DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS AND PLANTS. 



Deleirates in Coiii^ress. and the number of these requests soon became 

 so great that it was impracticable to fill them with strictly new va- 

 rieties of seeds. The practice of sending out larger and larger quan- 

 tities of vegetable seeds thus developed. These seeds, while in no 

 wise new, Avere useful in tlie new communities to which they were 



largely sent. 



During the j^ears from 1889 to 1893 practically the entire seed 

 appropriation was expended for standard varieties of vegetable and 

 flower seeds. In 1894 a change was advocated and action was taken 

 to discontinue the customary distribution. This action was not ap- 

 proved by Congress, which in the act approved April 25, 189G. 

 changed the wording of the previous acts, which for many years had 

 read " ^cv the purchase, propagation, and distribution, as required 

 by law, of vabiable seeds," etc., to read as follows: 



For the ijurchase. propagation, aud distribution of valuable seeds, bulbs, trees, 

 shrubs, vines, cnttin.iis, and plants, and exyiense of labor, trans])ortation, paper, 

 twine, jium, printing, postal cards, and all necessary material and repairs for 

 putting ui) and distributing the same, and to be distributed in the localities 

 adapted to their culture, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. And the 

 Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized, cmpoivered, directed, and required 

 to e.rpend the said sum in the purchase, propagation, and distribution of such 

 valuable seeds, trees, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants, and is authorized, 

 rmpoicered, directed, and rciiiiired to expend not less than the sum of one hun- 

 dred and thirty thousand dollars in the purchase at public or private sale of 

 valuable seeds, the best he can obtain, and such as shall be suitable for the 

 respective localities to which same are to be apportioned and in which the 

 same .-ire to be distributed as hereinafter stated, and such seeds so purchased 

 shall include varieties of vegetable and flower seeds suitable for planting and 

 culture in the various sections of the United States. 



Und^r the wording of this act the Attorney General, to whom the 

 question was submitted for decision, held that the purchase and dis- 

 tribution of seeds, including vegetable and flower seeds, were manda- 

 tory and left the Secretary of Agricultu.re without discretion. 



THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRIBUTION. 



Becau.se the purchase and distribution of seeds and plants by the 

 Department of Agriculture is specifically appropriated for by Con- 

 gress, and because of the wording of the appropriation acts, which 

 provide that " an equal proportion of five-sixths of all seeds, bulbs, 

 shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants shall, upon their request, after due 

 notification by the Secretary of Agriculture that the allotment to 

 their respective districts is ready for distribution, be supplied to 

 Senators, Eepresentatives, and Delegates in Congress for distribu- 

 tion among their constituents or mailed by the Department upon re- 

 ceipt of their addressed franks," the distribution of such seeds and 

 plants is commonly designated as the "congressional seed distribu- 

 tion." 



|Cir. 100] 



