Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-08-05


How the Benefecs of the Agricultural Bureau
are Distributed.
we are distributing 10000 packets of
turnip seed daily" said Colonel Coleman,
commissioner of agriculture, the other day.
1.-THE expensive sorghum seed of DR. Loring
will not be distributed as only about one seed
In ten will germinatev'
Colonel Colemans garden seed department
Is a busy place these days. The congressman
whogot otcirculars notifying them that they had
$50 worth of seeds apiece due them, have
been remarkable prompt in responding, Con-
gress votes $780, 900 annually for seeds. Two
thirds of this sum goes back in seeds to the
400 senator's and representatives., and the
commissioner of agriculture distributes the
rest through other channels.
Each congressman Is allowed 5000 papers
OF vegetable seeds and 1000 papers of flower
seeds to begin with. In addition, the mem
bers from tobacco districts have received i'm
the past year 500 papers of imported tobacco
seed each the cotton belt members have
each had 200 quarts of cotton seed the win
ter wheat men have had 200 quarts apiece of
their staple grain; the spring wheat repre-
sentatives have been equally favored, and
the congressman have been blessed in abund-
aDce with kernels of choice maize. All the
congressman received in July 1000 papers OF
turnip seed each, and grass seeds, three or
iour bushels to the members, was showered
alike upon the just and unjust The turnip
seed distribution is just closing. Sugar beet
seeus were sent also to favorable districts
PECUbrARITIEs OF STATESMEN.
The peculiarties of statesmen are often in
utcated by the manner in which they dispose
of Colonel Coleman's crops. Some latitude
of choice is allowed, and members who are
well up in farming and gardening get their
quota in the one or two grains or vegetables
that are staple articles in their districts, thus
making themselves solid for years. There is
Joe Black burn, for instance, whose enduring
lame in Kentucky is In DO small degree due
to the fact that he takes out all his allowance
IN hemp seed and induces the commissioner
to give him several bushels over.
The champion seed distributors of the
House are: Taylor, ofTennessee, and Jones
of Texas, with Lanham, of Texas a good
third. These congressman represent big and
growing districts with innumerable wants.
They are omniverous They exhaust their
own allotments of seeds early, and then get
as many assignments of orders from other
congressman as they can. A literary con
gresham, who wants to swap seeds for doc
uments, is great find for a seed congress-
man.
For instance, Representative Milliken, of
Maine traded his tobacco seed with Phil
Thompson, jr, of Kentucky, for printed
copies of Blaine's eulogy on Garfield.
Maine needed the eulogies more than the to-
bacco seed.
The average congressman sends from ten
to three hundred names of seed constituents
to the commissioners. Occasionally the lists
reach 1000 names, and there have been
members who have sent in 5000 names,
with the request to send one paper of seed
to each
ocHILTREE WANTED PARTRIDGEs.
The Hon. Thomas Porterhouse Ochiltree
was great seed hunter before he was con-
gresham, but, having once been elected, he
neglected his constituents in this particular.
In reply TO the last notification that seeds
were awaiting his order he replied My
constituents don't go much on seeds, but
they are mighty fond OF partridges. You
may send a few coops around TO my rooms" J"
The late commissioners looked up tho law on
the subject 10 see If he could comply with
the reQuisition. Colonel Ochiltree said If a
member could have cologne and suspenders
charged to his stationery account, he saw no
reason why partrdges cannot be enumerated
under the head of turnip and Jerusalem
artichokes.
The senators draw their seeds with as
much punctuality as representatives. War
ner Miller does not send out small saplings
that will grow into wood pulp trees, AS has
been supposed. He has a very complete list
of half-breeds to whom Colonel Coleman
franks choice flowers and vegetable seeds.
Nevada Jones has constituency that
grows nothing but quartz rock. He gives
away his seeds to his swarm of friends.
The frosty Edmunds Is as formal aud mys-
terious in the seed business as he is in every
thing else Nobody ever sees his list or bene-
ficiaries. He does not send it from the de-
partment, but orders the seeds sent TO his
residence in bulk. lie then goes into execu-
tive session with himself and before coming
out makes "a solemn oath never to divulgt
what has happened.
The distribution of food fishes and spawn
develops some queer stories. One member
''drew" some gold fish in globe, but before
they were delivered he caused them to be ex
changed for canary birds, and the featheret
songsters were sent to his home in fin'
nickel plated cage.