Seed Distribution by Department of Agriculture. 295 



seeds are to be sent out. By countin<; n;) the total number of 

 packets of each variety needed to fill these combinations the 

 quantity of seed of each variety required can be readily deter- 

 mined. Bids are then asked for from the wholesale trade for the 

 seed needed. As a rule part of the seed is bou'^ht out of the 

 supplies on hand for delivery in the following summer and part 

 of the seeds are grown especiall>- for the Department. When the 

 seeds are received they are tested for inirit\' and vitality, purity 

 in this case meaning mechanical purity, not the |;urity of the 

 stock. The latter cannot, unfortunately, be determined until 

 the seeds are sent out. The seeds are packcted by machinery, 

 there being twenty-two machines in operation last year, each 

 with a capacity of 25,000 packets a day. When the machines are 

 all going, it is sometimes possible to run out 1,000 packets a 

 minute. These packets are then assembled into packages, each 

 package containing five packets, and are closed by machinery. 



Different officials have from time to time tried to put an end 

 to the congressional seed distribution, but bills introduced for 

 this purpose are promptly killed in Congress. Efforts of the 

 same kind are also constantly being made by the seed trade, but 

 are usually so misdirected as to fail of any effect, indeed thev 

 have done more harm than good. The most serious effort was 

 made in 1896 by Secretary Morton, who, failing to receive o.^ers 

 for "rare and valuable seeds" as provided by the letter of the 

 of the law, declared that since the law directed him to distribute 

 "rare and valuable seeds" it would not be right for him to buv 

 and distribute common sorts. He therefore did not buy any 

 seeds and closed the Division of Seed Distribution. Congress, 

 however, lost no time in making it clear that the members 

 wanted the seeds, and did not much care what kind they were. 

 A bill was immediately passed making it mandatory for the 

 Secretary to distribute vegetable and flower seeds, and the dis- 

 tribution went on as before. Since that time the amount appro- 

 priated has been largely increased, but the mandatory character 

 of the legislation remains, and the Secretary of Agriculture has 

 no choice but to obey the law. Since the time of Secretary 

 Morton, no attempt has been made to abolish the distribution, 

 but a great deal has been done to keep the appropriation within 

 bounds. In spite of the fact that the appropriation has been 

 largely increased, it is a fact that the officers of the Department 



