Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-03
UNCLE SAM. ESQUIRE
Congressional 4 Fr.. s..d Dl.srlhatien

quests for certain seeds are complied
with. s 'a.t
! /. A newspaper published In city not
far from Washington recently con-
tained notice calling attention to the
fact that the proprietor Of the paper
had received a large consignment Of
free government seeds from the rep
resentative from that congressional
district. The seeds. the article said.
were from blue blooded aristocrats oil
the vegetable and floral world, grown
by Uncle Sans experts and absolutely
the ne plus ultra Of their kind; and
the newspaper announced fampoy-
antly that these seeds would be given,
as long as they lasted. to patrons oil
the paper. Nearly half column OF
space was devoted to eXtolling the
quality Of the seeds, the article repeat
ing, several times the statement In re-
gard to them having been produced on
government farms by the governments
scientific agricultural experts.
"s .r
AS a matter Of cold fact the govern
ment doesn't distribute pound Of
government grown seeds a year, on an
average. About the only real govern
ment seed that, has been distributed IN
recent years-and this only in reia :
lively small quantities and to certain
favored sections-was the durum
| wheat introduced several years ago
and now grown extensively in certain
regions Of the west especially adapted
to it's cultivation. Practically every
ounce of seed that Is sent out In the
annual congressional distribution Is
is bought from seedmen in every part
of the United States. More than this
the government in all its branches Is
required to make its purchases on the
! basis of competitive bids, and natur-
ally this is true In the matter OF
garden and flower seeds.
Each year the department makes up
lists of the seeds, Indicating varieties
and quantities desired, and submits
these lists to seedsmen everywhere
in all parts Of the United States and
Canada. and even in England, France
Belgium, Holland and other countries
of Europe. Bids for supplying the
seeds are asked. the recipients OF the
lists and letters being asked to bid or
the entire list or on any part OF It,
and to submit tenders on larger or
, smaller quantities. AS is the case In
! awarding contracts FOR othar govern
ment supplies. successful bidders are
required to give bond for the satisfac-
tory execution of the contracts they
NAV be awarded: but the department
Of Agriculture goes step farther'
STIMULATING that seeds to be supplied To
! the government for distribution must
be grown under a sort OF government
| regulation and inspection, IL REQUIRED
and that all seeds must be able to pass
rather strict inspection and tests
This is just about as far as the gov
eminent has anything to do with the
actual production Of the seeds dis.
tributed at the request of members OF
! congress.
It sometimes happens that the de
partment Of agriculture is conducting
experiments with new varieties or new
species Of plants that promise to DC
valuable additions to American agrl-
culture. This was the case with the
drum wheat referred to, the origina
seed being brought to the Unitet
States from Siberia. where 1t was
found BY an agent Of the department
| In such =, cases members OF congress
NAV obtain larged or smaller quanti-
| ties Of seed of such plants to be sent
' to a constituent for trial.