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 157 · DO #4210 · 182_Goodspeed_Bx3FF48_r

Collection
Thomas Harper Goodspeed (1887–1966) papers
Item/Folder
Wiener–Woytkowski, 1948–1957
Digital Object
DO #4210, page 157
Collection-level dates
1923–1963
Open PDF at page 157 ↗

Page transcription

Plantas decorativas -para los interiores- como los :
Anthuriums, Caladiums, Philodendrons, Monstera, Marantas, Helechos,
Selaginellas, - y tambien las Orquidaceas.

Como en la Escuela de Agricultura La Molina me piden casi diario "esas plantas para el interior"...
Orejas de Elefante, etc.," como los Señores Profesores Ing. Julio Gaudron y Doctor O. Velarde N. - han demostrado el interés de tenerlas en el Jardin Botanico,- y especialmente los Señores Profesores de Botanica, Doctor R. Ferreyra y Doctor O. Velarde desean tener plantas de la familia de Araceas para los estudios taxonomicos, por tratarse de una familia poco conocida y menos estudiada de la vasta flora del Peru, habia todas las razones de dedicar a los grupos arriba enumerados un sector apropiado dentro del Jardin Botanico.

Ademas, las plantas mencionadas tenfan la enorme ventaja de gozar en la plaza de Lima de la demanda comercial, un hecho mas en favor de ellas.

Es demas de decir que generalmente se otorga la preferencia en los Jardines Botanicos a los grupos de plantas que interesan no solamente a los cientificos -- pero sobre todo al publico y, desde luego, al mercado comercial.

Una planta decorativa, un adorno en el interior de la casa, debe tener la forma y el aspecto agradables a la vista. No teniendo dichas caracteristicas - cesa de ser deseable ! Asi el productor es obligado de suministrar ejemplares perfectos.

Las plantas cultivadas requieren un cultivo, un cuidado y atencion especiales y diferentes para cada grupo respectivo. Eso lo sabe cada agricultor, cada horticultor y cada floricultor. En un Jardin Botanico -es donde se espera de saber lo mejor...... por la naturaleza del papel que desempeña en una comunidad civilizada y cultural.

Si,por ejemplo, se trata de los Anthuriums - conocemos perfectamente su correcto cultivo y tambien todas las condiciones que debemos proporcionarles - para tener un maximo exito en nuestra labor respectiva. No hay necesidad de inventar nada de nuevo , por que sabemos todo de los trabajos de mas de un siglo - hechos en muy numerosos paises y por profesionales reconocidos mundialmente.

Las "recetas" de los cultivos individuales abundan en todas las literaturas correspondientes, en diferentes idiomas y en diferentes manuales de horticultura.

Como actualmente, cada dia mas, se pierde "la virtud de creer", me permito citar directamente de un manual de jardineria y mas adelante proporcionar la traduccion :

I.
"Anthurium (Flamingo-plant), Ord. Aroideae. Stove plants. Flowering and orn. foliage. Flowering period, Mrch - Aug. First introduced 1825.
Culture : Compost, equal parts rough peat, sphagnum moss. Position, pots, well drained, shady. Pot March. Water freely March to Nov., moderately afterwards. Temp., Sept. to March 60 tp 65°; March to Sept. 70 to 80°.
Propagation : By division of roots in March; seeds sown in mixture of chopped Sphagnum moss, charcoal and sand in temp. of 80°in spring".
TRADUCCION : Anthurium (Planta Flemingo). Familia Aroideae. Planta del Invernadero. Planta de flores y de foliaje ornamental. Periodo de florecer Marzo hasta Agosto. Introducida en la jardineria 1825.
Cultivo : Composte, partes iguales de turba tosca y del musgo sfagnum. Posicion, macetas con buen drenaje - en sombra. Plantar en macetas en Marzo. Regar con abundancia Marzo - Nov.; mas tarde con moderacion. Temperatura de Marzo hasta Set. 70-80°; de Set. hasta Marzo 60-65°.