These papers are part of a collection that document the history of the agrostology section of the Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture (1901-1939), and the Section of Grasses, United States National Herbarium, United States National Museum (1912-1963) at the time Albert Spear Hitchcock and Mary Agnes Chase worked for the USDA and the USNH, as well as the scientific endeavors of Hitchcock and Chase. Included are personal papers. Records of the USDA were probably transferred to the Smithsonian when Hitchcock became custodian of the grass section, USNH. Correspondence and papers cover: identification, examination, reports on plants and grasses; exchange and transfer of specimens, gifts and loans of specimen collections; information regarding plants and grasses for sheep and other livestock; explorations and botanical collecting expeditions; taxonomy; nomenclature; pacifism and politics in Europe before and during the Second World War; political and economic conditions during the Chinese Civil War, especially in Foochow (1949); outgoing letterpress correspondence (1905-1923) concerning the above; also biographies, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, photographs, and scrapbook.
Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu.
