280 [Assembly 



may be applied with advantage, nor will this mulch interfere 

 with the introduction of spring top dressings; for by that time 

 the drying of this mulch, as well as its partial decomposition 

 will permit dews and rains to percolate the mulch so readily that 

 it will afterward act as a protector to prevent the loss of the am- 

 moniacal portions from the direct action of the sun and air, I 

 have at this time more than one hundred letters from individuals 

 who have top-dressed their grass and grain crops with the soluble 

 phosphates, and who have increased their quantities to many 

 times the cost of these manures by such application, while the 

 portions left resident in the soil by their permanent improvement 

 are entirely equal in value to their cost. 



Solon Robinson — Mr. Chairman, Professor Mapes has alluded to 

 the value of live stock in this country, and consequently the 

 enormous value of the crops necessary to support so many ani- 

 mals. The numbers given seem very large, but, sir, if you will 

 glance at the number of domestic animals that we consume in 

 this city you will think that there are a good many of them grow- 

 ing somewhere. Why, sir, the receipts of last week were 25,840; 

 that is, 545 beef cattle, 1,253 calves, 2,217 swine, and 16,955 

 sheep and lambs. Estimating the bullocks at an average of 6 

 cwt., the receipts of last week alone in this city will make 3,249,- 

 000 pounds of beef. Estimating these beeves at $54 a head, or 9 

 cents a pound for the beef in the quarters, and it makes the snug 

 little sum of $294,410 for one week's supply of beef. The sheep 

 and lambs will average $3.50 per head, making |59,342. The 

 swine and calves will average $6, making $20,820; and making a 

 total of $374,572 for the animals received for slaughter in this 

 city last week. 



WEEVIL IN WHEAT. 



Mr. J. Payne Low made the following observations upon this 

 subject : — In consequence of the ravages of the grain weevil, or 

 wheat weevil, the importance of this subject cannot be doubted 

 for a moment. If the agriculturist should be willing to receive 

 all possible aid from the sciences generally, and chemistry par- 

 ticularly, in order to learn how maximum crops may be grown, 

 it is certainly of as much importance that he should use every 



