The Snowflake herald. [volume] (Snowflake, Ariz.) 1913-1969, 1922-06-16

standard varieties of vegetable and flower seeds
In 1894 a change advocated and action taken
to discontinue the customary distribution. This
action was not approved by congress- which, in an
act approved April % 1896, changed the wording
Of the previous act. The attorney general, to
whom the question submitted for decision,
held that the purchase and distribution of seeds,
including vegetable and flower seeds, manda-
tory and left the secretary of agriculture without
discretion. Congress has specifically reserved for
itself the distribution, with proportionate aOt-
ments to each member, of ivesixths of all the seeds
and plants purchased by the department. SO that
is where congressional seed distribution" orgi-
mated.
Now. then, it Uncle Sam about 3h cents
for every package of seeds sent out by congress
man. Each package contains five different kinds
OF SEED. The following kinds of vegetable seeds
are purchased for free distributions Peas beets
lettuce. onions, radish, beans. corn carrots, Gu
cumber, parsley, parsnip, squash, tomato. turnip
and watermelon. There are IA combinations so
that member of congress can select the five
different kinds of seeds he wants to send our in
one package. Similarly there are % different va
rieties of flowers. such chrysanthemum aster
cosmos, balsam. candytuft, dianthus nasturtium
poppy. sweet peas, petunia, Zinnas mignOnette.
That package containing five small papers of
seeds, which costs the government 31a cents, if
bought in the open market would cost so cents.
The office of seed distribution in the Department
OF Agriculture keeps exact account for each
member OF congress, JuSf the same as a bank
count The member is credited with his quota
and is allowed to draw against that quota just
the same as against a bank account.
From one sample package, containing FIVE small
papers of seeds. any person raise at least $15
worth of food, according to the agricultural au
thOrities. Deducting So for waste, loss in transit
or careeSSneSs in planting or poor soil, it leaves
a $40 met production. Members of congress are
sending out this year 13000,00O of these large
packages Give papers in each), which, it is
servatvely estimated, will return $13000OO0O food
products for outlay of 100000, which certainly
should have effect the economic life of
this country.
When the annual fight over the appropriation
is being waged the claim is often made that the
free-seed distribution comes near wrecking the
Post Office department and is responsible for an
annual deficit. The records show that the run is
usually from 100000 pounds to 100000 or 100000
pounds, and that if the office of seed distribution
paid postage on each package the same as any
private Individual the postage bill would never
have been more than $131 600 and that it would
average about $4,000
Every seed sent out is tested for vitality and
for trueness to name. These tests are made on
the experimental farm of the department near
Arlington National cemetery, although the germ
nation tests mostly made in the laboratory by
using blotter paper. All seed has to be of the
particular variety ordered. The department while
opposing the congressional distribution, takes very
good care that the seeds all good before they
sent out. 1t sets very high standard to which
the seeds must register, a much higher standard
than is often required commercially. If the seeds
do not reach that standard, they shipped back
to the contractor from whom they were purchased
at the latter's expense Some years they reject
a very large amount-this year. for example about
10000 pounds, after it had reached Washington
because the termination high enough
This is sent back not good enough for con-
gressional seed distribution, but there is no as
surance anywhere that the very same seed is not
disposed of commercially.
Uncle Sam buys these seeds on straight COM
petitive bids. and when any contractors deliver
les show consistent poor termination he is
blacklisted. Each bidder is informed why he did
not get the contract. told who did get it and why