Evening star., 1896-03-17
NO SEED DIVISION
How Secretary Morton Will Garry
Out the Distribution Resolution.
WILL BUY SEEDS ALREADY PACKED
If More Clerks Are Needed, Will
Get Them Under Civil Service.
LEGAL OPINIONS, ASKED

1He secretary OF Agriculture, Mr.. MOI
ton. believes that the best course to pur-
sue with bad law is to enforce 1t. He be-
lieves that the resolution which recently
became a law directing the Secretary of
Agriculture to purchase and distribute
seeds, bulbs, ETC., as has been done in pre-
ceding years, is statute of this character.
However. he, as stated. proposes to execute
this law, and has begun preparations to
carry 1t into effect As a preliminary, he
has referred the law to the Attorney Cen
eral In order to get his construction of 1t
and the effect on the law which 1t is in
tended to enforce. He has also asked the
opinion of the controller of the treasury, so
that the accounts of the disbursing officer
Of the department will not be held up.
The controller has informed the Secretary
that the appropriation in the regular agri-
cultural appropriation bill for the purchase
of seeds is available for the purchase and
distribution of seeds under the joint resolu-
ton. but he makes no attempt to define the
character of the seeds in question.
Secretary Morton is having proposals pre-
throughout the country, inviting bids for
furnishing the department with seeds.
new feature, and one which will probably
not be received with much favor by many
who supported this law, is that the bidders
will be asked to supply the seeds already
put up in packages, ready for shipment.
This arrangement will obviate the neces-
Sity of the employment of a large corps of
women who formerly composed the seed
division, and were employed in putting up
seeds in packages. The Secretary states
that if it is found necessary to increase
the present clerical force of the department
in order to do the work of mailing the
seeds. he will apply to the civil service
commission and get clerks to do the work.
No Seed Division.
To use the iorcible language of the Sec
retary, he don't propose to have lot of
people loaded On his department whose
only recommendation is the fact that they
nave the influence of some Senator or Rep
lesentative. IT, in the wisdom of Congress,
it is necessary that the people of the coun-
try should be supplied with seeds, the
Secretary thinks, it does not follow that he
mrst renew the conditions which existed
In the days when the seed division flour
ished. These conditions. the Secretary said,
are too Veil known to require specific de-
scription at this time, and if he accom-
pi!shes nothing else, he thinks that he
will be able to prevent a recurrence of
such state OF affairs. In addition to this
the Secretary says that by not having such
a force tle government Will be able to buy
for the sam" money twenty-five per cent
more seed. The amount of money which
has been appropriated is about S1o9WU
1t is estimated that there will be about
lo.GOO.Oo0 packages of seed, and two-thirds
of these will be subject to orders of SEN
atorS and Representatives.
Tie Secretary intends that the seeds fur
nlshed TO the department will be good
Seeds and in the proposals which he pro-
poses to issue to seed establishments and
seedmen in all parts of the country he
will notify them that the seeds will be sub
jected to test. These will be conducted
under the direction of Mr.. Hicks. who is
in charge of the pure seed investigation. In
making the tests of the seeds sent to the
department the standard will be adopted
which has been found by experience of
investigators IN all parts of the world to be
the fairest, both to the seedmen and to
the public.
Testing Seeds.
There are various systems of determin-
ing the excellence of seeds, and accord
ing to these systems percentages have been
fixed which seeds must reach in order to
pass the test. 1t is the intention of the
department to adept only the best stand
ard The tests which will be conducted by
the department will be first as to purity.
Testing tubes are thrust into the packages
and from the sample thus obtained. and. in
TACT. from several samples from the same
package. conclusion is arrived at as TO
the amount of foreign substance in the
seed and the amount of other seed.
The other test is to determine the germi-
mating qualities Of the seed For this pur-
pose the seeds are placed in what are
known as terminating chambers, generally
between moist blotterS, and are supplied
with air, water and heat. Then also the
seeds are tested in the soil in hot houses.
and seeds from the same package are given
trial both in the terminating chamber
and In the SOIL and in this way the STAN
dard of the seeds tested is ascertained
These tests will be conducted at the de-
rartment, and will be open to inspection 20
any one.
Seeds That Will Come Up.
AS the experiments are governed by we'll
defined and well-krown principles, it s be-
lieved that the trial will be perfectly fair
to all concerned The Secretary, at any
rate is determined. if possible. that the De-
partment of Agriculture, in furnishing seed
to the public. shall give a supply that will
come up when planted, and prove to be
nat the label on the package specifics.
Secretary Morton says he does not care to
send broadcast over this country at q large
outlay of money seeds that have no germi-
Iating power, nor does he wish to supply
Grange seeds when cabbage seeds are de-
sired. These and other peculiarities which,
Mr.. Morton says, have become a character
istic feature of Agricultural Department
seeds, will be lacking. the Secretary hopes,
in the supply which it is proposed to send
cut.
RESISTED THE OFFICER.