SECRETARY'S REPORT. 109 



of corn and 6,143,856 pounds of Indian meal. The export of 

 this crop from the United States has steadily increased since 

 1821, when the value was $319,279. In 1847 it amounted to 

 $18,696,546. Tliis was the year of the famine in Ireland, but 

 in 1849 the export of corn amounted to no less than 13,257,309 

 bushels, valued at $7,986,369 ; and in 1855, corn and its manu- 

 factures were shipped from this country to the extent of 

 $8,198,693. 



It may remarked, in concluding this special subject, that 

 cotton is sometimes said to be king; but if in the agriculture of 

 tliis country, the genius of which is eminently republican, where 

 all the great staples form so important a part in promoting the 

 national prosperity, one can be said to hold preeminence over 

 the rest, the palm must be yielded to the golden corn, rearing 

 its " imperial form and tasselled banner" high over all its com- 

 peers, and founding its claim to royalty as the prince of cereals, 

 by the universality of its uses, and its intrinsic importance to 

 mankind. 



THE STATE CABINET 



Connected with the office has rapidly increased during the past 

 year, and has even now become an object of attraction to a 

 large number of visitors. 



Of the different departments designed to illustrate the natu- 

 ral history of the State, that of geology and mineralogy is most 

 complete. It has been rearranged, and a full catalogue will be 

 found in the Appendix. 



In the department of ornithology, the donations during the 

 past year have been extensive and valuable, and the special 

 acknowledgments of the Board are due to Prof. J. W. P. 

 Jenks, and to Mr. Francis E. Everett for extensive contribu- 

 tions, and for the preparation of many specimens donated by 

 others. A full catalogue of the birds will also be found in the 

 Appendix, together with the names of donors. The collection 

 now embraces about two-thirds of all the different species of 

 birds in the State, and it is hoped that the public spirit of indi- 

 viduals in all parts of the Commonwealth will aid in completing 

 this most interesting collection. 



The department of entomology has grown up entirely within 

 the past year, and the specimens of insects now number nearly 



