Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-06-10
WA4HALLA SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY JUNE TO- 1880

NSP'Atuicbt loi ItlS lncLuCleuOy. Inc law
establishing tho Agricultural Department
required the Commissioner to purchase rare
and valuable seeds and distribute them
among agriculturists. But no sooner did
tho law become effective than every Con-
grcssman became genuine animated seed
distributor, and "bulldozing" the successive
Commissioners into submission, without a
vcstigo of right assumed tho prcrogatiyo of
scattering these seeds broadcast over the
land. For twenty Eve years this system
prevailed, converting tho Department into
Wholesale seed store conducted upon a
co operative principle at once political and
clccmosynary. Thanks to the energy aud
persistence of the present Commissioners,
this abuse no longer exists, and seeds arc
now distributed with udgmcnt, and gencr-
| ally to parties 10 whom they will benefit,
frequently to those who will improve tho
seeds.
lt has doubtless seldom occurred to
gentlemen upon this floor whit it is to
purchase rare aud valuable seeds and ap-
propriatcly distribute them over an area as
| extensive as the United States. Seeds
that arc rare in one section may DO common
and yaluelcss in another. And when wc
1
tive mouths in the year in which there is
not both seed time and harvest within the
confines of our immense territory, it be-
comes manifest that the niocst Judgment is
| necessary both i'll tho purchase aud in the
distribution Of these seeds. 1t must be
remembered, too, that seeds Of the same
species, though they germinate and grow
uxurlantly, DO not become equally prolific
in all la,itudes. 70 illustrate: One kind
OF wheat may yiod abundantly in Mime
| sofa, but prove total failureein the South.
And this same grain (wheat) imported from
foreign country will frequently fail to
frnotify upon the same degree of latitude
in America. Aud these results can only
be proven BY experiment. But, cir, life is
too short, results too preoarious, and Losses
| frequently too heavy to rely solely upon
tho cilorts of private individuals to develop
| BY experimental tests the agricultural inter
ests of so great a country as ours. This
labor must be performed by the Govern
mcut, and then if losses occur the injury
is not perceived; but if on the other hand
success attends the o!ioYt, The Government
Is provided with the mcaDs Of distributing
mlnu!cly among it's citizens the result at
| 'n"'o' mnctntt lhat result oe IN the shape
OF acquired information or OF sono i'm
proved agricultural product, and who, Mr..
| chairman, can estimate the value of Quo
such successful experiment.? Tho i,npor-
tation OF few bushels Of wheat or other
grain SO particularly adapted to our soil and
climate that it would in few years bv
proper distribution add a single bushcl to
tho average yield per acre, would be
revenue to the country only to be estimated
by millions OF dollars. | am almost war
rah'ea IN saying TINS has already been done
by the agr'enituEal Department, crippled
and restrained though it has been from its
lnfaIcy by lack OF appropriations.
mere IS another phase to this question.
C1"moFc'a1 men ten US That sinco 1874 the
DaIance OF trade has been in our favor,
wine" Si''p'y means That for the past few
Je''s our exports nave exceeded our imports
ano tnat 'nc go'a ana s'svor ot other coun-
trles nave oeeh brought TO America to pay
ior 'n.o eSvess. Dnrng the year ending
'ho ol"S OF ~ december, 1917, our exports
aihoonteu ,. 70 Sioi'ooo''oo aud our imports
oolo'fa ao''4o, leaving balance OF trade
.h our laVor OF o24o,oll,ooI What was
~ MI CHAIRMAN, tnat aggregated t''ls un-
pai"lloleo amount OF ezporta, and brought
fh's VAST sum OF money INTO our country
ncI inc l1rlhefs OF america answer this
| question. hcar them ior ;helr cause, and
poa po s'iene Inn. that you may near. Beei, u.s..
o0o,loG o1o, . ou'tef' 2o'ti l,nl; pork So,o0O,.
o10'1on o10' mse s,och' Sdt'49O'SoG chceso, 81
ao111'ss11SS; iaro' 60 SSaaoG,o1o,Goi o. bacon, slo,.
aooi'oio' nour, ,ooo; corn and meal,
ETA si1, ,Ioo; 'ooacco' %lo' '44o zoS; wheat,
Sh1o,,oa,i1 n ana &c eo.ton' snn' Sioo'olo,lo6,
VI totaI OF SoOO,olO, ,0Oo. And these arc