The times., 1899-11-19
FREE seed DISTRIBUTION
Secretary Wilson to Return to the
Old Restrictive Plan.
An Annual Government Expenditure
of About $3.50, 3O,Ooo-Japanese Rice
Recently IntrOduced-New Methods
of Cultivation in an Artificial
swamp - Investigation of Grasses.

Secretary Wilson is now preparing that
part of his report which treats of the free
seed distribution. Few Government ex-
penditures so small as this is IN the aggre-
gate-about $4,000 annually-have oc-
casioned so much adverse comment. Secre-
tary Morton, who made determined effort
TO shut off the free seed distribution, found
as a net result of all his endeavors that
the appropriation had been increased and
the distribution made mandatory.
Secretary Wilson does not intend TO an
tagonize Congress by a campaign against
the free seed distribution. He would also
like to avoid the hostility of the seedsmen
which the practice invites, and so has
worked out plan which he believes will
accomplish both of these objects. He will
go back to the new and unusual varieties, "
which were originally contemplated in the
appropriation, and distribute the varieties
of seed which the commercial seedsmen
for one reason or another are not handling,
the experimental seeds which have not
gained foothold
The departments agents who are engaged
in tireless search for new and improved
varieties in all parts of the world bring
in many interesting specimens. When one
of their Lew varieties has been tested by
the department scientist and found prom
ising il will be distributed I'm the appropri-
ate sections of the country, and its value
practically demonstrated. After a species
has gained foothold the seedsmen may be
trusted to take care of the current de-
mand and with it the department will
not further compete.
In this field Secretary Wilson believes
there is ample work for the department
without distributing ordinary time-t tried
cabbage and turnip seeds There is enough
room in improved grasses alone to absorb
TO advantage the entire appropriation that
the Government allows for seed. In rice,
of interest in the South, the introduction
OF one new variety, which is now growing
successfully. is said to have a commercial
value of 81 600 600 year TO the American
producers.
It seems that broken rice sells for .
cents a pound less than the head rice,
and in the old varieties there is a break
age of at least 40 per cent. The depart
ment recently introduced some Japanese
rice. called kiu shu. in which the average
of breakage from this years experiments
has been only II per cent 1t is a better
quality, besides, and IS decidedly more
productive to the acre. This saving Of .
cents a pound on % per cent of the crop
would amount to $S0O,0 900 a year 1t is
estimated that the introduction of this
variety has cost the Government $4,000.
Secretary Wilson is greatly interested in
the new American method of cuItivating
rice in an artificial swamp, which can be
drained of when harvesting time arrives
so as to permit the use of labor saving ma
chinery. This was the idea of some North
ern farmers, who went to Louisiana a few
years ago They wanted to raise rice. but
were not content with the hand labor by
which 1t had always been necessary to har-
vest it, and so they created a swamp which
would be under their control.
Mr. Wilson, on his recent trip, saw one
piece of prairie into which 400, 600 gallons
Of water were poured per minute, an
amount 20 per cent greater than that which
is to go out of Lake Michigan into the
Chicago drainage canal. In southern
Louisiana. where the country is widely cut
up by rivers and bayous this sort of irri-
CATION is very easily accomplished, either
| by gravity flow or by the use Of wind
mills In this way the rice can grow in
its natural condition, and when 1t is ma
ture the water can be turned off. the
ground allowed to dry. and machine reapers
and binders put to work.