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A Guide to the Agricultural Experiment Station Letterbooks

Finding aid created by Dept. Staff

University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections
March 2007


Descriptive Summary

Provenance: University of Florida. Agricultural Experiment Station.
Title: Agricultural Experiment Station Letterbooks
Dates: 1889-1906
Abstract: Letterbooks containing outgoing letters from the staff of the University of Florida Agricultural Experiment Station.
Extent: 2 linear ft. (21 vols.) linear feet. (14 35mm microfilm reels)
Identification: Series 88


Scope and Content

Series 88 is a set of letterbooks containing outgoing letters from staff of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. (Incoming correspondence may be found in Series 87). The series contains letters of the following staff members: Peter Henry Rolfs, Horticulturalist; H. Harold Hume, Horticulturalist; A. A. Persons, Chemist; H. K. Miller, Chemist; J. M. Pickell, Chemist; H. A. Gossard, Entomologist; Horace E. Stockbridge, Professor of Agriculture.

All but a few of the letters were written when the Station was located at the Florida Agricultural College in Lake City. The nature of the correspondence is similar to that in Series 87; however, this series does not include letters from any of the Station directors. During this time period, most staff at the Station had teaching responsibilities at the Agricultural College in addition to their research duties. Interspersed with Station correspondence are reports and letters regarding teaching conditions at the Florida Agricultural College.

Each volume, except volumes 9 and 10, contains an index of correspondents.

Addendum: Six additional letterbooks (2 of Rolfs, 3 of Hume, and Stockbridge's lettebook) were discovered in the library's limited circulation area in 1997. These volumes have not been filmed.


Access or Use Restrictions

Usage Restrictions

The condition of the letterbooks varies considerably. Some of the books are waterstained and many of the documents were poorly copied. Others have faded. The letterbooks were filmed for preservation purposes. Because of their fragile condition, the original letterbooks are to be used only if documents on film are illegible.


Related or Separated Material

Agricultural Experiment Station incoming correspondence may be found in Series 87.


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Agricultural Experiment Station Letterbooks, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.


Contents List

J.M. Pickell

Vol. 1, Jan. 28, 1889-July, 1898 - Reel 1
Vol. 2, Feb.4, 1890-June, 1892 - Reels 1 and 2


Peter Henry Rolfs

Vol. 3, Sept. 11, 1894-Oct. 17, 1895 - Reel 2
Vol. 4, Oct. 26, 1895-May 22, 1896 - Reel 3
Vol. 5, May 29, 1896--Nov. 4, 1897 - Reel 4
Vol. 6, Nov. 8, 1897-May, 1898 - Reel 5
Vol. 7, March 4, 1899-August 19, 1899 - Reel 6


H. Harold Hume

Vol. 7, Oct. 1899 - Reel 6
Vol. 8, Dec. 4, 1899-Nov. 5, 1900 - Reel 7
Vol. 9, June 6, 1902-January 29, 1903 - Reel 8
Vol. 10, April 8, 1904-June 6, 1906 - Reel 9


A. A. Persons

Vol. 11, April, 1898-July, 1898 - Reel 10


H. K. Miller

Vol. 11, Jan. 1899-Feb.3, 1904 - Reel 11


H. A. Gossard

Vol. 12, Feb. 27, 1900-Dec. 11, 1900 - Reel 11 and 12
Vol. 13, Dec.11, 1900-Nov. 14, 1901 - Reel 12
Vol. 14, Nov. 18, 1901-Nov. 15, 1902 - Reel 13
Vol. 15, Jan. 9, 1903-Jan. 20, 1904 - Reel 14


Addendum - Peter Henry Rolfs

Vol. 16, March 28, 1892-Sept. 12, 1894
Vol. 17, May 27, 1898-March 7, 1899


Addendum - H. Harold Hume

Vol. 18, July 19, 1901-June 3, 1902
Vol. 19, Feb. 6, 1903-Aug. 12, 1903
Vol. 20, Aug. 12, 1903-April 6?, 1904


Addendum - Horace E. Stockbridge

Vol. 21, Aug. 9, 1901-Oct. 7, 1901 (only ten pages)


Selected Subjects and Access Points

Agricultural experiment stations -- Florida.
Agriculture -- Florida -- Experimentation.
Florida Agricultural College (Lake City, Fla.) -- History -- Sources.
Florida. State Agricultural College -- History -- Sources.
Gossard, H. A. (Harry Arthur), 1868-1925.
Hume, H. Harold (Hardrada Harold), 1875-1965.
Miller, H. K.
Persons, A. A.
Pickell, J. M.
Rolfs, P. H. (Peter Henry), 1865-1944.
University of Florida (Lake City, Fla.) -- History -- Sources.
University of Florida. Agricultural Experiment Station -- Records and correspondence.


For further information, please contact: Special Collections Access Services.

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