The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-10-02
SEEDS FOR The ASKING.
Annual Distribution by the Department
This Month.

Annual Distribution by the Department
This Month.
The greatest distribution of free seed
by the Agricultural Department at
Washington in the history of Depart
ment will take place this month. APP
plication should be made through
your Congressman, who will transmit
your request to the department.
There will be, as usual, a distribu-
ton of miscellaneous vegetable seeds
and in addition it is planned to fur
nish a limited number of packages of
novelties; that is, seeds of varieties
either new or little known and of
peculiar merit for distribution in each
locality. The miscellaneous seed will
be put up, as usual, five packets in a
package, and each Senator, Repre-
sentative and Delegate in Congress
will have 1900 such packages to his
credit. There will be 500 packages
containing the novelties, each pack
age containing five packets The
novelties will be accompanied by a
circular describing the varieties in
full and giving directions for culture
and use. There will also be ranked
postal card for each collection of the
novelties, so that the recipient may,
if he desires, signify his willingness to
make report to the department on
the seeds received.
The number of flower seeds allotted
to each Senator, Representative and
Delegate in Congress has been in
creased to 500, and arrangements have
been made whereby Representative
having city constituents may ex-
change vegetable seeds for flower
seeds if they so desire.
A special collection of flower seeds
will be prepared for those having
strictly city constituents, the varie-
ties chosen being suitable for window
boxes, lots and small doorways.
Each Senator and Representative
will have to his credit 30 packages of
lawn grass seed. The forage crop
seed allotment has not yet been made
but will likely be much larger than
heretofore.
The allotme mt of strawberry plants
will be 10 packages containing Is
plants each. The grape vines this
year will be only 8 packages to each
quota, containing vines in each.
The Congressional seed distribution
is becoming more and more popular
each year. Now Congress appropri-
ates $27O,000 annually for this pur-
pose. Even with the increased quota
some representatives haye not enough
to their credit to supply the demand
to their constituents. The total dis
tribution this year will amount to
about 40,000,000 packages, which is
estimated will weigh in the neighbor-
hood Of 1000 tons.
Besides the distribution to constit-
uents of Congressman the Depart
ment of Agriculture is given an allow
ance for its own use. Over 100000
packages of vegetable and flower
seeds will be sent to its county cor
respondents in the different states
who furnish the Government with
monthly crop reports. Over 800, 900
papers and bags of vegetable, flower
and field seeds will be sent to the
State grange organizations through !
out the country. And then a large
amount is to be sent to weather OBJ
server and State experiment stations. !
Aside from this distribution thous-
ands Of packages of foreign seeds and
plants, which are being introduced
by the departments experts abroad,
are sent out largely to State agricul-
tural colleges and such reliable cult |
vators as have shown Willingness
to cooperate with the department in
making reports as to the success of
these importations.
Secretary Wilson has determined to
distribute trees with a hope of i'm
planting love of trees in the breasts
of the people and melting them to
follow the example set by the depart
ment, as well as to have permanent
showing for the money expended.
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