The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1922-06-16

standard varieties OF vegetable and flower seeds.
In 1894 change was advocated and action taken
to discontinue the customary distribution. This
action was not approved by congress, which. In an
act approved April 25. 1896, changed the wording
of the previous net. The attorney general, to
whom the question was submitted for decision.
held that the purchase and distribution OF seeds,
Including vegetable and flower seeds. were manda-
tory and left the secretary OF agriculture without
discretion. Congress has specifically reserved for
Itself the distribution. with proportionate aot
ments to ench member. of hvesxths OF all the seeds
and plants purchased by the department. So that
Is where congressional seed dist :ibuton" orig
mated
Now. then. II costs Uncle Sam about 31 cents
for every package OF seeds sent out by u congress
man. Each package contains Ave different kinds
OF seed. The following kinds Of vegetable seeds
are purchased for free distribution: Peas beets
lettuce onions. radsh beans, corn carrots. Gu
cnmber parsley, parsnip, squash, tomato. turnip,
and watermelon There II combinations so
that member OF congress can select the Ave
different kinds OF seeds he wants to send out In
one package. Similarly there are 30 different va
rieties of flowers, such as chrysanthemum aster
cosmos. balsam. candytuft, dianthus, nasturtIum,
poppy, sweet peas petunia, zinnias, mlgnonette.
That package containing hve small papers of
seeds, which costs the government ga cents, II
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, just the same II bank ac
count. The member is credited with his quota
and Is allowed to draw against that quota. just
the same against bank account
From one sample package. containing five small
papers Of seeds, any person can raise at least SIS
worth Of food according To the agricultural au-
thorlties, peductng 81 for waste loss In transit.
earetesSness In planting "a poor soil Il leaves
$40 net production. Members of congress are
sending ont this year t3OoooO0 of these large
gtn la,
servattvely estimated will return Sl30OooOo0 food
products Tor outlay of $l6n0oo. which certainly
should have some effect on the economic lie OF
this country
When the annual fight the appropriation
is being waged the claim is often made that the
free seed distribution comes near wreckiug the
Post Once department aud Is responsible for an
annual deficit The records show that the run is
usually FROM t,AnHD pounds to G0OOO0 ar 100000
pounds, aud that it the office 90 seed distribution
paid postage On each package. the same as amy
private Individual. the postage hill would never
have been more than $i9i 900. and that 1t would
average about $4,000.
Every seed sent out is tested for vitality and
for trueness 10 name. These tests are made on
the experimental farm ~ the department near
Arlington National cemetery although the gcrmi.
nation tests mostly made Ia the laboratory hy
using hlotter paper. An 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
are sent out II sets very high standard To which
the seeds must register Il much higher standard
than Is often required commercially IL the seeds
do not reach that standard, they are shipped back
tn the contractor from whom they were purchased
at the latters expense. Some years they reject
very large amouut-this year. for example about
10000 pounds, after II had reached Washington
because the termination not high enough
This Is sent back as not good enough for con
gressoual seed distribution but there Is no as
surance anywhere that the very same seed Is not
disposed OF commercially.
Uncle sam buys these seeds straight CON-
pettive bids, and when any contractors deliver
les show u consistent poor termination he Is
backlisted. Each bidder Is Informed why he did
not get the contract. told who did get Il and why