Leadership of the Patent Office


came from China. For improved varieties of the common field
and vegetable crops the Patent Office turned to Europe. England
and France were considered sources of improved varieties of bread
grains, but after 1850 the search was extended, and small grains
were procured from Poland, Algiers, and the borders of the Black
Sea.

 DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS

 By 1850 more than 80,000 packages of seeds were being dis-
tributed annually, although the budget for all agricultural activi-
ties was only $4,500 per year. Congress first made specific provision
for collecting and distributing seeds in 1852, and in 1854 increased
the annual appropriation for agricultural work to $25,000. (5)
 This increased appropriation during Mason's term made it
possible to enlarge the program of distribution, and in 1861
2,474,380 packages of seed were sent out, including 15 varieties of
garden and 230 of flower seeds. Mason proposed to send many
small packages to a large number of people. He believed this
policy would give the new plants a better trial in every section,
and the laws of chance would place them in many conscientious
hands. Mason secured his mailing lists by requesting postmasters
to send him the names of persons likely to give the seeds a fair trial.
Agricultural societies requested seeds for distribution among their
members. The legislature of South Carolina appropriated $5,000
a year for experiments with plant materials.
 Seed Firms Employed-With more funds at its disposal the
Patent Office for a time was able to send its own agents to Europe
in search of seeds instead of having to depend entirely upon the
Navy and the State Department for help. In 1855, however,
arrangements were made with the seed firms of Vilmorin-Andrieux
in Paris, Charlwood and Cummins in London, Ernest Von Spreck-
elsen and Company in Hamburg, and William Skirving in Liver-
pool to supply foreign seeds. The French and the English concerns
continued to fill large seed orders for the government for more
than ten years.
 Congressmen continued to assist in seed distribution by send-
ing parcels to their constituents, and would not limit the benefits
of the system to experimentation. Consequently, many of the seeds
distributed were those of the ordinary field and garden crops.
The government purchased large quantities of these common