The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-11-16

tion. These are being selected now
land the packing for distribution will
include all the staple varieties OF veg
etables. flowers and cereals. For
Emerly, the seed grown in the United
States WAS chiefly produced within a
radius OF hundred miles Of New
York, In Connecticut, eastern Pennsyi-
vania, New Jersey and on Long
Island. Now, the industry extends
across the continent. Lettuce and
radish seed, which are large items in
congressional distribution, are grown
| in California, which leads the world
in these products. Part Of the Amer
lean supply Of flower seeds comes
from Germany, France and northern
Africa, because they can be raised
there more cheaply than in this coun-
try. The war will not interfere with
this years supply as most OF It was
gathered before hostilities began. 1t
Is likely that q shortage Of imported
flower seeds next year will increase
the business OF raising them in this
country.
In planning for the distribution OF
seeds, consideration Is given to the
climatic conditions Of the different
sections Of the country It would be
wasteful to send to the northern re-
gions the plants which can be devel-
oped only in the warm southland. In
arranging the distribution, the map
OF the country is divided into, five
sections and seeds are distributed ac-
cording to the climatic advantages of
each.
About three-fourths OF the seeds for
congressional distribution are vege-
table seeds. The rest are flower seeds.
The weight OF these seeds exceeds a
hundred thousand pounds, or five hun
|dred tons, which Will more than NIL
twenty freight cars. These seeds are
purchased through competitive bids
obtained in the spring from the prin-
cipal seed growers in the country; At
least two hundred growers enter into
competition. The quotations are open
ed in the presence OF such bidders as
care to attend and referred to the bu-.
reau Of plant industry for the advice
of experts,
When a consignment OF seed is re-
ceiyed a small quantity is taken from
the middle and near the top and bot
tom Of at least one quarter OF all the
bags. tits thoroughly mixed to make
a composite sample From 100 to 200
seeds are selected and placed betweeA
moist blotters in terminating cham
her fitted with automatic contrivances
to keep the blotters moist and the
Temperature right. At the end Of al
week or more, according to the kind
of seeds the blotters are examined.
The number OF seeds are counted to
determine the percentage Of germin-
alton. The average termination of
the seeds distributed free by the
United States government is 1877 per
cent in comparison with the average
5S per cent germinatioa Of seeds pur-
chased In the open market.
K. These seeds are all packed and lab
eled and mailed by contract. The con-
tract includes labor, printing on
packets and envelopes, filing packets.
sealing, ranking and delivering them
at the post Office for mailing. Great
machines are employed In packeting
the seeds. These machines measure
the exact quantity of seed into theI
packet, seal II and drop It into the
hoppers leading to the bins below.
There are twenty-three of these ma
chimes now in use from December I'M
til April. Each OF them is capable OF
turning out 1850 packets per min
ute. Five packets containing differ
ent varities Of seeds make up a pack
age or combination. These are as
sembled into envelopes by girl oper-
ators who sit before endless belts in
front of the seed bins. each operator
handling only one kind of seed. When
the envelopes roach the end of the
belt they pass through machinesl
which seal them at the rate of $1,000
per day. -Four Of these belts and seal
ing machines are now In use and the
daily output of i2,0e0 packages Isl
mailed to the addresses furnished by|
senators and congressman.
Ifyour classified advertising in the
Telegram is good. and properly per-I