DATE: ca. 19th century - 20th century
CREATOR: Collected by John Hoover, including periodicals such as Breeder's Gazette, American Agriculturist, National Farm Journal, The Prairie Farmer, Ozark Countryman, South and West, Rural New Yorker, Farm and Home, Farmer's Wife, Household, and Farm Life.
SCOPE: The collection includes agricultural and horticultural publications consisting of journals, newspapers, pamphlets, long runs of rare periodicals, and broadsides. A significant collection of early American seed catalogs, with strong regional focus, farm implement catalogs, and other rural trade catalogs is also present.
EXTENT: Approximately 100 linear feet.
HISTORY AND PROVENANCE: Established in 1987 by the Director of the Mercantile Library, this collection was assembled from collections which originated primarily in the donor's native southern Illinois.
The collection has been enlarged through subsequent gifts and purchases of such items as additional farming and commodities journals from the nineteenth century, rural newspapers, and horticultural catalogs, and it is supported by related primary and secondary holdings long present in the Mercantile Library on agriculture, cooking and health, gardening, and early American women's studies and feminist issues which have long been known to be documented in such publications.
ACCESS: this collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the material in Special Collection M-105 may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, subject to condition. For collections marked limited access, researchers are advised to contact the library at least three business days in advance of their visit to submit a request to view the physical material.
Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building.
In observance of security procedures, certain services may not be available shortly before the daily closing time.
Preferred Citation: When citing the material from this collection, the preferred citation is: From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
