Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-04-10
PRAIRTE BREEZES
AN I-NTERcEpTED LNTTER,

} Hon. Secretary of Agriculture,
Washington, D. c., Dear Sir: I am
waiting patiently to receive my, spring
allotment of rare seeds from the gov
eminent seed department.. but SO far:
I have been disappointed. viii you
look the matter up for me and e if
my name has been erased from the
government seed list. I am really
anxious for the seeds, as the time for
planting is almost here, and I am de-
sirous of prosecuting some further ex-
periments. which 1 began last year, but
was unable to carry to a satisfactory
termination owing to the dry season
and the prolific nature of my neigh
boris hens. This year l have sowed
enough ~strychnine to keep the hens:
busy, and a devote my entire time
to nursing the seeds which are sent out
from your valued ~dispensary.
1 wish to ask if it is possible for the
seed packages to get mixed in your lab
oratory? Do you ever, by mistake,
get potato seed in a cucumber package
or vice versa? Last year l planted
some celery seed and it produced moth
ing but a stringy variety of tumble
weed which did not prove edible, after
several trials. Was this the fault Of
the seed or the land? And what would
you advise me to do to keep down the
tumbleweeds? Do you have any paris
green to spare that can be sent out
under a frank? If you will discon-
tinue sending me reports OF the cul-
ture of the boarding house prvlne and
send me a little paris green I will ap-
preciate it. The prune does not thrive
in this climate. We have too few
summer hotels.
Now about watermelon culture. Last
year l was unable to follow the direc-
lions printed on my package of seeds.
They urged me to go I'VE the ground
frequently with a hoe, and keep the
soil loose and raked clear of weeds.
by some inadvertence, perhaps, the
government forgot to send me the hoe
and rake. Can you send them along
at once. under a government frank?
l wish you would send also
Fifty feet best garden hose.
One trellis for sweet peas.
One sprayer, to keep bugs off the po-
tato vines. .,.
One pruning knife.
One spade. ~
One magnifying glass.
I want the magnifying glass to iden-
tify the plants as they come UP. Last
year I pulled up my turnips by mistake.
The directions on the packages of
onion. seeds to keep them we'll thinned
out, think are superf1uous. AS they
came up for me last year, they were
thin enough, without any outside in
reference. : In this country, where we
have so many stray chickens, it is
unnecessary to do any thinning out.
II l had 400 feet of S-foot woven wire
fencing to keep the hens ont of my
yard, I believe I would be able to make
a much better report of my operations
with your seeds. Have-you any fenc-
ing left over? If you could frank it
to me, / would have no objections to
paying drayage from the postofice.
Your cucumber seeds are a rare va
Tiety. My cucumbers last year ran
about two cuclImbers to the yard Of
vines. This is certainly rare enough.
1 got a pint of excellent pickles from
a. plot of vines twelve by ten feet: I
state this in answer to the depart
ment's request for Information as to
results from the government seeds.
Are you sure the contractors do not
adulterate the seeds with birdshot or
sawdust? n Some OF the varieties do
not in the least resemble the picture
on the packages. Is this because the
climate is different, or are the pictures
Inaccurate, like newspaper ~likenesses?
do not suppose you have any stub
Bile plows left. I see you are sending
out lawn grass seed. I do not care for
any grass seed, but / do need a
lawn mower. When do you send
those out and am + on the lawn mower
list? # not, / will send you our con-
gressman's Endorsement Tor mower?
Do need anything else to geton2
Anything you write me viii be
strictly confidential. Please hurry
up the seeds and supplies.
Yours, E VI
G. ARDEN TRUCK.
Last Saturday four alleged blind pigs
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