Agronomy and Soils Department Records
1940-1973

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Overview of the Collection

Title: Agronomy and Soils Department Records
Dates: 1940-1973 ( inclusive )
Quantity: approximate 8425 items ( 9.5 linear feet) ( 10 containers)
Collection Number: Archives 61
Summary: Includes correspondence, memoranda, minutes and proceedings of professional meetings, reports, newsletters, student and faculty information and research information, financial statements, vouchers, and reports on program progress.
Repository: Washington State University Libraries
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

Holland and Terrell Libraries
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA
(509) 335-6691
http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/holland/masc/masc.htm

Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical Note

Agriculture has always been part of the college's curriculum; in the earliest days, all of its disciplines were taught in one department (the Department Of Agriculture). By 1918 these agricultural disciplines including farm crops, soils, etc., had expanded enough to warrant the formation of separate departments. The Department of Farm Crops and Soils were consolidated into a Department Of Agronomy in February 1928. This name was changed in November 1969 to Department of Agronomy and Soils. The present department offers a number of degrees, including B.S. in Agronomy, B.S. in Soils, M.S. in Agronomy, M.S. in Soils, and Doctor of Philosophy.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :  

The Collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

The records of the Department of Agronomy and Soils are arranged in three series: Subject File, 1940-1972; Tennessee Valley Authority Files, 1951-1972; and Correspondence Files, 1965-1971. Series one file contains records dating from 1940 through 1972, however, the bulk of the material deals with the period after 1963. This first series is arranged alphabetically by subject. The file consists of correspondence, memoranda, minutes and proceedings of professional meetings, reports, newsletters, student and faculty information and research information. Major headings in the subject file include such topics as: Agronomy & Men (publication of the Agronomy Club), Extension Administration, annual reports of county Extension Agents, Outlying Testing Program of the Washington experimental stations, Pacific Northwest Fertilizer Conference, Pacific Northwest Crop Improvement Association, Pacific Northwest Plant Food Association, teaching and course content in the department, Washington State Crop Improvement Association, USDA correspondence, and wheat research.

Series two, Tennessee Valley Authority files, date from 1951 to 1972 and consist of correspondence, financial statements, vouchers, and reports on program progress. Through an agreement with Washington State University, the TVA sold fertilizer to Washington state farmers. These records document this agreement, the shipment of the fertilizer, and the farmers who participated in the program. The file has been arranged chronologically to be consistent with its original order.

Series three, the correspondence file, contains items dating from 1965 to 1971; these records have been arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically within each year. The file consists of correspondence to and from various agencies, including county extension agents, professional organizations, private industry, governmental departments, and individuals.

Principal correspondents are: B. Rodney Bertramson (former department chairman and Director of Resident Instruction), Harry A. Cosgriffe, Irving Dow (Extension Specialist), James C. Engibous (chairman of the department), C.B. Harston, A.G. Law (professor Of Agronomy), L.L. Madsen (Dean, College of Agriculture), C. Dawson Moodie (professor of Agronomy), Kenneth Morrison (Extension Specialist), J.S. Robins (Director of Research, College of Agriculture), Leland Streit, and R.M. Turner.

Acquisition Information :  

The records of the Department of Agronomy and Soils were transferred to the University Archives, Washington State University in June 1976 and March 1979 (UA 78- 16) according to the approved records schedules.

Processing Note :  

The records were processed by Michael Sampson from December 1980 to March 1981.


Detailed Description of the Collection

1:  Subject File , 1940-1972

Series one file contains records dating from 1940 through 1972, however, the bulk of the material deals with the period after 1963. This first series is arranged alphabetically by subject. The file consists of correspondence, memoranda, minutes and proceedings of professional meetings, reports, newsletters, student and faculty information and research information. Major headings in the subject file include such topics as: Agronomy & Men (publication of the Agronomy Club), Extension Administration, annual reports of county Extension Agents, Outlying Testing Program of the Washington experimental stations, Pacific Northwest Fertilizer Conference, Pacific Northwest Crop Improvement Association, Pacific Northwest Plant Food Association, teaching and course content in the department, Washington State Crop Improvement Association, USDA correspondence, and wheat research.

Container(s)
Description
Box
Folder
1 1 Affirmative Action Plan , 1972
1 item
1 2-4 Agricultural Chemicals , 1969-1972
16 items
1 5 Agricultural Commodity Commissions Meeting , 1966
7 items
1 6 Agricultural Economics , 1970
4 items
1 7 Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service , 1969
2 items
1 8-10 Agriculture, College of , 1965-1966, 1970
28 items
1 11 Agronomy Advisory Board , 1957, 1961, 1963-1965
35 items
1 12 Agronomy Base-Setting Meeting , 1972
1 item
1 13-14 Agronomy Club , 1966-1967
13 items
1 15-18 Agronomy & Men , 1965-1966, 1968-1970
101 items
1 19 Alpha Zeta , 1965
1 item
1 20 Alumni Rosters (and miscellaneous material) , 1968-1970
14 items
1 21 American Society of Agronomy , 1963
49 items
1 22 American Society of Agronomy Correspondence , 1971-1972
6 items
1 23 Assistantships and Fellowships (requests) , 1963-1964
7 items
1 24-25 Barley , 1964, 1968, 1972
7 items
1 26 Blain, John--Ford Motor Farm Efficiency Award , 1966
10 items
1 27 Bureau of Reclamation Meeting , 17 March 1965
32 items
1 28-30 Careers in Agronomy , 1964-1966
65 items
1 31 Castor Bean Production Potential , 1965
1 item
1 32 Certified Seed Growers , 1963, 1964, 1969
3 items
1 33 Columbia Plateau Conservation Council , 1965
46 items
1 34 Columbia Plateau Resources Council , 1965
30 items
1 35-36 Computing Center , 1969-1972
8 items
1 37 Controlled Environment Facilities , 1966-1971
6 items
1 38-41 County Agent's Letters, Re: Annual Reports , 1964-1967
154 items
1 42-43 Course Outlines for Agronomy and soils , 1968-1970
37 items
1 44-71 Crop Judging Team , 1940, 1951-1972
248 items
2 72-73 Dry Pea and Lentil commission , 1966, 1972
36 items
2 74 Dryland Research Review conference , Feb. 15-16, 1966
14 items
2 75-76 Dryland Research--Lind Experiment Station , 1965, 1967
21 items
2 77 Educational Policies Committee , 1969
3 items
2 78 Enrollment Statistics , 1970-1972
8 items
2 79 Environmental Science , 1970-1971
7 items
2 80 EROS , 1969
22 items
2 81-87 Extension Administration , 1964-1970
188 items
2 88 Extension--Agronomy Research Program , 1964
10 items
2 89 Extension--50th Anniversary conference , 1964
5 items
2 90 Extension--Agronomy Personnel Annual Reports , 1964
9 items
2 91 Extension--Annual Reports for Specialists , 1964-1965
11 items
2 92-96 Extension Correspondence , 1964-1968
505 items
3 97-99 Extension Correspondence , 1969-1972
78 items
3 100 Extension Director's Memos , 1965
5 items
3 101-102 Extension Agronomists Meeting , 1964, 1966
23 items
3 103 Extension--Meetings & Minutes , 1967-1972
45 items
3 104-107 Extension--Annual Plans of Work
46 items
3 108 Extension Publications , 1966-1967
22 items
3 109 Extension Range Management Program , 1964
10 items
3 110 Extension Research Report , 1971
1 item
3 111 Extension Service Review , December 4-8, 1972
14 items
3 112-113 Extension Training Sessions , 1964-1966
19 items
3 114 Fertilizer--Aqua Humus , 1963
43 items
3 115-117 Fertilizer Conference, Pacific Northwest Regional , 1964-1966
163 items
3 118 Fertilizer Conference (1966), Rough Drafts of the Papers
30 items
3 119 Fertilizer Conference Proceedings , 1968-1970
4 items
3 120 Fertilizer and Herbicides Needs--Agronomy Farm , 1964-1965
21 items
3 121 Fertilizer Institute , 1971
3 items
3 122-123 Fertilizer--Various Angles , 1964-1965
11 items
3 124-131 Field Day , 1964-1970
211 items
4 132 Field Day, Spillman Farm , 1971
48 items
4 133 Field Days , 1971
5 items
4 134-136 Forage Testing , 1963, 1964, 1966
6 items
4 137-140 Foreign Correspondence and Visitors , 1962-1969
76 items
4 141 Forest & Tree Fertilization , 1965-1969
9 items
4 142-143 Genetics Program , 1970, 1972
13 items
4 144 Goodyear SCS Awards , 1964-1965
16 items
4 145 Grass Seed Production Meeting (Pendleton) , 1971
7 items
4 146 Greenbug Threat to Wheat , 1971
1 item
4 147 Herbicide Damage Research , 1962-1963, 1968
10 items
4 148-150 Honors Program , 1964-1972
14 items
4 151 International Executive Services , 1968
1 item
4 152 International Programs , 1968, 1970
3 items
4 153 Iowa State University Agricultural Travel Course , 1965
34 items
4 154-156 Irrigation Experiment Station (Prosser) , 1964- 1966, 1968
14 items
4 157-159 Jobs Available , 1966 1968 1969
8 items
4 160-162 Job Placement , 1964, 1969, 1971
17 items
4 163 Job Statistics an Graduates , 1972
1 item
4 164-167 Junior Community College , 1968-1971
60 items
4 168 Lewis County Grassland Council , 1964
16 items
4 169-170 Library , 1970-1972
10 items
4 171 Lime Conference-- , November 16-17, 1965
21 items
4 172 Maquire Replacement for WSU Seed Laboratory , 1966
9 items
4 173-175 Manuscript Reviews from other Departments , 1967, 1971, 1972
24 items
4 176 Marketing Clinic: proposal and committee meetings , 1966
33 items
4 177-178 Meetings and Conferences , 1971-1972
10 items
4 179 National Wheat Institute , 1970
8 items
4 180 News Bureau , 1972
3 items
4 181-182 Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Unit , 1965, 1968
2 items
4 183 Open House--College Of Agriculture , 1966-1969
16 items
4 184 Osterli, Victor--Columbia Plateau Resources Council , 1966
29 items
4 185-188 Outlying Testing--Central Washington , 1963-1965, 1967
48 items
4 189-191 Outlying Testing--NoWestern Washington , 1965-1967
51 items
4 192 Outlying Testing--Prosser , 1969
5 items
4 193 Outlying Testing--Tree Fruit Research , 1969
1 item
4 194 Outlying Testing--Washington State , 1968
4 items
4 195-197 Outlying Testing--Western Washington , 1964, 1965, 1967
23 items
4 198-202 Pacific Northwest Crop Improvement Association , 1964-1966
69 items
5 203-208 Pacific Northwest Crop improvement Association , 1967-1972
39 items
5 209-214 Pacific Northwest Plant Food Association , 1964-1969
43 items
5 215-220 Pakistan , 1964-1969
45 items
5 221 Patent Committee , 1972
3 items
5 222 Pesticides , 1968-1972
30 items
5 223 Plant Pathology, Department, of , 1972
3 items
5 224 Potash Institute , 1971
4 items
5 225 Potato Commission , 1972
1 item
5 226 Projects in Agronomy & Soils--current status , 1970
2 items
5 227 Prospective Graduate Students , 1972
3 items
5 228 Prospective Undergraduate Students , 1971
2 items
5 229 Publications , 1965
5 items
5 230 Publication Plans of the Agronomy 4 Soils Faculty , 1966
31 items
5 231 Recreation (Academic Preparation) , 1968
1 item
5 231 Recreation (Academic Preparation). , 1968
1 item
5 232 Resident Instructional Staff , 1970
9 items
5 233 Rockefeller Foundation Fellowships , 1969-1971
30 items
5 234 Safety , 1969
9 items
5 235-236 Scholarships , 1964-1965, 1972-1973
51 items
5 237 Science Development Proposal , 1965
3 items
5 238 Search for Director Committee , 1972-1973
15 items
5 239 Seed House , 1972
3 items
5 240 Seed Lab (Seed Prices) , 1972
3 items
5 241 Seed School, Idaho-Washington , 1966
14 items
5 242-247 Short Courses , 1964-1969
87 items
5 248 Space , 1960-1965
55 items
5 249 Soil Chemistry Notes--correspondence , 1957-1967
31 items
5 250 Soil Conservation Service--SCD's (Newsletters) , 1964-1965
23 items
5 251 Soil Conservation Society of America , 1963-1971
15 items
5 252 Soil Conservation Society of America--inland Empire , 1964-1970
29 items
5 253-254 Soil Fertility Workers Conference--Central Washington , 1964-1965
30 items
5 255 Soil Fertility Workers Conference- -Western Washington , 1964-1964
10 items
6 256-263 Soil Improvement Committee , 1964-1967
217 items
6 264 Soils Research Program , 1968
21 items
6 265 Soils Seminar, University of Idaho & WSU , 1963-1964
12 items
6 266-268 Soil Science Society of America , 1965, 1968, 1969
9 items
6 269 Soil Survey--Seattle Conference , 1964
33 items
6 270-274 Staff Memoranda , 1965-1972
120 items
6 275-277 Stastics--Washington State Crop Reports , 1965-1969
45 items
6 278-279 Student Evaluations , 1967, 1969-1970
9 items
6 280 Study Council, President's , 1968-1969
15 items
6 281-282 Sulphur Institute , 1971, 1972
17 items
6 283 Symposia--Mutations, Barley, International Wheat Conference , 1969
41 items
6 283-292 Teaching , 1957-1959, 1968-1972
113 items
6 293 Training Sessions (Calendar) , 1964
3 items
6 294-295 Tree Fruit Council , 1969-1971
10 items
6 296 Tree Fruit Research Center (Wenatchee) , 1968
2 items
6 297 Turf , 1965-1971
26 items
6 298 Turf Association (Northwest Turfgrass Association) , 1964-1972
14 items
6 299-300 Turf--Goss (Western Washington Research and Extension Center) , 1960-1966, 1972
38 items
6 301 Turfgrass Research--Puyallup Extension Station , 1972
10 items
6 302-304 USDA Correspondence , 1965-1972
65 items
6 305 Varieties, Release of New , 1966
2 items
7 306 Visitation--Dr. Hagsand (Sweden) , 1965
6 items
7 307-309 Visitations--VIP , 1968-1970
23 items
7 310-311 Visitors , 1971-1972
25 items
7 312 Washington Association Of Soil and Water Conservation Districts , 1965
16 items
7 313-314 Washington Association of Wheat Growers , 1964-1971
36 items
7 315 Washington Mint Growers Association , 1970
2 items
7 316-322 Washington State Crop Improvement Association , 1965-1972
103 items
7 323-325 Washington State Soil Improvement committee , 1967-1969
54 items
7 326 Washington Wheat Commission , 1972
2 items
7 327 Water Holding Capacity of Irrigated Soils in the Columbia Basin--project proposals and other correspondence , 1963-1965
42 items
7 328-329 Water Research Center , 1971-1972
24 items
7 330 Weeds , 1965
6 items
7 331 Western Farmers Association , 1964-1965
2 items
7 332-336 Western Society of Crop Science , 1965-1971
87 items
7 337-338 Western Society of Soil Science , 1968, 1971
14 items
7 339-340 Western Washington Research and Extension Unit, Puyallup , 1965, 1968
3 items
7 341 Western Wheat Improvement Committee , 1971
2 items
7 342 Wheat Congress , 1965
15 items
7 343 Wheat Council (WSU) , 1971
13 items
7 344 Wheat--Miscellaneous , 1965
11 items
7 345 Wheat Plotland Exemptions (WSU experimental plots) , 1964-1965
13 items
7 346 Wheat Quality , 1964-1965
23 items
7 347 Wheat Research Workers (Tri-State) Meeting , 1965
21 items
7 348 Wheat Variety Commercial Milling Tests , 1965
26 items

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2:  Tennessee Valley Authority Files , 1951-1972

Series two, Tennessee Valley Authority files, date from 1951 to 1972 and consist of correspondence, financial statements, vouchers, and reports on program progress. Through an agreement with Washington State University, the TVA sold fertilizer to Washington state farmers. These records document this agreement, the shipment of the fertilizer, and the farmers who participated in the program. The file has been arranged chronologically to be consistent with its original order.

Container(s)
Description
Box
Folder
8 349 WSU Contract , 1951
17 items
8 350-351 Tests, Sales and Research Programs , 1953-1955
60 items
8 352 Correspondence , July 1-December 1955
47 items
8 353 Finances , 1955-1956
10 items
8 354-355 Correspondence , 1956
191 items
8 356 Finances , 1956-1957
37 items
8 357-358 Correspondence , 1957
167 items
8 359 l-b-2 Programs , 1957-1958
8 items
8 360-361 Correspondence , 1958
149 items
8 362 Vouchers , 1958
48 items
8 363 Finances , 1958-1959
40 items
8 364-365 Correspondence , 1959
127 items
8 366 Finances , 1959-1960
33 items
8 367 Annual Report , 1959-1960
1 item
8 368 Morrison's TVA File (fertilizer pamphlet, requisition form) , 1960
7 items
8 369-370 Correspondence , 1960
104 items
8 371 Cooperators (back to 1945) Report, 1961
20 items
8 372-373 Correspondence , 1961
92 items
8 374 Correspondence , January-June, 1962
52 items
Washington Counties:
Box
Folder
8 375-377 Cowlitz , 1956-1959
30 items
8 378-382 Grays Harbor , n.d., 1959
17 items
8 383 King , 1959
6 items
8 384 Kitsap , 1961
4 items
8 385 Lewis , 1959
15 items
8 386-393 Pacific , 1958-1961
60 items
8 394-397 Skagit , n.d., 1958-1959
15 items
8 398-400 Snohomish , 1959
22 items
8 401-402 Thurston , 1959-1961
10 items
8 403 Wahkiakum , 1959
6 items
8 404 Test Demonstration , 1968-1971
14 items
8 405 Correspondence , 1972
6 items

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3:  Correspondence Files , 1965-1971

Series three, the correspondence file, contains items dating from 1965 to 1971; these records have been arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically within each year. The file consists of correspondence to and from various agencies, including county extension agents, professional organizations, private industry, governmental departments, and individuals.

Container(s)
Description
1965:
Box
Folder
9 406-408 A-B
45 items
9 409 Buchanan, M.T.
14 items
9 410-413 C-F
30 items
9 414 Fischer, G.W. (Dean, College of Agriculture)
10 items
9 415 French, C.C. (president)
3 items
9 416-420 G-L
55 items
9 421 Ma-Mb
19 items
9 422 Madsen, L.L. (Dean, College of Agriculture)
12 items
9 423-424 Mc-Mz
21 items
9 425-428 N-R
42 items
9 429 Rasmussen, L.W.
4 items
9 430-435 S-Z
60 items
1966:
Box
Folder
9 436-437 A-B
39 items
9 438 Buchannan, M.T.
13 items
9 439-442 C-F
32 items
9 443 Fischer, G.W.
4 items
9 444 French, C.C.
2 items
9 445-451 G-M
142 items
9 452 Madsen, L.L.
20 items
9 453-462 Mc-Z
120 items
1967:
Box
Folder
9 463-464 A-B
42 items
9 465 Buchanan, M.T.
13 items
9 466-469 C-F
47 items
9 470 Fischer, G.W.
4 items
9 471-477 G-M
112 items
9 478 Madsen, L.L. (Dean, College of Agriculture)
20 items
9 479-483 Mc-R
42 items
9 484 Robins, J.S. (Director of Research, College of Agriculture)
17 items
9 485 S
35 items
9 486 Singleton, H.P.
1 item
9 487-490 T-Z
32 items
1968:
Box
Folder
10 491-499 A-J
51 items
10 500-506 K-Z
59 items
1969:
Box
Folder
10 507 A-N
28 items
10 508 O-Z
31 items
1970:
Box
Folder
10 509 A-N
66 items
10 510 Robins, J.S.
13 items
10 511 O-Z
61 items
1971:
Box
Folder
10 512 A-L
48 items
10 513 M-Z
39 items

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Subjects

  • Corporate Names :
  • Washington State University. Dept. of Agronomy and Soils--Archives  ( creator)
  • Washington State University. Dept. of Agronomy and Soils--Records and correspondence
  • Subject Terms :
  • Agricultural extension work--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Agronomy--Washington (State)--Research--Archives
  • Soils--Analysis--Washington (State)--Research
    • Other Creators :
    • State College of Washington. Department of Farm Crops and Soils.
    • State College of Washington. Dept. of Agronomy.
    • Tennessee Valley Authority--Archives

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