Dorsett-Morse Oriental Agricultural Exploration Expedition collection

By

Dorsett, P. H. (Palemon Howard), 1862-1943
Morse, W. J. (William Joseph), 1884-
National Agricultural Library (U.S.). Special Collections.

Type

Collection

Material

Archival material

Publication info

[1929-1932]

Notes

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.

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.

Subjects

(Palemon Howard), , (William Joseph), , 1862-1943 , 1884- , Agriculture , Asia , Dorsett, P. H , History , Internet resource , Morse, W. J , Scientific Expeditions , Soybean

Language

English

Identifiers

NAL: MS 51
OCLC: 122375420