America's Crop Heritage


competitive liberality of the government. Seed firms also disliked
the competition, and taxpayers always opposed what seemed to be
wasteful expenditure. But Isaac Newton, unlike former agricul-
ture chiefs, found no fault with the practice of liberal seed dis-
tributions. He argued that no equal sum of money expended by
the government gave so large a proportion of the people so much
"substantial enjoyment."
 The result of Newton's expanded program was an increasing
demand for seeds. In 1863, Newton had made the sweeping state-
ment that all correspondents reported good results obtained from
seeds tried, and in 1864 he asserted that the imported seeds had
been of immense benefit. He pointed to the large national acreage
of sorghum then being grown as an example of the value of the
Department's plant introduction work.
 However, by 1864 Newton had admitted his dissatisfaction with
the large orders of vines and trees. A new propagating house was
erected in 1865, but Newton strengthened his resolution to pre-
vent the propagating garden from degenerating into a commercial
nursery. He suggested that members of Congress distribute more
seeds to agricultural societies to encourage these associations and
to lessen the evils of indiscriminate distribution.

 HORACE CAPRON

 Following the death of Newton in July, 1867, John W. Stokes
was acting Commissioner of Agriculture until December. Then
by formal appointment, General Horace Capron succeeded New-
ton as Commissioner of Agriculture and served from 1867 to 1871.
Capron had a record as a successful farmer and manufacturer in
Maryland, as a Union army officer, and as a breeder of Devon
cattle in Illinois. He continued Newton's policies and kept the
confidence of the government and those interested in the Depart-
ment throughout his career.
 Attitude Toward Introductions-When Capron first came into
office he was shocked by the growth of the government seed busi-
ness. His first reaction was that the seed establishment had become
a drain upon the Department's resources, but within a year he
had become an enthusiastic supporter. Capron believed that seeds
should be new to the community receiving them and should not
be sent out unless distinctly superior varieties. Like Newton, he
advocated a wider distribution to agricultural societies, and cir-