Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140
RS 13/5/14
Irving E. Melhus (1881-1969)
Papers, 1906-2002, n.d.
Descriptive summary
| creator: | Melhus, Irving E. (1881-1969) |
| title: | Papers |
| dates: | 1906-2002, n.d. |
| extent: | 6.2 linear ft. (4 records center cartons and 1 oversized box) |
| collection number: | RS 13/5/14 |
| repository: | University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University. |
Administrative information
| access: | Open for research |
| publication rights: | Consult Head, Special Collections Department |
| preferred citation: | Irving E. Melhus Papers, RS 13/5/14, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Biographical note
Irving E. Melhus was born to Ole and Enger Risting Melhus on April 2, 1881, in Creston, Illinois. He received his B.S. (1906) from Iowa State College (University) and his Ph.D. (1912) in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin. He first taught at the Burlington (Iowa) High School (1907). He became an Assistant (1908-1909) and Instructor (1910-1911) at the University of Wisconsin. He worked as a Plant Pathologist (1912-1916) with the United States Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry. Melhus was appointed Associate Professor (1916-1917) of Plant Pathology at Iowa State College (University) and was promoted to Professor (1917-1951) and Head (1930-1946) of the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. He also organized and directed the Guatemala Tropical Research Center at Antigua, Guatemala (1946-1953). Melhus was named Emeritus Professor of Plant Pathology in 1952. Melhus' research interests included studying the diseases of many farm crops and vegetables including corn and other cereal grains, potatoes, and melons. He co-authored a book with G. C. Kent, Elements of Plant Pathology (1937; call number SB731 M484e) which was used as a textbook in plant pathology courses for many years. While directing research at the Guatemala Tropical Research Center, Melhus focused his efforts on studying teosinte, an ancestor of the modern corn plant, for desirable traits that could be crossed with modern corn. His long-term active interest in corn led to a significant improvement in corn grown in Guatemala and Indonesia as well as the United States. Melhus was a member of several professional and honor societies including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, the Botanical Society of America, the Crop Protection Institute, and the American Phytopathological Society (President, 1926). Irving E. Melhus married Elizabeth Williamson on December 26, 1907. They had two daughters, Sarah (Hoyman) and Janet (Wallin). He died November 10, 1969, in Ames, Iowa. |
Collection description
This collection (1906-2002, n.d.) contains biographical information, correspondence, research materials, publications, and talks of Dr. Irving E. Melhus. The research materials, publications, and talks focus on corn, potatoes, and rusts. The papers also contain information about the Guatemala Tropical Research Center, which Melhus established and directed. These materials contain reports, photographs, and correspondence relating to the work of the Center. |
Organization
Description of series
| Series 1 | Biographical Information |
1915-2002, n.d. |
| extent: | 17 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains awards and honors, membership information for professional organizations, newspaper clippings, personal information, and family photographs. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
1 |
Appointments, awards, and recognitions |
1915-1965 |
1 |
2 |
American Phytopathological Society |
1919 |
1 |
3 |
American Phytopathological Society: Fellows |
1965-1966 |
1 |
4 |
American Phytopathological Society: I. E. Melhus graduate student symposium |
1996-2002 |
1 |
5 |
Biographical information |
1916-1970 |
1 |
6 |
Crop Protection Institute |
1923 |
1 |
7 |
Organization of the Iowa State Journal of Science |
1923-1928 |
1 |
8 |
Midwest Horticulture Exposition |
1919 |
1 |
9 |
Dinner honoring Dr. I. E. Melhus |
1956 |
1 |
10 |
Letters to Dr. I. E. Melhus |
1956 |
1 |
11 |
Congratulations to Melhus on his birthday |
1956 |
1 |
12 |
Class of 1906 50th anniversary |
1956 |
1 |
13 |
Memorials |
1969-1971 |
1 |
14 |
News clippings |
1945-1959 |
5 |
1 |
Photographs of family (2- 8x10, 7- 5x7, and 1- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1930, n.d. |
5 |
2 |
Photographs of family (1- 5x7 color photograph) |
n.d. |
5 |
3 |
Photographs of colleagues (1- 11x14 and 2- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1944-1956, n.d. |
Description of series
| Series 2 | Correspondence |
1906-1963 |
| extent: | 21 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains correspondence with colleagues, universities, friends, family, and students. Included is correspondence with Dr. Louis H. Pammel, former Head of the Department of Botany at Iowa State, and former students serving in World War II. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
34 |
Correspondence: Pammel, Louis H. |
1906-1923 |
1 |
15 |
Outgoing mail |
1907-1952 |
1 |
28 |
Personal |
1923-1955 |
1 |
24 |
Incoming mail: A-H |
1928-1954 |
1 |
25 |
Incoming mail: I-O |
1928-1954 |
1 |
26 |
Incoming mail: P-Q |
1928-1954 |
1 |
27 |
Incoming mail: R-Z |
1928-1954 |
1 |
35 |
Correspondence: Service men |
1944-1945 |
1 |
30 |
Correspondence: Botany |
1945 |
1 |
33 |
Correspondence: Seeds |
1945-1946 |
1 |
29 |
Correspondence: Botany |
1945-1946 |
1 |
32 |
Correspondence: Plant diseases |
1945-1946 |
1 |
31 |
Correspondence: Seed treatment |
1945-1946 |
1 |
23 |
Correspondence |
1953 |
1 |
16-17 |
Outgoing mail |
1953 |
1 |
21 |
Correspondence |
1953-1955 |
1 |
22 |
Correspondence |
1953-1962 |
1 |
18 |
Outgoing mail |
1954 |
1 |
19 |
Outgoing mail |
1955 |
1 |
20 |
Correspondence |
1956-1963 |
Description of series
| Series 3 | Research Materials |
1945-1961, n.d. |
| extent: | 22 folders |
|
| description: | This series contains materials relating to Dr. Melhus' research on diseases of tomatoes, corn, and teosinte. There are also notes regarding Guatemalan plants and vegetables. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
2 |
22 |
Agars notes |
n.d. |
2 |
1 |
Corn root worm resistance study at Belleville, Kansas |
1953 |
2 |
21 |
Guatemala vegetables notes (7- 5x7 and 1- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1951 |
2 |
2 |
Indonesia |
1953 |
2 |
3 |
Insect pest of Maize in Central America (17- 5x7 and 2- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1947 |
2 |
4 |
Maggot injury (19- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1947 |
2 |
8 |
Maya plants (1- 8x10 b/w photograph) |
1947 |
2 |
5 |
Mayan husk tomato (3- 8x10, 2- 5x7, and 2- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1952 |
2 |
7 |
Mayan husk tomato query: fair replies |
1952 |
2 |
6 |
Mayan husk tomato query: unfair replies |
1952 |
2 |
9 |
Method for counting spores |
n.d. |
2 |
10 |
Peten exploration (3- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1954 |
2 |
11 |
Physali's data |
1945 |
2 |
13 |
Teosinte data: Beaumont, TX |
1953 |
2 |
19 |
Teosinte experiment notes |
1958-1959 |
2 |
20 |
Teosinte experiments |
1961 |
2 |
12 |
Teosinte material and notes |
1949-1952 |
2 |
14 |
Teosinte notes |
1956 |
2 |
15 |
Teosinte notes |
1958 |
2 |
16 |
Teosinte notes |
1959 |
2 |
17 |
Teosinte patent: Correspondence |
1952-1955 |
2 |
18 |
Utilization of teosinte (2- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1950-1955 |
Description of series
| Series 4 | Publications and Talks |
1911-1959, n.d. |
| extent: | 2.3 linear ft. (1 records center carton and 30 folders) |
|
| description: | This series consists of article reprints, papers, talks, and manuscripts for books, including Elements of Plant Pathology. Topics include research on diseases of a multitude of plants including corn, cabbage, apples, melons, potatoes, raspberries, and many others. There are also writings and articles regarding the Tropical Research Center and research performed there on teosinte and corn. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
2 |
23 |
"Alternate Hosts and Biologic Specialization of Crown Rust in America" |
1922 |
2 |
24 |
"As We Rested on the Sire of the Sagas of the Maya" |
1954 |
2 |
25 |
"Barberry Bush and Black Stem Rust of Small Grains" |
1917 |
2 |
26 |
Bibliography of Melhus articles |
n.d. |
2 |
27 |
"Cabbage Diseases" |
n.d. |
2 |
28 |
"Cabbage Yellows, Caused by Fusarium Conglutinans in Iowa" |
1926 |
2 |
29 |
"Century of Plant Disease Control" |
1933 |
2 |
30 |
"Cereal Rusts of Small Grains" |
1919 |
2 |
31 |
"Challenge of the Plant Resources in the Tropics" |
1951 |
2 |
32 |
"Changing Times" |
1955 |
2 |
33 |
"The Changing Times" read at Kanawha, Iowa |
1955 |
2 |
34 |
"Commemorating Six Decades of the Modern Era in Botanical Science" |
1934 |
3 |
68 |
"Comparative Development of Some United States, Mexican and Central American Corns at Different Latitudes and Altitudes" (abstract) |
1946 |
2 |
35 |
"Corn Growing in Indonesia and Some Suggestions for Increasing Production" |
1952 |
2 |
36 |
"Crown Gall and Graft Knots of Apples" |
1927 |
2 |
37 |
"Culturing of Parasitic Fungi on the Living Host" |
1912 |
2 |
38 |
"Destructive Foliage Diseases of the Potato" |
1917 |
2 |
39 |
"Disease of Corn in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas" |
1946 |
2 |
40 |
"Diseases of Cereals and Flax in Iowa" |
1942 |
2 |
41 |
"Diseases of Cucumbers and Melons in Iowa" |
1925 |
2 |
42 |
"Dry Rot of Corn" |
1922 |
2 |
43 |
"Effect of Crown Gall upon a Young Orchard" |
1919 |
3 |
3 |
"Effect of Photo Period on the Growth and Development of Teosinte" |
1959 |
2 |
44 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" |
n.d. |
2 |
45 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" textbook, ch. 1-6 |
1939 |
2 |
46 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" textbook, ch. 7-10 |
1939 |
2 |
47 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" textbook, ch. 11-13 |
1939 |
2 |
48 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" textbook, ch. 14-end |
1939 |
2 |
49 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" book material |
1939 |
2 |
50 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material fig. 1-50 |
1939 |
2 |
51 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material fig. 50-100 (1- 8x10, 10- 5x7, 6- 3x6, and 7- 4x5 b/w photographs) |
1939 |
2 |
52 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material fig. 100-150 (2- 8x10, 8- 5x7, 8- 3x6, and 7- 4x5 b/w photographs) |
1939 |
3 |
1 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material fig. 150-200 (1- 8x10, 10- 5x7, 1- 3x6, and 5- 4x5 b/w photographs) |
1939 |
3 |
2 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material fig. 200-250 (3- 8x10, 9- 5x7, 10- 3x6, and 6- 4x5 b/w photographs) |
1936 |
3 |
4 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material (2- 8x10, 5- 5x7, 1- 3x6, and 2- 4x5 b/w photographs) |
1939 |
3 |
5 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material (21- 8x10, 17- 5x7, and 15- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1928-1939 |
3 |
6 |
"Elements of Plant Pathology" illustration material (26- 5x7 and 7- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1917-1939 |
3 |
7 |
"Experiments on Spore Germination and Infection in Certain Species of Oomycetes" |
1911 |
3 |
8 |
"Exploring the Maize Germ Plasm of the Tropics" |
1948 |
3 |
9 |
"Fungicidal Action of Formaldehyde" |
1920 |
3 |
10 |
"Further Studies on Potato Seed Treatment" |
1923 |
3 |
11 |
"Germination and Infection with the Fungus of the Late Blight of Potato" |
1915 |
3 |
12 |
"The Growth and Development of Teosinte at Different Latitudes" |
n.d. |
3 |
13 |
"Growth and Development of Teosinte – A Pre-Columbian Plant" |
1959 |
3 |
14 |
"Growth and Development of Teosinte" read at 33rd International Congress of Americanists |
1958 |
3 |
15 |
"Growth and Development of Three-way, Back Crosses and Top Crosses at Ames, IA in 1947" |
1947 |
3 |
16 |
"Growth of a Concept" speech given as the retiring president of the Iowa State chapter of Sigma Xi |
1925 |
3 |
17 |
Guatemala Maize Research Symposium Conference program |
1948 |
3 |
18 |
"Helminthosporium Leaf Blight of Corn in Guatemala" |
1953 |
3 |
19 |
"Hibernation of Phytophthora Infestants of the Irish Potato" |
1915 |
3 |
20 |
"Hot Formaldehyde Dip of Seed Potatoes" |
1925 |
3 |
21 |
"Idea that Sparked a Flame" read at Northern Iowa Experimental Association |
1933 |
3 |
22 |
"Idea that Started the Flame that Became the Northern Iowa Agricultural Experiment Association" |
n.d. |
3 |
23 |
"Improved Method of Potato Seed Treatment" |
1919 |
3 |
24 |
"Indonesian Varieties of Corn in Different Stages of Maturity" (16- 3x5 b/w photographs) |
1952 |
3 |
25 |
"Iowa Laws Relating to Noxious Weeds" |
1938 |
3 |
26 |
"Iowa State College – Guatemala Tropical Research Center" |
1948 |
3 |
27 |
"Joseph Rosenbaum" |
1926 |
3 |
28 |
"Late Blight Forecasting Service" |
1945 |
3 |
29 |
"Late Blight Outbreak of 1942 and a Proposed Forecasting Service" |
1942 |
3 |
69 |
"Mayan Husk Tomato... A Tropical Fruit Comes to Iowa" |
1953 |
3 |
30 |
"Measuring Water Flow Interference in Certain Gall and Vascular Diseases" |
1924 |
3 |
31 |
"More Food More War" paper read at Sioux City |
1954 |
3 |
32 |
"Native Ferns of Iowa" |
1936 |
3 |
33 |
"New Developments Concerning Virus Diseases of Store Fruits" |
1941 |
3 |
34 |
"New Virus Disease Epidemic on Onions" |
1929 |
3 |
35 |
"Nueva Plaga Insectil del Maiz" |
1948 |
3 |
36 |
"Perennial Mycelium in Species of Peronosporacea Related to Phytophthora Infestans" |
1915 |
3 |
37 |
"Perennial Mycelium of Phytophthora Infestans" |
1913 |
3 |
38 |
"Plant Research in the Tropics" |
1949 |
3 |
39 |
"Potential Crop Plants" |
n.d. |
3 |
40 |
"Powdery Scab (Spongospora Subterranea) of Potatoes" |
1914 |
3 |
41 |
"Preliminary Study of Teosinte in its Region of Origin" |
1953 |
3 |
42 |
"Preliminary Study of the Diseases of Corn and Some Related Hosts in Guatemala" |
1953 |
3 |
43 |
"Presence of Mycelium and Oospores of Certain Downy Mildews in the Seed of their Hosts" |
1931 |
3 |
44 |
"Pythium Graminicola Subr. on Barley" |
1941 |
3 |
45 |
"Raspberry Diseases in Iowa" |
1927 |
3 |
46 |
"Relation of the Barberry to Stem Rust in Iowa" |
1920 |
3 |
47 |
Report on Mexican Exploration |
n.d. |
3 |
48 |
"Sclerospora on Corn in America" |
1925 |
3 |
49 |
"Silver Scurf, A Disease of the Potato" |
1913 |
3 |
50 |
"Search for Resistance to the Injury Caused by Species of Diabrotica in the Corn of Guatemala" |
1954 |
3 |
51 |
"Seed Treatment for Corn Diseases" |
1928 |
3 |
52 |
"Septoria Pisi in Relation to Pea Blight" |
1913 |
3 |
53 |
"Small Grain Rusts and the Progress of Barberry Eradications in Iowa" |
1927 |
3 |
54 |
"Some Activities of the Iowa State College Tropical Research Center" |
1950 |
3 |
55 |
"Some Raspberry Diseases" |
1917 |
3 |
56 |
"Species of Phizophidum Parasitic on the Oospores of Various Peronosporaceae" |
1914 |
3 |
57 |
"Spongospora Subterranea and Phoma Tuberosa on the Irish Potato" |
1916 |
3 |
58 |
"Studies on the Crown Rust of Oats" |
1919 |
3 |
59 |
"Study of the Control of Crown Gall on Apple Grafts in the Nursery" |
1921 |
3 |
60 |
"Study of Sclerospora Graminicita Schroet. on Setaria Viridid Beauv. and Zea Mays L." |
1928 |
3 |
61 |
"Summary of the Results of the Cooperative Investigation of Crown Gall in Relation to Apple Nursery Stock" |
1926 |
3 |
62 |
Talks on the American tropics |
1954 |
3 |
63 |
Talks on plants |
n.d. |
3 |
64 |
Tropical Research Center |
1948 |
3 |
65 |
"Un Nuevo Maiz Amarillo Para Guatemala" |
1949 |
3 |
66 |
"Weeds and Their Control" |
1938 |
3 |
67 |
"Wilt Resistance in F. Hybrid Watermelons" |
1942 |
Description of series
| Series 5 | Guatemala Tropical Research Center |
1945-1968, n.d. |
| extent: | 1.3 linear ft. (1 records center carton) |
|
| description: | This series includes materials relating to the creation and research of the Guatemala Tropical Research Center, which was the first overseas experiment station operated by a United States university. The Center was established in 1946 at Antigua, Guatemala, through financial assistance from Earl E. May, to study tropical varieties of corn. The materials include newspaper clippings, reports, and photographs regarding the research performed at the Center. See also Series 4, Publications and Talks, for further articles on the Center. |
|
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
4 |
1 |
Contracts and plans |
1945-1948, n.d. |
4 |
2 |
"Corn Production in Guatemala" |
1953 |
4 |
3 |
Corn varieties information |
n.d. |
4 |
4 |
Earl E. May |
|
4 |
5 |
Guatemala information |
n.d. |
4 |
24 |
Guatemala Tropical Research Center: Annual report (3- 3x5 and 7- 5x7 b/w photographs) |
1950 |
4 |
23 |
Guatemala Tropical Research Center: Annual report (30- 5x7 b/w photographs) |
1949 |
4 |
22 |
Guatemala Tropical Research Center: Reports of progress |
1946-1955 |
4 |
25 |
Guatemala Tropical Research Center: Reports on research |
1946-1953 |
4 |
6 |
Newspaper clippings |
1945-1955 |
4 |
7 |
Photographs: Corn (5- 3x5, 5- 5x7, and 10- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
n.d. |
4 |
12 |
Photographs: Corn and teosinte (1- 3x5, 2- 5x7, and 16- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1949-1952 |
4 |
18 |
Photographs: Corn and teosinte (9- 3x5, 12- 5x7, and 37- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
n.d. |
4 |
11 |
Photographs: Corn, Antigua (21- 3x5 and 10 -5 5x7 b/w photographs) |
1950, n.d. |
4 |
10 |
Photographs: Corn, tropical (4- 3x5 and 88- 5x7 b/w photographs) |
n.d |
4 |
9 |
Photographs: Corn, tropical (7- 3x5, 115- 5x7, and 2- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
n.d. |
4 |
8 |
Photographs: Corn, tropical (87- 3x5 and 2- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
n.d. |
4 |
13 |
Photographs: Corn, tropical, research (1- 3x5, 4- 5x7, and 6- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1957 |
4 |
14 |
Photographs: Diseases and rootworm (16- 3x5 and 12- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1945-1957, n.d. |
4 |
15 |
Photographs: Exploration trip (17- 5x7 and 14- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
n.d. |
4 |
16 |
Photographs: Hybrids (3- 3x5 and 13- 5x7 b/w photographs) |
1947, n.d. |
4 |
19 |
Photographs: Maya food plants (18- 3x5, 10- 5x7, and 14- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
n.d. |
4 |
20 |
Photographs: Publicity for Tropical Research Center (1- 3x5, 27- 5x7, and 3- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1946, n.d. |
4 |
21 |
Photographs: Publicity for Tropical Research Center (31- 3x5, 8- 4x6, 5- 5x7, and 7- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1948-1958 |
4 |
26 |
Photographs: Tropical Research Center (33- 3x5 and 3- 5x7 b/w photographs) |
1945 |
4 |
17 |
Photographs: Tropical Research Center (6- 3x5 and 21- 8x10 b/w photographs) |
1948-1968 |