Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation
A Research Division of Carnegie Mellon University

Hunt Institute Archives Text Discovery Platform

Search a large and growing portion of our online collections, including handwritten documents.
PROTOTYPE

This prototype uses state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, including a vision-language model (VLM) capable of reading handwritten documents as well as typed and printed text, to create searchable transcriptions of digitized materials in the Hunt Institute Archives. This makes it possible to search the textual contents of individual pages, including material that may not be described in the archival catalog.

Use Keyword search for specific words, names, dates, scientific names, or phrases. Try Semantic search (experimental) to describe a topic, question, or kind of material when you do not know the exact wording used in the documents.

About the AI-generated transcriptions

The transcriptions are generated automatically from page images and may contain errors, especially with difficult handwriting, unusual names, multiple languages, image-quality problems, or complex layouts. They are intended primarily as a discovery aid rather than authoritative transcriptions.

Each result provides the generated transcription and links to the original digitized material and associated archival description so that readings can be checked against the source. The transcription workflow uses AI models run locally by the Hunt Institute.

About Keyword and Semantic search

Keyword search is the default and matches the wording in the transcriptions. Results contain all your terms. Use quotes for an exact phrase. Substring matching is supported, so aceae can find plant-family names ending in -aceae.

Semantic search (experimental) is useful when you know what kind of material you are looking for but do not know the words used in the documents. It ranks transcribed passages by similarity of meaning, so relevant results may not contain the exact words in your query.

Semantic queries can be broad research topics, descriptions of activities or relationships, or natural-language questions. For example:

plant collecting and fieldwork in South America medicinal, culinary, or other traditional uses of plants chromosomes and plant classification early herbals and botanical illustrations botanical institutions exchanging plants, seeds, and specimens microscopy and photomicrography in botanical research How did botanists and gardeners introduce plants from one region to another? grafting, budding, and propagation of tropical fruit crops

Semantic search is not a chatbot: a question is used as a search query, and the system returns archival passages that appear conceptually related to it rather than generating an answer or summary. Short descriptions and ordinary research questions generally work better than lists of disconnected keywords. Quotation marks have no special meaning in Semantic mode. Cross-language matching may work in some cases, but it should not be treated as translation.

Keyword and Semantic search are complementary. Keyword search lets you require particular wording; Semantic search can surface differently worded passages about the same subject. Depending on the research question, trying both can reveal different useful material.

Open a result: use the prominent page-and-transcription link to see the metadata, PDF, and full transcription. Keyword-search terms are highlighted in the transcription.

Archives Collections Database (ArchivesSpace): the Collection, Item/Folder, and Digital Object links open the corresponding archival records. Collection-level dates describe the collection as a whole, not necessarily the specific item or page.

If a PDF does not load: on the detail page, use the Digital Object link, click “Go to file” in ArchivesSpace, and navigate to the page number shown here.

Current limitations
  • Automated transcriptions can contain missing or incorrect text or unintended repetition. Difficult handwriting, image quality, unusual layouts, and multiple languages can reduce accuracy. Always consult the original page image when an exact reading matters.
  • Semantic search remains experimental. Its rankings are an additional discovery aid, not a complete or definitive set of relevant results, and highly ranked pages can sometimes be only broadly related.
  • This is an active prototype. Search coverage, transcriptions, functionality, and the interface may continue to change as additional archival material is processed and the system is improved.

← Back to results

Page 128 · DO #4201 · 182_Goodspeed_Bx2FF39_r

Collection
Thomas Harper Goodspeed (1887–1966) papers
Item/Folder
Schroeder–Sisler, 1933–1957
Digital Object
DO #4201, page 128
Collection-level dates
1923–1963
Open PDF at page 128 ↗

Page transcription

Since 1935 I have spent a total of 4 years in Colombia, Peru, Chile and Argentina as director of three expeditions from the University of California which hunted for new or little known plants of scientific, agricultural, industrial and ornamental importance, with the cooperation of government officials and other prominent persons in those countries. As a result of the success of these expeditions I now have the most complete information anywhere available concerning the vegetation of western South America.

As the guest of the Colombian government I have been invited to spend July, August and September in Colombia to advise on agricultural and other matters including the design of a municipal orchid garden in the city of Medellin. I hope also to revisit Peru.

To increase scientific information concerning the vegetation of tropical South America, to improve the orchid and other collections in the University of California Botanical Garden and at the same time to assist commercial orchid growers in securing new or better sources of wild plants, I am willing to give my services without charge to direct an orchid survey in Colombia and Peru according to the following proposal.

(1) Both in Colombia and Peru I am acquainted with foreign born plant explorers who have for many years studied the tropical vegetation of those countries. They are my personal friends with whom I have myself collected plants and are men of the highest integrity as well as of superior technical training and experience in plant work. They are both familiar with commercial orchid species and varieties and with what constitutes superior quality. I will obtain their services to carry on under my direction the proposed orchid survey.

(2) These plant explorers will devote their entire time or the greater proportion thereof to a search for new or little known areas where orchids of known commercial value (and if possible of superior quality) can be obtained in quantity. In addition they will make every effort to find new or little known species and varieties of orchids which appear to be of potential commercial value and which can be collected in quantity. They will also obtain a variety of scientific information and collect specimens of new species of all plant groups for scientific study at the University of California.

(3) They will prepare detailed maps showing the exact locations of any new or otherwise valuable orchid areas they discover and will indicate the best routes by which those areas can be reached, methods of transportation, local collectors (if any) and will give all other information necessary to enable the revisiting of those areas.

(4) They will if possible obtain at least 15 plants (wherever possible of not less than 8 pseudobulbs each) of all orchids and varieties of known or potential commercial importance from each of the areas in which such species or varieties occur in quantity, and (by purchase if necessary) such other plants of superior quality as they may find in private or commercial orchid collections. If in proper condition these plants will be shipped as soon as possible and otherwise will be held until in suitable condition for shipment. All plants will be properly cleaned and dipped before shipment.