Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-04-06

II was Designed shall have been
fllly carried uut-.a collection Of vii
hardy trees aud shrWbs and plants
having commercial valu0, mr..
ranged in their natural order, and
II already contains more than &C.
teen hu' drol specimens. The
grounds ARE beautifully laid out
and arc clnbolutoly cmbellishcd.
The effect, in summer, when the va
rious flowers. vines, sIrrubs, aud
trees are in bloom or green with
Icnves, Is most delightful to the eye.
Tho extensive greenhouses are
filled. mainly. With exotic flowers,
many Of them presented by foreign
societies, and MI pleasing to the
sight. Phcrc is nothing in this
country to compare in extent, beau
~, and value to this collection.
SEED DEPARTMENT.
Thc whole extensive basement of
rhc Department building is devoted
to the storing oflhosccds, and their
distribution in bags and packages
to the various parts of the country.
There are immense quantities Of
seeds thcrc-thc seeds native and
sorcign, being received in bulk
and thousands of small paper en-
vclopcs and bags, of various sizes,
constantly prepared and ready for
distribution. These seeds are, of
all kinds and OF every variety, re-
ccivcd and distributed by the De-
partmcnt. In tho rooms attached
to this division all the work councc-
ted with the asserting of the seeds,
the manufacture of the paper cnvel-
opos and Of the small cotton bags,
and the patting up the seeds, vari-
Gus quantities, from mere spoon.
full TO two quarts measure, in
these rcceptuclos, is performed.
Several female employees are en-
gagged in tho business of making
these little bags and paper envcl-
opcs, and the only part Of the work
belonging to the division not per
formed hero is the printing Of the
labels. In come ton with this
branch of the Department, il may
be parcnthctically remarked that
the space allotted to the storing
and handling of these thousands of
varieties Of seeds is entirely too
contracted to insure no mistakes in
packing the seeds, preparatory to
their being forwarded to their des-
tination.
CONCLUSION.
A word. in conclusion, upon the
subject of the distribution of the
mental and manual labor which re-
duccs all this ramificd system into
order, and VIC shall have brought
this account, imperfect us it per-
haps is, of the working Of the De-
partment Of Agriculture to an end.
The names Of the principal officers
Of the Department arc as follows
Frederick Watts. Commissioner;
Jas. NJ. Swank, chief clerk {; Il. +.
Fuller, distributing clerk J. r.
Dodge, statistical clerk, Townsend
Glover, cntomologist Professor Ry-
land Y. Brown, chemist VIM. Saun-
ders. superintendent cfpropagaling
garden J. b. Russell, librarian.
The charge of the seed department
is consigned to Andrew Glass. There
are, in round numbers, about fifty
clerks and the same number of la
borcrs employed by the Depart
mcnt. OF the latter, portion are
engaged in the seed room and a
portion in the grounds, gardens,
and conservatOrics. AS may be
presumed from the complex opcr
ations of the Department, tho cor
connected with its va.
rious divisions is enormous. b.
tween two and three hundred letters
are received daily, asking questions
OF interestto the writers, seeking
upon points with which
the Department is expected to be
familiar, and making requests for
seeds, &c. The writci of this ar
ticlc was informed by Mr.. Swank,
the Chief Clerk-to whose courtesy
he is indebted for much valuable
informatiOn-that it is tho aim of
those in charge of the Department
to satisfy all correspondents by re-
plying to their letters, even in ca
,es-as sometimes occurs when
The aim or purpose of their commu-
is not clear to the Dcpa.t
ment. This rule is eminently prop
ar, and brings the Department
more closely into association with
hose whom it is intended to bene-
+it-the American people, without
as to individuals. The
system correspondence is varied,
md yet simple. The letters are
'cad Immediately upon their re-
.eipt, and are then properly classi.
led and sent to the different heads
If the divisions or departments to
which their subiect-matter refers.
The replies are then, with as little
lclay AS possible, written by gen
.!cmen connected with these branch ,
IS, and all the information at the
of the Department is sent ,
o the correspondents. Their work
$ often tedious and cxacting, and
t can only be faithfully performed ,
~ never leaving over until to-mor-
'Ow the work that should and must
&c done to day. BY close adherence .
o this rule, the Department of Ag- ,
'iculturc keeps al courant with the
lines, and insures to its thousands
Correspondents prompt reply to ,
heir communications. /,
In concluding this sketch of the /,
operations of this Department, it
will be interesting to know, as we ,
earn from Mr.. Swank's narrative. ,
hat the total expenditures of the ;
Government for the encouragement :,
f agriculture, from the first appro-