leghorn, and its equally fine imitation from the other grasses, to
the coarsest kind, reminds us of this delicate use of the straw of
rye, wheat, red-top, &c. The papyrus of the Egyptians, was
from a sedge grass, Cyperus papyrus, L. Several of the grasses
are used in the manufacture of chairs and mats, for wicks of candles,
for the stuffing of sofas, and the like. The starch of wheat,
and the gluten of rye and wheat, as paste, are of great consequence
in several arts.