The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-02-25

Washington, Jan. 26.-Dr. Lor-
inp's garden seed department is q
busy place these days. The states
men over 10 the Capitol who got cir
culars from the Doctor at the open
ing of the session notifying them
that they had $3.50 worth Of seeds
spices due them have been remark
ably prompt in responding. Con-
eress votes 100000 annually for
seeds. Two-thirds of this sum goes
back in seeds to the 400 Senators
and Representatives. and the Com-
missioner of Agricultural distributes
the rest through other channels.
Each Congressman is allo.ed 1900
papers of flower seeds, to begin with
In addition, the members from to-
bacco districts have received in the
past year 500 papers of imported to-
bacco seed each; the cotton belt
members have each had 200 quarts
of cotton seed; the wiuter wheat
men have had 200 quarts apiece of
this staple grain; the spring wheat
Representatives have been equally
favored, and the corn Congressman
have been blessed in abundance
with kernels of choice maize. All
the Congressman received in July,
about the time the noIninationg con-
ventions were held, 1000 papers OF
turnip seed each; and grass seed,
three or four bushels to the member
were showered alike upon the Just
and unjust. Sorghum and sugar
beet seeds were sent also 10 favorable
districts.
The pecularities of are often indi-
Gated by the manner in which they
dispose of DR.. Loring's crops. Some
latitude of choice is allowed, and
members who are well up in farm
ing and gardening get their quota IN
the one or two grains or vegetables
that are stople articles in their dis
trlcts.
Ben Lefevre, who comes back to
the House term after term with
steadily increasing majoritles, is par
tlcularly strong In turnip seed, al
though his gallant bachelor heart
always prompts him to SOW a few
choice flower seeds in the gardens OF
his lady admirers.
Blout, of Georgia, runs entirely to
cotton seed, and is solid with bis
constituents.
The Hon. Samuel J Randall has
all his seeds sent in bundle to
b yn M-wr aud attends to their
di>,rlbution when he gets
home
Speaker Carlisle is not so method
zeal Whenever constituent asks
MIN for seeds ne sends the letter tt
Commissioner Loring, and asks hin
to attend to the request. He Is care
less about getting his full allow
ance.
The champion seed distributors o
the House are Taylor OF Tennessee
and Jones of Texas, with Lanham u
rexas. good third. These Con
gressmen represent big and grow
ing districts, with innumerable wants
i'ney are omnivorous. They ex
haust thslr own allotment of seed,
early, and then get as many assign
meuts of orders from other Congress
men as they can. A literary Con
gressmen who wants to swap seeds
for documents is great find for
seed Congressman.
The Hon. Thomas Porterhous'
Ochiltree was a great seed hunte
before he was a Congressman, bu
having once been elected. he neglec
ted his constituents in this particu
lar strangely. In reply to the las
notification that seeds were awaitin
6 his order he replied:
Ny constituency don't go mucl
; on seeds, bu, they are mighty fon'
of partridges. You may send fe'
coops around to my room.
DIR. Loring is looking up the Law
on the subject to see if he can CON
ply with the requisition. Col. Ochil
tree says if a member cen have &C
logne and suspenders charged to hi
stationery account, he sees no reaso
why partridges cannot be enumera
ted under the head of turnips ant
Jerusalem ariichokes.
Nevada Jones has constituenc,
that grows nothing but quartz rocs
He gives away his seeds to hi
, swarms of friends.
The frosty Edmunds is as forma
, and mysterious in the seed husi
ness as he is in everything els.
Nobody ever sees his list Of benef
ciaries. He does not send it to th
department, but orders the seed
sent to his room in bulk. He theI
goes into executive session will
, himself, and before coming ou
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