Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-02-26
From the Germantown (Pa-) Telegraph.
Free Distribution of Seeds,

Is the free distribution of seeds by the
Department of Agriculture at Washing
ton, d. c., of sufficient importance to
the people to this country to justify the
expense incurred? think it is. Be
lieving this to be question worthy the
consideration OF every farmer, as one of
that class will in my humble capacity
give some of the reasons for entertain
ing the affirmative.
Many of cur farmers take but one
newspaper, and it being their county
paper. From it they learn but little
about agriculture, and less about new
varieties of grains, seeds and vegetables.
Others, who take agricultural papers,
do not know much about the numerous
varieties of seeds, only as they learn
them through this seed distribution.
Now the seeds sent out by the Gov
ernment reach the farmer and the la
boring man in two ways. First, por-
ton of them are distributed to members
of Congress, and through them to their
constituents. Secondly, others are sent
by the officers of the Agricultural De-
partment TO county and district agricul-
tural societies, where they are distribu-
ted among the members of the societies.
In this way these seeds reach men of all
classes and ayocations, and do much in |
the way of introducing new and i'm
proved varieties. regret to see some
men condemning this seed distribution. |
They know better, and fear it is done |
too often through malice. When hear |
men saying these seeds are worthless |
trash, or similar expressions; that they |
are only distributed for electioneering
purposes, and members of Congress |
keep themselves in office by this means,
L at once set them down as woefully ig-
norant of the truth. of the charges they
make, or else they are playing the dem
agogue.
For the last few years have received
about the first of March, from the Ag-
ricultural Department at Washington, a
of packages of various kinds of
seeds, for the use of our county agricul-
tural society. Many of them are i'm
ported from other countries and entire
ly new to me. They are in as good a
state of preservation as those buy of
grown in our own country.
These seeds are distributed among the
of the society, without regard
to politics, only being careful to put
Them into the hands of men who will
give attention to the growth and pres
srvation Of the crop. A memorandum
S made of the names of the men who {
receive them, so that others may be-
,ome the recipients at the next distri-
)ution. II
1t may be asked have the seeds thus
proved valuable in the
since their Introduction
answer they have. Two years ago
'eceived from Washington eight quarts
If white Schonen oats, imported from
Germany. L gave them to four of our
quarts each. One of
hese farmers tells me he has forty
bushels of these oats, the product of the O
wo quarts from twice sowing. He
ays the weather each year was so un-
avorable at harvesting that he lost full o
y one-third of the crop. The oats are
colored by the rains, but are
'ery plump and large, and weigh for n
y-twO pounds to the measured bushel. :.
from one quar-: of Scotch barley one of !
ur farmers grew last summer one 1
oushel and three pecks. The grain is 9
exceedingly fair and large and must $
rove valuable to farmers. | know of
many other seeds thus sent here that Z
AVE proved more productive and salts
actory than the ones here mentioned, f
nd of which l will speak at another n
ime.
Nor is the distribution of these seeds
n injury to the seedsmen, as some may
uppose. They create spirit of enter
rise and improvement in the neighbor-
lood where introduced, and many per- G
ons who were scarcely known to buy
eed, have bought them extensively
ince these free seeds found their way &
mong them. "
The farming interest is the great r
ource of wealth of this Nation, and if
Millions of the public money is spent to
'nild up monopolies for the purpose of
romoting commerce and mechanic U
rts, why should any one complain be- :,
ause few Thousand dollars are spent n
o encourage and promote agriculture. h
{ is but returning the wealth to where n
originated. ] trust the day is not far h
istant when farmers will look more \
losely after their own interests, both n
tate and National. E
G.. F. NEWTON. d
NT;llorcb,,ro n TaI, q 1914 =