The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-14
FREE SEED DISTRIBUTION.
Demand for Reform, by Burnett
LandretF

Landreth.
PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 14-Burnet Ian
dreth, Secretary of the Wholesale Seeds
mems League, has issued the following
open letter:
The free seed distribution by the Gov
eminent of seed obtalu1bIe at every seed
store has grown to be = serious peryer-
sion Of an admirable scheme for the i'm
proYement CT agriculture and horticulture
The plan, as originally developed, sixty
years ago. was the distribution Of seeds.
roots. and LubGrs Of uuiEtroduced plants
from new countries-such distribution OF
grains, hbres, vegetables. fruits, and flow
ers not offered at every seed store.
The Government possesses vast OppOT-
tuniJies for the collection CT new hbres
and grains ard plants unintrOduced and
promising qualities. through the agency Of
its COnSulS IN foreign countries The seed
trade would welcome such activity or the
part of the Government. but il does but
little of such work while depressing the
regular trade by distributing the same
sorts of seed as merchants expect TO sell
30 good results follow TO agriculture
through the Government action. because
the seeds are sOWn and the crops used
without any improvement 10 the cause
originally intended to be advanced. the
tribution having been entirely ignored,
and in its place substituted a system Of
sending out sorts which car be purchased
at every seed store
Even had Il been originally intended 20
have distributed common seeds 10 back
woods people unable to reach seed stores.
that condition does not exist now as il
did sixty years ago. for a farmer in the
most remote section Of the land can get
seeds AT his local store as cheaply as the
same seed can be bought IN Washington,
and If he aspi-es 10 something not 10 be
found at the local store he can get it By
mail at the same postage fer 1.900 miles
as for one mile.
in 1896 the free seed distribution
amounted 10 10000, eco packets. which has
risen by g-adations, until now under the
contract signed by Secretary Wilson on
Deem Der Il. il has reached 24C0G. $50
packets. an increase of 10 per cent in six
years.
These .2f0Ge. A00 packets OF seeds. If
sold al their normal retail value of 5
cents. represent value of 81 00. coo Ia
ken out OF the business OF the seed mer-
chants. II this thing goes on II viii not
be long before the annual free dIstribu-
tion amounts to 5O.0O0 Geo packets worth
81. $50 Geo.
The Department Of Agriculture. not
satisfied with the free distribution, IS now
bushes by requiring the contractor to
grow by special contract with seed farmers
the required : 600 GOO pounds OF seeds
These seeds are contracted for by the
Government contractor in big lots. co2se-
queutIy in excess Of normal quantities re
ouiref by the regular seed trade.
THE growing Of these seeds does not
profit the seed merchant 20 the extent Of
! cent and the seed farmer is forced 10
grow them at starvation prices, 50 very
low that no assurance can possibly exist
as 10 their reliability If the Government
seeds we're thrown uTon The market no
reputable seed merchant would purchase
them at any prize. for the reason that
every reputable seed merchant well knows
that the Government seeds are both like
~ 10 be entirely mISlabel6d as to variety
as well as impure in quality The Gov
eminent lends its credit to the contractor
By giving him a sign-d contract in ad-
vance of the growing OF the seeds
The active competition by the Gov
eminent with an established branch Of
commercial business il radically in oppO-
sition 10 the spirit of the Ship Subsidy