The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-16
STAMFORD
 It.- FREE SEED DISTRIBUTION
 AN AGRICUlTDR JOKE
Suspicion That Seeds Sent Out By Congressmen Are Not Intended
 For Planting.
Special to The Farmer.)

Congressmen Are Not Intended
 For Planting.
 Special to The Farmer.)
 Stra1ford, May 16-That annual joke called the free seed distribution has done it's work for the year and the result is expected at the next election. this practice is intended to benefit the agricultural population have got another guess. It is cheap way of informing the public that their rep resentative in Congress is on the job and is Joking out for the interest of his constituents. This distribution is one of the expenses of the govern ment which Is absolutely profitless. Probably three -fourths of the seed sent out by the government on the orders of the Congressman never reaches the ground. Few of those who receive the seed have enough ground to raise decent row on The seed repOses given away to some other party who hopes to have garden some time. That little joker printed on the en- velope of every package asking for reports on results must not be taken seriously. It is only part of the game of politics in which these seeds play their silent part. Any one who Is silly enough to furnish sport for the department by making an honest re- port on the results obtained from the seed is behind the times. Experi- ments with government seed for the last five years have Justified the opin- ion that it is not worth planting. Per haps if any official of the department of agriculture should happen to see this it would answer all the purposes of a personal report.
 This spring in the Farmers experi- mental garden in Stratford results are anything but satisfactory. A pack age of government seed labeled Aus tralfan brown unions" was planted at the same time and by the side of seed Of the Southport yellow globe onions obtained from Sheriff John J. Will Hams who raised it on his farm in 6tratford. The Williams onions are up two inches and from the appear ance of the rows every seed must have germdnated. Only a. few scattered plants of the Australian variety have appeared and these look like aiesick turkey after a northeastern Bad luck with government onions for the last few years reused a suspicion that 1t was old. The experiment justified knows that onion seed more than year old is worthless Perhaps this information will be of some benefit to the agricultural department of this great and benificient nation. A row of government turnip seed was plant ed along side of seed obtained from the Farmers Supply Company of up thicker and spatter, to use rural expression. The government seed made very poor showing and only a very small proportion of it germin- ated. It must have been almost old enongh to vote. for turnip seed will retain it's fertility for long time under decent conditions.
 One package of cucumber seed con- tained three perfect seeds in mass of others cut in pieces, presumably when the fruit was cut ito obtain the seed. The packages all bear evidence of carelessness in handling and pack ing. Packages of peas contain many pierced by weavil. Sweet corn pack ages contain seed from the butt and nose of the ear which no agriculturist of any experience whatever would plant. Beets seed made a very poor germination and very seldom has the government seed given the grower satisfaction.
 To the ordinary householder seed is seed. The faith of the amateur gar dener in his government is cruelty be- trayed every year. Much of the bad luck in gardening may be attributed to poor seed. The market gardener understands this thoroughly and Is very careful to procure his seed of reliable parties. The ostensible ob- ject of the free seed distribution is to disseminate better varieties of vege- tables than those now under cultiva- tion and to raise the standard of the general product of gardens. This idea carries with it the necessity of much care in the selection and preparation of the seeds sent out by the depart ment If the seeds received here are a correct exponent of all the work done by the agricultural department, the whole thing might better be cut out and the millions it costs the peo- pie every year be applied to pensions for veterans or some other object. The idea is good and the plan might be made of incalculable benefit to the nation, but as now carried out is an a absolute waste of money. Here is chance for some Congressman of in- surgent tendencies and an investigat- ing turn of mind to ascertain how much money the government pays for this seed and whether it pays for good seed or for any old trash that the regular seed houses have left over from year to year. If the govern ment pays for good seed it is being swindled.
 STRATFORD BRIEFS.