Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-19
SEED TIME IS NEAR
Annual Distribution Begins Sep
TENDER 1.
4O,OOO,OOO PACKAGES TO co OUT
Weighs in the Neighborhood of One
Thousand Tons and Costs the Gov
eminent o,Ooo-New Varieties
to Be Sent Out This Year.

eminent ,ooo-New Varieties
to Be Sent Out This Year.
Washington, D. c., Aug. IA.
Cost of annual seed distribution,
$27O,0OO.
Number of packages distributed, 40
100000.
Total weight of the seeds, 1000
tons.
The above are few of the figures
which give some idea of the immense
proposition that the government has
on its hands in it's annual distribution
of seeds. More than ever will be sent
out this year and the work will be be-
gun earlier than usual to get it all fir.
ished promptly. Complaint has been
made heretofore that the seeds We're
received too late for use and Secretary
of Agriculture Wilson, of Iowa, who
has the work in charge, is determined
that such shall not occur again. This
seed distribution is one of Secretary
Wilson's hobbies and he will establish
some important changes in handling
the work this fall. With a view to
handling the work to better advantage,
the country has been divided into six
districts and seeds and plants particu-
larly adapted to such districts will be
distributed therein. 1t is thought that
the complaint of lateness of receiving
the seeds is largely due to the con-
gressmen and consequently this year
the work will be commenced three
months earlier than usual, that is, on
September /.
There will be, as usual, a distribu-
ton of miscellaneous vegetable seeds,
and, in addition it is planned to furnish
limited numbers of packages of nov
elites; that is, seeds of varieties either
new or very little known, and of pc
culiar merit. These will be furnished
in each district. The miscellaneous
seeds will be put up as usual five pack
cts in a4package, and each senator,
representative and delegate in CON
gress will have 10000 such packages to
his credit. There will be 500 pack
ages containing the novelties, each
package containing five packets. The
novelties will be accompanied by cir
cular describing the varieties in full
and giving directions for their use and
seeds allowed to each senator, repre-.
sentative or delegate, has been increas-
ed to 500, and arrangements have been
made whereby representatives having
city constituents may exchange vege-
table seeds for flower seeds, if they
so desire A special collection of
flower seeds will be prepared for those
having strictly city constituents, the
oh cult oh1 fr, win,
dow boxes, lots and small door yards
The plan adopted last year for put
ting up special collections of cotton
and tobacco best adapted to the dis
trict in which they are sent will be
continued. Seventy packages, one
peck each, will be sent to districts
growing cotton. In tobacco growing
districts ITO packages containing five
papers each, will be distributed Each
senator and representative will also
have to his credit thirty packages of
lawn grass seed. Sorghum and sugar
beet seeds have not yet been allotted.
These seeds will only be placed in
sections of the country where it is
possible to grow them. The distribu-
ton of plants, trees and grape vines
will be similar to that of last year.
excepting that the number of trees
will be increased to 100 for each senat.
or, representative and delegate. The
allotment of strawberry plants will be
ten packages containing fifteen pack
ages each. The grape vines this veal
will only be eight packages to each
quota, containing five vines each.
The congressional seed distribution
is becoming more and more popular
each year. Congress now appropriates
$270,OO0 annually for this purpose. Ev-
en- with the increased quota some of
the representatives will not have
u enouh to supply the demands of their
constituents. Besides the distribu-
ton to constituents of congressman
the department of agriculture is Civ.
en- an allowance for its own use. Over
100000 packages of vegetables and
flower seeds will be sent to its coun
try correspondents in the different
states that furnish the government
with monthly crop reports Over 500.
900 papers and bags of vegetables will
be sent to the state grange organiza
tons about the country. And then 6
large amount is to be sent to the
weather bureau observers and state
experiment stations. Aside from the
foregoing distribution thousands d
packages of foreign seeds and plants
which are being introduced by the de
partment experts abroad, are sent ou
largely to state agricultural colleges
and such reliable cultivators as have
shown willingness to cooperate
with the department in making re
ports as to the success of these impor
tations.
Secretary Wilson has determined tt
distribute trees with a hope of i'm
planting love of trees in the breasts
of the people and melting them t
follow the example set by the depart
ments as we'll as to have a showing
for the money expended. Being
practical farmer Secretary Wilson j
unusually enthusiastic over this see
distribution The project has Otter
been ridiculed but not very much late
ly One of the old reasons for rid