18 LAWS APPLICABJ.E TO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



shrubtj, vines, cuttings, and plants; all necessary (jfRce fixtures aiK 

 supplies, fuel, transportation, paper, twine, ginn, jDostal cards, gas- 

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

 eling expenses, and all necessary material and repairs for putting u] 

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

 and special agents, clerks, assistants, and other labor required, in th 

 city of Washington and elsewhere, $290,000. of which amount no 

 less than $257,000 shall be allotted for congressional distributior 

 And the Secretary of Agriculture is hereby directed to expend the saii 

 sum, as nearh' as practicable, in the purchase, testing, and ilistribu 

 tion of such valuable seeds, bulbs, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plant; 

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

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

 portioned, and in which same are to be distributed as hereinafte 

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

 table and flower seeds suitable for i)lanting and culture in the varioii 

 sections of the United States: Prorided, That the Secretary of Agr: 

 culture, after due advertisement and on competitive bids, is authoi 

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

 envelopes and the packeting, assembling, and mailing of the seed j 

 bulbs, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and ])lants, or any part thereof, for 

 period of not more than live years nor less than one year, if by sue 

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

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

 tings, and j^lants shall, upon their request, after due notification b 

 the Secretary of Agriculture that the allotment to their respecti^ 

 districts is ready for distribution, be supplied to Senatoi-s, Kepri 

 sentatives, and Delegates in Congi'ess for distribution among the 

 constituents, or mailed by the dei)artment upon the receipt of the 

 addressed franks, in packages of such weight as the Secretary i 

 Agriculture and the Postmaster General may jointly determim 

 Provided, hoicevei\ That upon each envelope or wrapper containii: 

 packages of seeds the contents thereof shall bo plainly indicated, ar 

 the Secretary shall not distribute to any Senator. Kepresentative, < 

 Delegate seeds entirely unfit for the climate and locality he repr 

 sents, but shall distribute the same so that each Member may ha^ I 

 seeds of eipial value, as near as may be. and the best adapted to tl ' 

 locality he represents: Prorided, ako, That the seeds allotted 

 Senators and Kepresentatives for distribution in the districts er 

 braced within the twenty-fifth and thirty-fourth jjarallels of latitu< 

 shall be ready for delivery not later than the tenth day of Januar 

 Provided, also, That any portion of the allotuients to Senators, lie 

 resentatives, and Delegates in Congress remaining uncalled for < 

 the first day of A])ril shall be distributed by the Secretary of Agi 

 culture, giving picference to those i)ersons whose names and a 

 dresses have been furnished by Senators and Kepresentatives in Co 

 gre.ss, and who have not before during the same season been supplii 

 by (he department: And provided (t/.so. That the Secretary shall r 

 port, as provided in this iVct. the place, (piantity. and price of see- 

 purchased, and (he date of |)urehase: but nodiin^^ in this paragraji 

 shall be construed to prevent the Secretary of Agriculture from sen- 

 ing seeds to (hose \vli<» a|)])Iy for (he same. And (he ainoun( herei 

 appropriated shall not be diver(ed or used for any other purpose b 

 for the purchase, testing, propagation, and distribution of valual' 



