Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-24
GATHERING THE PEOPLES SEEDS.
How TIE Department of Agriculture Obtains
Them for Distribution.

NOW ths Department of Agriculture Obtains
Them for Distribution.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Is
- about 70 begin its purchases of seeds for
supplying the farmers Of the country. All
such buying 10 done directly from growers
Congress appropriates slOo 600 for this purpose
annually. IL costs s6o. 900 TO pu; MP the pro-
Duct and ship IL from Washington. 90 that only
s4o.ooo ID actually devoted to paying for the
material distributed In June and July
special agents travel about inspecting the crops
winch the seedsmen are raising. They select
what they want by sample, and in November
they journey around again and make their
contracts
The seedsmen do not usually produce their
stock In trade on their own land. They hire
the use Of extensive tracts from farmers
sometimes such q plantation will include
thousand acres-payiug much an acre and
supplying the seeds &c be planted. On their
part, the farmers contract TO deliver the crops
obtained, husked or threshed. cleaned and IN
good condition. IL is agreed that they shall do
all the labor and that the parties of the other
part shall be permitted 10 examine the fields at
any time and weed ont all 'rogues," which are
plants Of inferior varieties such will creep
UNCLE JrRRr's SPECIAL AGENTS.
In summer time when the crops are growing,
Uncle Jerrys special agents come along. TO
them each scotsman shows not his green fields,
but his ''trial garden" wherein he cultivates a
few specimens of each choice vegetable that he
Is engaged in propagating. The government
buyers look the stock over, decide in a general
way Is 10 what they want 70 purchase. and 20
away. TO return in the late autumn and give
their orders after inspecting the seeds In the
bins.
These seed farms are scattered all over the
United States Cabbage seeds are nearly all
grown on Long Island, elsewhere in New York
state and in Connecticut Farmers believe
that they need salt air. OF cAulIhower seeds
tne same remarks may be repeated. Peas Tor
SEED all come from the neighborhood OF Irav-
erse, Mich, and Manitowoc, Wis Those got
from elsewhere are always apt to have little
worms in them. but the flies OF which these
| worms are the Larvae do not live in the region
mentioned. Beet seeds are nearly all imported.
Carrot seeds come from the far west, especially
from California, in which state are also pro-
duced most OF the lettuce seeds and the best
Corn and onions for seed are raised all over the
country, and the same is true Of the seeds of
melons. Cucumber seeds come from Nebraska,
Wisconsin and Missouri
Onion seeds are gathered by going through
the neids and cutting of the pods at the tops of
the stalk, tying them in bundles and threshing
| them out on canvas. Beans are allowed to
| stand in the field until they are yellow, after
which they are stacked up until they are per-
| fectly dry and threshed out Peas are per-
| mitted to get dry and hard in the rows, and
then are taken to the barn for threshing. 10
get cabbage seeds, the stalks which have grown
one year must be planted the next. when they
| run to seed. The same is true of carrots; the
roots which have developed in one season are
put in the ground the next and go to seed. No
seed potatoes will be distributed this year by
the department. The eyes which have been
shipped in past wears were found too perisha-
bic, either rotting or freezing before they we're
planted, and whole potatoes are too bulky to
handle.
FLOWER SEEDS IMPORTED.
The flower seeds which the Department dis
tributes are nearly all imported from abroad,
where vast farms are devoted to raising them.
Ihey'have to be purchased from the big seed
houses As is the case with the vegetable
Seeds they are all tested before being sent out.
For this purpose a curious little window
garden is maintained at the seed barn, which
consists of two good-sized pans about inches
deep. Across the pans wires are laid in pairs,
with folds of cheesecloth hanging between
each pair into the water, of which the pans are
half full The seeds are sprinkled along in the
folds OF cheesecloth and quickly germinate.
| their roots making their way through the
| fabric in a dense network. Sometimes vege-
tables thus grown in the pans have actually
produced peas, beans and other things big
| enough to eat Any one who cares to get up
such a window garden this at home will be
| well repaid for the slight labor involved.