The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-24
Tells Congressman Helgesen
That Those Tested at
Grafton Were Old.
GREAT CARE USED
IN THE SELECTION
Publication of Report Covering Exc
perimcnts in Agricultural High
School Resulted in Matter Being
Brought to Attention of Department

The federal distribution Of seeds is
defended by w. A. Taylor. chief Of
the bureau, in letter relative to the
report recently published by the Graf.
ton high school of experiments made
IN the terminating powers Of the
Seeds
Congressman Fl. T. Helgesen, on
reading the statement of the Grafton
school in The Times, submitted the
matter to the department. and the re-
ply Is quite interesting. 1t Is contend-
ed that the seeds used at Grafton
were not of this years distribution.
Here is the letter by the depart-
ment to Congressman Helgesen:
Mt OF Current Distribution.
Hon. Fl. T. Helgesen,
House Of Representatives.
Dear Sir:
Replying to yours of the 29th ulti.
M mo. enclosing clippings from the
Grand Forks Herald and The Even.
ing Times of the same city, relative
TO the quality of seeds sent out under
the congressional seed distribution, T
would say that an examination of the
published statement which is credited
to e. j. Tropser of the Grafton high
school, indicates that the seeds re-
ported on as having been tested at
the Grafton agricultural high school
were not of the current distribution.
but probably were seeds held over
from some previous year. This con-
ciuslon is reached in part from tho
fact that Delphinium. which lie report-
ed as having terminated about six per
cent in the test referred to. was not
included in the last congressional dis-
tribution. and that Kochia Scoparia.
Wn1cn is reported to have shown q
termination Of but II per cent, has
not been distributed by the depart-
ment since 1909-10, the kochia seed
distributed since then having been
kochia Tricophylla.
Termination is Uncertain.
The germination of flower seed In
especially uncertain and precarious.
and germination of IS per cent for
poppy. 40 per cent for morning glory
and 80 per cent for cosmos is not un.
usuai after the seed has been harvest
ed Tor as much as one year.
Circular 100 of this bureau. "n,.,
trfhution of Seeds and Plants by the
department of Agriculture" issued
September 26, 1912. pages 8 to II in
elusive. shows the average percent
ages OF termination of vegetable and
mower seeds purchased for the COM
eressional distribution during the last
eieNen years, from which it will he
observed that the Delphinum distri,
buted by the department has averae.
eo 81 per cent termination on the "a
samples tested, While the Kochio has
averaged 652 per cent termination ON
samples tested. The percentaees
OIL termination of the several kinds re-
ported upon by the school are abou.
what would be expected from seed
which had been packeted for two or
,hree Years Muskmelon seed. which
IS accepted by the department on
test OF s5 to 80 per cent, would ba
expected to lose from two to ten ner
cent during the first three years AFT.
or being packeted. All the seed men.
toned in the list. except muskn,elon
would !. be likely to lose 25 to 40 per
cent IL carried two Years or more.
More Thorough Tests.
Every reasonable precaution is TAX.
en- 70 insure the freshness of the seed.
. purchased for the congressional seed
olstrloutlon, and the tests to which
,e ,hese SEEDS are subjected are, so far as
hno"n' more thorough. both in field
ana IN laboratory. than those of anv
commercial s,o scotsman in the United
states In this connection it NAV in
ferest You to know that during tho
past six months approximateIS On
IONS, IONS OF different kinds of seeds have
peen rejected by the department and
returned to the dealers because they
We're below the standards reouired hw
the department. "
Yours very truly.
VIM. A. TAYLOR,
Chief of Rureau