USDA Agricultural Research Service Photographs of Poultry and Livestock

Collection

Identifier: MS0273

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

The 26 photograph albums that compose the USDA Agricultural Research Service Photographs of Poultry and Livestock reflect a small portion of the output of USDA photographers and agents as they helped to document research and promote agricultural advancement during the first part of the twentieth century. The photographs are black and white with identifying captions, arranged in groupings of four per page, and were taken between the 1920s and 1940s.

The majority of the photographs were taken on the farms located at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Maryland from the 1920s to the 1930s. These albums provide an excellent visual overview of activities and developments at one of the world’s premier research farms during the first half of the twentieth century. Many of the pictures include significant background detail on farm life and human activity beyond the experimental arena. Other locations on which the pictures were taken include USDA sites, related commercial enterprises, farms, and arenas across the United States, as well as Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Many of the pictures were used for the USDA's educational outreach. They appeared as part of slide displays and in USDA publications, such as the Farmers' Bulletins. Individual photographs within the albums are typically described on standard form A.H. Form 133 and identified by a distinct File Number.

As shown in the Series Description that follows, the albums are grouped under four topics: Poultry, Sheep, Swine, and Miscellaneous, which includes cattle and exhibits. Pictures do not necessarily follow a chronological pattern. Instead, they may be organized according to an underlying theme, event, or slide presentation. Sample sub-topics include: purebred versus mixed breeds, feeding grounds, procedures for preparing carcasses, experiments, diseases and defects, exhibits, posters, charts, plans, and machinery. Though classification sheets included in the front of every album show that there were once over a hundred albums; only 26 are extant and have been accessioned by NAL.

Dates

Creation: 1841-1950

Conditions Governing Access

Contact Special Collections for access.

Total Size of Collection

26 boxes (1 box, 18.5 x 12 x 3; 10 boxes, 17.5 x 12 x 3; 11 boxes, 17.5 x 12 x 4; 4 boxes, 17.5 x 12 x 5)

30 Linear Feet (26 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Content Description

The USDA Agricultural Research Service Photographs of Poultry and Livestock consists of 26 photographic albums with images of poultry, sheep, swine, cattle, and other livestock. Each album contains 100 to 200 pages, with one to six photographs per page. Grouped by subject, many of the photographs were taken at the Beltsville (Maryland) Agricultural Research Center between 1841 and 1950. The bulk of the photographs are from 1910 to 1935. The albums also include lithographs from the mid-19th century.

Genres

photographs

History of the United States Department of Agriculture's Use of Photographs

Following the Hatch Act of 1887, the USDA took a lead role in the scientific development of agriculture, as well as efforts to disseminate the practical effects of its efforts to American farmers. Such activities were strengthened with the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 and subsequent expansion of the Extension Services throughout the United States. While agricultural research took place around the world, the USDA's scientific initiatives centered in the controlled environment of its laboratories and experimental stations. One of the most prominent of these was the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), which opened in Beltsville, Maryland, just north of the District of Columbia in 1910.

As a part of its scientific research and educational initiatives, the USDA also became an innovator in the use of media for documentation. As seen in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection, the USDA initially employed graphic artists to document the agriculture of an area through drawings and paintings. Later, the USDA employed motion picture film makers and still picture photographers for the same documentary purpose. As illustrated by this collection of albums, still photographs were the main focus of the USDA’s 20th-century documentation of every aspect of agriculture.

Album Classification System

The following is the classification system, included with the albums, that shows the original grouping of over a hundred albums.

Poultry

Beltsville Farm

A. Birds—Purebred:

A1 Plymouth Rock

A2 Leghorn

A3 Miscellaneous

A4 Crossbred 1912-1920

A4A Lamona & Crossbred 1921

B. Flocks

C. Miscellaneous

D. Poultry Clubs and Extension Workers

E. Ranges, Houses, Coops, Feed Hoppers

Other Than Beltsville Farm

F. Birds:

FI Ancona to Coohin, Inc.

FII Cornish to Java, Inc.

FIII Lachenvelder to Orpington, Inc.

FIV Plymouth and Polish

FV Red Cap to Yokohama, Inc.

G. Caponizing, Culling, Judging

H. Charts

K. Clubs

L. Fattening Stations

M. Feathers

N. Houses, Equipment on Flocks:

N1 Australia, Arizona, California

N2 Delaware to Maryland, Inc.

N3 Massachusetts to New Jersey, Inc.

N4 New Mexico to Wyoming, Inc.

N5 Miscellaneous

O. Incubation and Eggs

P. Miscellaneous Exhibits, Chicks, Diseases, Imperfections

Q. Poultry Experiment Station, Glendale, Arizona

R. Ducks

S. Geese

T. Guineas, Pheasants, Peacocks

U. Ostriches

V. Pigeons

W. Turkeys:

W1 Birds and Flocks

W2 Miscellaneous

Sheep

1.1. Australian views secured by F.R. Marshall

1.2A. Beltsville Farm—Purebred individuals and flocks (Corriedales, Hampshire, Blackfaced, Highland, Leicester, Shropshire, Southdown)

1.2B. Beltsville Farm—Experiments, grade animals, equipment, miscellaneous

1.2C. Beltsville Farm—Club pictures, Barbadoes, Karakules and Karakule skins

1.3A. Dubois, ID, 1918 to 1920, and previous pictures at Laramie, Wyo. 1906-1917

1.3B. Dubois, ID, 1922

1.3C. Dubois, ID, 1924 to 1929

1.4. Miles City, MT; Newell, SD; Hillsboro, WV; Buffalo and Laramie, WY, since 1920

1.5. Morgan Horse Farm, Middlebury, VT

1.6. Lamb and lamb meat grade standardization in cooperation with B.A.E.

1.7A. Miscellaneous—Breeds: Black faced to Kerry

1.7B. Miscellaneous—Breeds: Leicester to Shetland

1.7C. Miscellaneous—Breeds: Shropshire to Tunis

1.7D. Miscellaneous—Pasture scenes arranged by States

1.7E. Miscellaneous—Judging, teeth, exhibits, charts and line drawings, docking and castrating equipment

1.8A. Wool: including shearing scenes

1.8B. Wool: fibers (including other animal fiber) and woolen factory scenes

Swine

3.1a. Beltsville Farm—Breeding Experiments

3.1b. Beltsville Farm—Feeding Experiments

3.1c. Beltsville Farm—Forage Crop and Johns Hopkins Experiments

3.2a. Beltsville Farm—Groups and individuals, equipment, ear marking, vaccinating, castration, judging

3.3a. Experiments in South Dakota and Montana (Ardmore, Newell, Miles City)

3.3b. Pig Clubs

3.4. Breeds

3.5. Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous [Exhibition Panels 16]

5. Ducks, geese, guineas, pheasants, peacocks

6. Dogs, guinea pigs, other animals, monstrosities

7a. Goats-Angora and Miscellaneous

7b. Goats, Beltsville Farm

8. Ostriches

9. Pigeons

10. Turkeys

11. McNeil, Mississippi-Livestock, bldgs, etc.

12. Morgan Horse Farm – Buildings

13. Portraits, Laboratory views, Exteriors at Beltsville

14. Pasture, Forage and Hay crops

15. South American views (Rommel): European views (Cole)

16. Exhibition panels

17. Miscellaneous

18.1 to 18.5. Cooperative Meat Project

18.6 to 18.8. Beef, lamb and pork, miscellaneous