ia ‘REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULYURE, 33 
>. - i j \ ¢ : 
_ The expenditure of large sums of public money in bounties on mam- 
‘mals (known or supposed to be injurious) in several of the States and 
_ Territories attests the urgent need of the investigations now in pro- 
gress in the Department upon the food habits and distribution of tho 
_ -yarious species and the best methods of destroying the injurious 
kinds. In Montana alone, during the present year, more than $50,000 
was expended in bounties on prairie-dogs and ground-squirrels in 
about six months (from March 5 to September 12, 1887). It is stated 
that this bounty act exhausted the treasury and was running the 
Territory in debt, when the governor, with the permission of the 
President, callad a special session of the legislature and repealed the 
law. 
THE SEED DIVISION. 
Very little need be said in reference to the work accomplished in 
the seed division, except to corroborate the fact that the reforms in- 
augurated at the beginning of my term of office have proved to be 
highly satisfactory, and judging from the unusual number of re- 
ports received, the seeds sent out during the present year have been 
exceptionally noticeable for their vitality and excellence of quality. 
A more efficient system of reports has been adopted, and the re- 
plies indicate more fully than heretofore the special fitness of the 
| numerous varieties for the localities in which the seeds have been 
' tested. The system by which they are now purchased, a special 
guaranty being required from the parties from whom the purchase 
is made that the seeds shall not only be true to name, of good ger- 
_ Minating quality, cleaned with extra care, so as to be both free from 
weed seed or eggs or larve of injurious insects, and the strict and 
close test to which they are subjected before payment is made for 
- them, accords with the more perfect business system which has been 
adopted in the seed division. 
The law establishing the Department of Agriculture clearly states 
that the purchase and distribution of seed shall be confined to such 
_ seeds as are ‘‘rare or uncommon to the country,” or ‘‘such as can be 
_ made more profitable by frequent changes from one part of our own 
- country to another.” The primary object of the distribution is to 
give increased value to production, to ascertain the best geographical 
distribution of varieties, and to introduce them more rapidly into 
the localities to which they are best adapted. The value of this in- 
terchange of seeds is greatly underestimated. Every plant has a 
- natural habitat, which is limited in extent, and it is an established 
fact that when an attempt is made to grow it elsewhere it soon dete- 
riorates and requires renewal from seed grown under the conditions 
of soil and climate most favorabie for its perfect development. 
This is not only true of grain, but applies to a larger extent to 
_ garden vegetables. This statement is corroborated by the large 
AG 87 3 
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