The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-03-28
Season for Congress-
iOnal Garden Seeds
Continued from Page 1

brccnc addresses lctleT early III
the season to each school supeTin-
tendent in his Congressional dis
tlict asking him how many schol-
ars he has in his charge. Upon the
returns obtained through the re-
plies he makes up his estimates of
the quotas of seed required, and
fills it accordingly In addition
each member of the delegation en-
deavors to take care of the individ-
ual requests he receives for seed.
Each member of the Senate and
House is entitled this year to 70,
000 packages of vegetable seed and
1000 packages of flower seed.
Each of these packages contains
envelopes carrying five different
kinds of seed, put up in varying
combinations. Vermonters know
what they are without going into
that here. 1t costs the Government
about three and half cents each of
the larger packages sent out by a
national legislator. Uncle Sam pur-
chascs the seed through competi-
tive bids, and, in spite of the an
nual crop Of jokes about the dor
mant qualities of their productive
agency, the Government takes the
greatest pains to see that the seed
posses proper terminating proper
ties. The tests which the seeds
have to undergo in the Govern
ment takes the greatest pains to
see that the seed posses proper
terminating properties. The tests
which the seeds have to undergo
inthe government laboratories are
scratching and in a great many in
STAGES heavy conslgnments are re-
tured othe bidder as unfit.
The Agricultural Department
| figures that the annual output of
free seeds in Il normal year, which
cost the Government some $500,
600, ought by proper management
to return those who plant them
products to the value of 100000,
900. The five small papers of seed
in each package should be good
for raising SIS worth of garden
sass" so say the Agricultural ex-
perts, and, after deducting a vast
age of So from this, the net returns
ought to be with fair management
adm proper planting in the neigh,
borhood of $40 per package. Since
thirteen million of packages are
being distributed this year-some
seasons during the war the quota
was considerably less-it follows
that the net profit should amount
to $130, 100000.
SO much for the pccuniary adj
vantages of gardening a la Gov
eminent ION paper, at leasD ac
cording to the Departmental sta
tistical sharps. 1t will be observed
! that the foregoing chiefly relates
to- the vegetable .lde of the seed
distribution proposition. There is
also the floral, or, if another term
is sought, the aesthetic, side of the
subject. Along with its prcsenta-
ton of vegetable seed through the
medium of the Senators and Con-
gTeSsmen the Government does
what it can by way of supplying
the populace with flower seeds. al
though to an extent considerably
less than in the case of the other.
To educate the public up to the
point whore blossoms will be as
cheerfully cultivated as beans is
not so easy as at first might APP
pear Some Of the constituency are
not quite so strong for sweet peas
as for the other kind or for candy
tuft as caulifowcr. Not so long ago
Senator with whose office the
writer is well acquainted received
Il postcard reading as follows:
"D0n't send me any more flower
seeds. Send me seeds for eating
purposes" This bit calls to mind
the story of one o fthe Congress-
men whose mail contained at rcgu-
lar intervals requests for seed in
the form of peas from one individ-
ual. Returning home the member
met the constituent and asked him
what in the world he wanted so
many peas for. "You must be
planting the whole township up to
peas, said the solon. "Plant moth
ingW answered the man back
home "Thcm peas make the finest
soup Y ever tasted"
However, there is abundant
evidence that the flower seeds also
receive cordial welcome when the
postman in his rounds, or the ru-
raj carrier. leaves them with the
others at the door or in the route
box. School gardens carry along
with the utilitaI'ian planting of
vegetable seeds the idea of bclu-
tifying the landscape also, and
ipthcy do a great deal to inculcate
in the minds of the boys and girls
Il love for natures aesthetic side.
Practically all the seed franks
have now been sent down to the
' Agricultural Department, and that
branch of the Government hopes
to have all the immense bulk of
seed packages off its hands and
into the mails by April 10. Some
of the members of Congress have
several sacks of seeds sent up to
their offices from which ther clcri-
cal forces take care of the requests
of late Corners after the Govern
mcnt has completed its task.
Each year one or the other
branch of Congress starts little
football game with the seed appro-
priation item, and kicks it out of
the appropriation bill. Thea the
other house as regularly restores
it and there it remains until the
same comedy Ito vary the figure)
is enacted the next year. The usual
stories about the free seeds are
handd about the Capitol each year.
They generally start with the one
told on Speaker Gillette of whom
it is said that he got letter from
Il = i Il