Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-02
NO MORE PUBLIC SEEDS
The Department of Agriculture Will Buy
None This Year.
The Law Authorized Only Those Rare
and Uncommon, and None of These
Are to He Provided.

It is now finally decided that the seed di-
vision of the Department Of Agriculture
Will go out of existence on the 1st of next
October, and that after that date the gov
ernment will cease distributing seeds
throughout the country. This fact has al
ready been briefly stated in The Star, but
since then the details of the facts leading
up to the decision of Secretary Morton to
accomplish the abolition of the seed division
have been made public. The Secretary has
had his letter to Chief Fagin. in which he
Informed him that the division would cease
to be after the date mentioned, and the
chiofs reply to the Secretary, printed in
convenient form for distribution. SO that
this matter, which may form the subject of
considerable controversy in the next Con-
gress, may be thoroughly understood.
In his letter to Mr.. Fagin the Secretary
first directs him to submit his annual report
before October 1, 1895. and gives an outline
of what the report shall contain.
Only Rare Seeds Wanted.
He then gives a copy Of the decision Of
Attorney General Olney Of April 20, 1895, in
which answer was given to the following
questions:
"Can the Secretary of Agriculture legally
purchase any other seeds than those de-
scribed in section 527 of the Revised Stat
utes, to wit, seeds rare and uncommon to
the country, or such as can be made more
profitable by frequent change from one part
of our own country to another under au-
thority of the act of March 2 1895?
Would 1t be proper and lawful for the
Secretary of Agriculture, In view of the
verbiage of the act of March 9, 1895, and
the wording of section 521, of the Revised
Statutes. to advertise for proposals to fur
nish the Department of Agriculture Seeds
hubS trees vines cuttings and "a
and uncommon to the coun try. and for such
as can be made more profitable by frequent
changes from one part OF our own country
to another reserving the right to reject
any and all bids?"
To these queries the Attorney General
replied as follows: u. The seeds pur-
chasable under the act of March .. 1895,
are limited to those deseribed in section
527 of the Revised Statutes-there being no
reasonable ground for claiming that the
act of March 2. 1895, operates, or was in
tended to operate as repeal of the earlier
statute.
.2. If not obligatory upon the Secretary
Of Agriculture to purchase seeds, trees.
etc, conformabfy to section, S709 of the
Revised Statutes, it is certainly. compe-
tent for him to make the purchases con-
formally to said statute the. right TO re-
Ject any and all bids being reserved. But
the form Of the question isr=such that
think 1t proper to call atteation to the
fact that while seeds purchased must be
such as are rare and Uncommon to the
country or such as can Be made more
profitable by frequent changes from one
part of our own couRtry to another the
trees. plants, Shrubs, vines and cuttings to
be purchased are such as are adapted to
general cultivation and to promote the gen
eral interests of horticulture and agricul-
ture throughout the United States
No Seeds at All to ne bought.
The Secretary then goes on to inform the
chief that this decision precluded the pur-
chase of seeds for distribution except those
rare and uncommon to the country, ETC.,
and, in accordance with the opinion, he
called for bids for such seeds, bulbs, shrubs,
cuttings, etc. to be opened July 1, 1895.
Three bids were received and submitted to
committee consisting of Adessrs e. S.
Harnden, F. L. Evans and ]. B. Bennett,
officials of the department.. who, July &,
reported to the Secretary that none of the
bids met the requirements of the adver-
tisement. and they therefore recommended
their rejection. In accordance with their
report the Secretary rejected all the bids,
and concluded his letter ito. Mr.. Fagin as
follows:
Therefore, in view Of the above opinion
OF the Attorney General. and because of
the result of the advertisement above,
which was duly published as, provided by
law, and in concurrence with the finding
OF the committee of awards upon the bids
purchased for gratuitous promiscuous dis
tribution during the fiscal year 1895 by the
United States Department of Agriculture.
In view OF the above you will observe that
the necessity Of your being continued in
office, together with the force Immediately
under you will not exist after October /,
1895. by which date 1t is demanded that all
business of the seed division shall have
been thoroughly finished up and reported
upon. I should be unjust to you and my
self if. in closing, l failed to express my
sincere thanks to you for the efficient in
dustry with which you have discharged
all the duties pertaining to your laborious
and trying position during the last two
years. Therefore. very heartily and unre-
servedly I commend the work which you
have supecintended with SO much good
judgment and fidelity, and wish for you
employment and success in the future COM
mensurate with your character and abil-
ity."
The Chief Agrees.
In his reply to the Secretary's letter Chief
Fagin said: Il congratulate you upon the
action taken in this matter, as have been
fully convinced since my first examination
Of the work of the division that no reason
able excuse could be offered in behalf of
its continuance. and SO reported in my first
annual report"