98 America's Crop Heritage

in operation. The Department of Agriculture cooperated with
the stations in the introduction and acclimatization of new eco-
nomic plants. Federal expenses for these experiment stations
amounted to $660,000 per year.
 The work of plant introduction was organized into several
divisions or agencies of the Department of Agriculture. The
Division of Gardens and Grounds was responsible for the propa-
gation and distribution of imported trees and shrubs to localities
where conditions seemed favorable to their growth. This division,
under William Saunders, occupied forty acres including con-
servatories, propagating houses, and other glass structures known
 TABLE 4
 SEED DISTRIBUTION BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 1889-97

 Total Annual
 Year Distribution Appropriation
 No. of packages
1889.................... ............. 4,852,512 $104,200
1890.................................. 5,605,246 104,200
1891................................... 6,013,613 105,400
1892................................... 5,932,989 105,400
1893................. .................. 7,704,943 129,637
1894................................... 9,555,318 135,400
1895................................... 9,528,653 148,830
1896.................. ................. 12,000,000* 185,400
1897................................... 20,368,724 150,000

 Approximate figure.
as the Grounds of the Department. A Seed Division was organized
in 1864. The Division of Pomology had charge of fruits, the
Division of Forestry imported forest species for trial, and the
Division of Agrostology, organized in 1895, concerned itself with
grasses.
 DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS AND PLANTS
 Free seed distributions during Rusk's and Morton's adminis-
trations continued to increase rapidly.
 Rusk reported that recipients of these seeds felt no obligation
to report their results to the Department. For this reason, he
recommended that the bulk of future distributions be sent to
agriculture colleges and experiment stations. The distribution
of plants during this period was handled for the government by
commercial firms who packed the plants in damp moss for mail-
ing and then wrapped them in oiled paper and wrapping paper.