The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-12-09
DEPARTMENT OF. AGRICULTURE
Morton Is Looping OF u,eIsss Office Help
..Iha Go ,d Niiisanna

The report of the secretary OF acri-
culture will be found exceedingly inter-
esting, especially to that large part of our
citizens intimately concerned in agricul-
tural occupations. On the 1th day Of
March, 1903, there were upon it's pay rolls
2,43o employees. This number has been
reduced to 1850 persons. In view
of depleted public TREASURY
and the imperative demand of
people for economy in the administration
of their government, the secretary has en-
tered upon the task of nationally reducing
expcditures by the elimination from the
pay roll of all persons not needed for an
efficient conduct of the affars of the de-
partment. During the first quarter of
the present year the expenses of the de-
pnrtmcnt aggregated S3l5,976.76, as
against SI02, ,O2l AZ for the corresponding
period of the fiscal year ending June SO,
1888 The secretary makes apparent his
intention to continue this rate of reduc-
tion by submitting estimates for the next
fiscal year less by s99I,2S0 than those of
the present year.
Expensive Sect.
In the year 1889 congress appropriated
81 900 to be taken from the pntent office
funds. for the purpose OF collecting and
distributing rare and improved varie-
tics of seeds and for prosecuting
agricultural Investigations and procuring
agricultural statistics From this small
beginning the seed division OF the depart
ment OF agriculture has grown to it's pres
ent unwieldy and unjustifnbly extrava-
giant proportions. During the last fiscal
year the cost of seeds purchased was &c.
a4S.6l. The remainder of nm appropria-
ton OF $3.50 was expended in pulling
them up and distributing them. 1t surely
never could have entered the minds of
those who first sanctioned appropriations
of public money for the purchase of new
and improved varieties OF seeds for graf
uitous distribution that from this would
grow large appropriatiations for the pur-
chase and distribution by members of
congress OF ordinary seeds, bulbs and cut
ttngs which are common in all the states
aud territories and everywhere easily
obtainable at low prices. In each state
and territory an agricultural experiment
station has been established. These sta
tons, by their very character and name,
are the proper agencies to experiment
with and test new varieties of seeds, and
yet this indiscriminnte and wastefui dis.
tribution by legislation and Legislators
continues: answering no purpose unless it
resentatives are willing to re-
member them at public cost
Under the sanction of existing legislation
there was sent out from the agricultural
department during the last fiscal year
enough cabbage seed to plant $4,000 acres
VI '1hu u sulucieDL quantity OF Deans TO
plant 1000 acres, beet seed enough to
plant 2,h0o acres, sweet corn enough to
plant 7,s0o acres, sufficient cucumber seed
to cover 30 acres, with vines and
enough muskmelon and other melon seeds
to plant 2.675 acres. The total quantity OF
flower and vegetable seeds thus distribu-
ted was contained in more than 5000, 900
packages and they were sufficient If
planted to cover S9,596 acres of land.
In view OF these facts this enormous ex-
penditure without legitimate returns or
benefit ought to be abolished Anticipnt-
ing consummation SO manifestly in the
interests of good administration, more
than 100000 has been stricken from the
estimate made to cover this object for the
year ending June 30, 1894, and the secre-
!ary recommends that the remaining
$500 OF the estimate be confined strictly
to the purchase OF new and improved va
rieties of seeds, and that these be distrib-
uted through experiment stations. This
seed will be tested and after the test has
been completed by the experiment station
the propagation of the useful varieties
and the rejection OF the valneless may
safely be left to the common sense of the
people.