The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-11-09

standard varieties of vegetable and flower seeds.
In 1894 a change was advocated and action taken
to discontinue the customary distribution. This
action not approved by congress- which, In an
act approved April 25, 1896, changed the wording
of the previous act. The attorney general, 10
whom the question was submitted for decision
held that the purchase and distribution OF seeus'
including vegetable and flower seeds were mahuu-
tory and left the secretary Of agriculture without
discretion. Congress has specifically reserved lot
itself the distribution, with propOrtionate allot-
ments to each member of fvesXths of all the seeus
and plants purchased by the department. SO that
is where congressional seed distribution orlgl-
mated.
Now then It costs Uncle Sam about 31s 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 radsh, beans, corn carrots, Gu
cumber, parsley, parsnip, squash, tomato, turnip
and watermelon. There are ii combinations SO
that a member Of congress can select the five
different kinds of seeds he wants to send out In
one package. Similarly there are % different va
rietes of flowers such chrysanthemum, aster.
cosmos balsam, candytuft, dlanthus, nasturtium.
poppy, sweet peas, petuna, zinnias, mignonette.
That package containing five small papers of
seeds, which costs the government 31s cents IL
bought in the open market would cost 30 cents.
The office of seed distribution In the Department
Of Agriculture keeps an exact account for each
count The member is credited with his quota
and is allowed to draw against that quota just
the same against a bank account.
From one sample package, containing five small
papers of Seeds any person can raise at least $l5
worth of food, according to the agricultural au-
thorites. Deductlng So for waste. loss in transit
or carelessness in planting or poor soil, 1t leaves
a SO net production. Members Of congress are
sending out this year 100000 of these large
packages Give papers in each), which It is con-
servatvely estimated will return S130,OOOO0O food
products for an outlay Of $360,0OO which certainly
should have some effect on the economic life of
this country.
When the annual hight 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 each package, the same any
private individual, the postage bill would never
have been more than $131 900, and that It would
average about S9o,OOO.
Every seed sent out Is tested for vitality and
for trreness TO Rame. These tests made on
the experimental! farm Of the department. near
Arlington National cemetery, although the germl.
nation tests are mostly made In the laboratory by
using botter 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 are all good before they
are sent out. 1t sets very high standard to which
the seeds must register much higher standard
than is often required commercially. If the seeds
do not reach that standard, they are shipped back
TO the contractor from whom they were purchased
at the latter's expense Some years they reject
very large amount-thls year for example about
10000 pounds, after 1t had reached Washington
because the termination not high enough
This is sent back as not good enough for con
gresslonal seed distribution, but there is no as
sl.uN 49,
disposed of commercially
Uncle Sam buys these seeds straight com
petitive bids and when any contractors deliver
les show consistent poor termination he Il
blacksted Each bidder is Informed why he die
not get the contract, told who did get It and why