The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-09-30
agricultural.
T. H. HoSklNs, M. D., Editor,
Newport, Vermont.
Government Seeds.


more than they should send shoe-pegs
free to the shoemakers, or nails to the
carpenters" l answer: Our honest,
intelligent and industrious farmers are
the base of our government. Me-
chanics, all praiseworthy professions
and classes contribute to the prosperity
and happiness of the whole, but they
are not the rock on which our govern
ment rests. We say emphatically, let
them have all reasonable favors-
" seeds free, and government lands
at low rates, so low that they may be
encouraged to enter the farmers voca-
ton, the most honorable and useful in
the land. Let them be enabled to pro-
duce a surplus for the purchase of
foreign countries, which would inev-
itably turn greatly to our benefit.
j. w. T., Cambridge, vt.
REMARKS BY AGRICULTURAL Ed
IToR.-We are, and have been for the
most of our life, farmer, bred offarm-
ers of the old Puritan stock. We have
labored now for many years as a writer
and editor to advance the interests of
farmers, to stimulate them to perfect
themselves in their business, to be proud
of it, and to be such farmers that
the whole country should be proud of
its honest and intelligent yeomanry.
We have not asked for the farmers any
coddling, or any aims contributed by
government. We think it is enough if
the government does for the farmers
what it does for all citizens, protecting
them in their rights and liberties, with
a fair field and no favor.
AS regards this free-seed question,
we believe the government does well,
through its foreign agents, to collect
and to distribute among the people
seeds of new industrial plants, likely
to be of value in any part of our great
country-nOt as boon to farmers par
ticularly, but because it benefits the
nation as whole to multiply and vary
its resources. We think this is well,
we say, but, in the present ease and
rapidity of intercourse between all the
nations of the earth, if the govern
ment should not do this thing there are
plenty of private citizens who newt
ably will do it. Take the Russian
apples, for instance. Private enter
prise brought to this country some of
the best of them over sixty years ago.
In 1870 the United States government
introduced, through the department of
agriculture, large collection of Rus.
sian apples, from among which several
very valuable kinds have been selected
and planted quite extensively, with
vast benefit to the people (not the
farmers only, but the whole people-all
who consume as well as those who pro-
duce fruit. The state of Iowa, in
1882, sent the horticultural professor
of its agricultural college to Eastern
Europe to collect and bring home not
only the valuable apples, but all the
tree fruits, and other trees and plants
of economic value. This was goot
thing to do, but Mr.. Tuttle of Wiscon
sin and Mr.. Charles Glib of Canada
have done the same thing at their owr
expense. Neverthess, we say, it is {
good thing for the government of the
nation, or of the individual states, tC
spend some money for such purposes
Yet we think it no reflection upon thu
state of Vermont that it has not don,
so. Vermont, so far as we are aware
has never done anything of that kind
The foreign trees, plants and animal
which are so numerously found within
our borders were about all introduce,
by private enterprise, and we hav
them as abundantly as the people seen
to want them. No one would think o
bringing a bill of indictment agains
Vermont because she, as a state, ha
done nothing to help in such matters
1t is a good, but not a necessary, thin
to be done through governmental agen
cies.
1t is not, however, the collection o
agricultural novelties by the govern
ments, state or national, that is bein
so severely criticised at this time
the press. What was designed fo
good has Gas good things often do) dc
generated into an abuse. When tn
members of congress were first aske
to aid the government in distributin
agricultural and horticultural novelties
sent home to us by our foreign minis
tiers and consuls, most of them doub
less regarded it as bore. But 500
they were surprised to find out thu
many of those to whom they addresse
the little packages looked upon tn
matter in the light of a fattering pc
sonal compliment, and often becam
the warm political friends of the men
bers who sent them. Here was an III
expected political bonanza, and shar
politicians went to work to utilize
90 for all it was worth" Instead ,