, 1879-01-31

cnch ycar. and hns distributed them according to
hia own discretion. The rretcnt Commissioner
cou.ts,lc: the law differently, and declines to
furnish scc1s In tie ConEtcssmcn. The rcadous
nrc MI explained In the following letter. which
was written IN reply to u letter by Represents
tive Found:
DErAnrMENr or AoR1cuLrgaE, WA.ntsa.
IHtnd, Jf"ftse Of htp,,senfdsttxs-S1R: am
oh1!gc.i respectfully to decline ytur request for
kecsls for 1c purpose Of distribution: and, In
' faet tint hi the law rhss, governs f, di.trntlon
of kcrds Ia mandatory, asrl tlhat feel constrained
to adcru strictly t., lta requirements until s1tne
other mtAle Of distribution is 1cCalit prescrlbc
Tile srcds nf lhE DEPARTMENT are purchased
uu,lcr express provisions Of law for distribution
ntnnng ngriculs uifste; nn.l 1t becomes the I'M
perativc duty of the Commissioner 80 10 dispose
of t|cn that they shall nut ,o diverted from thu
use fur w!,tel, they were Designed. 1hIs. duty
tai, only bs dfscharRcd By maintaining a. far as
poasiElo the contrul Of the distrbution; or, in
ofer words, by restricting it to agricultural Dr-
gan'zat.nns and such individuals na Inay ha Ills
n3scti to mako experiments III furthcrancc OF The
objects Of the Department.
The distribution by The Members Of CnuGrrss.
II Is believed. Il ndycrse 10 these objects; uni
from every part ol the county We have cotn-
planta that II not only nntwcra no valuable
purpose but lint It Is pcrnclnus In Its tendency.
| canlot, therefore, properly continue Tic
dclegnttnE to Members the 1ndscrtmlnate dis
tributlun Ut seeds.
Allow me- to s,1gest tin. the objects OF Mem.
bcrs will lie hotter accomplished by their l,r-
nt*Etng the Department with the names and atf
dresses of s,!v Of their sanatt,trnts a. they nrp
ready 10 inorse - e,lntnE w!tli', TIC law wSt ,
lto sccsls 10 ngrtculturists." strl, Il tecosn-
incntintlon viii receive prompt attention; md,
allutlh tho Department he u1tatlls 10 ant rase to
n' tue rcnsen slIcfcuf; aml In aIl casrs Iniur.na-
ton will 10 given OF tho Interest of se'nhcra IN
The 1nntsrr.
1t thnu1d be observed, however, that those
n'cnt. with sccJs, "a in ali eases is Required by
lhc Department, will be excluded from partici-
patlun in any subsequent distribution.
l also respectfully call your attention TO
tuo," n my report to the President under date
to your address,. Respectfully
WILLIAM q. liz Due, Commissioner.
RAID ON rng COMMISSIONER OF A0R1cuI-
TURE.
WAsntauroN. D. e.. Jan. 2s.--Tf1e flousc
Committee I'm Agriculture eGcn1s to be nitirtIy
ut work, oon!nE int, the aifatrs Of thu Dopart-
incnt Of Agriculture, and claim That t'ty have
Ten. 10 Due, vim has the management of tta-
tstics nt1tl seeds. In u corner. The Committee
show t!ltt &C5, 200 wcre appropriated by Congress
during t!c fiscal year VI tS17-!3 for the pur..
cllsac of tmurnrul varieties Of seeds.-ereal
nul ycgctab1c.-for distribution amoNg Ecsuasi-
sible fMrnrts, to be tcatcd ind Reported ut,ou.
Tle Committees say they have satisfactory pruot
tl,ut but 81, 000 OF that amount wcro expended
for t!le u,rpoae intended, unl they arc ut q loss
to krluw what tas brcumt OF the balance. They
clnrgu TINT twenty bushels Of wheat. supposed
to haye been foreign, cost $50 busIc1, ntl4 Ut
this twe1ye bushels went to prominent bunker
In this city. Geu. Le Due has eprnt liberal
amount O. money III Bringing the Department
up to It's present efficiency, and says tAt lie rar
account fur every farthInE d!sbursed, ants more
than tint, that lc can show important results
interests of the country. Ills experiments In
sugar nnll tea have been attended with great
siceess, mid, when ile Committee Is through
with tt!rir examinations. be viii glye them sotno
facts tn mediate upon In connection with their
lnYesttgntlon.