Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-08-06

burg, affirming the Judgment Also in Graham v. Skin
ner, in equity, from Wake, reversing the order.
Register.
U. S. Agricultural Bureau.
Our agricultural readers are deeply interested in the
that Is waged concerning the Agricultural
of the Patent Office which also inter
esGng to ali who watch the proceedings of government,
with reference to limitation of duties and powers.
The New York Tribune says
The careesness quackery of this government seed
buying business had already been repeatedly hinted at
in numerous agricultural journals some of which have
even gone so far as to charge that the purchase and dis
trlbuton had degenerated into job for lining the
pockets OF the unctonares concerned in it. 1t is the
1cr1ten or published quackery of Commissioner Holt
that has proved so intoerable to Mr. Landreth. His
superior knowledge of the business enabled him to
detect it, and bis pen has laid it BARE with an appca
on of caustc so scorchng to be quite out Of place
as O fertilizer, yet capital as a dressing.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has specif-
cay charged that the aorty OF seeds distributed by
the Patent Office such previous experience had
proved to be of little value in this country and
common as to be had at every village store The pres
ent Commissioner himself has distributed roots and
bulbs such be had at any auction and gratis that
exist in every nursery His attention has been directed
to these abuses but his vindcation," grapped
with by Mr. Landreth gives little promise of their being
corrected Speaking of seeds of the Brassca tribe such
cabbage tunips, &c. the Commissioner says they
more valuable when raised in Europe Mr.. Landreth
emphaticaly contradics this and his lifelong experience
and undoubed integrity will go very far with the pub
lie
Mr.. Landreth follows up his denial with weltimed
reproach:
care you not greatly in error in permitting your
Office to decry the produce of your countrv Is not
enough that all who similarly engaged with myself
should contend unprotected against foreign competition
and the competition of the Patent Office with the pub
lie purse and the public mail at its command but that
you should proclaim in an official paper that which is
absolutely unsupported by facts?"
The fact is that foreign cabbage seed is import
ed except when the crop fails here. Even then, Mr..
Landreth says that not in solitary instance which
has under his notice has this foreign seed produced
head of any value, except of early cabbage 1t is
quite as bad with turnip seed.
Even the ruta baga from English seed though usually
pure, sometimes grows with an elongated crown
necky -besides, it must always, of necessity be one
year old when planted while the American rpens in sea-
son for sowing the year-a matter of Importance
at the South. An advertisement of a well-known New
ork seed house, before me- quotes all varieties of
American turnip and ruta baga seed at fifty per cent.
higher than the imported-certainy not because the
foreign is better, as you so confidently declare"
At meeting Of the Philadelphia Agricultural Socie-
ty Mr.. Landreth exhibited ifty-two specimens of tur
nips, all raised by him from European seed, including
three varieties from the Patent Office The greater por
ton proved to be decidedly inferior to the old kinds rails
ed in this country and two only were considered worth
propagating. He says the fact admits of no dispute
that English seed is Of but little value when under
an American sun. lie charges the commissioner
broadly, saying,
"Not only are you flooding the country with old and
discarded varieties of seed but actually importing
from England turnp seed of q variety which originated
on my own grounds, which l specifically named adop-
ted abroad) and of which distributed upwards of SIX
thousand pound raised by myself last season.
This fairly running the seed into the ground and
putting the Commissioner instead of the seed through
a regular course Of sprouts.
Why, the people ask, is this extraordinary abuse of
IL lii
Office? Why are thousands annually squandered the
purchase and distribution OF foreign seeds of which
turn out to be the vies weeds Mr. Landreth lifts the
vei and closes his excorating letter by revealing the
secret When Judge Mason came in as Commissioner
Mr.. Landreth waited him, and .epresented to him
the folly ard evil of this proceeding The Commissioner
admitted that Government wrong in giving away
seeds that might be bought anywhere in the country.
He thought the funds should be exclusively devoted to
obtaining from remote countries such plants, &c,
might not reach us through commercial Chan
nes. But he discovered that garden seeds,
no matter how common, demanded in unmeasured
quantity by members of Congress. They made capital
at home. Did not the onionseed draw tears from Mr.
Bigler? Must not the women at home be compImented
with something for their gardens for though having
votes themselves they plead powerfully with those
who have. Such was the pressure that Judge Mason
yielded sent clerk to London and Paris in pursuit of
seeds under difficulties and he spent 100000 at single
seed store when varieties of infinitely greater value might
have been had at home The practice has since become
chronic, and should be abolished root and branch Mr..
Landreths brief exposition shows concusivey that
elaborate and searching examination would reveal null
titude of improper acts connected with this business
He has made good beginning, from which patri-
OF in Congress ought to take the hint of pushing
| to an ultimatum.
Health of New Orleans-YeIIow Fever.
New ORLEANS, July 27.-The mortality in this city
for the past week shows increase over the previous
week The number Of deaths 49, including rs from
yellow fever and l9 from consumption. Notwlthstand
ing the number of yellow fever victims the health Of the
city considered good as it is believed that the
is too far advanced for the disease to become epidemic
| Business of General Land Office.
! The following is a statement OF the General Land Of
| fee for the month of June, 1852