New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-26

controversy between the Commissioner of
Patents and an eminent hortculturist and scotsman
of Philadelphia, David Lsndreth by name (son Of
the Landreth who frat established the nursery and
seed business in Philadelphia, seyenty.four years
ago., has developed some facts that of general
interest. Mr.. LaDdreth frankly tells the public
that the business of seed distribution by the agr-
cultural department of the Patent Office through
Members of Congress is a humbug and nuisance
and, not content with asserting this, be goes very
far toward proving it. Mind that Mr.. l.. does not
object to the designation and purchase by the Do
patment Of the seeds of valuable plants not already
current in this country he only objects to the dis
trbutOn Of seeds Of plants already well known
here, many Of them worthless, and some pestif-
erous, while many that do very we'll in Europe are
utterly unsdspted to climate and worse than
DottiDg. The carelessness or qua:kery OF this
Government seed-buypg business had already been
repeatedly hinted at in numerous agricultural jour
n.'s some Of which have even gone 50 far as to
chs,se test the purchase aud distribution had de-
gene rated into job for lining the pockets OF
the fuhctonaries concerned in it. 1t is the ,crhen
or yuttishto quacsery of Commissioner Holt that
,ss proved 40 iItolerase to air. Lsndreth. His
euptIlor know.dsc of the bus'Ie.s has enabled him
t. ce,sct If, aGd his pen mas laid It bare, Win
all application ct caustlc 80 scorching as to be
quite GU, OF place as fertilizer, yet capital as a
diessirg.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has
,pecjfcslly charged that the nlsorty Of seeds dis
trbuted by tie Patent Office were such as previous
eXpereace bad proved to be OF little or no value in
this country, ard 80 common Us to be had at every
yilsee store. The present Commissioner himself has
distributed roots snG bulbs such as can be had at
Any suction, and gratis that exist i'll every nursery.
His atteution has been directed 10 these abuses;
but his "yILdica'ion. nov grspPled with by Mr.
Lambeth. giyes little promise OF their being cor
rected. Speaking Of seeds Of the Brassca tribe,
such ss cabbage, turnips, &c, the Commissioned
ss,s they are mere valuable when raised in Europe.
Mr. Lslotth emphatcslly contrsdicts this, aud
his l,ielocg experience snd undoubted lntesrit will
| go very far with the public
Mr. Landreth follows up his denial with well.
timed fepiosch;
| "Are you 30, greatly in error in per1nittr, your
cce TO decry the produce Of your country Is il no.
4 tnONs tAa' VINO are tlinAnIiy with
sheg,0 contend unprotected agsiost foreign compet
ton src the competition OF the Paent o a. With the
public purse and the pub ic mail it, command
bu: :hai you should proclaim in an official paper thai
which is absolutely unsupported by facts p
| The fact is that foreign cabbage seed is never
imported except when the crop fails here Even
then, Mr.. Lsndreth rays that 40! in one solitary in
stance which has come under his notice has thi,
foreign seed produced head of any value, except
of early cabbage. 1t is quite As bad with tuuip
seed.
| Even the ruta bsga, iicm English seed though
| usually pure, sometimes grows with al elongated
| crowp-' necky'-beslces, i must always o: necess
ty, be one year old when planted while the American
npens in sesse fer sowing the ssne year. mstter
| Importance Of the South Az advertisemeu, of veil
| known New York seed house. nov beiOIe ne, quote:
all varieties Of American turnip and rata bags seeG
al ky ysT NJ kiskT than TIE imported certainly moi
because the foreign s ter as yVs SO confidently de
4 clare.
At meeting of the Phil.delph;s Asricultura
Society Mr. Lsndreth exhibited fly t,co specimen.
of turrips, all raised by him from European seed
including three varieties from the Patent Office
The greater portion proved TO be decidedly iniero,
to the old kinds rased in this country and two only
were considered worth propagating. He say,
the fact admits of no dispute that Enslih seed il
"of but little value when sown under an American
"sun.' He charges the Commissioner broadly
saying,
Not only are You flooding the country With oil;
and discarded varieties Of seed, but are actually i'm
porting frcm England turnp seed Of variety which
| originated on my own grounds, which l specifcsl,
named accepted abroad, and OF which distribute;
upward Of six thousand pounds raised BY myself las
| eeason."
This 10 fairly ruDning the seed into the ground
and putting the Commissioner, instead of the seed
through regular cor,e Of sprouts.
Wy. tie people ash. Is the extraordinary aSas