Federal Promotion of Crops


of the loss of the southern supply during the Civil War, and the
grape cuttings in view of the efforts to found a native wine industry
in the eastern United States. Commissioner Newton was notified
that another shipment of 900 choice grapevines had been sent
by the Japanese government. Pruyn also tried to procure sorghum
seeds. Newton expressed the widespread interest in the agricul-
tural plants of Japan when he wrote:

 Our people look upon every natural production of this description . with a
 more lively interest than upon similar articles from any other country; believing
 as they do, that they are actual and rare acquisitions-unexpectedly coming from
 a hitherto unknown and inaccessible country-capable, perhaps, of improvement
 in our soil and climate, under the progressive ideas of our people.
 Thomas Hogg, American consul in Japan from 1865-75, sent
 Japanese plants to America to be propagated by Parson's Nursery
 in Long Island; one of these was a hydrangea.6 Other consuls
 sent seeds and plants to friends or brought them back occasionally
 with the idea of capitalizing on them. Plant introduction by diplo-
 matic officials became less important when the Department of Agri-
 culture expanded its activities and depended more upon its own
 agents for plant materials.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. 6 U.S. Statutes at Large, 47-48.
2. 3 U.S. Statutes at Large, 374, 667; 17th Congress, Ist Session, Senate Document 70.
3. USDA Annual Report of the Commissioner, 1866.
4. Stuart, William, The Potato: Its Culture, Uses, History and Classification. 3rd
 edition revised, Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1928.











 "Isaac Newton revealed that Hogg sent choice grape cuttings packed carefully
to his brother in New York. At the same time he sent grape cuttings to the
Department of Agriculture with little preparation and care. Newton, jealous that
the department should have the honor of first introducing valuable new plants,
resented this partiality to a commercial firm to the disadvantage of the nation's
agriculturists. Newton wrote Hogg expressing his disappointment with his action.