Arizona silver belt., 1902-08-14
SEEDS BY THE MILLION
The Government Preparing for the Grand An.
 nual Distribution,

nual Distribution,
 The largest annual seed distribution ever made by the government will be begun early this fall. Some important changes in the plan of conducting this distribution will be established by the department of agriculture. With a view of handling the seed to better advantage the country has been di- vided into six districts, and seeds and plants particularly adapted to each district will be distributed therein at an earlier time than heretofore. The distribution this year will commence the lst of September.
 There will be, as usual, distribu- tion of miscellaneous vegetable seeds, and, in addition, it is planned to fur niSh a limited number of packages of novelties that is, seeds of yariJies either new or little known, and of pe- culiar merit, for distribution in each locality The miscellaneous seeds will be put up, as usual, five packets in a package, and each senator, representa- tive and delegate in congress will have l2,000 such packages to his credit. There will be 300 packages containing the novelties, each package contain ing five packets. The novelties will be accompanied by circular describ- ing the varieties ill full and giving di- rections for culture and use. There will also be franked postal card for each collection of the novelties, So that the recipient may, if he desires, signify his willingness to make re- port to the department on the seeds received.
 The number of flower seeds allotted to each senator, representative and delegate in congress has been increas- ed to 800, and arrangements have been made whereby representatives having city constituents may exchange veget- able seeds for flower seeds, if they 50 desire. A special collection of flower seeds will be prepared for those hay ing strictly city constituents, the yari. cities chosen being suitable for window boxes, lots and small dOoryards.
 The congressional seed distribution is becOmming more and more popular each year. Now Congress appropriates S27O,0O0 annually for this purpose. Even with the increased quota some representatives have not enough to their credit to supply the demand of their constituents. The total diStri- button this year will amount to about 10000, 900 packages, which is estimated will weigh in the neighborhood of 1000 tons.
 Besides the distribution to conStit. uents of congressman, the Department of Agriculture is given an allowance for It's own use. Over 700, 900 packages of vegetable and flower seeds will be sent To its county correspondents in the different states who furnish the government with monthly crop re- ports. Over S00,OO0 papers and bags of vegetable, flower and field seeds will be sent to the state grange organ ization throughout the country. And then large amount is to be sent to the weather bureau observers aud state experimental stations.
 Aside from the above distribution thousands of packages of foreign seeds and plants, which are being intro duced by the departments experts abroad, are sent out largely to state agricultural colleges, and such reliable cultivatOrS as have shown a willing ness to cooperate with the department in making reports as to the success of these impOrtations.
 Secretary Wilson has determined to distribute trees with hope of i'm. planting love of trees in the breas ts of the people and melting them to follow the example set by the depart ment, as well as to have a permanent showing for the money expenended.