The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-14
GARDEN SEEDS ARE SENT OUT BY ION Fine System in Handling
 the Business ONLY BEST ARE USED About $50 Tons Are Required and Number of Seed Packages
 Sent Out Is About
 60,000, 900
BY WALTER HARPER

| congressman who receives his annua
 package of field and garden seeds ha' no idea of the labor and expense th' little courtesy involves.
 l There are some other things about thi'
 really very important branch of the gov
 ernment that the average citizen does no know. One of them is that the seeds thai
 are sent out are the very best that the government can buy. The officials of the department are not satisfied with the simple guarantee of the high standing oi
 the grower and the personal inspection of men employed to inspect the seed orops growing Every consignment oi seed is tested for germination in the lao- oratories and on the experiment farm across the Potomac at Arlington before they are sent out to the constituents Tons of rejected seed are returned to growers every year at the expense of the grower. The seed must come up to the highest standard or the government will not accept them.
 The seed are purchased from the open market direct from growers by competi- tive bidding. Quality is given more con- sideration than price.
 The seeds are carefully selected and distributed to the sections to which they are adapted. For instance, cotton seed are not sent to Michigan. Watermelon seed are not sent to Montana. One of the features of the distribution Is to intro- duce new seed into new territory. and to try to encourage the improvement of seed development
 Indeed, this Is the idea upon which the $, stem was originally built
 The distribution of seed is older than the government. In colonial days seeds were brought over from the old coun- tries and distributed among the coionists. After the organization of the republic seeds and rare plants were still distrib- uted to the different sections of the new country in a more or less organized man. ner. Our consular representatives abroad have always been active in looking out for new and valuable plants to be intro- duced in this country, and many Of our most important farm products have been introduced through this channel.
  country to make temporary or permanent homes in foreign countries are constant ly calling on this government. to send ttem seeds of favorite plants and vege- ta bles.
 George Washington. Benjamin Frank lin, Thomas Jefferson and other early statesmen were active in the distribution of seeds, and the promulgation of agricul- tt. ..aI inf 1of inn In the government President Washington was an enthusiastic patron of agricultural fairs held at Georgetown and other near by places in Maryland and Virginia.
 In the early 30's of the last century ag- ricultural journals became very active in the distribution of seeds to their read CTS.
 The first official movement looking to the distribution of seeds through govern ment agency was in 1889, when the com missioner of patents uhere was no az ricultural department at that time) se- cured an appropriation of $l000 to collect agricultural information for the people. A few seeds were distributed In a small way. Appropriations were gradually in- creased. Farmers bulletins written by leading farmers themselves, were collect ed and distributed.
 In 1862 the bureau of agriculture was established This later grew into the ca binet department.
 In 1865 the sum of s6l,000 was appropri- ated for the purpose of collecting and distributing seed. In 1867 the annual ap- propriaton for this purpose was increased to s115,O00 In 1870 only $20,00J was allowed for this purpose. But in 1881 the appro- priaton was again increased to s10O00O In 1905 the annual appropriation had been increased to s2900O0. Through various economics and better system the appro- pration has been reduced to s2370o0 though more and better seed are being sent out
 Department officials admit that up to five or six years ago the seeds sent out by the bureau were not always reliable, and often did not give satisfaction. For this reason the custom or service was often severely criticised in some quar- ters This condition is said to have been the result of leaving the collection of seed and their distribution in the hands of contractors
 But all these matters have been taken in cnarge by expert officials, and when seeds are sent out now it is known that they are thoroughly reliable.
 Many of the seeds sent out are grown for the department by contracting grow ere. who plant, cultivate and gather un- der the personal direction of department experts. Even these seed. however, are finally rejected If they do not test out in the laboratories and on the govern ment farm at Arlington.
 Each congressman and senator is al- lowed 20,0OC packages of vegetable and so0o packages of flower seed. Each pack age contains five packets holding the dif- ferent varieties of seed, The Secretary of Agriculture is allowed one-sixth of the entire supply. and he distributes his share pretty much as do the congressman ard senators.
 To supply the entire demand requires about G50 tons of seed annually. The number of seed packets required Is 50 ,O0O,- O00
 More radish seed are used than any other The amount used this year is 142,- eGo pounds. Lettuce comes next with 72oo0 pounds. Other seeds are used in pl oportion. regulated on relative -popu- larity and demand.
 The franks on which the constituent s name is addressed and which is posted on the packages are supplied to the con-
 gressional members in blank, who ad- dress and return them to the seed col lection and distribution bureau. Here they are carefully counted by two girls expert money counters borrowed from the | treasury department. A force of clerks and bookkeepers have charge of these franks until they are delivered to the packing and shipping apartment. Reg | uiar accounts are kept against every
 member just as though he paid for every package of seed allowed him. I am told that the members invariably take all thu seeds allowed. It takes 13,000.00 franks
 to carry the supply through the malls. Ir Othar wordc bo