BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 75 



freshest and best obtainable varieties and adapted to general culti- 

 vation. 



Rev. St. sec. 527, as amended by the aKrioultiirnl apprnprintion act for 

 the fiscal year 1897, act April 25, 1800, c. 1-10, 2n Stat. 1<)(!. 



Provisions relatin;; to the pnrchnse and distiilmtion of seeds, plants, 

 etc., are enacted in the annual agricnltnral appropriation acts. The pro- 

 visions of the act for the fiscal year 1913 are set forth below. 



ACT AUGUST 10, 1912, c. 284. (37 Stat. 269.) 



Expenses of purchase, distribution, etc., of seeds, plants, etc.; seeds, plants, 

 etc., purchased to be of best and adapted to localities; allotment of seeds[ 

 plants, etc., to Members of Congress for distribution; distribution of un- 

 called for allotments; report of place, quantity, price, and date of seeds 

 purchased; diversion of appropriation forbidden; purchase of rare seeds, 

 plants, etc., for experimental tests. 



Purchase and distribution of valu.vble seeds: For purchase, 

 propairation, testinsr. and distribution of valuable seeds, ))ulbs, trees, 

 shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants; all necessary office fixtures and 

 supplies, fuel, transportation, paper, twine, gum. postal cards, gas, 

 electric current, rent outside of the District of Columbia, official 

 traveling expenses, and all necessary material and repairs for putting 

 up and distributing the same; for repairs and the employment of 

 local and special agents, clerks, assistants, and other labor required, 

 in the city of Washington and elsewhere, two hundred and eighty- 

 five thousand six hundred and eighty dollars, of which amount not 

 less than two hundred and twenty-six thousand nine hundred and 

 forty dollars shall be allotted for congi-essional distribution. And 

 the Secretary of Agriculture is hereby directed to expend the said 

 sum, as nearly as practicable, in the purchase, testing, and distribu- 

 tion of such valuable seeds, bulbs, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants, 

 the best he can obtain at public or private sale, and such as shall be 

 suitable for the respective localities to which the same are to be 

 apportioned, and in which same are to be distributed as hereinafter 

 stated, and such seeds so purchased shall include a variety of vege- 

 table and flower seeds suitable for planting and culture in the various 

 sections of the United States : Provided, That the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture, after due advertisement and on competitive bids, is author- 

 ized to award the contract for the supplying of printed packets and 

 envelopes and the packeting, assembling, and mailing of the seeds, 

 bulbs, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants, or any part thereof, for a 

 period of not more than five years nor less than one year, if by such 

 action he can best protect the interests of the United States. An 

 equal proportion of five-sixths of all seeds, bulbs, shrubs, vines, cut- 

 tings, 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. Represent- 

 atives, and Delegates to Congress for distribution among their con- 

 stituents, or mailed by the department upon the regeipt of their 

 addre.ssed franks, in packages of such weiglit as the Secretar}^ of 

 Agriculture and the Postmaster General may jointly determine: 

 Provided, however, That upon each envelope or wrapper containing 

 packages of seeds the contents thereof shall be plainly indicated, and 

 the Secretary shall not distribute to any Senator, Rej)resentative, or 

 Delegate seeds entirely unfit for the climate and locality he repre- 

 sents, but shall distribute the same so that each :Member may have 



