The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-17
GOVERNMENT AID
N SEED BUYING
Federal Plan for Assuring
Adequate Supply Opera
tive in Montana.
FARMER TO PAY CASH
Credit May Be Pooled in the
Communities to Help
Those Who Haven't It.

Bosey1an. Feb. le-Many letters are
coming to us. asking where seed grain
may be had and whether the United
States government is financing the
farmers in the purchase OF this seed
grain.
Congress made an appropriation for
the purchase Of seed for farmers but
the purpose Of this FUND II only to
make sssd available at cost. The farm
erS must pay for the seed when de-
Mversd.
The large available seed supply lis
IN the east and viii be purchased and
STORED mainly in Dakota and Mime
s0tG. Il can be shipped from there and
other points to advantages only In car
lots. It viii be necessary. therefore. for
the local communities to pool their
needs and their credit no that they can
buy In quantity and pay for the car
lot on delivery.
Msy Pool Credit.
Efforts are also being made to To-
cate All the seed grain available In
Montana, but this will have to be pur-
CHASED mainly on the same basis. How
ever. those who need seed and can pay
for Il will be directed to where sup
piles may be purchased.
Some farmers are not In position to
pay cash for the seed needed and some
have practically exhausted their credit.
There seem at present to be but two
ways by which these people can be
helped The people who have credit
in the various communities may pool
this credit and purchase the seed sun
ply and distribute TO those farmers who
have no available cash and take a crop
lien or mortgage of some kind to secure
the payment. Only a reasonable charge
should be made for this service. This
~ strictly community cooperation and
is b,lscd on a recognition that the we'll
being and the success Of each individ
uai are the welllbelns and the success
Of the community, while the loss of
one person IL the loss Of all.
Seed Lien Law.
Another form OF community seed
help is the county seed lien law. BY
this law every person In the county Is
asked to contribute to the purchase Of
seed for those in need and without
ready cash to pay for II. 1t also pools
the credit OF the community so THAT
quaEtity purchases may be made. thus
securing the minimum prices. The
grain purchased under this county seed
lien law must, however, be paid for,
the cost Of the seed being collected as
q Part OF the county taxes through a
period Of two TO five years.
Positive assurance has been given
by financial men OF the county that
there will be no trouble In selling these
county bonds ana ut low rate Of
interest. Such a method of financing
the misfortunes Of the newer settlers
has been q common experience in many
western states. Iowa. Minnesota, the
Dakotas. and the Canadian Northwest
Province have all had to use this meth
Cd Of taking care OF these seed diff
culties.
The state seed grain board was ap-
pointed by the governor as the agency
In the state to deal with the federal
government In the matter of seed sup
plies and seed needs. Each local COM
munity and each county through local
seed committees will send out seed re-
quest blanks to the farmers and COL
lect the same. and If federal seed sup
plies are needed will order these sup
plies through the state seed board.
The seed board will also have informa-
tion about the supplies Of seed grain
In the state.
r. h. LINFIEI.D, President
c. d. GREENFIELD, Secretary.
w. L. BEERS, Field Agent
SAM STEVENSON,
w. n. SMITH.
State Seed Board.