Series 1. Correspondence, 1885/1918

Scope and content:

Series 1 consists of correspondence for the years 1885 to 1918. This series consists of both incoming and outgoing correspondence for and from Agricultural Experiment Station directors and staff, such as John A. Myers, William E. Rumsey, James H. Stewart, Dwight E. Sanderson, and others. However, this series is generally outgoing correspondence. This series is organized alphabetically and chronologically.

In general, the subjects in Series 1 include correspondence from fertilizer and chemical companies, nurseries, various pamphlets, inquiries regarding agricultural problems, such as seeds and weeds; and sample testing of non-agricultural materials such as alcohol, coal, and sand. Additional correspondence includes invoices, employment inquiries, the sale of hatching eggs, communications with other agricultural experiment stations and the United States Department of Agriculture, and personal mail. Additionally, there are four John A. Myers letter books containing incoming and outgoing letters for the years 1887-1897 (boxes 138-141).

Later Series 1 correspondence specifically reflects the expanded role of experiment station in the years 1905-1918. It includes the Good Roads Movement and crop pest control, and the effort of the experiment station to mobilize farm labor shortage caused by World War I (boxes 42-137).

Please note that Series 2 (boxes 135-144) has been combined with Series 1 and is displayed chronologically within Series 1. As of 2025, we are unsure why original processors separated the material into two series.

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