122 photographs gathered by Knowlton during his work
as an entomologist at Utah State University. The majority of these photos show different
types of equipment including microscopes, sprayers, mixers, and dusters. Other photos
show specific pest control projects including cricket control from 1937-1941 and fly
control on dairy cows. folders fifteen through nineteen are an interesting contrast to
the rest of the collection showing research done to determine the deaths of numerous
honey bees. A picture of devils slide and humorous postcards of giant grasshoppers are
also included.
Repository:
Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Photograph Collection
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000 Phone: 435 797-2663 Fax: 435 797-2880 Email: scweb@usu.edu
Languages:
Collection materials are in English.
Sponsor:
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant,
2007-2008
Biographical Note
George Franklin Knowlton was born in Farmington, Utah on July 28, 1901. In 1921 he moved
to Logan to attend the Utah Agricultural College. In 1923 he received a Bachelor's
degree in Entomology. In 1924, soon after receiving a Master's Degree, Knowlton became
the Assistant Entomologist at the Agricultural College. He did one year of graduate
study at the University of Minnesota then transfered to Ohio State University where in
1932 he received a Ph.D. From 1925 until he became an Emeritus Professor in 1967,
Knowlton taught Entomology and Zoology at Utah Agricultural College becoming an
associate entomologist in 1930, a research associate in 1939, and a full professor in
1943. After receiving emeritus status, Knowlton continued to serve as a senior
consultant on numerous federal grants.
Knowlton's work as entomologist was well known. He published hundreds of articles and
pamphlets on various tomato, potato, beet, and berry insects. This research led to
studies in the relationship of lizards and birds to insect control methods on farm and
rangeland. During World War II, Knowlton served as the U.S. Army Engineers 9th service
command entomologist, where he headed and organized the insect and rodent control unit.
Later, he provided information on insect control for the U.S. War Department Technical
Manual. In addition, he served as Chairman of the Pacific Slope Branch of the American
Association of Economic Entomologists, 1940-1941, Vice Chairman of the Rocky Mountain
Conference of Entomologists, 1939, and Chairman of the Northwest Vegetable Insect
Control Conference 1948-1949.
Knowlton married Mary Brown Watkins in 1925 in the Logan LDS Temple. They had two
daughters: Jean (Collmar) and Kathryn (Cazier). Knowlton died on April 8, 1987 at the
Logan Regional Hospital.
Content Description
The George F. Knowlton Collection consists of 122 photographs gathered by Knowlton
during his work as an entomologist at Utah State University. The majority of these
photos show different types of equipment including microscopes, sprayers, mixers, and
dusters. Other photos show specific pest control projects including cricket control from
1937-1941 and fly control on dairy cows. folders fifteen through nineteen are an
interesting contrast to the rest of the collection showing research done to determine
the deaths of numerous honey bees. A picture of devils slide and humorous postcards of
giant grasshoppers are also included.
Several pictures in this collection were attached to acidic paper that contained
descriptive notes. This backing was removed for preservation purposes, and placed in
folder 24 of this collection. The numbers on the back of the photographs corresponds
with numbers on the removed papers.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access : Restrictions
Open to public research.
Restrictions on Use : Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of
the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents
from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.
Permission to publish material from the Dr. George F. Knowlton photograph collection must
be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections
Department Head.
Preferred Citation :
Dr. George F. Knowlton photograph collection, 1935-1955. (P0115). Utah State University.
Special Collections & Archives Department.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Arranged in numeric sequence according to box, folder, and Item
Acquisition Information :
Aquisition information is unknown
Processing Note :
Register completed by Mark W. Buchanan, November 2004.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Pest Control
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1
1
01:01:01. : Three men, in front of Woods Cross Canning
Company, standing next to Friend (?), Duster, Clearfield, Utah
(See photo's 01:01:03 & 01:02:01).
1941 June
01:01:02. : Horse drawn duster sitting in a yard next to
other equipment
01:01:03. : Side view of the same Friend (?), Duster shown
in photo 01:01:01, Clearfield, Utah
1941 June
01:01:04. : Horse drawn duster, shown in 01:01:02, dusting
field
01:01:05. : Two men operating Agicide Duster, in field near
Tremonton, Utah
(See photo's 01:02:05 and 01:02:07).
1941
01:01:06. : One man drives a truck as another operates
duster from the bed
1946
01:01:07. : Tractor and duster loaded with DDT sitting in
field near Delta Utah
01:02:01. : Two men preparing sprayer in front of Woods
Cross Co. building, Clearfield, Utah, June 4, 1941. "Mr. Stephens operated
duster. Barlow swept"
1941 June 4
01:02:02. : "Power dusting equipment is readied in spring,
to meet pest control needs on peas, beans, tomatoes, or other crops."
Smithfield, Utah
1941
01:02:03. : A group of men and a duster outside warehouse in
Smithfield, Utah
1941 June 16
01:02:04. : George Knowlton standing next to duster while it
is parked near a shed
June 1941
01:02:05. : Two Men operate Agicide Duster as two men, a
women, and two children look on, southwest of Tremonton
1941 June
01:02:06. : Large truck, with duster on back, parked on the
side of the road. "Mapleton, Eddington Can Co., June 3, 1941, Agicide Duster"
1941 June 3
01:02:07. : Two men dig Agicide Duster out of mud in pea
field near East Garland, Utah
1941 June 25
01:02:08. : Three men dust pea field for aphids near
Smithfield, Utah
1941 June 14
01:02:09. : Two men prepare duster infield. "Perry Can Co.,
June 14, 1941, 5 min, N. Brigham"
01:03:01. : Rearview of man operating tractor-sprayer in
field
01:03:02. : Front view of man operating tractor-sprayer in
field
(See photo 01:03:01).
01:03:03. : George F. Knowlton operating Farmall tractor
with Niagara duster attached
01:03:04. : George F. Knowlton sits on tractor-duster while
two unidentified men stand nearby
01:03:05. : "Alfalfa weevil control, aimed at killing the
over wintering beetles before they lay eggs, is here being applied near
Fielding, by U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist F.V. Lieberman of the
Legume Seed Research Laboratory. This application is put on when first growth
reaches only 1 to 2 inches, which is before the fields show much greening,
explained Dr. G.F. Knowlton, Utah State Agricultural College Extension
Entomologist"
01:04:01. : "Tractor with metering devise for granular
material showing one tube for each of four rows plus power takeoff from left
wheel axle"
01:04:02(a).: "Tractor-sprayer with 20 foot boom mounted on
rear on one side, capable of adjustment for different heights of
crops"
01:04:02(b).: "Tractor-duster with 20 foot boom mounted in
rear on one side of tractor capable of adjustment for heights of different
crops. Both dust and granular materials can be broadcast with this
equipment"
01:04:03(a).: "Tractor showing four chisels mounted on power
bar for applying granular insecticide in four seed rows. Depth application can
be varied by hydraulic lift. This equipment used for placing insecticide below
seed level prior to seeding"
01:04:03(b).: "Transformer attached to 12 volt battery
operating hand vacuum with special nozzle for removing seed or granular
material from hoppers"
01:04:04(a).: "Operation using hand vacuum for removing
granular or seed from hopper in which several materials are being used in test
plots"
01:04:04(b).: "Close up view of power take off on tractor for
operating spray pump. Transfer can be made from sprayers to duster by removing
four bolt clamp on power shaft"
01:04:05.: "Close-up view of power take-off on tractor for
operating power duster. Note the transfer from sprayer to duster is made by
removing four bolt clamp and placing pully on power shaft"
01:05:01(a). : "Figure 1. Dusting peas for weevil control in
Utah. Bean unit mounted in pickup truck"
01:05:01(b). : "Figure 2. Dusting for Weevil Control in Utah.
Bean unit mounted in heavy truck"
01:05:02(a). : "Figure 3. Dusting for pea weevil control in
Utah. Messinger unit mounted in pickup truck"
01:05:02(b). : "Figure 4. Dusting for pea weevil control in
Utah. Horse-drawn unit. Machines of this type were very
satisfactory"
01:05:03(a). : "Figure 5. Dusting for pea weevil control in
Utah. Another view of the preceding machine."
(See photo 01:01:04).
01:05:03(b). : "Figure 6. Dusting with hand operated machine
for weevil control. Corners into which power equipment could not be drawn were
dusted in this fashion"
01:05:04(a). : "Tractor-sprayer-duster loaded on ¾ ton pickup
truck for transporting to field experiments on insect control on sugar beets
and vegetable insects. Logan, Utah"
01:05:04(b). : "Tractor-sprayer-duster being loaded into ¾ ton
pickup on two 2x12 planks used for each runway"
01:05:05(a). : "Close up view of tractor-sprayer-duster showing
dust boom mounted on special brackets for movement; showing also front spray
boom folded for transporting plus 10 gallon exchangeable can for spray
materials"
01:05:05(b). : "Tractor-sprayer with front spray boom 20 feet
long, capable of adjustment to heights varying within 12 inches by hydraulic
lift"
Cricket Control (USDA photographs taken by
Forsythe)
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1
7
01:07:01. : "Lands too steep or thick with underbrush and
rocks for equipment mounted on trucks or trailers are baited by hand. Here a
crew scatters poison bait in the path of migrating crickets"
1941 June
01:07:02. : "A new poison bait spreader-an adaptation of the
trailer spreader used in the grasshopper control campaign-is tested outside the
Elko, Nev., field station
June 1941."
01:07:03. : "Migrating Mormon crickets cross mountain
streams in their path by dropping in and floating with the current until they
reach the other side. A film formed by "oil drips," half to three quarters of a
mile apart along the stream will kill the floating crickets"
1941 June
01:07:04. : "Pick-up trucks carry power dusters across
cricket-infested lands. The operators wear respirators as a protection against
the dust"
1941 June
01:07:05. : "The hand-dusting crew advances on a band of
migrating crickets"
01:10:04.: Man using hand sprayer in corners of
field
Duplicate of 01:05:03(b).
01:10:05.: Man spraying outside of building with power
sprayer, demonstrating fly control equipment for the Utah Agricultural College
Extension Service
01:11:01.: Man using Smith E-Z Knapsack Lever Type Sprayer
made by D.B. Smith & Co., Utica, N.Y
01:11:02.: "Compact, easily moved power sprayer with 12
1/2-gallon tank spraying small fruit tree." H.D. Hudson Manufacturing Company
Chicago, Illinois
01:11:03.: "Spraying small fruit Tree with 15 gallon power
sprayer." Champion Sprayer Company, Detroit, Michigan
01:11:04.: "Applying dust to small trees with Knapsack
duster for insect or disease control." Champion Sprayer Company, Detroit,
Michigan
01:11:05.: Man using power sprayer to spray large tree.
H.D. Hudson Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Illinois
01:14:01.: Gas powered broadcast spreader on back of
flatbed truck
01:14:02.: "Poisoned bait for the cricket control campaign
is prepared in the Elk, Nev., field station by mixing a weighed quantity of
sodium fluosilicate (in pail) with the proper proportion of bran (right). The
bait is sacked for distribution to control crews
01:15:01.: "Large Numbers of honey bees were killed in
Millard County, Utah, during August of 1950 and 1951. This occurred when
parathion spray and dust was applied to blossoming alfalfa. Here, Dr. G.F.
Knowlton, research professor of entomology at the Utah Agricultural Experiment
Station, examines a bee yard where nearly all field bees where
killed"
01:15:01(dup).: Enlarged duplicate of photo
01:15:01
01:15:02.: "In this picture is shown Dr. G.F. Knowlton,
one of the research staff working to determine the effects of insecticides on
honeybees when they visit alfalfa fields where insecticidedal sprays have been
applied to blossoming alfalfa"
01:15:03.: "The Photograph shows part of an investigation
being carried on by these college entomologists at the North Logan Experimental
Farm. Here the bees are being used to cross-pollinate alfalfa to produce a seed
crop. The research also aims to measure the effects on bees from poisoning due
to any agricultural chemical applications applied to the crop while it is in
blossom"
01:19:01.: George Knowlton at desk displaying
microscope
01:19:02.: George Knowlton at desk with two
microscopes
01:19:03.: George Knowlton seated at a desk looking at a
microscope while Robert Olson looks on
1954 February 24
01:19:04.: "Gerald L. Dean, a graduate student in
entomology, of Ogden, Utah, Who is assisting Dr. G.F. Knowlton on his celery
insect project of the Utah State Agricultural College Experiment Station." Dean
is seated at a desk looking through microscope
01:23:01.: Postcard from "Hebe", July 7, 1955. Shows a
giant grasshopper being used to plow field. Inscription reads, "The Old Grey
Mare she ain't what she used to be"
1955 July 7
01:23:02.: Postcard from "Hebe" June 1954. Shows man
riding a giant grasshopper. Inscription reads, "I'm on my way-I'll be seein'
yeh"
June 1954
01:23:03.: Postcard from "Hebe" March 31, 1955. Shows a
giant grasshopper stopping a train. Inscription reads, "The Train Holdup"
