386 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



used by their great grand sires, and in almost every case their 

 suits of armor required to be enlarged before they could be worn. 

 It is true we hear of giants in the olden time, but we have them 

 also in our day. They were then and are now exceptions. Man- 

 kind as a race are larger and enabled to perform a greater amount 

 of labor physically and mentally than at any prior date. The ex- 

 ceptions do not disturb the rule, nor will the overfed and pam- 

 pered inhabitants of large cities compare (beyond a mere per cent- 

 age in number) with the agricultural portions of mankind. 



This hypothesis of the progression of the primaries (if it must 

 be so called) has at least much to support it. It shows truths in 

 nature which both the laboratory and the microscope have failed 

 to perceive, and it enables the practical agriculturist who really 

 understands so much of the sciences as entitle him to the appella- 

 tion of a farmer, to select and prepare his fertilizers with greater 

 economy and greater certainty of success and not to mistake, as 

 those do who rail out against the use of analyses of soils, the 

 analyses of pebbles for that of progressed primates mixed among 

 them. 



John A. Underwood, Esq., of Yonkers presented, from his gar- 

 den there, a new cabbage of valuable quality. It is about the 

 size of our Early York. In figure it is a kind of double cone, the 

 bases united. It is more solid and heavy than any we have ever 

 seen. It is said to be in taste, etc., like and equal to cauliflower. 

 He will favor the Club with some of the seeds. 



Mr. Wagener presented Catawba grape vines, grown this last 

 summer from cuttings. They are very fine with a very remark- 

 able quantity and size of roots for one season's growth. 



Mr. Field asked Prof Mapes whether the ammonia from our 

 gas works was equal to that derived from bones 1 



Prof. Mapes replied that there was no comparison between 

 them. 



Mr. Meigs remarked that we were familiar with the doctrine of 

 progression in all things. Vegetables shqw it. Our common 

 potato is from a very little tuber, not fit to eat, originally, and of 

 a family somewhat poisonous — the solanums — yet it has progressed 

 so much in my time as to be, to me, one of the most delicious and 



