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 122 · DO #4202 · 182_Goodspeed_Bx2FF40_r

Collection
Thomas Harper Goodspeed (1887–1966) papers
Item/Folder
Sizov–Sproul, 1948–1957
Digital Object
DO #4202, page 122
Collection-level dates
1923–1963
Open PDF at page 122 ↗

Page transcription

LOS ANGELES STATE AND COUNTY ARBORETUM
Operated By
California Arboretum Foundation, Inc.
291 No. Old Ranch Road, Arcadia, California

Cable: LASCA, Arcadia, Calif.
Telephone: DOuglas 7-5444

Dr. T. Harper Goodspeed, Director
The Botanic Garden
University of California
Berkeley, California

Dear Dr. Goodspeed:

This week I had the pleasure of a visit with Paul Hutchison. As a result of this visit I shall be in Berkeley Friday, October 13th. Would it be possible for me to see you some time during the day to discuss possible ways in which our two institutions can cooperate, particularly in the matter of plant introduction?

The Los Angeles State and County Arboretum, as you undoubtedly know, is a young but very much alive institution. One of our major projects at the present time is the collecting of seed and growing of plants from all parts of the world with a climate similar to our own. Areas which we are particularly interested in at the present time are Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and portions of the Chilean Andes. The thought comes to me after reading your book again that many of the things which you have collected should do very well here.

I have given Paul a few plants to take back with him and we will have many more available in the near future for exchange purposes. He informs me that you have some South African seed on hand, but at the present time lack the facilities for growing it. We are in a good position right now to handle considerable quantities of seed and if it seems advisable to you I should like to offer our facilities in germinating such seed as you might care to send us, and, in return, furnish you with growing plants at such time as they are of proper size to be planted in your living collections.

There are many aspects to a program of cooperation between our organizations which are much better discussed in person than by letter. If you will have any free time on October 13th, or for that matter, on the 12th (as I expect to come up a little ahead of time) and could arrange an appointment for me, I shall be most happy to visit you.

Cordially yours,
George H. Spaulding
Superintendent