The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-08-25
Reply to Prof. w. F. Massey.

above has elected replies from Prof.
Massey, in the Planter and Practical
Farmer, in behalf of the writer in aso-
called farm paper, who stigmatized,
without stint, the work of the National
Seed Division for sending out seeds,
which the said writer was pleased to
call cheap stuff of little value" the
distribution a " humbug," and blaming
the Secretary Of Agriculture for not
recommending the adjustment of
the whole absurd business"
Prof, Massey, in taking up the
cudgels in defense of the paid scribbler,
to whose vapOrings my first paper was
intended as a reply, failed to quote me
fairly when he says, Major Ragland
attributes all the development in the
ment Seed Distribution" x X x L
made no such claim. Here is what l
wrote on this point: The Government
Seed Distribution has proved a potent
educational measure III a~cquainting
farmers, truckers, and gardeners with
a nomenclature of the best, grown IN
every latitude. at home and abroad,
and stimulated a desire to procure,
test. and use the best the world affords,
a condition unknown until developed
mainly by the Seed Distribution.
When Mr.. Massef volunteers to as
sail me in defense of his client, | insist
that he shall quote me correctly for
| contend thai his construction of what
| wrote IS erroneous, that my words
are true, and my position lmpregnable
that the government inaugurated
| the development and stimulated the
improvement Of farm and garden
| seeds. Thousands who had never
---1 49,. -,>,-, ~, ,-I,%,,ar II 49,,
| riOr varieties of seeds received their
| first knowledge thereof through seeds
| disseminated by the government. The
| time was-and by no means remote
when farm and garden seeds were
vastly inferior to what are now in gen
| eral use, aud the tendency to hold on
to the old varieties was much stronger
and more general than now prevails
| throughout the land. But many were
then, as now, ready to procure and
use, without pay, seeds that they never
would have voluntarily purchased.
The Government Seed Distribution
has done moro than all other agencies
or means to educate the people in
the use of superior seeds, and no ap-
preparation by the government in aid
| of its great fundamental industry, that
feeds and supports the nation, has
proved so effectual for wide and last
ing good as the distribution of good
| seeds.
Prof. Massey, it seems, bases his
opinion of the character of the depart
ment seeds on his experience years
ago in the use of tobacco seeds sent
him through the patent office distribu-
ton, terminating and producing a
grand crop of mulleins." AprOpOs of
this charge by Prof, NJ, here is a prob
able explanation. / have now grow
ing, in one Of my tobacco plant beds,
mullen intersperSed with tobacco of a
| fine variety, the seeds of which were
sent me by a relative of strict integrity
and high character, and incapable of
perpetrating q fraud upon me, his
brother-in-law. Did the mullen come
from seeds sent in the tobacco seed?
Assuredly not; for, on investigation, |
'fOund that the soil used to cover the
seed in the bed-a small hot bed-was
taken from a plot on which mullen
grew last year. Now, may not the
mullen seed that Prof. Massey alleges
as having come from the department
have originated from like cause as the
one o presented by my plant bed?
Seedsmen and growers are too often
blamed for alleged defects and imper-
| lGCUIOl1S III S6GuS, UI1G I0SulU VI uGl6CJlN6
management in the hands of purchas-
ers, and from no lack of purity, vital
ity or genuineness in the seeds.
Prof. Massey's estimate Of cover
ment seeds has evidently been preju-
diced by q misCOnceptiOn of results
from the wrong cause, and his cOncIu-
SiOnS are equally when he
asserts that 1.-The whole system is
wrong and ought to be abolished"
Has the great body of agriculturists
| of the United States been humbugged
for half q century2
Just such is the dogmatic doctrine
of Prof. Massey and his client, whose
UnfOunded charges against the govern
ment called forth my first paper on this
subject. Mr.. NJ. would have us believe
that the seed department of this
government has been the dumping
place for all the rubbish of European
seedsmen, bought by agents who knew
no more about the seed trade than a
monkey"
That mistakes have been made by
the agents of Seed Division, and that
much yet can and will be done to i'm
prove and render more efficient this
branch of the department work, is
readily admitted; but that 1.-The whole
absurd business is a humbug, and
ought to be abolished, " is against both
facts and reason.
boldly assert, without the fear of
successful contradiction or REPUTATION,
that the verdict-the concensus of
opinion-of an intelligent, progressive
people, formed and forming for half a
century, on any plain Industrial or
other practical subject, is certainly
more correct and reliable than the
mere dogmatic assertion of any man
or men, however exalted they may be