The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-11-23


provement in many respects, and Of ad-
vantage to some branches Of trade in the
wide range Of articles which may b
sent By mail but by some oversight
the clause in the former law relating to
seeds was not reinserted, and hence now
their transmission by that means has be-
come very costly. This fact has attract
ed the attention Of dealers and tuyers,
and was made the subject of discussion
in the American Institute Farmers
Club; but Mr.. James Wick, Of Roches-
ter, in his usual practical way, takes a
course which is likely to accomplish
something. His example should be fol-
lowed all over the country. Petitions
should be signed and cent to the mem
bers Of Congress from every district 10
have the old clause inserted in the new
law in other respects the law is good
enough, but in this one it should be inn
media,ely corrected. 1t is not the seeds-
man WHO will suffer, out the people
themselves, as the dealers will simply
add on higher price to cover the great
er postage.
The following is the form of memo
rial prepared by Mr.. Wick, for sigma
lures. We suggest that some active
members Of the Richmond Hcyticutu-
raj Society constitute themselves COM
lni,tee, whose duty it shall be 10 circu-
lac this petition Immediately, and send
it to Congress at the opening of its mex.
session:
SoRN OF PETITION FOB CHANGE OF LAW
AS TO POSTAGE ON SEEDS.
''For more than twenty years in &C.
cordaace with the laws of Congress-
and the rules of the Post Office Depart
,ment, seeds have been carried in the
mails in packages Of four pounds or less,
at cost of eight cents per pound, or
rather two cents for every four ounces
or fraction thereof Under this system
Of cheap postage for seeds, an immense
trade has grown up, mary persons Of
means ard commercial ability having
been induced to embark in the enter
prise, and now several Of our seed huus-
es axe acknowledged to be greater in ex-
tent, and conducted with more skill and
system than any similar establishments
OF Europe.
So Important has the transmi ssion Of
seeds by mail become that the postage
stamps used by several of our leading
houses range from $4,000 to $4,000
each annually. Every hamlet in the
country has been reached and blessed
BY cheap postage for seeds, and the psc.-
pie have learned to rely upon the mails
for the transmission Of seed from distant
growers to their homes.
The facilities afforded by the wisdom
Of Congress for the dissemination o
seeds At low rate Of postage, and in
packages of a convenient size, has alse
encouraged the growth Of seeds in oul
country, and we are becoming every
year more independent of foreign grow.
ers indeed, we are beginning to send
such things to Europe, as experience has
proved peculiarly adapted to growth ii
our climate.
We had supposed that such state o
things was not only satisfactory, bu
highly gratifying. We knew that tn
Government was anxious to send seed
all over the country, and importe'
large quantit les annually from Europe
through the Agricultural Department, a
great cost, sending them free Of post
age through the mails for the purpose o
advancing the agricultural aud horticul
turat interests OF the land. The seedsme
| Of the country were doing the sam
work, not only without cost to the Gov
crnment, but actually paying millions q
dollars to the Treasury for the privileg,
| in the way Of Custom-house duties an
postage. We had not the least ide
/ that any change in the law was contem
plated. We had not learned that
was unsatisfactory 20 any class or an
person, and it was not only with regre
but with great surprise we learne
through the Post-Ofice Department
that Congress, in amending the Pos,
Office law, at its last session, and ostcr
sibly for the purpose Of increasing ma
facilities, had really made a re.rograt
movement Henceforth no package
seeds c2nld be sent by mail except
letter rates. if weighing more tina
twelve ounces, and that the rates o
these small packages were doubled, b
ing increased to one cent an osnce.
| The effect OF this law is not only /
greatly ombarass, but almost, to destrs
our business. It's effect on the post-e
fees is also injurious, because compell'
to divide the-usual four pound pscka
into six small packages, thus greatly i
creasing the labor of packing and dist
button, and compelling us to send
express whenever possible to Go So. .
We did not think Congress design
to repeal the old law regarding seed
but that the new law WAS merely gu
! Elementary to the old one, ard we Of
serve that this is the unanimous OPT
ion OF the Agricultural and Horticult
raj Press Of the country, as we'll IS
the Press generally.
We ask you most respectfully, y
; earnestly, and with entire confidence,