Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1843-08-09
w. HAMPTON.
Eror, thr Charleston hfsreurn.


The Muskeet Grass.--My attention was
directed 10 a communication in the Char
lesion Courier. signed w. Hampton. re-
published from the COLUMBIA Is. CO.
Planter. which seems to require an expla-
nasiou.
Wcol. Hampton is giving an account of
the properties and mode Of culture Of The
muskee, grass, quotes some remarks OF
mine 10 printed pamphlet, on the hisio-
ry ofthis grass, and concludes with the
following remarks
~ furnish this cxtract not tess to lay
before your readers scientific account of
this grass, than to notice the very fctier-
ing aIlusion TO myselfir the last paragraph
While estimate. as highly as any one.
the attachments OF this gentleman, | re-
gret tha, in an exhibition Of those attain
a,en,s TO the public, he did not withhold
imputa,iops, If mol gratuitous, at least dis
courteous"
thank the gentleman for the compli-
men, he has paid 10 my attainmsnts, and
| am not wiihou, hope that his own
good sense and candor vii! induce him 10
admit that in my remarks, he has fairly
quoted. but which the printers have sudly
dis6gurcd, Holcus iGnGius has been prin-
ted holcus iunatets. and Knapp is distorted
into Euuss.) there was not The slightest
imputaiion either on his understanding or
motives, and that my language instead OF
having been discour,eous, beyond The SIM
Pile fact OF the necessity I was under Of
defending the canse Of truth and science.
was noi only respectful, but highly and
very deservcdly complimentary.
in my essay, alluded to the evils which
resulted TO the agricul,urist in the dIs,ri
button OF eeeds under wrong names. and
CIR ong variety OF examples 10 prove the
truth Of my position. | noticed the fact
that a species Of European grass. well
known to bOtauis,s as the. meadow soft
grass. (Holeus ianaius, which had been
introduced By our pilgrim forefathcrs and
distributed all over our coua,ry. was from
time TO time sent Us from The West under
new names. which was calculated To mis-
lend us on account Of our imperlec,ions in
botanical knowledge; that my friend. MIR.
Nicholson, had imported as Lewis g.
Ciarke's grass that it had subsequently,
been imported under the name Of prairie
grass, buffalo grass, &C.. and that recently
had ascer,ained that the muskeet grass,
SO highly valued n, Columbia, Was no
other than this Identical species under q
new name.
have fully satisfied myself that my
vicwsi in regard 10 The species were corrccl.
l have raised The plants from seeds which
woro produced by Col. Hampton, and
have 70 hesitation in again Pronouncins
the muskeet grass, rs no other than the
meadow soft grass. FL. tandtus. My
object was to show that it would not be
requisite TO send either 10 Tcxas or tho far
West, Cor seeds on which we might make
our experiments, and that the planters
might obtain them much nearer home
seven in their own fields and gardens"
That this IS grass very widely dislribu-
ted, may be ascerrained from the fact that
it is noticed by oil our distinguished bo-
Iauists as common plant introduced from
Europe. Ii is inserted in tho works Of
Muhlenburg, Nuuall. Tory and Gray.
Eaton, sc. Elliott did no, include it in
his Botany Of South Carolina aud Geor-
gia, because he did not consider i, fully
nnlura!izcd be, however, cultivated it 10
his garden from plants which sent him.
I and perceive specimens in his Herba-
! reuu,, which is now lying before me. !
have moreover seen i, in England and most
Of the kingdoms on the continent of Eu-
rope. and have traced it in every Atlantic
S,aio between Georgia and Canada.
received from Prof. l.. r. Gibbs. speci.
men collected in Grecnvilc, S. c., aud il