The evening times., 1899-05-02
FLOWING THE FLATS
FOR THE new Farm
Vigorous Fight to Reclaim the
Land From Weeds.
BOtanis. Colville Absorbed in the
Experimental Work.
Twenty Acres Set Aside for Cultiva-
Observation-Disclosures of Seeds at the
Agricultural Department..

The farmers of the Agriculture Depart
ment are very much absorbed at present
with their new farm on the Flats. The
ground has been cleared Of all its encum-
brances, including high weeds, small trees,
and other underground. the accumulation
of years, and is now being plowed up.
About twenty acres have been Set aside
by the War Department, the officials oil
which have control of the Flats. for the
use of the Government farmers. and they
have gone to work with will to prepare 1t
for their experiments. The trials of the
new ground will all be made under the
the Agriculture Department, assisted by
number of practical farmers.
The plot to be used extends from point
just to the left of the Long Bridge, where
that structure crosses the Flats, a distance
of about five hundred yards. to about oppo-
site the termination Of Twelfth Street
southwest No efforts will be made to raise
a crop on the ground this season and all
of the energies o. Dotanist Colville and his
assistants will be directed toward prepar-
ing the ground for the crop which they ex-
pect to plant next spring. He has not yet
decided whether or not he will plant any
thing on the Flats this year, but he may
reconsider his decision and put in few
acres in corn.
For years past the ground has been COW
cred with u rank growth that has com-
pletely choked all efforts toward beautity
ing the Flats, If any were ever made, and
the farmers of the Agricultural Depart
ment have experienced considerable diff
Guilty in clearing this away. One of the
peculiaritles of weeds is that they have a
remarkable tenacity for certain spots and
absolutely refuse TO leave. They are up
rooted and cast out. but as soon as the
farmers hack is turned, Sc to speak. the
obnoxious vegetation is again sprouting AT
the Old tsand.
Mr.. Colyille said today that it would re-
Quire as much work as he could devote TO
the place to do away with these weeds
and SO prepare the soil that they would not
come back again. The earth that aas
turned up by the plcwshares on the Flats is
composed OF the richest and most fertile
substances. 1t is black and gives forth
that very earthly odor that SO pleases The
olfactory sense Of the devout farmer. 1t
is believed by the experts that almost any
thing in the way of vegetables can be rails
ed on this land and the department officials
are quite pleased with the result of the
experiments that have already been made
with the earth taken from the place. 1t
has been carefully analyzed several times
and nothing has been found wanting in its
composition.
One CT the most Interesting things at the
Agricultural Department just now is the
public distribution OF vegetable and flower
SEEDS. These seeds are given away gratis
by the Government. The seeds are not
given as such. but are really used as po-
litical capital by the Congressman. They
are placed in packets and are sent broad
cast throughout the country.
The appropriation for seeds amounts to
almost s2Go.o00 annually and the work of
distribution is enormous. requiring the en-
poyment of 4 number OF trained clerks
The various packets are allotted to each
Congressional district, and the work of
allotment requires .Amost as much labor
as the placing of the seeds in the packets
The seeds must be ready for distribution
by the 10th day of January and are sent
out at the direction of the Congressman.
II there are any seeds left in the depart
ment by the lst of May these are turned
over to the Secretary OF Agriculture for
distribution.
II is little trouble to secure these seeds
and they are the very best that can be OBJ
tained. The stock is almost depleted now
and only few of them are left The
quantities purchased by the department
last year were very large. amounting to
several million pounds of vegetable seeds
and over a million pounds of flower seeds
When it is taken into consideration that
ii requires only a few OF these 10 sow
large tract of land. and that only few are
placed in each package. the work involved
in the distribution will be realized
There is separate bureau for this work
at the Agricultural Department, and the
employees are ct work all the year round
One of the hardest problems they have 20
solve is what seeds to buy and distribute
They are governed in this matter by popu-
lar taste, and. as popular taste runs to
quantity rather than quality, these seeds
which can be sent to the farmers and hor-
ticulturists in the largest packets are mos.
used.
AS is usual in the free distribution of
the department has more demand
for what they have cut off the list than
they have for the things that are really
popular. For instance, several years ago
Morning Glory seeds were included in all
flower packets. The department received
numerous messages and letters asking that
some other seeds be placed also in the
packets. 1t seemed that the Morning Glor-
les were the least popular of the seeds
being distributed, and these were taken
out and some others substituted. At once
people commenced c.amoring for Morning
Glory seeds, and they have not stopped
yet The department yesterday received a
visit from gentleman who wanted Morn
ing Glory seeds, and he could not be made
until the entire system was explained to