The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-12
Other inspectors watch the plant whcr
the seeds arc packctcd.
What C;ond Docn II No.

Now, what good does your annual
prize package do?'' | asked Uncle sam
In the first place, ii supplies poor
| people throughout the country With
high class seeds" was Tho reply. "lt
also raises the standard Of seed sent out
By secdmen whose output comes in
| competition with those sent oft through
| the Con grcssincn. And, besides. the
! farmers are being educated TO demand
better seeds. The cotton seed distrihu-
| ton enables growers 10 secure stock
| seed Of varieties which will enable
| them 10 grow profitable crop on land
infested with Wilt and the boil wecvil.
And the result of the grass seed distri-
! button is better lawns throughout the
| country. Then there are the boxes OF
bulbs, which 80 out with directions for
| culture. They educate the people in
! the growing OF flowers from bulbs, and
! they supply thousands OF homes with
| flowers a, a season when the common
ANNALS are not in bloom For many
generations Holland has had a monop-
oily in growing these Dutch bulbs
those of the hyacinth. narcissus and
tulip--and we arc importing 100000
worth Of them year But we are now
demonstrating that they can he grown
on 4 commercial scale in this country.
New Things 20 Eat.
| Are YOU now introducing from
abroad seeds Of many new things to
cate"
During the past year nearly 5000
| separate lots Of seeds and plants were
introduced. This material included
| hardy alfalfas and legumcs from SIDE
ria. sorghum and other forage crops.
| frui- trees, shrubs vines and plants
| from China and other foreign countries
| These imported seeds and plants are
| first thoroughly tested at our plant
| Introduction gardens. in California.
! Florida Texas, Iowa and Virginia. and
/ those tina, are deemed Of value arc pro :
! paSatcd for distribution.
Tie visitor walking down the
| rows of these nurseries now finds
strange red fruits from the uppcr
iangtse Valley, China;A carob fodder
trees. from the hillsidcs Of Spain; hardy
| bamboos. from Japan: chick peas, from
| Mexico: pistache trees. from Mount
! Etna: remarkable burr clovcrs, from
North Africa. and evergreen oaks. from
| Hongkong-all thriving and showing
| promise OF value for some portion OF
the United States.
But these foreign introductions will
not enter now into the congressional
| distribution After our gardens have
| tested and multiplied their stock il
Will he distributed among d carefully
selected list Of Individual planters, who
| sign contracts to grow these things
under the directions Of government OK :
| pcrts. Thus we are now testing the
| east Indian mango, the alligator pear,
F! new varieties of dates and of bamboo.
| One farmer in Florida is now co opcr.
ating with the bureau in the growing
| OF twenty acres of bamboo"
How Congressman Get Names.
To set names of constituents really
| deserving of the free seeds, some Con-
| sressnpen make a Very systematic can
| vass Of their districts. Others forwa I'd
their allotmcnts mainly to oranges ana
other farmers organizations Stil
| others use the poll tox or registration
| lists OF voters of both parties. while
some obtain from the county commit
toes Of their party carefully selected
| lists OF the voters OF their own faith.
Many congressman. whose districts lie
entirely within the cities, are now turn
Ing over their quotas OF vegetable seeds
| to the school gardens. In fact. many
congressman from the rural districts
arc commencing to furnish considers
able proportions Of their quotas to tho
| rural school gardens. But, OF course,
There arc still those congressman who