Material Type

Mixed Media

Description Level

Fonds

Physical Description

0.75 m of textual records

Physical Condition

Excellent

History Biographical

A. Douglas Smith was the supervisor for the District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta. Smith took over supervision of the reports from H. Chester. He worked and supervised the District Experiment Substation during the 1950s. In addition to his work with the Substation, he also wrote the annual reports on the irrigation and farming conditions. He graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree. During his time with the District Experiment Substations, A. Douglas worked as an agronomist. He observed and wrote about the yearly activities of farm life in Southern Alberta. The history of the Lethbridge Experimental Farm Station dates back to 1906, when the first experimental station opened. Up until 1959, farming activities and research at the Experimental research station was conducted by a District Supervisor. However, in 1959 the Department of Agriculture merged all agricultural activities into one, and has since been recognized as the Research Branch. Some of the national research program involves issues dealing with environmental health, sustainable farm production, and food safety. Douglas’s research at the station contributed to farm practices and new techniques for successful and sustainable irrigation. His research involved improving the efficiency of farm operation and farm life, and gained attention from other scientists not only in the area of Southern Alberta, but also across Canada. In some documents, there are also references to scientists in the U.S. that show interest in the research and techniques practiced by Smith. The Experimental Farm, where Smith was the primary supervisor during the 50s, practiced both dry land and irrigated crop rotation for wheat, sunflower, and other crops grown in the Southern Alberta district. Smith contributed to the Department of Agriculture’s national research program by issuing a speech on 11 March, 1955 where he discussed trends in water erosion control. In addition to supplying information on new trends in farming, the reports also show the environmental damage done to farms and crops due to factors such as flooding, drought, and excess wind. Smith’s contribution to the archives serves as a reference to the evolution of farm practices, policies, techniques, and research in Southern Alberta. Jones, Stephen Morgan. Agricultural Research Stations. “The Canadian Encyclopaedia.” Accessed 20 August 2012. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/research-stations-agricultural.

Language

English

Acquisition Source

June Smith, wife of the late A. Douglas Smith, donated her husband’s reports in 2007.

Scope and Content

The reports, documents, brochures, and pictures were given by June Smith to the Galt Museum in 2007. The information contains not only the work by A. Douglas Smith, but also the previous supervisors’ of the District Experiment Substation and Illustration station in Southern Alberta. The reports date back to 1922, and go until sometime in the mid to late 1970s. 2007.1029/1 Report of the Chief Supervisor (J.C. Moyan, B.S.A.) on District Experiment Substations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta (1935). 2007.1029/2 Illustration Stations (11 in total) Substation Report for Lethbridge & Southern Alberta area. Annual report of rainfall & crop yield included (1922). 2007.1029/3 Illustration Stations (12 in total) Reports for Lethbridge, AB & area. Annual reports of crop yield with extra information on scrap paper (1923). 2007.1029/4 Illustration Stations (16 in total with 1 closure in Vulcan) Reports for Lethbridge & Southern Alberta area. Annual report on crop yield with moisture conditions included (1924). 2007.1029/5 Illustration Station Report for Lethbridge & Southern Alberta area. Annual report of crop yield with moisture condition included (1925). 2007.1029/6 Illustration Stations (18 in total) Report for Lethbridge & Southern Alberta area. Annual reports on crop yield with moisture analysis included (1926). 2007.1029/7 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (R.E. Everest, B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta for Dominion Experimental Station in Lethbridge, AB (1927). 2007.1029/8 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (R.E. Everest, B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta (1928). 2007.1029/9 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (R.E. Everest, B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta (1929). 2007.1029/10 Report of Illustration Station by Supervisor (R.E. Everest, B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta (1930). 2007.1029/11 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (R.E. Everest B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta with cost and return values (1931). 2007.1029/12 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (R.E. Everest B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta (1932). 2007.1029/13 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (R.E. Everest B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta (1933). 2007.1029/14 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (H. Chester B.S.A.) with cost of production in Southern Alberta (1934) #1. 2007.1029/15 Report of Illustration Stations by Supervisor (H. Chester B.S.A.) in Southern Alberta (1934) #2. 2007.1029/16 Report of District Experiment Substations and Illustration Stations by Supervisor (H. Chester B.S.A., and H.J. Mather B.Sc.) in Southern Alberta (1935). 2007.1029/17 Interim Report of District Experiment Substations and Illustration Stations in Southern Alberta (1936). Supervisors’ H. Chester, B.S.A., and H.J. Mather, B.Sc. 2007.1029/18 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1937). Supervisors are H. Chester, B.S.A., and H.J. Mather, B.Sc. 2007.1029/19 Report of Illustration Stations and District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta with 6 photos on farming conditions (1934-1938). Supervisors are H. Chester, B.S.A., and H.J. Mather, B.Sc. 2007.1029/20 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1935-1939) with 10 photos of cultivated and uncultivated land, and crop success. Supervisors are H. Chester, B.S.A., and H.J. Mather, B.Sc. 2007.1029/21 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1935-1939) with 8 photos of cultivated and uncultivated farming land. Supervisors are H. Chester, B.S.A., and H.J. Mather, B.Sc. 2007.1029/22 Report of District Experiment Substation in Southern Alberta (1937-1946). Supervisor is H. Chester, B.S.A. 2007.1029/23 Report of Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Activities with 10 photos of farmland and everyday life on the farm (December 31, 1938). Supervised by the Dominion Experimental Station in Lethbridge, AB. 2007.1029/24 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1938-1939). Supervisors are H. Chester, B.S.A., and H.J. Mather, B.Sc. 2007.1029/25 Report of District Experiment Substations and Illustration Stations in Southern Alberta (1940). Supervisors are H. Chester, B.S.A., and H.J. Mather, B.Sc. 2007.1029/26 Report of District Experiment Substations and Illustration Stations in Southern Alberta (1941). Supervisors are H. Chester and H.J. Mather. 2007.1029/27 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1941). Supervisors are H. Chester and H.J. Mather. 2007.1029/28 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1942). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/29 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1944). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/30 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1944). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/31 Report of District Experiment Substation in Southern Alberta (1946 – Part 1). Supervisor is H. Chester. There are two figures of the layout of the experimental farm. 2007.1029/32 Report of the District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1946- Part 2). There are two figures of the experimental farm in 1942 and 1946. Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/33 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1946 – Part 3). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/34 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1947- Part 1). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/35 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1947- Part 2). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/36 Report of District Experiment Substation in Southern Alberta (1948). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/37 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1948). 2007.1029/38 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1948). Supervisor is H. Chester. 2007.1029/39 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta with letters from the Department of Agriculture, Canada. Supervisor is A.D. Smith, B.Sc. (1950). 2007.1029/40 Annual Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1951). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant. 2007.1029/41 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1951). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant. 2007.1029/42 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta with 2 photos of wheat fields (1952). Supervisor is A.D. Smith, who was also the agronomist, and J.B. Tennant, who was the Plot Foreman. 2007.1029/43 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1952). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant. 2007.1029/44 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (1953). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant. 2007.1029/45 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta (Including Tracy Test with Drill on Stubble seeding). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant (1953). 2007.1029/46 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta with comments from Department of Agriculture in Ottawa, Canada (1954). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant. 2007.1029/47 Report of District Experiment Substations in Southern Alberta with letters from Department of Agriculture in Ottawa, Canada (1955). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant. 2007.1029/48 Report of Illustration Stations in Southern Alberta (1956). Supervisor is A.D. Smith with Plot Foreman, J.B. Tennant. 2007.1029/49 Report from Division Illustration Stations (Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa). The Division Experimental Substations Progress Report, Creston, BC (1945 &1946). Supervisor is F.M. Chapman. 2007.1029/50 Division of Illustration Stations Progress Report for District Experiment Substations in Creston, BC (from the Library of the Lethbridge Experimental Station) (1948). Supervisor is F.M. Chapman. Contains 4 photos of the Creston reclaimed area prior to and following the flood. 2007.1029/51 Report of the Division of Illustration Stations Progress report for District Experiment Substations (1949). Supervisor is F.M. Chapman. 2007.1029/52 Division of Illustration Stations Progress Report for District Experiment Substations in Creston, BC (1950). Supervisor is F.M. Chapman. 2007.1029/53 District Experiment Substation in Creston B.C. with Progress report of wheat production and fertilizer tests from Lethbridge, AB (1951). Supervisor is F.M. Chapman. 2007.1029/54 Progress Report of Wheat Production and Fertilizer Test For Southern Alberta (1962 & 1963). Supervisor is A.D. Smith. 2007.1029/55 10 brochures (belonging to A. Douglas) on Repair and Maintenance of Farm buildings. [195-]. 2007.1029/56 3 brochures on sanitation and sewage drainage for Farms. Issued by The Department of Health. Property of A. Douglas Smith. [1940-195-]. 2007.1029/57 Experimental Farms Speech on Trends in Water Erosion Control In Southern Alberta. Given by: A. Douglas Smith (with 3 photos). Date Presented: 11 March, 1955. 2007.1029/58 Agriculture Canada Research Canada Letters and Description of soil and feed conditions. Total of 10 documents. [197-]. 2007.1029/59 Effect of field shelterbelts on crop yield and the influence of planting trees on the Canadian prairies for increased crop success. Also included is a letter from the Department of Agriculture. [197-]. 2007.1029/60 The influence of field shelterbelts on wind velocity and crop growth, and a three year summary from the Experimental Farms Service. [195-]. 2007.1029/61 Cropping soil drifting erosion control and mulching for crop production. A total of 5 brochures put forth by the Department of Agriculture in cooperation with State Agricultural Experiment Stations. [197-?]. 2007.1029/62 Fertilizer Experiments on Perennial Forage Crops in Southern Alberta (Agriculture Canada Research Station). [197-]. 2007.1029/63 Lethbridge Historical Society events, brochures, and documents (Galt Museum Info.) [197-]. 2007.1029/64 Sunflower Experiment. Record of the effects of fertilizer on sunflower production in Southern Alberta. (A.D. Smith). 1958. 2007.1029/65 Sunflower Experiment. The amount of fertilizer on sunflower in Southern Alberta. Property of A.D. Smith with letter to and from Dr. P. Robinson on results from fertilizer test . 1959. 2007.1029/66 Yield of Sunflower with Nitrogen and P2O5. Dry land farming stubble yield from Claresholm, Nobleford, and Lethbridge. (Not in Good condition). 1958-1960. 2007.1029/67 Results from Sunflower fertilization in Claresholm and Nobleford with letters to soil scientist; soil and feed testing lab, and research station. Brochures on sunflower production. Oversize charts on fertilizer levels. Supervisors are H. Chester and A.D. Smith. [1960-1971?] 2007.1029/68 Field tests of fertilization on sunflower in Claresholm, Nobleford, and Lethbridge. Also included are letters of inquiry from U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Dr. Pawlowski, A.D. Smith, William H. Miller). [1960-1970?] 2007.1029/69 Brochures, handouts, and charts on soil management and irrigation for farm rehabilitation. Article from Scientific American (September 1970) and summary of data from fertilized wheat on summer fallow rod-row tests in Southern, AB. (A.D. Smith & R.R. Cairns). [197-?] 2007.1029/70 Western Prairie Soils and Soil testing . Brochures on fertile fields and fertilizers. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (Jan.-Feb. 1970). [1923-1970?] 2007.1029/71 Fertilizer on wheat seeded on cover crops with yield for Lethbridge & Area. 1958-1959. FOR OTHER RECORDS OF A. DOUGLAS SMITH, SEE # 20071032000

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

20071029

Collection

Archive

Less detail