REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY UPON THE PURCHASE 



AND DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS. 



U. kS. Department of Agriculture, 



Office of the Assistant Secretary, 



Washiiujfon, D. C, November 20, 1900. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report on the pur- 

 chase and distribution of seeds for the iiscal year ended June 30, 1900. 



Congress appropriated $130,000 for the " purchase and distribution 

 of valuable seeds. " 



The total expenditures under this appropriation were §127,654, of 

 which $2-1,293.73 w^as expended for salaries of employees engaged in 

 seed distribution. Of the sum expended in the purchase of seed, 

 120,000 was devoted, as provided by Congress, for the purchase of 

 rare and valuable foreign seeds and plants, distributed through the 

 agenc}'^ of the Section of Seed and Plant Introrluction, Division of 

 Botany, mainly in cooperation with the State experiment stations. 



The sum remaining unexpended, and amounting to $2,345.99, may 

 be somewhat reduced, as there are a few unimijortant vouchers still 

 outstanding. 



I subjoin a report from Capt. R. J. Whittleton, chief of the Seed 

 Division, which gives particulars of the Congressional distribution. 

 From this report it appears that besides miscellaneous seeds, costing 

 $2,120.91, and vegetable and held seeds, amounting to $1,663, dis- 

 tributed to Texas flood sufferers, 14,738,968 packets of seeds were 

 distributed through the Seed Division, of which 13,531,469 were dis- 

 tributed to Senators, Representatiyes, and Delegates in Congress — 

 an excess over the two-thirds reserved by law for Members of Congress 

 of 3,705,490 packets. 



congressional distribution. 



The following is the report of Captain Whittleton, chief of the Seed 

 Division, on the Congressional distribution : 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Seed Division, 

 Washington, D. C, August 31, 1900. 



Sir: In compliance with a circular letter dated June 27, 1899, I 

 have the honor to submit the following report of the seed distribution 

 for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1900: 



The records of this Division show the aggregate of seeds furnished 

 under the contract awarded to Mr. Charles Parker to have been 



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