all right, but the low standard is faulty according to some ideas. Almost every one will accept seed of low vitality under conditions that were abnormal, climatic conditions producing the seed being such a better percentage could not be obtained. If there is anything wrong with this low standard, that is a matter that should be taken up between the individuals. This is not intended to be compulsory, but merely a standard to be adopted, and if of any lower quality-onion seed, 75 per cent., as Mr. Clark mentions, 5 per cent. below the standard test, it is a subject between Mr. Clark and his purchasers to arrange. As a grower I will say the same thing myself. If I have melon seed of some kind, and for some unknown reason they did not germinate as high as they should, I should say that is a matter between my customers and myself.

Mr. Bolgiano-(Washington)—In that case the grower in a hurry would send the seed to the merchant, who would have some "hurry-up" orders and would ship the seed to the trade. It would then come to the point when if they didn't grow the matter would have to be taken to court. I think it is unwise to establish for the seed trade any standard of quality. For instance, I have some new varieties of seed which I wish to introduce. I send the entire stock to the grower, and he returns to me some low germination which is unsatisfactory. I cannot replace that stock, and have to sell it. My catalogues are printed, and what are we to do in a case of that kind? We say here is the standard. He says: “I won't accept it." The Association haven't any right nor can they make a man accept the standard, and the only thing to do is to go to court.

The motion that the matter be held open for another year was agreed to.

President Stokes-The effect of this will be that it will be carried over for another year, subject to the appointment of a new committee by the incoming administration. It is for them to decide whether they will appoint the same committee, or for this meeting to direct.

Mr. Emerson-It has been suggested to me that this matter be taken up every year, according to the crop conditions. Mr. Burpee-I think the suggestion made by Mr. Emerson is in line of the thought of several of us, as the percentages of growth vary with the seasons, climatic conditions, etc. If the committee of the Association and of the League would get to business, say, in November, they could tabulate the information and let the Association and the League know the result. I think in that way a committee could be made a source of information and would probably prevent a great many unjust complaints. Mr. Clark next year might have onion seed growing 75 per cent., whereas this year it might. be 95 per cent.

Mr. Duryea—I would like that committee to report earlier for the sake of the grass seed. We are having crops of grass seed coming in, and each year the conditions change, consequently we cannot make a standard at times when we are fixing prices, germination, etc.

President Stokes-When this question was brought up last year by Mr. Vaughan, I recollect the way in which he emphasized the word "normal"-"normal standard test." He wanted this test to come under "normal" conditions. When the conditions were abnormal, of course, it didn't hold.

Mr. Emerson-I move that a committee of three be appointed, to confer with a committee on the same subject of the Wholesale Seedsmen's League, whose duty it shall be when the results of the conference are obtained, to makе known to the members of the Association, through the Secretary or by any other method considered wise, the results obtained and the recommendations. It seems to me this is the best way to get at it, step by step, when we would have uniformity throughout and no losses.

Mr. Burpee I offer an amendment that the committee be not limited to three, and that the joint committee be authorized to appoint a Board of Arbitration.

The amendment was accepted by Mr. Emerson,

Mr. Woodruff-Does this authorize the committee to go ahead without submitting the subject to the Association? I

should object to that power being placed with the committee. It seems to me it would be unwise. We would be virtually putting ourselves on record, which we have already voted not to do.

Mr. Burpee Mr. Woodruff has misunderstood the motion. This is only effective if the Wholesale Seedsmen's Leagueand they are very conservative-unite with ours, the two com mittees to work in harmony, and they are to inform the members of the two bodies what in the opinion of the committee is the normal and satisfactory percentage of growths for seeds of the past year, and seeds of the previous year carried over, supposedly of the same growth. That does not place this Association on record. It simply gives information for the exclusive use of this Association and of the League.

The motion, as amended, was agreed to.

Mr. Burpee here introduced Mr. J. Horace McFarland, of Harrisburg, who made the following remarks:

Mr. J. Horace McFarland, Harrisburg, Pa.-Mr. President and Gentlemen of the American Seed Trade Association: All of you have seen during the past few weeks that there was something wrong in Washington and a good deal of investigating going on. All of you, especially those who do a catalogue business and receive many money orders, know of how much importance the money order system is, it being a beneficent endeavor on the part of the government to provide a safe means of transportation for money from one place to another. One man has made it his life-work to perfect this system, against all sorts of temptation to transfer his abilities elsewhere, and that man is James T. Metcalf, who one week ago, Wednesday, without a hearing by his chief, the Postmaster General, was summarily dismissed from the service, for no other reason than that of having expressed a doubt as to the competency of a certain bidder for printing the money order forms.

As three millions of dollars a day are transacted by mail at the present time, you may understand the importance of the money order system to the country. One day's interruption in the furnishing of the required blanks or forms would

be a misfortune, and the specifications upon which bids for these blanks are made carefully safeguard the possibility of a careless, inefficient or irresponsible contractor getting possession of the printing of these forms. On the 2nd of June bids were opened in Washington for supplies required by this branch of the Post-office Department, for four years, and it was discovered that a man by the name of Paul Herman had submitted a bid for supplying the money orders for use considerably below that of any one else. It was soon disclosed that Paul Herman had until within two weeks or thereabout been employed by the present contractor, and that he had been in possession of his employer's figures, and had discounted them in his bid. This man had not then and has not now one single bit of type, machinery, or plant of any description.

These contracts are not awarded by the head of the Money Order System, but by the Postmaster General. It is the duty of the Superintendent of the Money Order System to investigate the capability of the bidders. The investigation of Mr. Herman was made by a regular postoffice inspector, who reported that this gentleman had $1,000 in bank, a thirty days' option on a vacant room, and the promise of a paper man to back him for $20,000.

Mr. Herman called on Mr. Metcalf after the report had been made, when the latter talked with him, and solely in the interest of the service, and because he was about, as in duty bound, to recommend the turning down of Herman's bid, suggested a conference with his former employer. This conference, by means of a perfectly open and innocent note, he brought about.

This is Mr. Metcalf's sole offense, for, which, after twenty years' endeavor in the interest of every business man, he has been cut off without a hearing, and placed in company with criminals. I have known this man for twelve years, seen him tempted and resist temptation. Some years ago it came in my way to say to him: "Your ability is worth more than the $2,500 a year you are making." I offered him an opportunity to obtain a yearly salary of $4,000 in New York, engaged in

business much to his taste. He said: "Your offer is tempting, but if I have one aim in this life, and if there is one thing I am devoted to, it is the money order system, and I must with thanks decline your offer, believing that here is my life work." This is the man who has been cut off without a hearing!

I venture to ask you to do something, and that is to appoint a committee, if it seems in your judgment wise, to draft resolutions suggesting to the President that this matter is worthy of further investigation for the interest of the American Seed Trade Association and for the interest of every other business man. (Applause.)

Mr. Burpee I move the President appoint a committee of three to draft resolutions in reference to the advisability of reconsidering the dismissal of Mr. Metcalf, who has served so long and faithfully, and that the resolution be given to the gentleman who has spoken to be taken by his committee to Washington.

Which, being duly seconded, was agreed to.

And the President appointed Messrs. W. Atlee Burpee, C. N. Page and Albert McCullough as the committee.

Mr. Burpee-If the committee will get together we can report before the close of this session. It will not take long.

President Stokes-We will now hear from the Committee on Prior Contracts Between Grower and Dealer, Messrs. Emerson, Plant, Webster and Harries.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PRIOR CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE SEED GROWER AND THE

SEED DEALER.

Mr. Chairman:-Your committee beg to submit that it has corresponded with a number of seed growers and dealers on this subject, and have found a general disposition to suggest no interference with the present system of contracting now generally adopted by the Seed Trade, viz.:

Wherein the seed grower agrees to undertake to secure and plant a sufficient acreage of certain varieties of seeds at specified prices, which under ordinary climatic conditions will produce the quantity of