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_ FREE DISTRIBUTION OF SEED. 459 
was very late in getting ripe, while that I received from Elliot 
ripened very early. The corn that is grown in the south is 
not adapted to this country. The seeds sent out are generally 
of the poorest and most common varieties. Iam in favor of 
the government getting those seeds and testing them. There 
is no use in spending $180,000 a year for “beet seeds of the 
most common kinds. They used to send out a cheap grade of 
- celery until about four years ago when the Snowball and other 
varieties came out the government hauled in its horns a little. 
Mr. A. K. Bush: Inan early day it was a difficult matter 
to get tame grass seed, and a neighbor of mine sent to the 
department for some grass seed. The seed was sent to him, 
and it turned out to be quack grass, but it has staid by him 
ever since. (Laughter). 
Mr. Harris: Last yearsome parties received what purported 
to be radish seed, but it turned out to be granite. (Great 
laughter). 
Mr. R. oH. L. Jewett: The very fact that the Secretary of 
Agriculture advertises for bids for those seeds is enough to 
show that only the most common kinds of seeds will be 
distributed. I have packages of seeds that were sent me four 
years ago, and I have never opened them. I have better seeds 
grown on my own ground. So what is the use of the govern- 
ment spending all this money for seeds that are practically 
worthless and that half the people do not want and do not 
plant ? 
Mr. Elliot: I would move that the secretary be instructed 
to correspond with the Secretary of Agriculture and our 
members of congress at Washington and put our society on 
record as being opposed to any distribution of seeds under the 
present method: that is, common garden seeds. 
Mr. T. T. Smith: Would it not be well for our society to 
correspond with other societies so that a uniform method of 
work can be adopted ? I understand the members of congress 
made a great fuss about it when a vote was taken to stop it, 
and if the people throughout the various states would send in 
a protest and make it uniform, if all the members of congress 
were to hear the same protest from their own people, it would 
have to stop. I think such acourse would be more effective 
than any other. 
Mr. Harris: I think societies are very generally passing 
resolutions against this practice, and I noticed in one or two 
horticultural journals that societies in various states are 
condemning it. 
