The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-22
AMERICAN SEED TRADE
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

is estimated that the annual value OF
farm products Of the United States has
been increased over 800, 600 90 by the N
PRODUCTION by the department of several
varieties Of seed hitherto unknown in the
United States.
It cost 5000 TO introduce sorghum seed
from France and China. and the annual
crop is valued at 500 010, 600 and grown on
land generally unfit for anything else IL
cost 5000 to introduce kaffir corn, and
the crop is valued at $1,000, 900 annually
durum wheat cost SO coo and the annual
crop is worth S50.000O00. Professor Han
sen Of the department of agriculture
spent six months in Russia and Siberia
and returned with seed Of the dry-land
alfalfa, which is now producing annually
millions Of dollars OF hay from lands re-
g8rded as worthless because the rain
fall is insufficient for ordinary plant life.
The government claims that every DAY
between darkness and dawn the cost of
Professor Hansen's journey is returned
in forage produced on lands Of that char
acter.
The government spends $26O.OCO a year in
buying seeds FOR distribution, which is
per cent Of the total seed bill Of the
country. Each senator and representa-
tive is entitled to send out annually 1900
packages Of vegetable seeds and 800 OF
flower seeds, five varieties Of each being
placed in a package. The total number
Of single packets thus sent, with the
number sent out BY the department direct.
approximates 30 100000 These seeds are
mostly bought from private firms under
contract, and are shipped to Washington
and packed by government employees
Free seed distribution has continued since
1860 in the face Of bitter attacks from
many members Of the congress, and with
unvarying opposition by the seed grow
ers and dealers.
OF course, the great bulk of the grain,
grass and garden seed sOwn in this coun-
try is produced at home. although one
firm is said to import a million pounds OF
OLE Il obi aFI
many. Sweet corn seed comes from
Maine, Nebraska and Kansas; lettuce
seed from California, bean seed from
New York and Michigan; radish seed
from the Pacific coast; beet seed comes
in large quantities from Europe, though
the government gets much from Califor-
mia, CantalOupe, watermelon and cucum-
Der from Nebraska; cabbage from Long
Island One locality in Long Island pro-
duces annually $50 carloads Of cabbage
seed. In California is one field OF 900
acres of sweet peas raised solely for
seed, which is shipped to all parts OF the
country. The cost of the seed used in
the United States every year is estimated
about as follows: Vegetable and flower
seeds. S2OO00O0o; grass seed, S202'eOOWvi
wheat, S0Oo09O; corn, S2O.Vy0OJO; cotton
$4,000 600; potatoes, s26O00,OOO; rice, $lO,-
100000; barley, sl2, 900 900: rye, $3,500O5'
oats, S32 500. 900; flax. 100000.
The United States Canada and several
of the European governments take strict
ated seed and seed inspection IS prac-
ticed for the purpose of protecting the
farmer against the purchase OF mis-
branded seed or seed which contains noX-
ious weeds. The department Of agricui-
ture quietly obtains samples from seeds
men in every part of the country ana
publishes once or twice every year the
results of these Investigations, printing
the names and addresses Of dealers hand
ling seed which has been adulterated
Canada has a system very similar 70 that
in use by the United States.
School children are being taught veg
etable and flower growing by means OF
school gardens an idea which originated
in the George Putnam grammar school IN
Boston in 1891, and which has spread TO
the principal cities of the country. The
children are first taught the principles
of plant growth and given small plots,
which they are required to plant and Gull
tivate Ocular illustration of the prin-
ciples of the textbook makers progress
rapid The most pleasing feature OF this
movement is the establishment Of school
gardens among the siums OF the great
cities. where youngsters, who otherwise
seldom or never would see green Things
growing. are taught of flowers and veg
etables and given small plots OF ground
wherein to dig in the soil and watch the
plants as they develop.
Seedsmen annually destroy tons Of seed
rather than keep it until the following
season. They know that seed two years
old does not, as rule. possess the nlgh
terminating power Of fresh seed ana inns
desDfta the myths regarding the germlna-
ton Of wheat taken from the pyramids,
where it had been for 5000 years. The
Australian government has found BY eX-
perinents that seed fifty years old had
lost its terminating power almost en-
tirely.
The importance of seed Of the best quail
itv was fully appreciated over century
ago. In 1743 England appropriated money
for the development Of agriculture in the
American colonies by the distribution or
pure seed of known productivity. George
Washington and Thomas Jefferson i'm
ported seeds Of many varieties, which
they planted at Mt. Vernon and Month
cello and distributed among their neigh
bors. They realized probably that the
study of plant life may be as absorbing
TO the student and as beneficial to man
kind as study Of the science Of govern
ment and Investigations in the realm OF
economic thought.
Copyright, 1909, by Frederic J. Haskin.)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of Real Estate