The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-12-18

Y p
TnE HANDsoMEsr GIEL IN TnE ROOM
is permitted to guide the general course If dis
tribuiiou, aud often the special courses seeds
are quite likely to only iud their way to such
localities, each according TO its kind, as are
known "a be generally favorable TO their profit
able growth, or rs are supposed to be favorable
10 experiment with them. la this case there
is the surest provision possible against waste,
and the cotton seed all goes southwark while
the oats stream TO comparatively cool and moist
regions. So if the Bahia orange cuttings, in
PRODUCED through the Department from Brazil
into California, where they had not been known
before, are worth TO California all that the
Department OF agriculture has ever cost the
country" il is quite rs likely that other
States can say as much and rs truly Of certain
distributions 10 them, as some Of the Southern
States Of wheat, sorghum, cotton, etc, some Of
the Northern Of wheat oats, etc. and tha,
these benefits have come 10 them at "A mini
mum and Insignificant cost. But this is only
one aspect Of the ease. il has many sides gen
orally unknown 10 the uOn-agriCultural classes
aud not too widely known 10 farmers them
selves; yet not therefore the Jess wise, oconom-
ical, and every way bcncfcent to every citizen
who labors aud eats the fruit Of toll. Let as
look a little into what the "punkin-sccd
DIVISION the garden--ass DIVISION the Seed
Division, as an agent aud means Of the Depart
ment, is intended to accomplish, and trka for
before proceeding TO a less wcighty cOnsidera-
ton OF it's ways OF actual operation, which is
still in itself matter Of interest. j draw
upon information TO a considerable extent
stated in an address made az The 18th annual
session of the National Grange Of the Patrons
OF Hubaulry by the very capable Chief Of the
Horticultural Division aud Superintendent Of
the Garden and Grounds Of the Department
a portion Of which statement was compiled by
the writer for annual reports from the core
spondcuce Of the Department, relative TO the
results Of seed tests. This article aims 10 be
usefully instructive rather than original.
"THE DISTRIBUTION or SEEDS
has been one Of the leading features Of the op.
erations Of the Department says Mr. Saun-
ders the object being, as required by law,
the introduction and dissemination Of new
aud improved valuable varieties Of cereals and
forage plants, as well as seeds Of every kind Of
plant Of promising OF known value. The pri-
mary object of this distribution is 30 give in
creased value to productions, to introduce new
industries TO establish principles in regard TO
climatic influences on seed races, and from
these dcducc facts which would point to the
best geographical distribution Of varieties; and
TO more rapidly introduce the best varieties Of
seeds Of farm aud garden plants into the new
States and Territories" 1t requires but little
thought to discover how important the object
and work announced in the latter part Of this
quotation is 10 the vast area Of our newer cOun-
try securing % production results correspond
ing to those upon mind and action by prima-
rily correct odscatiUn.
Many indirect factors Of great value can
also be secured by a study Of results Of seed
distribution. The benefits obtained from a
mere change Of seed from one climate to an
other, or from ono kind Of soil to another, arc
sometimes very marked" The rec ords Of the
/ Department abundaHtly prove this to be true
| in both respects, and sometimes in a rcInaTka-
bic degree and with highly profitable results.
/ The wisdom Of procuring seeds from regions
where their plants attain their greatest per
/ lection, for distribution why're they will b.
/ likely from the nature Of the conditions TO pro
mote Improvement IN yield and quality, is also
/ fully cxemplidod.
For instance, two varieties Of wheat, Of sew
oral procured and distributed some years ago
proved Of incalCulablc benefit 10 localities and
States where The kinds in usual cultivation had
greatly detcriorated, both in yield aud weight
quality. The Tappahauuock aud Moditerrau.
can, the varieties alluded TO- were sent out IN
small quantities, usually quart, tested where.
ever sent aud the yield preserved for successive
seed wherever the yield was promising, aud thai
was over a wide range Of wheat country a. II
turned out. IN New York, Pennsylvania
/ Maryland, Virginia Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois
etc, it generally ripcnod 10 days earlier than
other kinds and escaped weeyil. In Maryanf
il yielded, as field crop, 30 bushels Of O.
pounds per bushcl per acre. IN Virginia ID,
record was better still, and after the Tappa
hammock wheat had been grown some years
and was deteriorating, Virginia wheat farmer
wrote that il bad been worth millions Of dollars
10 the State, aud hoped another vigorous
variety could be introduced. In California
also this variety yielded 50 10 90 bushels pei
acre; IN Ohio il gave ~ the rate Of GO to
returns, aud in Kentucky from 30 10 72-fold
ia Maryland, California. Ohio etc, the Ned
iteTancan
ALSO GAVE GREAT SATISFACTION,
aud farmer Of the last-naIncd State duplicate
the statement Of lis millions Of dollars bcncG
In that part Of the country. The Fultz whea
has an equally good record. Not TO be tedi
GUS with proofs, the report Of the editor Of Oh
Denver lColo) Nous, Of experiments made Il
that State, will suffice IN substance as follows
Siberian (spring) wheat, ~ bushels, sown b,
drill on II acres, yielded $50 bushels; about 8
per acre.
Arnantka RUSSIAN SPRING wheat % bushel
on 25 acres, J, $50 bushels, or &C to the acre.
Tappahannock winter wheat, four bushcl
on four acres, $50 bushels, or 81! per acre.
And we will add: Mediterranean winter
In Georgia, rs quarts 10 an acre yielded o
bushels; aud in Virginia "a bushels on % acres
without fertilizing, yielded "a bushels per acre
When IL is remembered that the average yie
Of wheat ID under rather than over 20 bushel