The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-12-06
THE GOVERNMENT SEED SHOP.

Secretary Morton should be COM
mended for the opposition he has man.
ifested squandering so much money in
furnishing seeds and plants to congress
men. Mr.. Morton asked to have the
appropriation cut down to quite small
sum, to be used only to purchase and
send out rare seeds, and that his depart
ment should attend to the distribution
This is just what the agricultural press
and the leading agriculturists of the
country have advocated for many years
past. But congress wouldn't have it
that way, even to please Mr. Morton.
On the contrary, more money was APP
'ropriated for seeds than ever before.
md nothing was said in the bill abou
rare or uncommon" seeds, as usual
congressman wanted seeds, and plenty
| of them, this fall, no matter whether
old and common, rare or uncommon
Any kind will do for electioneering
purposes. Mr.. Morton consulted Al
torney-General Olney about this pro
vision, and he decided that the seed
purchased must be rare or uncommon.
or that promised some advantage i,
some respect, or the purchase woul
not be legal. That's the way the matte
stands at present, and we presume tina
Secretary Morton will invest the none
and furnish congressman the seeds .
usual.
We have before us the report of the
seed division, by Chief Pagan, 1893, an
it contains some interesting figure
There were 6,743.586 packages of veg,
table seeds sent out that year, of whic!
1853, 3O4 were distributed by orders
congressman, leaving little over l ,OOc-
| 600 for distribution by the department.
The total number of packages of all
kinds distributed was 1904, 943,
which congressman sent out 215, 7S1
Southern members seem to use their
prerogative the most literally. Of 25,-
022 packages of cotton seed, congress
men sent out q, 1926; Of 63, 945 packages
Of tobacco seed, congress appropriated
1885, and so on. On the contrary, of
1873 packages of wheat congress only
| wanted 2. Recipients of seeds are re
| quested in every case to report the result
of their experience with the seeds, to
the department..
Mr.. Pagan estimates that at least L.
541 900 different persons received seeds
last year, and only 1883 made any re-
port in regard to them, and most of
these were of no value whatever. The
| cost of distributing the 387 varieties of
seed last year was $16O,OO5, or about
two cents per paper, besides loading
down the mails with 275 tons of free
matter. Mr.. Pagan says that study
# the seed division for MANY wears
shows that the thew and valuable
seeds distributed were all known and
catalogued by prominent seeumen in
this country and Europe for at least two
Years before their purchase by the de
partmert.
Mr.. Pagan is decidedly opposed t.
the present system. He says no useful
purpose is served by it. When the dis
tribution of seeds was commenced,
away back in pioneer times, it was use
full, but now there are plenty of set.
Establishments everywhere, and I'll.
people can get "new and valuable,
seeds at nominal price, two or three
years before the division gets around te.
them. "The further continuance a.
the DIVISION" he declares, is an il
fringement upon the rights of citizens
engaged in legitimate trade pursuits, -
to which everybody, but congressmei
will say amen.-Exchange.