The Washington union., 1858-06-30
AGRN UL7URAL PROGRESS.
Correspondence Of the Patcnt Office
Fam FonKsr, s. G., juno n,

Fam Fonxsr s. G., juno ~, 1883.
My DsAp SlR A few days since received by mail
copy Of the Washington Union, containing the report Of
the Agricultural Committee In reply to certain attacks
ment OF tho Patent Office. and especially upon yourself
ts superintendent have notic0d Kings In the
papers aud have heard them occasionally Al the agcu
tural division Of the Patent Ofdec.
Every effort at reform In agriculture will always meet
with dogged opposition There Is profession skep-
cal improvements porverse In cnging to old
notions. There jas many believers In the
and the signs o the zodiac now rs there century
ago.
As to the Patent Office reports, inclined to think
the fault has been in trying to too much, to cmbrace
too many things In one volumemauy Of which could
interest but very few people. think, however, you
the unpopnarity, rather want Of appreciation OF
the Patent )cc reports IL the mode Of distribution g0
orally adopted There are hundreisyeH, thousandsof
copies Of the past yeals lying in tho Offices Of
country now, throughout the South Why Is II De
They have been sent out indiscrnatcly by menbesof
Congress to gentlemen who did not appreciate then
often eight ten copies to indsidualagan se to
Tom Dick, Harry men who could not appreciate
them.
The proper mode OF distribution mainly wouIc lie
through the agricultural societies have found gcat
demand for the agricultural report and the plan
adopted in the distribution OF books and sec H. tagye
mainly to those small farmers who could not avail ttcn
selves of every improy SM
The consequence is TINT am called upon for Jooks
au seeds ny All TIC pcOe ABOUT me- ana the DcbDf IL
they reud the books plant the Seeds and take ce Of
them The seeds distributed for the last two yeaj are
superior to any former distribution 10 far w Ca jdge
One Of the great difficulties will be to adapt cir
mates and tastes Of people, For instance nearly the
wheats distributed late and bearded All latc Acas
annually becoming and liable to rus and
all bearded w;cats obiectionAbe The whit soft
wheat, smooth head sent out last year. IL bcautf but
is too late, Dust ripe j the hard wheat frontlge
ria red wheat, SC, have heavy Boards and todate
too. The Italian barley will not do for spring sowag
straw too short, and too tenlor. Tho over
has not done well this year The sorghum IL grwng
daily and more popular, and IL triumph Nae Of
the grapes have turned out much that have bee dis
tribued The cabbage Seed sugar cor beet and iarly
all the garden seeds Of this year, promise we'll Yosave
been fortunate In introducing very superior varict Of
turnps but the last two seasons have been fatal the
seed. As to distributions secretary Of the s. Ag
ricultural Society 1t contains about five hundrl life
members scattered all over the State AS most the
parcels come to me unftankcd, compelled d dis
tributc them without regard to the members Of I'll
cicty, AZ have authority to pay postage on tcm
But did not sit down to bore you with q long ber
but simply to you that there some peoplewho
appreciate your ai ors aud think the agricultu de.
partmcnt Of the government not hall great huibug
as the political government.
shall always be most happy to give you any asss,nce
In the discharge Of your duties
Yours, truly, r. j. GAGE
Secretary Of s. c. State Agricultural Societ.