Oregon State University
University Archives
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-4501
Phone: 541-737-2165
Email: archives@oregonstate.edu
Web: http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives



Guide to the Bioresource Engineering Department Records, 1924-1983


RG 001







Encoded by, 2004
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

Oregon State University
University Archives

121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-4501
Phone: 541-737-2165
Email: archives@oregonstate.edu
Web: http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives

 
Collection Number:
 

RG 001

 
Creator:
 

Oregon State University. Dept. of Bioresource Engineering.

 
Title:
 

Bioresource Engineering Department Records

 
Dates:
 

1924-1983 (inclusive)

 
Quantity:
 

12 cubic ft.
6 microfilm reels

 
Languages:
 

Materials in English. 

 
Summary:
 

The Bioeresource Engineering Department Records document the research and extension activities of the department; the design, development, and use of agricultural equipment; and the architectural design of structures primarily for agricultural use. The Records also include extensive materials pertaining to the flax industry in Oregon from 1938 to 1954.

 

Historical Note

The Department of Agricultural Engineering was created in 1916 when the Department of Agronomy was subdivided, and was placed within the School of Agriculture. It was originally housed in the Farm Mechanics Building (now Gilmore Hall). The first department chair was William James Gilmore. In 1947 the department became jointly administered by the Schools of Agriculture and Engineering. The department's name was changed to Bioresource Engineering in 1991.

Fiber flax processing investigations were conducted at Oregon State College from from the late 1930s through mid 1950s through a joint USDA/Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station project. Engineering research led to the development and introduction of improved equipment for pulling, deseeding, scutching, and cleaning flax. Also, improved designs for flax mills were developed and recommendations made for prevention and control of flax mill fires. Researchers involved in this project included W. M. Hurst, L. M. Klein, J. E. Harmond, and M. C. Widger.

Fiber flax had been grown in the Willamette Valley since 1915, but prior to World War II the acreage was small and production and processing methods were based largely on European practices. When European flax supplies were cut off by World War II the acreage of flax and number of mills increased significantly and research results were available so that improved equipment could be installed in all the flax mills.

Content Description

Series 4 documents the research activities of the department. Series 7 consists primarily of correspondence of faculty member John Wolfe, much of it concerning irrigation. Series 8 consists of reports and short features broadcast over radio station KOAC in the 1930s and 1940s. Series 9, annual reports of research, spans the years 1970 to 1983.

Series 10 consists of materials pertaining to the flax industry in Oregon from 1938 to 1954: references, reports, design specifications, and building and equipment plans and drawings. These materials resulted from state and federal fiber flax processing investigations between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

Series 11 consists of plans and drawings for homes; farm structures and equipment; selected campus buildings and structures including buildings at some Branch Experiment Stations; and plans for non-OSU buildings and/or sites designed by Agricultural Engineering Department faculty, primarily H. R. Sinnard. Most of the farm structures and equipment plans and drawings were published and distributed by the Extension Service.

Arrangement

Organized into 11 series: I. Monthly Reports; II. Staff Meeting Minutes; III. Correspondence, Robert M. Alexander; IV. Projects and Reports; V. Patents; VI. Agricultural Engineering Personnel; VII. Correspondence; VIII. Radio Talks and Reports; IX. Annual Reports; X. Flax Industry Materials; and XI. Plans and Drawings.

Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation 

Bioresource Engineering Department Records (RG 1), Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

Related Information

Related Materials 

Materials related to the Bioresource Engineering Department can be found in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Dean's Office Records (RG 158); Agricultural Experiment Station Records (RG 25); Extension Service Records (RG 111); Bioresource Engineering Department Photograph Collection (P106); and publications in PUB 10-11a.

Subjects

KOAC (Radio station : Corvallis, Or.)
Oregon State College. Agricultural Experiment Station.
Agricultural education--Oregon.
Agricultural engineering--Research--Oregon.
Agricultural experiment stations--Oregon.
Agricultural machinery.
Architecture--Oregon--Designs and plans.
College buildings--Oregon--Corvallis.
Farm buildings--Oregon.
Flax industry--Oregon.
Flax--Processing--Oregon--Willamette River Valley.
Fruit--Research--Oregon.
Harvesting machinery--Research--Oregon.
Irrigation--Research--Oregon.
Radio programs--Oregon.
Architectural drawings.
Patents.
Radio scripts.
Technical drawings.
Other Creators :
Alexander, Robert M.
Sinnard, H. R. (Herbert Reeves), 1904-
Wolfe, John W. (John William), 1917-
Oregon State College. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering.
Oregon State College. Federal Cooperative Extension Service.
Oregon State University. Agricultural Engineering Dept.

Detailed Description of the Collection

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
reel
1


Series I:  Monthly Reports, 1959-1960


 
 
reel
1



Series II:  Staff Meeting Minutes, 1959-1960


 
 
reel
4



Series III:  Correspondence, Robert M. Alexander


 

Series IV:  Projects & Reports, 1924-1957

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
reel
2
folder
1

Projects, 1924-1925
 
2
Experiment Station Projects
 
3
The Dalles Co-operative Growers
 
4
Prune Projects
 
5
Strawberry Projects
 
6
Eugene Fruit Growers - Plums
 
7
Apple Growers Association
 
8
U.S. Frozen Pack Lab Reports, 1936-1937
 
9
Hoerner - Hop Project
 
10
Corn Products Reports, 1936-1938
 
11
Agricultural Research Foundation - Contracts for New Projects
 
12
Biennial Reports for the Experiment Station
 
13
Bear Creek Orchard Reports, 1939
 
14
Progress Report - Dextrose Investigation
 
15
Fish Projects
 
16
Progress Report of Fish and Vegetable Preservation Studies, 1940-1941
 
17
Strawberries, 1941
 
18
Blackberries
 
19
Raspberries
 
20
Cherry and Tomato Investigations for Starr Fruit Products Company, 1941
 
3 21
Air Pollution - Technical Information Survey
 
22
Apple Washing - Acid Heating
 
23
Arnold Dryer Company
 
24
Summary of Drying Tests on Arnold Dryer
 
25
Bulb Testing
 
26
" Cattle Squeeze"
 
27
Soil and Water Conservation
 
28
Boiler Feedwater and Boiler Water Conditions of Dairy Coop. Association
 
29
Drying - General
 
30
Artificial Drying of Corn
 
31
Walnut Drying
 
32
Egg Room Humidifier
 
33
Insulate Egg Room
 
34
Rural Electrification - Electric Fence Project
 
35
Official Tests of Electric Fence Units
 
36
Electric Sterilizer Project
 
37
Soil Erosion
 
38
Rural Electrification - Farm Freezer Units
 
39
Farm Machinery, Secretary of Agriculture, Engineering Research Branch, Annual Report, 1953-1954
 
40
USDA Agriculture Research Service, Agriculture Engineering Research, Farm Machinery, Annual Report, 1954-1955
 
41
Fiber Flax - Annual Reports, 1950-1951
 
42
Feed Grinding Study Project
 
43
Brownell Floor Heating Experiment
 
44
Poultry Floor Heating - OSC Experiment Station
 
45
Harvesting and Farm Seed Cleaning and Handling - Annual Report, 1956
 
46
Harvesting Forage Crops in Western Oregon and Progress Report, on 4-6 Combins, 1957
 
47
Irrigation
 
48
Irrigation Research on Willamette Valley Soils
 
49
Sprinkler Irrigation - General
 
50
Kitchen Hooks
 
51
Milkrooms - Construction of Milkhouses
 
52
Poultry Housing and Ventilation
 
53
Third National Potato Conference
 
54
Purnell Reports and Miscellaneous Project Reports
 
55
Refrigeration
 
56
Reports - Relation of Electricity to Agriculture
 
57
Biennial and Progress Reports
 
58
Reports and Lectures - Miscellaneous
 
59
Research Projects - Filbert Harvester
 
60
Research Projects - Filbert Drying
 
61
Research Projects - Farm Building Projects
 
62
Research Projects - Symphalid Control
 
63
Research Projects - Pea Weevil - Aphis Program
 
64
Research Projects - Hop Drying
 
65
Rural Electrification
 
66
Seed Cleaning
 
67
" Service to Electrical Equipment"
 
68
Semi-Scalder Turkeys
 
69
Electric Soil Sterilizer
 
70
Soil Sterilization
 
71
Squaw Butte Experiment Station
 
72
Water Resources
 
73
Water Supply Information
 
4 74
Small Seed Harvesting and Processing Investigation - Annual Reports
 
box
1


Fiber Flax Processing Investigations, 1947
 


Irrigation of Vegetable Crops, Multnomah County, 1952
 
reel
5
folder
1

Balsam Wooly Aphid
 
2
Insect Lab - Rudinsky
 
3
Regional Research
 
4
Seed Lab
 
5
Soils - Youngberg
 
6
Genetics - B.L.M.
 
7
Hill Projects
 
8
Forest Research Division - Administration Project 200
 
9
Forest Research Division - Technical Project 342
 
10
USDA Research
 
11
Thesis - Application of Western Hemlock Yield Tables
 
12
B.L.M. - Animals
 
13
Forest Research Division - Technical Project 341
 
14
Genetics Project
 
15
Agricultural Experiment Station

 

Series V:  Patents

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
reel
4
folder
75

Pear Blight Patents
 
76
Patents - Material from Dr. Johnson
 
77
Insecticide Patent Material for B.G. Thompson
 
78
Disinfectant Patent by H.P. Barss
 
79
Pear Blight Patent
 
80
Scale Beam Patent by Dr. Wilster
 
81
Miscellaneous Patents

 

Series VI:  Agricultural Engineering Personnel

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
reel
5
folder
1

Agricultural Engineering Staff
 
2
Agricultural Engineering Staff Seminars, 1961
 
3
Graduate Students and Graduate School
 
4
Irrigation Research Review Conference
 
5
Staff - Rogers
 
6
Radiation Safety Committee

 

Series VII:  Correspondence

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
reel
5


1958-1965
   
1925-1970
 
box
1


Documents from microfilm reels 5-6, 1925-1965
 


Joint administration of department, 1929-1947
 


Western Agricultural Engineering Center, Memorandum of Understanding, 1970

 

Series VIII:  Radio Talks & Reports, 1938-1949

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
reel
5
folder
1

" Research in Rural Electrification", March 18, 1939
 
2
" Power and Agricultural Development of the Northwest", July 7, 1938
 
3
" Planning a Dairy Barn", December 11, 1939
 
4
" How Statistics Improves Physical, Chemical, and Engineering Measurements", December 14, 1949
 
5
" How Electricity is Being Used on Oregon Farms", March 25, 1940
 
6
" The Pneumatic Tired Tractor", February 17, 1940
 
7
" The Effect of Tire Wear on Tractor Performance", January 27, 1940
 
8
" Land Development in the State of Oregon", January 24, 1940
 
9
" Rubber Tires for Farm Equipment", April 10, 1940
 
10
" New Developments in Farm Tractors", October 11, 1939
 
11
" Engineering Evolution and its Relation to Agriculture", February 14, 1940
 
12
" Explosives - An Instrument of Industrial and Agricultural Progress", January 10, 1940
 
13
" Studies of Barn Dried Hay"
 
14
" Engineering Aspects of Rodent Control"
 
15
" Aids to Judgement in Irrigation"
 
16
" Planning a Small Farm Walnut or Filbert Drier", May 20, 1939
 
17
" Labor-Saving Devices Used on Oregon Farms", October 19, 1942
 
18
" Repairing Farm Machinery Now for Spring and Summer Needs", February 1, 1943
 
19
" Electrical Hotbeds and Propagating Beds", January 26, 1942
 
20
" Dairy Barns", January 10, 1947
 
21
" Adequate Wiring", February 14
 
22
" Farm Safety"
 
23
" Farm Building Insulation", November 22, 1946
 
24
" Pumping Molasses When Adding it to Grass Silage", October 25, 1946
 
25
" Servicing the Cooling System for Anti-Freeze", November 8, 1946
 
26
" Who Ever Heard of a Half Horse?", June 13, 1947
 
27
" The Second Home on the Farm", May 16, 1947
 
28
" Farm Fire Protection"
 
29
" Hydraulic Power Controls for Farm Machines", April 4, 1947
 
30
" Roof Coverings on Farm Buildings", April 18, 1947
 
31
" Hay Driers for Western Oregon", May 2, 1947
 
32
" Electric Hotbeds"
 
33
" Mechanical Means of Weed Control", February 24, 1940
 
34
" Low Pressure Sprinkler Irrigation", January 13, 1940
 
35
" A Comparison of Two Types of Cylinders", January 20, 1940
 
36
" Wood Hoop Granaries", February 10, 1940
 
37
" Mechanization of Sugar Beet Production", March 2, 1940
 
38
" The Policies of Creditors in Relation to Soil Conservation", February 3, 1940
 
39
" Electricity on the Farm", February 28, 1940
 
40
" One Story Dairy Barn", March 9, 1940
 
41
" The Power Companies Activities in Rural Electrification as Viewed from the Standpoint of the Public", March 1, 1940
 
6


 

Series IX:  Annual Reports of Research, 1970-1983

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
box
1


1970/71 to 1974/75
 


1980/81 to 1982/83

 

Series X:  Flax Industry Materials, 1938-1954

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
box
1


Baling, 1942-1945
 


Costs and Yields, 1938-1941
   
Patents
 


General Flax Processing Equipment
 
6 folders
 


Pullers
 
4 folders
 


Miscellaneous
 
2 folders
   
Plans and Drawings
 
2

A-C Combine Puller Deseeder, 1943
   
Binders
 


Straw Divider and Double Needle Binder (installation at Mt. Angel), 1946-1953
   
Breakers
 


Ideas-LMK, 1942
 


Shaker Breaker Shaker, 1951
 


Bundle Conveyer
 


Butter Destroyed by Fire at Silverton, 1941-1942
   
Deseeders
 


A&B (MCW, LMK), 1939
 


Cornelius and Mt. Angel, 1941-1948
 


Crank Arm Drive, 1940
 


Molalla, 1941-1943
 


Santiam, 1951
 


Dryer Building, 1952
 


Feeders
 


Field Binders, 1947-1953
 


Field Binder Loader, 1953
 


Granger Farm Storage Sheds, 1941
 


Handi Hoist, 1948
 


Looms
 


Oil Burner Specifications, 1952
 


Phormium Stripper Base and Drive Plan
 


Plants - Field Notes and Measurements, 1941-1942
   
Pullers
 


Self-Propelled Puller
 


Vessot Puller
 


Retting Tanks - Top Lift/Hoist Mechanism, 1945-1951
   
Santiam Flax Growers
 


Heating Coil Installation - Tow Dryer
 


Scutching and Tow Building Layout, 1943-1946
   
Scutchers
 


Breaker-Scutcher #1 (burned at Harrisburg)
 


Demonstration Unit, 1949
 


Experimental Scutcher Installation - Santiam, 1945
 


Feeder Design, 1950-1951
 


Gripping Chain and Breaker-Experimental Scutcher, 1944-1949
 


New Scutcher Springs, 1947-1949
 


Scutcher #4
 


Scutcher Feed Table (Butting), 1945-1948
 


Scutching Breaker #1 - MCW
 


Scutching Machine - LMK, 1940
 


Tow Scutching and Tow Cleaners, 1942-1944
 


V.H. and V.S. Combination Scutcher Plan for Mt. Angel
 
3

Special Patent Drawings, 1953
 


String Cutter, 1947-1952
 


Temperature and Humidity Controlled Room, 1941
 


Tow Separator Box, 1946-1950
   
Tow Shakers, 1940
 


Tow Shaker Dryer - Benton, 1942-1946
   
Plans and Drawings of Equipment and Buildings - Oversize
 
7

List of Drawings for Flax Processing Plants, 1942
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Preliminary Sketches
 
apx 20x24 in.
 
map/case
*


Sketches and Preliminary Drawings
 


Plot Plans and Plant Layouts
 


Existing Structures Tracings
 


Belgian Retting Tanks Tracings
 


Miscellaneous Prints
 


Proposed Structures Tracings
 


Sketches and Preliminary Drawings
 


Equipment Plans
 
Primarily original ink drawings
 
box
3


Publications, 1942-1945
   
Reports
 


Accomplishments of the Fiber Flax Processing Investigations, 1946-1954
 


Deseeding Circular
 


Experimental Self-Propelled Flax Puller Progress Report, 1951-1952
 


Flax Puller Circular
 


Machine Construction Monthly Reports, 1941-1943
 


Performance of the Experimental Bundle Spreading Device, 1946
 


Processing Fiber Flax in Oregon (write-up for Bulletin)
 


Rotary Comb Deseeder Bulletin
 


Scutching Machine for Fiber Flax (Circular)
 


Test Reports, 1948-1952
   
Tests
 


Butting Tests, 1946
 


Butting Test - Washington County, 1948
 


Commercial Flax Variety Tests (Chapin Plots), 1951
 


Data, 1942-1946
 


Deseeder - Mt. Angel, 1948-1952
 


Field Binder Loader, 1950
 


Hand and Machine Hackling Test, 1951
 


Pulling Test, 1946
 


Scutcher
 


Experimental vs. Van Hauwaert, 1946-1947
 


Experimental vs. Vansteenkiste, 1950
 


Scutcher Tests - Mt. Angel, 1948-1949
 


Scutcher Beater Speed Test, 1951-1952
 


Scutcher Blade Modification Test, 1952
 


Scutcher Feeder Tests - No. 1 and 2 - Santiam
 


Scutcher Performance Comparison Tests, 1947
 
7

Scutching Tests, 1945
 
apx 20x24 in.
 
3

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1940-1944
 


Want Lists, 1939-1958

 

Series XI:  Plans and Drawings, 1930-1970

 
 
Container(s)
Description
 
box
3


Plans and Specifications, 1942-1945
 


Plans - Modular House
 


Plans - Potato Washers
   
Homes
 
5

Expansible Retirement House - " Casa del Manana"
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Farm Houses, 1940-1942
 
apx 20x24 in.

5 folders
 


Freedom House
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


House Planning and Architectural Drawing Class Projects
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Housing for the Elderly
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Modular House
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Rosenstiel Residence
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Schoenfeld Residence (Edgewood Drive)
 
apx 20x24 in.
   
Farm Structures and Equipment
 
6

Air Meter
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Bail Tie Straightener
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Barns, General Purpose
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Beef Equipment
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Beef Barns
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Breeding Crates and Chutes
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Camp Cabins
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Cattle Feeders
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Cattle Guards
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Children's Playground Merry-go-round
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Chutes
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Cone Feed Mixer
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Corn Cribs
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Corn Driers
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Dairy Barns
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Dehydrators
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Dipping Vats
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Drag Saw
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Dusting Equipment and Weed Sprayers
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Electric Pig Brooder
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Farm Fence
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Farm Labor Houses
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Fruit and Vegetable Storage
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Garages, Two-Car
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Garden Pea Sheller
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Granaries and Grain Elevators
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Grass Seed Thresher
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Hay Sheds
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Hay Driers
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Haying Equipment
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Hog Feeders
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Hog Houses
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Hop Driers
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Horse Barns
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Horticultural Tent House
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Incinerator
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Iron Bender Stand
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Machinery Sheds
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Manure Loader
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Manure Tanks and Pits
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Milk Houses and Equipment
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Nut Driers
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Nut Harvesters
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Potato Houses
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Poultry Houses and Equipment
 
apx 20x24 in.
 
7

Refrigeration
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Roofs
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Rural Community Halls
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Scale and Corral Layout
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Septic Systems
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Sewing Cabinet
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Sheep Sheds and Equipment
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Silage Conveyor and Feed Bunk
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Silos
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Smokehouses
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Soil Sterilizer
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Suction Harvester for Clover Seed
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Trailers
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Troughs and Feed Bins
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Turkey Houses and Equipment
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Utility Buildings
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Vegetable Greenhouse
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Water Supply
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Water Wheel
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Wood Lift
 
apx 20x24 in.
   
Oregon State College Buildings and Structures
 


Agricultural Engineering Building
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Beef Barn
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Dairy Barn
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Experiment Stations
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Fish Hatchery
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Laboratory/Office Building
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Livestock Pavilion
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Pasture Lands - Plans for Development
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Poultry Structures
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Sheep Barn
 
apx 20x24 in.
   
Plans for Non-OSC Buildings
 


Albany City Park - Outdoor Kitchen
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Curtis Farm - Irrigation Pipe System
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Elkins Feedlot
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


J.L. Cattle Ranch, Prairie City, Oregon - Corral and Chutes
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Granger Farmstead
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Millhollen Tract
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


Pacific Supply Cooperative - Farm Storage
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


State Fair and County Fair Grounds Structures
 
apx 20x24 in.
 


W.C.T.U. Children's Farm Home - Dairy Building
 
apx 20x24 in.