Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives ( specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Records of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, RG 25/1, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

Series I of the Records of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station was transferred to Special Collections and University Archives in 1955. Series II was transferred in February 1982 and December 1984.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of Series II was completed in May 1985. The processing, arrangement, and description of Series I was commenced and completed in November 2019. Additional description was completed when converting the paper inventory of Series II to an electronic finding aid in January 2020.

Additional unprocessed boxes are not on this list but are available to view. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for more information.

Appraisal

Duplicate copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of the Virginia State Crop Pest Commission were weeded from the collection.

Administrative History

The Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station (VAES) was established in 1886 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly and funded by the federal Hatch Act of 1887 for the purpose of providing practical and useful information on agricultural and scientific subjects. Originally, it was organized into three departments: agriculture, botany and entomology, and chemistry. VAES was responsible for several agricultural research stations and laboratories throughout Virginia. On July 1, 1966, the research activities of the Agricultural Experiment Station, as well as the Engineering Experiment Station, were combined under a University-wide Research Division. In 1978, the VAES moved from the Research Division to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).

Scope and Content

This collection contains primarily farm surveys and reports, which comprise Series I. Survey books. Subjects covered include cattle, crop rotations, insecticides, orchards, etc. There are also statistical surveys on farm operations and productions in ten Virginia counties: Albemarle (1935, 2 vols.); Appomatox (1935-36, 4 vols.); Floyd (1937, 2 vols.); Grayson (1930-31, 8 vols.); Halifax (1939, 7 vols.); Henry (1940, 7 vols.); Nansemond (1932, 17 vols.); Norfolk (1931-32, 7 vols.); Pittsylvania (1933-36, 42 vols.); and Russell (1935, 9 vols.). Also included are 9 volumes of poultry surveys for several Virginia counties (1931-32) and a Truck survey done in 1938.

The second series comprises files dated 1903-1947. Materials include weather reports, annual reports of investigations of the field laboratories, and a large amount of documentation of various research projects related to crops, orchards, animals, and more at different Agricultural Research and Extension Centers (ARECs) across the state. Some of these records are from the earliest established ARECs at Chatham and Appomattox. The series also includes the correspondence of A. W. Drinkard, Jr., director of VAES from 1916 through 1946, with state entomologist and plant pathologist W. J. Schoene, professors and administrators at VPI, agricultural organizations, and others.

Additional unprocessed boxes are not on this list but are available to view. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for more information.

Arrangement

Series I. Survey books, 1931-1940, which are organized by county and survey type: Series II. Files, 1903-1947, which are organized in loose chronological and subject order. Correspondence files are subdivided alphabetically.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Agriculture
• Drinkard, Alfred Washington, Jr.
• Faculty and staff
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Science and Technology
• University Archives
• University History
• Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station
• Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (1896-1944)
• Virginia Engineering Experiment Station
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute (1944-1970)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Research Division
• Virginia Truck Experiment Station (1907-1967)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Records of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your- work/public-domain/cc0/ ).