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Dorsett-Morse Oriental Agricultural Exploration Expedition Collection
Content Description
The Dorsett-Morse Oriental Agricultural Exploration Expedition Collection consists of seven photograph albums of the 1929-1931 Oriental Agricultural Exploration Expedition illustrating plant varieties and uses, landscapes, and Asian cultural practices. In addition to the photographs, the collection contains diaries written by P. H. (Palemon Howard) Dorsett and W. J. (William Joseph) Morse as a complete report of their work. Combining memoranda, expense reports, itineraries, maps, correspondence, ship logs, invoices, and photographs, the two explorers created 17 volumes dating from 1928 to 1932. The photographs in the diaries are from the same trip as those in the photograph albums. Subsequent additions to the collection include a scrapbook of the expedition, travel pamphlets from Japan, photographs, postcards, and ephemera compiled by the Morse family.
Dates
- Creation: 1914-1945
Conditions Governing Access
Contact Special Collections for access.
Biographical Sketch
In 1929, P. H. (Palemon Howard) Dorsett (1862-1943) and W. J. (William Joseph) Morse (1884-1959) embarked on a plant exploration trip officially known as the Oriental Agricultural Exploration Expedition. Dorsett was a veteran plant explorer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Section of Plant Introduction, and Morse was a soybean specialist from the USDA Office of Forage Crops. This expedition was initiated in response to the growing importance of the soybean as a food crop during the early 20th century. The purpose of the trip was primarily to collect soybean germplasm, and also seeds and propagating materials for other crops of interest.
Total Size of Collection
2 flat_pamphlet_box
1 legal_document_box
34 boxes (5 boxes, 6 x 5 x 4.5; 3 boxes, 7.75 x 12.25 x 5.5; 1 box, 22.25 x 15.25 x 2; 25 boxes, 11.5 x 7.5 x 4)
31.5 Linear Feet (36 boxes (Total number of boxes from Access record does not agree with box subtotals))
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
In 2002, the Arnold Arboretum donated 300 to 500 black and white photographs and negatives from plant expeditions of Palemon Howard Dorsett and other USDA plant explorers. Some of these photographs were taken during the Dorsett-Morse Oriental Agricultural Exploration Expedition and can be found in this collection. The remainder of the photographs and negatives are located in the USDA Office of Plant Exploration Expedition Photographs, collection number 280.
In June 2004, W. J. Morse's daughter donated a scrapbook of Dorsett and Morse's expeditions in Asia during 1930. There are 32 black and white photographs (two of which are hand colored) with captions. The photographs in the scrapbook have negative numbers that correspond to the numbers on the negatives from the Arnold Arboretum.
Morse's daughter donated more materials to Special Collections of the USDA National Agricultural Library in July 2004. These included 9 pamphlets on Japan; a scrapbook of black and white photographs (unlabeled) depicting damage from the 1923 Tokyo earthquake; 86 loose black and white photographs taken while Morse was in Japan; packages of postcards depicting Japanese scenery and social life; a blank stationery set; local Japanese restaurant menus; and holiday cards, some of which are personalized to the Morse family.
Accruals
This is a growing collection.
Genres
maps, photographs
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the National Agricultural Library Special Collections Repository
National Agricultural Library
10301 Baltimore Avenue
Room 309
Beltsville Maryland 20705 USA
301-504-5876